Jordan Holman (Kentucky) on Hope, Death, and Surviving as a Songwriter

Episode 003 – Kentucky | MAKE // BREAKKentucky is the musical project of Canadian artist Jordan Holman, whose debut album Second Chance Music weaves together near-death experience, hard-won clarity, and a refusal to quit. Influenced by The Tragically Hip, Neil Young, Bryan Adams, and R.E.M., Holman’s work blends acoustic rock and indie folk with a voice that’s both intimate and unshaken. On MAKE // BREAK, he reflects on decades in the business, the myth of the starving artist, and why he simply wants to keep writing until the end. It’s a conversation that swings between Tolstoy, Cormac McCarthy, Ligotti, and the economics of survival—big ideas balanced by the daily grind of an artist carving out space in today’s fractured industry. Kentucky’s songs, from “No More Tomorrows” to “The First Day of the Rest of Your Life,” are reminders that music can still hold weight when it speaks to survival and second chances.👀 What you’ll hearExplore Kentucky’s philosophy on hope, death, and why meaning is self-assigned in a creative lifeContrast nihilism, spite, and the daily practice of living with intention as an artistRevisit the glory days of artist development and why labels rarely take risks todayBreak down how homogenization and streaming culture reshaped music’s role in societyUnpack why Kentucky just wants the right partners to help him keep writing until the end🕰️ Chapters 00:00 Intro and welcome with Kentucky 01:00 The “make or break” question on what truly matters 03:30 Tolstoy’s Three Questions and daily meaning 07:00 Hope, possibility, and building your personal deck of cards 12:00 Thomas Ligotti, nihilism, and living in spite 19:00 Cormac McCarthy, death, and “die trying” 32:00 The starving artist myth and the need for support 37:00 Partnerships, publishing, and why labels fall short 43:00 From artist development to homogenized culture 50:00 Novelty, combinations, and the next musical shift 55:00 Streaming, AI, and the future of entertainment 01:02:00 Kentucky’s honest admission: the struggle for help and resources 🔗 Guest Linkshttps://iamkentucky.com/https://www.instagram.com/i.am.kentucky/https://www.tiktok.com/@i.am.kentucky🔗 MAKE // BREAK & Host Linkshttps://open.spotify.com/show/5GDOUd909p7ir2W74M9teg?si=cbc7e01e13ba4a20https://instagram.com/lowkeyhellishhttps://tiktok.com/@lowkeyhellish🔗 V13 Media Linkshttps://v13.netTell us in the comments: Do you think record labels should still invest in artist development?(explicit language)#MakeBreak #Kentucky #MusicBusiness