Kenyth Mogan • Unlock Your Heart

Handsome Kenyth Mogan.

I first discovered the music of Kenyth Mogan a little over a year ago, at the end of 2013. I loved it then, and continue to enjoy it now. So when I discovered he was releasing new music, I was eager to talk to him about it. As he was preparing to release the single "Unlock Your Heart", I got lucky, and was able to interview him. And since the song is being released today, I thought it was the perfect time to share it with you. I've marked my questions with S2MD, and made them italic. The important information, Kenyth's answers, are there for just for my readers!

S2MD: What was your inspiration for "Unlock Your Heart"?

"Unlock Your Heart" was written by Matthew Hayes and Aaron Harris. I've always been a huge fan of the 80s singer Tiffany, and I first discovered the song because she sang background vocals on a version Matt recorded for a project he was working on in Nashville. From first listen, I fell in love with the song and over the years have built up a friendship with Matt, who has written many other amazing songs. When we started working on the project, I found out Aaron lived in San Francisco and was lucky enough to have him appear in the music video as the Scarecrow.

S2MD: How did you assemble your team to make this happen?

My manager Jeremy Sonney is really responsible for most of the assembly. He’s worked with Robb Padgent and Tanya Ihnen at KATR Pictures for years. They’ve done some great web series together including 'Vampire, Zombie, Werewolf' and 'The Ladies and the Gents'. I’ve had the opportunity to work with them a few times, and Jeremy thought they’d be perfect to produce the video. Robb is also an amazing composer who scores for film, so luckily music videos were something they were looking to try. The team was a blast to work with and the end product turned out so much more amazing than I ever could’ve hoped. At the time, the makeup artist Jenn McFetridge was actually my roommate, which worked out perfectly. Everyone else in the video are mutual friends and coworkers. As everything started to come together I began to see the scope of the project and became more and more worried that we wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Then, Ronnie slipped into the Tin Man costume that Shane Dzicek (who was also our cinematographer) had built and all that worry faded away.

S2MD: Is 'The Wizard of Oz' your favorite movie?

Without a doubt, it’s one of my favorite movies of all-time. One of my best memories as a kid is being about four years old and watching it for the first time with my Mom. When the Wicked Witch appeared in the crystal ball mocking Dorothy I turned to her and said “She’s bad and needs a spanking!” My mother thought it was hysterical.

From the video shoot of the "Unlock Your Heart" music video. 

S2MD: How was it working with Ronnie Kroell on the music video?

Ronnie is a sweetheart, which I really wasn’t expecting. He’s a beautiful out and proud gay man in Hollywood -- often such qualities are accompanied by an ego the size of Montana, but not with Ronnie. He’s genuinely one of the sweetest guys I have ever met and continues to be supportive of me and the video. He’s wonderful.

Handsome Ronnie Kroell.

S2MD: Is the single and/or music video available for purchase?

The single will be available on iTunes as of February 13th, and the Video goes live on YouTube on Valentines Day!

S2MD: Can we expect more music to come in the near future?

Yes! I’ve actually already started working on the next project, which I hope to have ready by December. I’m working with some great producers including Gabe Lopez (Universal), Caleb Shultz (The Live Young Group), and Justine Kaye (Bombs Away Studios). I’ve also been writing a lot with my musical partner Phil Evans of The Roads Below, which is a new band out of Nashville. We’ve written about six songs together and I’m really proud of them. The album is still dance oriented, but there’s also a lot of rock influence. I can’t wait to share!

S2MD: Who is unlocking your heart this Valentine's Day? How are you celebrating it?

There’s a premiere party for the Unlock Your Heart video on February 13th at the Standard in Los Angeles, which was set up by Ronnie and his anti-bullying organization The Friend Movement, but after that I will most likely be celebrating the holiday curled up on my couch with my favorite Disney movies. Alas, I’m still waiting for Prince Charming.

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I must say, I am surprised Kenyth and I both have the same plans for Valentine's Day. And we both are still in search of that special prince! From the 'Fall Apart' EP to this single, I just can't get enough of Kenyth's music. To learn more about Kenyth Mogan, visit his official website. You can also 'like' him on Facebook. "Unlock Your Heart" can be purchased from iTunes and Amazon. To learn about Ronnie Kroell's The Friend Movement, visit the official website. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.