Ardara's JP Kennedy releases second single and music video ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’

Ardara singer and songwriter JP Kennedy has released his second single ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’.

The powerful tune is the follow-up to his punchy debut single ‘Clementine (Oh My Darlin' Drinks Moonshine)’, released earlier this year, which received airplay from various radio stations, and attracted over 10,000 views on YouTube for its compelling music video set in the Wild West.

The new song shows another side to the Ardara troubadour, with a more serious subject and grittier tone. 

Raw and honest, ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ draws parallels between battling hard times in today’s world and the challenges faced by JP’s emigrant ancestors making their way in the Wild West frontier - a subject that inspired his upcoming album ‘Road to Jerome’.

While the subject may be melancholic, the song is an ear worm that will soon have listeners singing along to JP’s moody tones and its rhythmic beat. 

Recorded at Mo & Co Recording Studios, Dublin, the favoured recording studio of Donegal music legends Clannad, and Moya Brennan. 

The song was developed along with Laghey's Rossa Byrne and showcases expert musicianship from Brian Cannon of Leitirmacaward on fiddle, Ciaran Crossan of Ballyshannon on electric guitar and Paul Collum of Ardara on drums.

A fitting music video for the song filmed in and around Ardara has just been released on JP's YouTube channel.

In contrast to the playful video for ‘Clementine’, the video for ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ shows the singer feeling lost and alone; disconnected among crowds of people and wandering sullenly in misty bog lands .

Directed by JP’s lifelong friend and fellow Ardara man, Ciaran Dorrian, JP says they were aiming to capture the spirit of the song in the visuals.

“‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ is about a man accepting the cards he was dealt, being resigned to his fate. 

“We sought to portray the burden of hopelessness, and the internal struggle where at times he thinks he is going mad. I think we achieved it and can promise that the next video which I already have in the can is less gloomy.”

A seasoned live musician, JP Kennedy has performed at festivals in Ireland and Germany, and supported well-known Celtic punk rock bands like The Rumjacks from Australia and The Mahones from Canada on European tour dates.

‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ is available to stream and download on JP’s page on all popular music platforms including Spotify, AppleMusic and Amazon.