Tiera Kennedy Remains ‘Rooted’ In Authenticity On Debut Album [Interview]

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Tiera Kennedy. Photo: Kamren Kennedy

Songstress Tiera Kennedy is flying to new heights in the music industry with her feathery, smooth vocal stylings and the honest and vulnerable way in which she shares her stories.

Having infused her R&B-accented country sound into the People’s Choice Country Award-nominated “Blackbiird” cover featured on Beyoncè’s Cowboy Carter album as well as her 2021 self-titled EP and other previous releases, Kennedy continues to stay to herself now as an independent artist on her debut album, Rooted, and recently took some time to chat with MusicRow about the newly-unveiled project.

When developing the album, Kennedy didn’t put labels or limits on any musical facet and welcomed any influences that wandered into writing sessions—an approach similar to one she saw Beyoncè took with Cowboy Carter.

“When I was putting Rooted together, I tried to bring that same sentiment [that Beyoncè had] of not really caring about fitting into the box that people wanted me to be in, but fitting into the box that I wanted to be in.

“I think this is the first time that I’ve looked at a body of work and been fully proud of every single moment on the project, and that’s how it should be.”

The Alabama native says her songwriting has evolved in various ways since she first moved to Nashville.

“I care a lot less about what other people have to say about the music that I’m writing,” Kennedy notes. “It has been so freeing to create music that I love and not try to put it in a box while I’m in the writers’ room. I’m able to be so much more vulnerable both lyrically and sonically.”

She serves as co-writer on each of the 11 tracks, including singles “I Ain’t A Cowgirl” and “Cry” as well as the Jordin Sparks collaboration “Damn If He Don’t Love Me.”

“It was really important for me, especially with Rooted being my story and my introduction to so many people to have a hand in creating all of the songs.”

When it came to curating and naming the collection, Kennedy wanted to dig deeper into the soulful soil in order to show a different side of herself and further connect with fans.

“This was my first project that wasn’t self-titled, and I really wanted it to mean something. I had this long list of titles and Rooted was the one that kept sticking out to me,” she explains. “Initially, when we put this album together, it meant something different. It was an album of stories, of my roots, but after my record deal ended, it became the literal definition of the word rooted—to stand firm and be confident in who you are. So when I started choosing songs and writing new work for the record, I wanted to go a little deeper.”

Kennedy continues, “I usually like to put out fun, upbeat songs that people can jam to, but I’ve realized over the course of this year that life is not only sunshine and rainbows, and that it’s okay to talk about the hard things and how you got got through them. So that’s really what this album represents for me.”

She first gave listeners a taste of her new-found liberation with the release of “I Ain’t A Cowgirl” this past spring. Written by Kennedy, Rooted producer Cameron Bedell, David DeVaul and Joe Fox, the tune is one of her favorites on the album.

“It was the first song where I was okay with being more vulnerable and letting people know that I’m not always happy and sharing the darker side my journey. Filming the video and everything surrounding that song has just brought me so much peace, and to see the way it’s affected other people as well has been really special.”

Along with her vulnerable side, her beautiful multi-genre blend is on full display with tracks like “Cry,” which samples the Timbaland-produced Justin Timberlake hit “Cry Me A River” while discussing the concepts of deserving better and prioritizing your own happiness, and “Damn If He Don’t Love Me” with Sparks, co-penned by Kennedy, Bedell and Shane Stevens.

“I thought that [Jordin] would be perfect for ‘Damn If He Don’t Love Me’ because it’s about my love for my husband [Kamren], who’s my creative director, and her husband is also her manager, so we really relate to each other on that front,” she says. “I thought it would be a beautiful story for us to tell together.

“I grew up listening to Jordin. She just has this massive voice and is so talented, so collaborating with her on that song was wild. She absolutely killed it and brought all of herself to it. I’m so honored to have her on that song with me.”

Kennedy hopes that this new music allows fans to escape and feel a range emotions, both good and bad, that concludes in empowerment.

“At the end of the record, at the end of a show, I want people to leave feeling like they can conquer the world, because that’s how I felt making this record. It’s the most freeing I’ve ever felt as an artist, and I think that everyone should fill that in whatever they do.”

Rooted Track Listing:
1. “Keep Your Promises” (Tiera Kennedy, Jim Beavers)
2. “Cry” (Tiera Kennedy, Cameron Bedell, Jared Scott, Justin Timberlake, Timothy Mosley (Timbaland), Scott Storch)
3. “Better Than Me” (Tiera Kennedy, Joe Fox, Jared Scott, Allison Veltz)
4. “You Don’t Get It” (Tiera Kennedy, Cameron Bedell, David DeVaul)
5. “I’d Look Good In That Truck” (Tiera Kennedy, Mark Trussell, Joe Fox, Trannie Anderson)
6. “Rooted” (Tiera Kennedy, Jared Scott, Cameron Bedell, Emily Falvey)
7. “Can’t Help My Country” (Tiera Kennedy, Cameron Bedell, Heather Morgan)
8. “Sweet Home Alabama” (Tiera Kennedy, Cameron Bedell, Jared Scott)
9. “Damn If He Don’t Love Me (feat. Jordin Sparks)” (Tiera Kennedy, Cameron Bedell, Shane Stevens)
10. “I Ain’t A Cowgirl” (Tiera Kennedy, David Devaul, Joe Fox, Cameron Bedell)
11. “Last Call” (Tiera Kennedy, Cameron Bedell, Emily Landis)

Liza Anderson
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