Kenton Willem (A.K.A. Kenni) is a queer, non-binary multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger from Nanaimo, B.C. They strive to create music that moves listeners and propels the world forward through vulnerability and radical acceptance. With absolute pitch and a lifelong habit of deep listening, Kenton instinctively absorbs sound, letting everything they encounter quietly shape and energize their musical voice.

They have performed in settings from duos to full big bands, earning recognition including a DownBeat Student Music Award and a full-tuition Jimmy Lyons Scholarship to Berklee College of Music. Kenton also completed a dual degree in performance and jazz composition, with a minor in conducting.

In addition to performing and composing, Kenton teaches piano, saxophone, voice, and flute through Kenton’s Lesson Studio, and directs the AVIVA Chorus in Nanaimo, B.C. Their approach prioritizes nervous-system awareness, pacing, and curiosity, creating spaces where students/musicians work with who they are rather than against it.

Kenton is currently crafting their debut album of all-original songs, exploring resilience, self-discovery, and the pursuit of freedom in a world that resists difference. Rooted in queer experience but reaching far beyond it, the music speaks to anyone who has felt like an outsider, an underdog, or someone learning how to claim space without apology.