This summer, Kevin Davy White has taken his unique mix of blues, funk, soul, and rugged classic rock on a journey. He's rocked massive outdoor stages alongside Lionel Richie and Gabrielle, as well as playingh festivals from Montreux Jazz Festival to Weyfest. With popular singles like ‘Honey’, ‘Thousand Stars’, and ‘Tomorrow’, Kevin's lifelong dream comes true as he drops his debut album 'Keep Dreaming Wild', featuring the standout track ‘It Will Come’.

With these fresh releases just out, we sat down with Kevin to dive deeper into his artistry.

Hey Kevin! You’re about to release your debut album ‘Keep Dreaming Wild’ - How are you feeling? What does the name of the album mean?

Bonjour Andrew, thank you for having me and taking the time, I am so excited about my debut album. I have been working on this for some time now and I just can’t wait to share it with the world now! Keep Dreaming Wild is a collection of stories, poems, and essays about the power of dreams. It is for anyone who has ever had a dream they were afraid to pursue. I believe that one of the best ways to achieve our dreams is to keep dreaming about them. When we keep our dreams alive, we keep ourselves alive, motivated and inspired. And also it goes really well with my initials. KDW. I believe that we should all dream big and never give up on our dreams. I hope that this album will inspire others to keep dreaming wild to never give up on their dreams.

The album is a mix of blues, funk, soul, and rock - where do you get your inspiration from?

I get this inspiration from all the music I have listened to in my childhood. I love to not just stop into one genre. I have so many influences that I put into my music to feel that it represents who I am as a person and artist.

When did you first pick up a guitar and realise you could play? 

It was back in France. I was around 19 years old. My dad used to play music every Sunday in the house loud. And one of these Sundays he put the VHR cassette of Woodstock. Jimi Hendrix was playing. I was like “Who is that man playing the guitar like this? I can feel every single note in my bones!” So I grabbed the acoustic guitar of my dads and learned by ear. 

How did the experience of the X factor in the UK influence your career and do you still stay in contact with Nicole? 

That particular moment in my music career was synonymous with “To be seen by everyone.” After finding my path in music, the artist that I wanted to be. I felt ready to take the chance and try this kind of platform. I have to say that I never really applied for all of these shows. I was there at the right time. People were scouting for talent. And they kindly approached me and invited me to the auditions. I had so much fun in this. The experience was amazing. I met some great artists like Harry Style, Ed Sheeran, and Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas. It was amazing to be able to play rock music with guitar on a national live TV program. And being in the final. I never felt that it was a competition. I was there to just enjoy the stage. Nicole was like working with a sister or an aunt. She was so helpful throughout my journey. She stood up for me against the production to let me do what I wanted to do. She gave me advice about the music industry. She shared some experiences. And she has such a beautiful soul! She talks about different topics, such as love, hope, happiness, and life in general. She is very people-oriented.

The new focus track ‘It Will Come’ - you said was inspired by Ray Charles - which other artists have inspired this album?

For this album, I was inspired by Lenny Kravitz, Queens of the stone age, Kings of Leon, Muse, and a little bit of myself, haha. 

If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be and why? 

Oh la la, I like this question. I would love to work with Gary Clark Jr, Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, Leon Bridges, Nicole Scherzinger and of course Lenny Kravitz. 

What’s the biggest hurdle you’ve had to overcome in your career? 

Life throws you a lot of challenges… But music has a power that words can’t transmit and has no borders. We’re all the same. And I am so grateful to break those barriers with music. 

You’re embarking on a big UK tour in November - what can fans expect for the tour? And is there anywhere you’re really excited about playing? 

This tour is to meet as many of my fans as possible. So it's a stripped-back acoustic show. Every night will be different, depending on the crowd. I don't have a set list, but I have a repertoire for my new show. Songs from the album and more, and some duets. I will deliver a show that we will make magical thanks to everyone who comes to those shows. I am so looking forward to being in any of those towns! My favourite place is everywhere! It is not me giving you an answer to not choose, it's just that I am looking forward to going everywhere and meeting people who make me shine and be happy on stage. 

Thanks Kevin - all the best for the future!

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and Managing Director of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.