Declan McKenna was an ‘early bloomer’. At the age of fifteen he was writing songs about xenophobia in the media and ignorance towards transgender people. The British singer-songwriter devises, writes and plays everything himself and expresses his open perspective on the world in tight, catchy songs. He was courted by at least 40 record companies. In 2015, Declan won the Emerging Talent Competition at Glastonbury, the British Rock Werchter. His debut single ‘Brazil’ was a well-aimed attack on the bigwigs at FIFA. The tone was set. On his third album, ‘What Happened to the Beach?’ (2024) McKenna has somewhat shifted his focus. The grand statements have given way to unbridled fun. The songs were written in sunny California and recorded by Gianluca Buccelati, known for his work with Lana Del Rey and Arlo Parks. A “guitar hero with a message,” headlines the Flemish newspaper De Morgen after his show at Rock Werchter 2024.
