Dermot Kennedy, born December 13, 1991, in Rathcoole, County Dublin, Ireland, began playing guitar at age 10 and writing songs at 14. He studied classical music at the National University of Ireland Maynooth before busking in Dublin and cities like Boston, winning the South County Song Contest, and gaining notice via Spotify's Discover Weekly in 2016. An early band, Shadows and Dust, disbanded in 2015. Kennedy blends folk-inspired storytelling with soulful vocals and modern production. His debut album Without Fear (2019) topped charts in Ireland and the UK, featuring singles 'Power Over Me' (UK Top 30) and 'Outnumbered' (UK and Ireland Top 10). The 2022 follow-up Sonder continued exploring themes of vulnerability. He performs with a full band including drums, bass, guitar, and violin, delivering emotionally intense live shows at festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Glastonbury, and South by Southwest.