DC based Kenny Wesley, the “Soulful Nerd,” is the most exciting artist since Prince. Woah. What did I just say? I don’t want to put too much pressure on him or anything, but the way he mixes genres, a smorgasbord of rnb, funk, alt-rock and love into a tight pop extravaganza denies any other comparison. His first full length, The Real Thing, was released in May 2013, and the title is no lie; Kenny is undeniable, and he’s about to explode into the national public consciousness. Already featured on Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” and 2nd prize winner as the U.S. representative for the 2013 Montreux Jazz Festival’s Shure Vocal Competition (in Montreux, Switzerland), Kenny is up for 6 Wammies this year (Washington Area Music Awards: Record Design, Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year, Urban Contemporary Recording, Urban Contemporary Vocalist). Kenny will performing at the Weinberg Center for the Arts in Frederick, MD, on 2/6, and will appear with an all-star lineup at the Hamilton in DC on 2/14. –Natan Press
