Declan McKenna
When: 27th March 2024 and 28th March 2024
Location: O2 Academy
Declan McKenna is the British indie-pop singer-songwriter. Coming to Glasgow’s O2 Academy on 27th and 28th March 2024.
Declan McKenna was born 24 December 1998. He secured fame in 2015 with the self-release of his debut single Brazil. He won the coveted Emerging Talent prize at the globally renowned Glastonbury Festival. Brazil established McKenna as a politically and socially driven songwriter. The track criticising FIFA’s decision to hold the World Cup in a country struggling with vast economic injustice. Combined with his subsequent appearance on Glastonbury’s William’s Green Stage, Declan was dubbed one of the UK’s most exciting new artists. Ultimately signing a record deal with Columbia Records for the release of his debut full-length, What Do You Think About The Car? in 2017.
The album followed a handful of single and EP releases. This included 2016’s Stains and Liar. As well as a number of high profile live appearances including Field Day, The Great Escape Festival and Standon Calling. Towards the end of 2016, Declan was named on the BBC’s Sound Of 2017 longlist. Alongside Rag’n’Bone Man, Jorja Smith, Dave and Tom Grennan.
Sights set firmly on the USA
The release of What Do You Think About The Car? saw Declan McKenna look towards the United States, as well as landing him at No.11 on the official UK album chart. The same year he appeared at Coachella and Lollapalooza, as well as Reading and Leeds Festival in the UK. His album also secured him the BBC Introducing Artist Of The Year award.
Remaining relatively quiet for much of the following year, McKenna returned in 2019 with new single British Bombs – a comment on the hypocrisy of the British arms trade. The standalone single was followed by Beautiful Faces and The Key To Life On Earth in early 2020, both taken from his sophomore album ZEROS, released in August 2020. The record was preceded by a number of stripped back versions of recent singles. Listing the likes of David Bowie and Crosby, Stills and Nash as influences, McKenna described the record as a step forward in his ever-evolving sound.
