Dermot Kennedy Shares New Single And Music Video “Better Days”

Dermot Kennedy has shared his new powerful single and music video, “Better Days” out now on Interscope Records. Stream/download “Better Days” here . “Better Days” marks the beginning of an exciting new creative chapter for the platinum-selling, Brit-nominated singer/songwriter, and arrives on the eve of his “Better Days” U.S. & UK tour. Kicking off in Nashville on July 29th, Dermot will also perform at Lollapalooza on August 1st, with dates continuing throughout the fall in the U.S. and UK (see full itinerary below).

“Better Days” is a rousing, infectious anthem brimming with optimism and positivity following the darkness and uncertainty of the pandemic. The timely track was co-written by Dermot and Grammy-nominated Scott Harris (Shawn Mendes), ROMANS (Lewis Capaldi, Khalid), Daniel Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo “Driver’s License”) and previous collaborator Carey Willetts, with crystalline production by Nigro. Opening with Kennedy’s signature stirring vocal and sparse piano accompaniment, the track steadily builds with beats and a rhythm section, culminating in the commanding delivery of the poignant lyrics, “I know you’ve been hurting, waiting on a train that just won’t come. The rain it ain’t permanent, and soon, we’ll be dancing in the sun.” “Better Days” also features a Gaelic backing choir chanting the words “courage and calm” in their native tongue, with a chorus that’s guaranteed to be a live favorite on Dermot’s upcoming tour.

Dermot comments, “’Better Days’ is about patience and believing in something brighter. At a time when so many people feel worried and exhausted, I would love for this song to remind even one person that things will improve. As an artist, I feel somewhat responsible to try to make people feel a little better. We need art and music now more than ever – both can be so powerful and show us how beautiful life truly is.  I hope this song can provide some solace and remind people that ‘Better Days’ will come.”

The music video for “Better Days” is a visual/metaphorical companion to the track that sees Dermot fighting a powerful jet stream underwater.  Directed by Paul Gore (Jennifer Lopez, Massive Attack), the arresting clip represents the whirlpool of emotions expressed in the song’s message. Seen floating in limbo and defying gravity, Dermot also pushes forward in scenes filled with tension, energy and movement, ultimately prevailing in his physical struggle.

Along with the new single and video, Kennedy recently announced a competition offering local artists the opportunity to be selected as his opening act in each city on his upcoming tour. Instructions on how to enter the competition are available via Dermot’s social platforms (links below). Participants are asked to submit a 2-3 song video performance, bio, social links and technical rider. All are required to be local to each city; winners will be notified privately and later announced on his social platforms 24 hours in advance of each show. The initiative is a full-circle moment for the artist Forbes called “truly authentic,” who began his musical journey busking on the streets and eventually going on to sell over 500,000 tickets to his live shows combined.

“Better Days” follows notable recent gold certifications of Dermot’s singles, “Outnumbered” and the Meduza collaboration “Paradise,” which has been streamed over 500 million times and accumulated over 7 billion global radio impressions. Kennedy’s impassioned debut album Without Fear has sold over one million copies worldwide, making him a platinum-selling artist in over 12 countries. Winning over a legion of devoted fans and 23 million Spotify listeners he has amassed 2 billion total streams and has the best-selling debut album in his native Ireland of this millennium.

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube