39 Facts About Declan McKenna

Declan Benedict McKenna was born on 24 December 1998 and is an English singer-songwriter.

Declan McKenna initially gained recognition for winning the Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition in 2015.

Declan McKenna released his second studio album, Zeros, in September 2020, after multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Declan McKenna was born in Enfield, Greater London, on 24 December 1998 and grew up in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, where he attended St Mary's Church of England High School.

Declan McKenna's mother was a teacher while his father worked as a milkman and in local politics.

Declan McKenna is primarily of English and Irish descent and, though he no longer considers himself to be religious, he was raised Catholic.

Declan McKenna began taking his GCSE exams in the summer of 2015.

Declan McKenna later studied for his A-levels in English Literature, Philosophy and Ethics, and Sociology, but stopped after a few months after his music career began to consume too much of his time.

In 2015, Declan McKenna entered the Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition.

NME called him "one of the most sought-after new acts" in the United Kingdom after his win, shortly after Declan McKenna signed a management contract with Q Prime.

Declan McKenna wrote an extensive number of demo songs prior to releasing his first break-out single.

Declan McKenna posted roughly two albums' worth of material on his web site, but took them down after August 2015.

Declan McKenna spent the remaining months of 2015 playing a wide range of British and Irish music festivals and concerts in venues throughout London.

In November 2015, following the success of "Brazil" and his shows in London, Declan McKenna self-released his second single, "Paracetamol".

Declan McKenna stayed quiet for much of 2016, writing songs in his bedroom for his debut album, but released "Bethlehem" that year, and in late August, his fourth single, "Isombard", which treated right-wing media.

Declan McKenna played at several music festivals in England: the NME Awards in February 2016; the Live at Leeds festival over the 2016 May Day bank holiday; The Great Escape Festival in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, in May 2016; the Standon Calling festival in late July 2016 in Standon, Hertfordshire; and the Field Day music festival in London in June 2016.

Declan McKenna made his North American debut at Jannus Live in St Petersburg, Florida, on 11 March 2016.

Declan McKenna then played three sets at South by Southwest Music on 15 March 2016.

Declan McKenna appeared on BBC Music's "Sound of 2017" list at the end of 2016, after releasing the two EPs Stains and Liar that year.

Declan McKenna played at various festivals in 2017, including Coachella, Lollapalooza, Glastonbury Festival and Reading and Leeds Festival.

In 2017, Declan McKenna won the BBC Music Award for BBC Introducing Artist of the Year.

Declan McKenna appeared at the Pilton Party 2017 with Bastille.

On 17 January 2018, Declan McKenna released a music video for "Make Me Your Queen".

On 19 August 2019, Declan McKenna released the song "British Bombs", which criticises UK foreign policy.

Declan McKenna stated that it is specifically about "the hypocrisy of the British arms trade and the weapons convention in London".

Declan McKenna wrote it as a result of wanting to write a song directly addressing war.

Declan McKenna had an artwork shoot for the album on the same day.

On 29 January 2020, Declan McKenna revealed that his second album would be titled Zeros and be released on 15 May 2020.

Declan McKenna released the song "Beautiful Faces" as the album's lead single.

In May 2023, Declan McKenna embarked on The Big Return Tour in North America.

Declan McKenna writes his own songs, but is supported by a band on tour currently consisting of Isabel Torres, Henry Pearce, Linus Fenton and Ben Limmer, although he has previously played all of his own instruments.

Jon Lyons has observed that as of November 2015, Declan McKenna's songs seemed to indicate an artist still experimenting with bands and styles of music which have influenced him.

Declan McKenna says he feels very good about being a role model.

Declan McKenna is a vegan and supports Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Declan McKenna acknowledges that he is seen as a "political" or "protest" singer.

For much of his initial work, Declan McKenna said he tried to find inspiration for lyrics and topics in his private life.

Declan McKenna felt his own life to be so uneventful that he turned to political and social issues which he felt needed to be discussed.

Declan McKenna performed at Labour Live, a music festival organised by the Labour Party, in June 2018.

Declan McKenna voted for the Labour Party in the 2019 general election.