If there's one thing Irish singer Dermot Kennedy will always make sure of on tour, it's that he'll have a selection of "extremely boring" healthy foods on his rider.
"Veggies, green juice, all that stuff," Kennedy says in this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "For my voice, I've got manuka honey, ginger, and lemon, and that's something I'm drinking all day." In fact, he's had honey and lemon so much that he says has PTSD from the flavors.
Thankfully, he's got one guilty pleasure that gives him a break from his clean eating — Irish whiskey, which he calls "non-negotiable" and "the most exciting thing on his rider."
When Kennedy actually hits the stage, one of the most important items is a mug of affirmations he wrote. "I am the best. This is easy. I sing like a bird. My breath is limitless," the cup reads. "if you're having a difficult show, it's a reassuring thing to see on the side of the mug."
No matter the size or location of the performance, Kennedy sees each one with equal importance. "There could be a 17-year-old version of yourself who's going to be inspired to [make music] themselves ... I like to believe those are the type of people who have been attracted to my music, too, so there's just this very real relationship there," he explains.
Kennedy has been on tour all year in support of his sophomore album, Sonder; in June, he issued an extended 2023 edition that features his latest single, "Don't Forget Me." He’ll perform at a few festivals in Europe to close out the summer before heading to Canada in October, and will wrap his world tour in New Zealand and Australia in November and December.
Press play on the video above to learn more about Dermot Kennedy's relationship with live music, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.
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