Burning the Name Down: Kerry Kenny’s Fierce New Chapter Begins with “Finbar”

January 23, 2026

Burning the Name Down: Kerry Kenny’s Fierce New Chapter Begins with “Finbar”

Kerry Kenny's new single, "Finbar," is not so much an introspective song as it is the catalyst that will set the stage on fire with her album, "Brutal Best." The song is the tale of a woman descending further and further into chaos as the repetition of her name is ritual and then catharsis of drums, movement of bodies, and ink put on the page simply to be set ablaze. The music video, directed with Point Five Films' own Tom Robenolt, is akin to the song's volatile nature. In reference to the character of the music video, Kerry states of her darkly humorous character, "she's not well."

Kerry grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where she's been listening to traditional Irish music from a very young age. Her family’s love of performing has been a lifelong habit. At four years old, Kenny was performing in front of crowds, harmonizing with her relatives as part of “The Kenny Kids." She was performing at festivals and on local television. However Kerry never felt restricted by tradition. She has been influenced by a number of genres, from Beatles-style harmonies played in her headphones as a young performer, to her eventual assimilation of rock, punk, folk, country, Celtic, blues, hip hop, and everything in between.

She has long been fueled by a desire to move and an insatiable curiosity. Kenny has studied Irish music in Limerick and computer music in Krakow. More recently, she has taught English in South Korea and Thailand. She speaks several languages fluently, including Polish. Her travels have honed her awareness of rhythm, language, and the telling of a story. Her travels have also had a significant impact on the style and content of her stage shows. Playing clubs all over Europe—Germany, Belgium, Amsterdam—she has established a reputation as a performer with a deep connection to the roots of the music she performs. That’s why European promoters continue to seek her out. At home, she has found a new outlet as the children’s music teacher known as “Miss Kerry,” with as many as 90 youngsters at a given lesson.

The studio has become another site of expansion. Kenny records with engineer Eric Ritter at Windmill Agency Studios in Mt. Cobb, Pennsylvania, describing their collaboration as open, playful, and free of ego. That environment has shaped both Brutal Best and its incendiary lead single, “Finbar.” With shows scheduled in Colorado and another European tour already planned, Kenny appears less interested in riding momentum than in maintaining artistic autonomy. Her guiding principle remains simple: every song must feel alive. If “Finbar” is the opening statement, Brutal Best promises a body of work unafraid to burn through names, stories, and expectations—and to leave something smoldering in their place.