A Brief History Of KK
Kevin Kerrigan (aka "KK") is a music artist, composer and producer based in the UK.Over the past 30 years KK has produced a diverse range of music – from collaborations with the world's top recording artists, to composing several thousand works for TV, seven US feature films (and a number of shorts), musical directing a circus, and co-creating a platinum award winning series of children's music.
KK began his esoteric adventure in the 1990s when he found a discarded broken piano one day in a dumpster which he decided to repair, and teach himself to create original music. He studied classical music formally alongside with "experimenting" with early computers and electronics in rural Devon, before eventually moving to London to study Sonic Art, work in various recording studios, and play in various bands. Over time he learned the craft of writing music and the secrets of the recording studio.
His professional career began in the early 2000s, when he worked with producer Steven Street (Blur) for Mercury Records (Universal). KK's unique sound (combining experimental electronics with traditional music techniques) caught the ear of ambient pioneer Brian Eno, who branding him an “alchemist" helped mentor him, and notably they co-produced the popular band James' critically acclaimed album "Pleased To Meet You". He also co-wrote singer Tim Booth's two solo records.
Icelandic genius Bjórk then asked him to collaborate with her on what became some of her most inventive and critically acclaimed works. KK then spent a few years in the whirlwind of pop music - working with many of the world's top acts including : Dido, Britney Spears, Kylie, Sting, Craig David, Shaznay Lewis (All Saints), Will Young, KT Tunstall, Santana, Beautiful South, Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens), Melanie C, Mediaeval Baebes and Natalie Imbruglia, and with producers Nellee Hooper (Gwen Stefani/U2), Jon Kelly (Kate Bush), Dave Stewart (Eurythmics), Rick Nowels (Madonna) & Cathy Dennis (Kylie/Britney)
Kevin's interests and skills became broader, and he began composing soundtracks for independent films, releasing his own cinematic ambient/classical music, and involving himself in an eclectic range of other ventures – musical directing circus shows (for the National Theatre and London nightclub Shunt), to creating a horror themed boardgame“Raw Fear” (Re:Creation).
His journey as a film composer began in the early 2000s after veteran Hollywood composer James Newton Howard asked him to craft moody electronic beds and atmospheric sound design for the blockbuster Michael Mann /Tom Cruise thriller “Collateral”(Paramount). Since then Kevin has scored a number of feature films as a composer including "Consumed" (US,2022), "The Alternate" (US,2021),“The Thompsons” (US,2012), "Holy Ghost People" (US,2013), "A Beginners Guide To Snuff" (US,2016), "The Night Watchmen" (US,2017) and "Star Light" (US,2019), as well as some award winning shorts.
In 2004, KK and Sophie Barker (Zero 7) created “Lullaby” - the first of their much loved children's music series The Rainbow Collections, which has become a staple family classic over the last twenty years - with the (now platinum award winning) duo releasing a number of popular follow up albums and EPs (Sony Music) together. Sophie & Kevin are also co-founders of a children's foundation - The RCCF (Rainbow Collections Childrens Foundation) - a charity whose projects have included work with Great Ormond Street Hospital, community projects in rural Kenya, Cambodia and with the Maya people of Mexico.
Kevin has written extensively for TV – for channels including: BBC, Channel 4, Netflix, HBO, Discovery, UKTV, ITV, E4, Bravo, TLC, History, Lifetime, MTV, ABC, and scoring popular shows such as "Stage School" (E4), "Lookalikes" (Channel 4). His works have been used in advertising campaigns for brands like British Airways, B&Q, Land Rover, dnbBank & Penhaligons.
A keen explorer (and self confessed Tintin nerd), KK has adventured the world, "climbing mountains and volcanoes, trekking through jungles, and diving the deepest oceans", inspired by a deep love of nature, beauty and humanity which influences his music, which often has a cinematic impressionistic painting-like quality, created using techniques based on "creating layers upon layers of vivid and emotive textures", and drawing from a diverse range of emotions and life experiences.
As a solo recording artist, his hybrid ambient/classical releases include : "The Hidden Waterfall" (2024), "Shipwrecks" (2022), "The Comet Tides" (2020), "Chiaroscuro" (2019), "Solasta" (2017), "Empty World" (2011) & "The Magic Lantern" (2009)
Kevin is passionate about mentorship, music education and helping the next generation of music artists, and has delivered many lectures on music composition at top London institutions Guildhall School Of Music, ACM and Point Blank Music School.
KK works with an extraordinary collective of the UK's best artists, musicians, studios and engineers, who as a team help KK create a unique and wonderful tapestry of emotion, experience and sound.