Kevin Bronson on December 2nd, 2020

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You need extra caffeine and a healthy disdain for sticking to one musical genre to keep up with KennyHoopla, the hyperkinetic 23-year-old who has sprinted through 2020 as if everyone else were standing still.

Or maybe it helps to just have Travis Barker at the wheel.

Born Kenneth La’ron in Cleveland, reared in Wisconsin and now stationed in L.A., KennyHoopla has a particular affection for the brand of emo, punk and indie-rock heard in the Aughts, though his influences do not stop there. He has been a busy collaborator (including one version of “Lost Cause” with Jesse Rutherford of the Neighbourhood and another with Grandson, as well as teaming up with JUDGE on the track “Blood” by the artist nothing,nowhere).

The artist’s EP “How Will I Rest in Peace If I’m Buried by a Highway?” came out early this year, notable first for its title track, reminiscent of Day 1 Bloc Party.

The latest turn in KennyHoopla’s wild ride is the pop-punk rager “Estella,” which comes with a video directed by Lonewolf (Zac Matias). Kenny is kicked to the curb by his girlfriend, gives a heartbreak weather report on TV and lands in the passenger seat (and the studio) with Barker. If you miss the days rock radio was filled with 2- and 3-minute shots of espresso like this, it’ll get your motor running.

||| Watch: The video for “Estella”

||| Also: Stream the full EP “How Will I Rest in Peace If I’m Buried by a Highway?”