~ Since graduating from the UCSC music department in 2012, Kendra McKinley has jumped headfirst into a life of songwriting and live performance. Beginning with a job performing on a river boat tour in Portugal, she spent ninety days traveling in eight European countries playing concerts, writing songs, and studying with the local musicians she met along the way.
Now residing in San Francisco's Mission District, she continues to write and perform original music both as a solo act and with her full electric band, which features her older brother, and fellow UCSC music alum, A.J McKinley. She also works as a music teacher and is a committed member of the San Francisco music industry meet up called Balanced Breakfast: a weekly forum for music professionals of all trades to discuss the state of the music industry, plan events, and provide community for the local scene.
McKinley is currently recording her second album at Tiny Telephone Recording Studios (SF) to be released in 2016.
Highlights:
-Performing at The Fillmore (Jan. 2015) in the first all female line-up in the history of the venue.-SXSW (2015)
-Cover story in Santa Cruz Weekly:http://www.santacruz.com/news/kendra_mckinley_poised_for_big_things.html-Listed one of "Best New Bands": http://www.bestnewbands.com/featured-artists/passion-psychedelic-pop-kendra-mckinley/