Photos by Margot Rothman.
HUNTER KENNEDY: Begins his next solo chapter with – “ Waiting for Maria”
Welcome to the evolution of Hunter Kennedy. Unfiltered. Unapologetic. Unexpected.
Hunter (Fokofpolisiekar & Die Heuwels Fantasties) begins his next solo chapter, building on a body of work entirely in English. Under the working title The Problem With People Is They Tend To Generalise, this project explores dualities, mental health, and creative freedom, offering words for feelings that are often hard to express. At its core is a commitment to authenticity: making music that matters to him, regardless of expectation, and embracing all the honesty and risk that come with it.
While intentionally intimate, the project promises a wider sonic and thematic range. As it unfolds, the jokes get sadder, the sadness gets louder, and the weird gets weirder. Hunter’s previous singles, “Killing Time” and “Parasite,” have already laid an intriguing foundation for what’s to come.
About “Waiting for Maria”:
Hunter Kennedy will release “Waiting for Maria” on Friday, 12 September.
This single lingers with its minimal arrangement and emotionally resonant songwriting. The lyrics are thoughtful, warmly sentimental, and surprisingly upbeat.
“Fred Den Hartog (long-time producer/collaborator and Die Heuwels Fantasties member) and I first produced “Waiting for Maria” in a pop, almost hip-hop vibe, but when we stripped it down, it felt more honest,” Hunter says. “It’s in its simplest form, yet paradoxically, this simplicity helps convey a complex simile.”
“Waiting For Maria” is a hymn for the in-between. The song captures the small, unremarkable pauses that occur between life’s milestones, transforming waiting into an opportunity for self-reflection. It suggests that true meaning is found in anticipation, that possibilities converge in the liminal zone, and that we keep going because we don’t want to leave before the end of the movie.
Hunter continues to choose curiosity over convention, inviting listeners into a bold and personal journey.
“At the still point of the turning world… there the dance is.” – T.S. Eliot.
Pre-save / Pre-add “Waiting for Maria”: https://ffm.to/waitingformaria
LINKS:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/hunter.kennedy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hunterkennedy.music/
Hunter Kennedy Biography
Unfiltered. Unapologetic. Unexpected.
Addiction, identity, and the search for meaning define Hunter Kennedy’s work, blending sharp wit with both irony and hope. Though he never pursued formal studies beyond matric, Kennedy’s lyrics have made their way into academic theses and classrooms. His work with Fokofpolisiekar is cited in University of Cape Town research on Afrikaner identity, masculinity, and youth rebellion—confirming his role in post-apartheid cultural discourse.
For more than two decades, Kennedy has shaped South Africa’s alternative music scene as a founding member and principal lyricist of Fokofpolisiekar and Die HeuwelsFantasties. His lyrics have long challenged traditional notions of Afrikaans masculinity, interrogated spiritual uncertainty, and captured the complexities of youth in a rapidly shifting society.
Now, he begins a new solo chapter with a body of work presented entirely in English. Under the working title The Problem With People Is They Tend To Generalise, this project explores dualities, mental health, and creative freedom—offering words for feelings that are often hard to express. At its core is a commitment to authenticity: making music that matters, regardless of expectation, and embracing all the honesty and risk that come with it.
The debut single “Waiting For Maria” sets the tone with a stripped-back arrangement and emotionally direct songwriting. While intentionally intimate, the project promises a wider sonic and thematic range. As it unfolds, the jokes get sadder, the sadness gets louder, and the weird gets weirder.
Launching a solo career at this point may seem unconventional, but for Kennedy, it’s the right step. He continues to choose curiosity over convention, inviting listeners into a bold and personal evolution.
“Waiting For Maria” releases on 12 September. This is the next chapter—welcome to the evolution of Hunter Kennedy.