K McKinney is a 22 year old bass player, singer/songwriter living in Asheville, NC. Since moving to AVL in 2018, McKinney has been mentored by a plethora of Asheville's finest. McKinney is a resident artist with LEAF Global Arts and has a been a regular performer at the LEAF festivals for the past 6 years. She grew up touring with an empowerment concert tour that educates youth about mental health resources. K continues to infuse her shows with a genuine vibe the lifts her audience and truly makes them feel seen and heard. She released her debut solo album in 2021 entitled "Stay," produced by Josh Blake at Echo Mountain. With McKinney on bass and vocal, Thommy Knowles of the Fritz on keys, Derrick Johnson from Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band on trombone, Alex Bradley of Empire Strikes Brass on trumpet, Isaac Hadden of IHP on guitar and backing vocals, and K's drummer of 13 years Aryan Graham on drums, you can feel the desire she has to create new music that reaches into your soul and feels like an old friend. With new music, coming early 2023 produced by Ted Marks & Thommy Knowles, this young woman is ready to take her place as the next powerhouse female coming out of Asheville.
K got her start performing at an early age. Growing up in a music school owned by her mother in WV, she was immersed in music and joined her first band at age 7 with her best friend and drummer, Ary'an Graham. The all-girl band named themselves The Change, to honor their desire to make a Change in the world with their music. They started touring the East Coast with an empowerment message aimed at their peers in middle and high School. They were on a mission to connect people and to send out a message that There is Hope. Many of the members of the band, including K, had struggled with anxiety and depression and they wanted to de-stigmatize mental health and let kids and other young adults know that they were not alone. After several lineup changes and teenage girls growing into young women, K made the decision to pursue a solo project for the first time in her life at 21 years old. The One Voice Project is now growing into a musical collaboration with some of Ashevilles finest. With a focus on college tours with a mental health education objective, K McKinney is experiencing a full circle moment where her past collides with her future.
