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Justin Kelley is Hownd. An old soul with a gift for mindful songwriting, Hownd steps forward into himself as an artist. His resounding electric guitar tone echoes within the walls of his signature sound that has developed over years of exploration. Growing with every new song he writes, Hownd’s debut album, Only Good Things, is an illustration of where his roots lie. He expresses, “The project allowed insight into who I am as a solo artist. The topics in that album and self-produced style remain the foundation for what I’m doing now.” His debut single, “Iron,” came out of the tail end of finding his voice. A somber, soothing tone with warm acoustic guitar and swelling rhythm, he exposes a different side of his ever-arching coin. Cementing himself into a new soul genre, Hownd released “Pressure” on May 31st. Recorded live to capture the song’s core authentic performance, the lyrics address a self-induced struggle: “Pressure was written fast, inspired by a moment of realization when I noticed the amount of pressure I was putting on myself. It’s really about opening up and being comfortable with your decisions, regardless of surrounding voices.” Hownd describes his early inspiration as stemming from the moment he first picked up a guitar. “The instrument gave me a vessel to express my thoughts. It made me realize I want to share my music with audiences. In essence, Hownd’s music carries a certain ethical character and identity. His distinctive electric guitar sound is driven by a custom ’58 Strat by local guitar company Karge Guitars, complimenting lyrics that reflect the most impactful observations of humanity. “Always questioning, always observing. Forever searching for invisible answers." |
