K E N D E L L’ s music journey did not begin in a studio or on a stage. It began during a season of life when she felt completely worn down and searching for something more meaningful.
After more than a decade working as a CPA in public tax practice while raising three young sons, Kendell reached a turning point. What had once been a practical and stable career no longer felt like the place she was meant to stay. She found herself praying for direction, asking God to lead her toward something that would bring purpose, fire, and life back into her days.
Growing up, Kendell had been a competitive gymnast through college and was familiar with the discipline and drive that come from working toward something with everything you have. She missed that feeling. Although accounting had been a natural fit academically, she had never fully answered the question of what she was meant to do.
Not long before this turning point, a simple but persistent thought had begun to surface:
Is there a song inside of me?
That question quietly stayed with her until music entered her life in an unexpected way. While helping one of her sons practice piano lessons, she found herself drawn to the instrument as much as he was. What began as sitting beside him during practice quickly turned into hours at the keyboard, teaching herself through lesson books before eventually continuing with formal instruction. Piano became the foundation that opened the door to everything that followed.
She soon joined the praise team at her church, learning to play in a band setting and deepening her understanding of music theory and harmony. Around the same time, she began performing cover songs at small local venues and nursing homes, discovering how powerful it felt to bring music to people who needed encouragement, joy, or simply a moment of escape.
Through those performances, she connected with other musicians and eventually became part of a local cover band, where she gained confidence in both her voice and her stage presence. Singing had not always come easily to her, and learning harmony helped her grow comfortable with her sound and trust it.
As her musical foundation grew, so did the desire to keep learning. She added guitar to her instruments, built a full live repertoire, and began performing solo acoustic shows while balancing family life, teaching yoga, and helping run the administrative side of her husband’s construction business. Her background in discipline and work ethic carried over into music, and she approached learning with the same intensity she had once brought to athletics.
Teaching yoga also became an unexpected influence on her songwriting. While studying ancient scripture and sharing reflections with her students, she began writing poetry — something she had never planned to do, but which came naturally once she started. The words eventually found melodies, and melodies turned into songs. What began as personal writing slowly became a growing collection of original music.
When she was given the opportunity to perform at venues known for original artists, she began shaping those poems into full songs with lyrics, chord structures, and arrangements. Songwriting quickly became the most meaningful part of the process. To Kendell, it feels less like creating something from nothing and more like uncovering something that was already there, waiting to be found.
She has since written multiple original songs and completed her first professional studio recording, with more music in progress. Her work blends personal reflection, faith, and storytelling, often shaped by themes of perseverance, spiritual searching, and the belief that light can still be found even in difficult places.
Looking back, Kendell believes this journey began long before she ever sat at a piano.
Several years earlier, she read the final letter written by her oldest brother before he took his life after a long battle with mental illness. In that moment, she felt a deep conviction to fight for what is good in the world, even though she did not yet know how.
Over time, the answer became clear.