Tunes Tuesday: Kai Nanfelt

Down cover art. Photo by Victoria Fernandes.

You’ve been away from making your own music for a little bit. What made you decide it was time to return?

I’ve spent years working in music PR, and for a while that felt like a way to keep one foot in my dream without fully going after it myself. I love helping artists tell their stories, but every project that came across my desk was also a reminder that I wasn’t pursuing my own. I never stopped writing songs. I just kept telling myself I’d share them when the timing was right, and I think a lot of people do that with the things they care about most. I heard a line on Ted Lasso recently about how, eventually, staying where you are can feel riskier than putting yourself out there. That’s how it started to feel for me. I was more afraid of looking back and realizing I’d never really tried than I was of releasing a song that wasn’t perfect.(Here’s the quote, for reference: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”)

How has working in music PR changed the way you see the music industry as an artist?

Working in music PR has made me painfully aware of how much of the industry runs on timing, numbers and whether someone can explain your story in a few sentences. I catch myself thinking like a publicist when I should just be thinking like a songwriter, doing it for the love of the game. I remember playing an open mic a while back and this burly, bearded tattooed guy came up to me afterward, nearly in tears, to say my song is exactly what he needed in that moment. Of all people, he was the last person I’d expect my music to resonate with. That moment taught me more about why I make music than any streaming report could. PR has helped me understand how to get a song heard, but I still can’t predict who might need it.

How has your sound evolved since your last release?

I used to think being a good songwriter meant finding the cleverest or most poetic way to say something. I still love lyrics like that, but I’ve come to realize there are a lot of ways to make someone feel something through music. Sometimes the most honest thing you can do is say it plainly. I’d been feeling emotionally flat for a while when I wrote “Down,” and I didn’t have the energy to bargain with myself over every line. So I just said what I meant. There’s burnout in the story the song tells, but writing it that way also helped me get past some of my own exhaustion. I trusted that if I felt it, someone else probably would too.

Who are some of your inspirations that have influenced your sound?

John Mayer is my biggest musical influence. I’ll never come close to his guitar chops, but I’m always learning from the way he writes and plays. Continuum is my favorite album of all time. I also think Jason Isbell is the best lyricist alive. Brandi Carlile inspires me just as much as a person as she does as a musician. Her passion is impossible to miss. Watching her onstage feels like watching someone do exactly what they were born to do. I first saw her at Newport Folk Festival in 2018, when the dearly missed Dolly Parton made a surprise appearance. Brandi posted afterward about what an honor it had been, right around the time I’d told a friend I was thinking of keeping my own music to myself. I commented on her post, basically telling her to stop being so humble, and she replied with a message about dreams coming true and not giving up on them. It felt like divine timing. The next day, I watched her perform “The Joke” with Hozier and cried for what felt like the first time in a decade. I’d been made fun of for writing vulnerable songs, and something about that performance broke through what I’d kept shut down for years. The song speaks to people whose experiences aren’t the same as mine, but I still felt seen by it. That changed how I looked at songwriting. You can write something deeply specific and still reach someone you never imagined would relate to it. I got a tattoo to remember that day, and it’s still one of the best moments of my life. I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least try to make someone else feel the way Brandi made, and still makes, me feel. I started writing about mental health before I discovered Noah Kahan, but his whole demeanor and his New England roots really resonate with me. Seeing someone who feels like a normal guy be that open about what he’s going through, and connect with so many people because of it, is inspiring.

Kai Nanfelt. Photo by Victoria Fernandes.

Tell me about your new release “Down.”

“Down” is about trying to get better when progress isn’t linear. Sometimes it’s two steps forward and one step back. I wrote it when I was being hard on myself for not feeling further along, and the song helped me recognize that taking a step back doesn’t erase the steps I’d already taken. It’s a common theme across many of my songs.

Are the streaming proceeds still going to Tune In & Tune Up?

Yes. I’m donating 100% of the streaming proceeds from “Down” during its first 100 days, through October 25, to Tune In & Tune Up. Part of why I decided to release it now was that it gave me a reason to talk about the organization alongside the song. I’ve always felt a little narcissistic promoting myself, so honestly, I’m enjoying answering these questions about Tune In & Tune Up more than the ones about me!

What about that organization made you choose it?

I’m on the board, and Trouble No More was the part of Tune In & Tune Up that first caught my attention. It helps people working in Rhode Island’s music industry get behavioral health support. For eligible applicants, the organization covers an initial evaluation and two therapy sessions, and afterward, one of the two therapists on our board can help them find further care. I write about mental health because I’ve dealt with anxiety, depression, OCD and ADHD myself, so that work is especially important to me. However, Tune In & Tune Up isn’t only a mental health organization. It also helps musicians and other music workers with medical, dental and other needs. We’re actively looking for more people we can help, which is why I want to use every part of this release, the song, the donation and any attention it gets, to let people know we’re here. I’d love to make that approach something I can repeat with future releases, especially songs about mental health, and maybe encourage other artists to try it too. On October 18, we’re also hosting Amplify Her, a benefit concert celebrating women in music at The Met in Pawtucket. That’s another opportunity to bring people together and get the word out about what our organization does.

Are there plans for a full-length album or more releases?

I have a lot of songs written that I want to record. Paying a producer is the hurdle right now, so I don’t have an album or a release date to announce. In the meantime, I’m working on an idea for a weekly songwriter night in Newport, potentially with Tune In & Tune Up involved. It would be a place for people to play original songs, trade ideas and maybe even jam together, with anyone welcome to come listen. The one rule would be no cover music allowed. Nothing’s confirmed yet, but I’d love to help create a dedicated space for original music here. We have the Folk and Jazz festivals in Newport, and I think there’s room for that same spirit in a weekly local setting.

List to the song on Nanfelt’s Spotify page here.