Kenton Willem (aka Kenni) is a queer, non-binary multi-instrumentalist, composer, and arranger from Nanaimo, B.C. They aim to create music that moves listeners and propels the world forward through vulnerability. With a lifelong habit of deep listening, Kenton instinctively absorbs sound, letting everything they love shape their own music.

They have performed in settings ranging 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, where they completed a dual degree in performance and jazz composition, along with a minor in conducting.

Since graduating, Kenton has devoted much of their time to teaching piano, saxophone, voice, and flute through Kenton’s Lesson Studio and directing the AVIVA Chorus in Nanaimo, B.C. They also perform regularly as a solo pianist at the 1948 Bar and Bistro in Ladysmith.

Alongside teaching and directing, Kenni is currently crafting their first album, Notes On Blue, a collection of all-original songs, exploring themes of healing, recovery, self-discovery, love, friendship, and the pursuit of freedom in a world that often resists difference. Rooted in queer experience yet widely resonant, the songs are written for anyone who has felt like an outsider, an underdog, or someone learning to take up space and embrace themselves fully. At its heart, the album is a love letter to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.