Fletcher Kent Is On The Rise…

Fletcher Kent is on the rise an artist to keep an eye on in 2026. The last twelve months have been massive even supporting Lewis Capaldi on his sold Australian arena tour. Having laready released single Don’t You Want It and Open to the Light this year on top of a string of new music last year the future is looking bright. It was great catching up with Fletcher before he heads off on a three month writing stint in the US for a new album.

It’s been a massive twelve months for yourself. Have you felt like pinching yourself that it might feel too good to be true?
Thanks! I just feel incredibly lucky to be doing this. I’ve been working toward what I’m doing now for such a long time. I started busking and playing gigs every weekend when I was still in primary school, so to keep believing it was possible, and now to be playing arenas and headlining tours, it’s a really fulfilling feeling.

Playing with someone like Lewis Capaldi, how was that experience?
That was unreal, thank you. Yeah, Lewis is such a legend. I was so grateful to get the call to be on his tour. I did nine arena shows and got to sing a song with him and Aaron, the other awesome support, at the final show in Perth. That was a really cool cherry on top as well. Amazing.

Was that daunting, playing in front of crowds that big?
You know, the very first night in Brisbane, I think I had a bit of of tingles. But from that first show, it was just immense gratitude and presence. I’ve been visualising crowds like that when I’ve been rehearsing for years, and so to be in front of it almost feels like I’ve done it before.

Lewis seems like a really top‑notch character, down‑to‑earth and humble. Did you get much of a chance to hang out with him?
Yeah, yeah, Lewis and his whole team were awesome with us. We got to hang out after a bunch of the shows, and just in the hallways before the shows. Got some really great chats with Lewis.

How was it switching gears and playing back in smaller, intimate venues on your February tour?
It was actually really cool, there’s a different feeling when you’re part of someone else’s huge shows compared to playing smaller ones that are your own. Both are equally rewarding in their own way. That tour was really special; it was my first ever headline run, and I was beyond stoked to finally play a full set of my own songs after working toward it for so long.

I had amazing local supports join me at each show, and I really wanted those headline nights to feel unique, to reflect my music, my story, and what I want to bring to my career. I’m proud that a few of the creative choices we made really connected with people. The response from the crowd and online afterward was incredible.

Did you notice that a lot of people who saw you on Lewis’s tour came to see your own show?
Yeah, yeah, it was amazing. A good percentage of the people that came to my headline shows, their first time hearing me was at the Lewis show. So it’s amazing to have such immediate connection.

Does that set the bar even higher for you now that you’ve had a taste of that? Do you start setting your sights even higher?
Absolutely, the dream is, without question, to be headlining arenas myself one day. I’m focused on visualising that, and working on my song writing, my songs, releases, socials, everything is pointing towards that goal. I know to achieve that, or to be in that position, there are a lot of factors that appear like luck or like everything has to line up at the right time. I certainly feel that’s true. But I also feel like if you believe in it, and if you keep showing up for yourself and showing up for the dream, you’re giving yourself the chance.

So where to next? Do you start focusing on an album, or are you working on more singles?
A bit of both. I’ve got a few more singles coming up, but I think it’ll all form an album. The album will have some of the songs I’ve released thus far, and then obviously some that I haven’t. So yeah, I’ve definitely been thinking about this first project as an album, and it will be released and listenable that way.

And you’re heading to the States soon?
I’m about to head over to the States to do three months in Nashville. That’s something I’m really excited for, from May till the end of July. I’ve done some writing trips over there before, and I’m keen to spend more time in the States this year. I spent four months in New York last year, and that was awesome, playing around the city and performing. I did a residency at Old Mate’s, the Aussie pub there in New York, which was really cool. I’m looking forward to having had this base in Australia now, off the back of Lewis and my headline shows and more releases, to go and do some recording and writing and touring over there.

Have you been able to gauge how you’d fare over there? I’m assuming the Spotify numbers are going off everywhere.
Thanks, yeah. I definitely got an awesome boost from the Lewis tour, and my last couple of releases have been doing awesome. I built up a good base in New York when I was there last year, so I’m keen to leverage that, and also build up a new base in Nashville and start touring in neighbouring cities.

Being your first album, is that often the hardest one in terms of making a statement that you’re Fletcher Kent, and trying to have those songs that best represent you right now?
Yeah, my sixth song came out, so it’s really only been about a year of releasing music. I’ve always intended these tracks to form the first body of work. Before I started putting anything out, I spent years just writing, so this first project is definitely a selection pulled from hundreds of songs and with that, I already have a plan for the next releases and the next record. I feel really steady and confident in the songs that are still to come. At this point, when I’m writing more, it’s only because I feel the need to express something personally, not because of strategy. I’m genuinely stoked about the music I already know is on the way.

Having so many songs like you described, is that almost an agonising choice about which ones might make an album and which ones won’t, which ones might not see the light of day right now, or later on?
Totally. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, the idea of a full body of work. There might be a song I really love, but it sits outside the overarching message of the project, whether that’s lyrically, thematically, or even musically. Sometimes it’s the production, sometimes it’s the emotional centre we took the song to. So yes, there’s been a lot of thought behind the songs that are coming out. Every track has to serve the bigger picture.

With the writing experience over in Nashville, are you looking to partner with particular songwriters or producers, or collaborators?
I’ve done some song writing sessions over there in the past, so I’m definitely keen to reconnect with that crew. My team is also lining up some new sessions and collaborations for me, which I’m excited about. But honestly, I’m really eager to get into some touring as well, play Nashville and some of the neighbouring cities. I haven’t done that yet, so it’s something I’m really looking forward to. I’m excited for this three month stint at the moment, and then I’ll come back to Australia later in the year and get married. I’m getting married! So yeah, definitely really excited to keep it moving. Australia in terms of the music market, unless you want to go regional, it’s five cities, and I’ve just played them all twice. So keen to branch out before coming back to Australia later in the year.

Interview By Rob Lyon