We met Kiernan Tollefson during the pandemic when he introduced us to his unusual finger tapping additive to playing the 12-string guitar. His music is moving and intense. It was a treat to get a sneak preview of his upcoming album, I’ve Been Bleeding, releasing Feb 21, 2025.
You have a new album (I’ve Been Bleeding) coming out February 21. How would you like to see your fans enjoy it for the first time? See it live? On a long walk, run or drive? Headphones in the living room?
I think live is always the best way to see music and this album is no different. I like seeing people experience my music and connect with it face to face. There is also something special about hearing a song live and knowing that it will never be played exactly that same way again. Dynamics, tempo changes, improvisations and even mistakes make every song played live unique and unreplicatable. That being said, streaming the songs or listening to them on CD can be very immersive and different from a live show. I have a lot of subtle, and some not so subtle, effects on these songs that I cannot recreate live. I just want people to listen to these songs however they can. I wrote them all for myself but they are a free gift I get to share with others. I’ve had people tell me these songs sound like anything from an epic battle to a road trip.
It has been 10 years now since you have been playing guitar. What has changed for you in those 10 years?
It is wild to think it has been 10 years. I have become much more serious and driven as an artist. The first couple years I started playing there was no path forward other than having fun. For the past 5 years I have transitioned to wanting to leave great songs behind and inspire others to pick up an instrument or even overcome difficulties in their lives. Another thing that has changed is my intentionality with becoming better technically. I used to primarily just mess around and learn or write songs, but now I am pushing myself by playing difficult songs while learning scales and arpeggios – anything that is new and difficult. I’ve gone from playing willy nilly to treating it much more as a skill.
And what has stayed the same?
I have always followed my ear and my intuition. It is really easy to overanalyze chord progressions and make things neatly inside a box but I have never been caught up in the deep theory becoming a distraction. My influences have also stayed the same. The biggest thing that has remained since I started playing is telling great stories. I knew early on that great original music is far superior to any cover song or technical ability so I try to tell stories in all my songs. Something I hear a lot of guitarists, especially acoustic guitarists, do is create music that is far too ambient and lacking in character. The flip side of that is artists who play too busy and flashy but leave nothing memorable. I do not connect with songs that do not tell a story and I never have.
I saw a dance version of Romeo and Juliet yesterday. All music and dance – very few words. I know the play very well. The broad strokes came out in the work but what really came out was an intensity of emotions. Your music is the same. I might hear a different story than you are telling – but the intensity and emotion are magnified. Brimstone seems to come in like a lion, where Finally might not be a lamb but there’s a lightness that makes me joyful. Can you give us some guidance about the songs – their intention or inspiration.
They are really inspired by my life the last couple years. It has been mostly frustration and setbacks with some joy sprinkled in. I include both types of songs because you cannot have one without the other. The joy and pain give a sort of tension and contrast that is not present when just one of them exists. I tried hard to make these songs all distinct even though they were all written at roughly the same time and have a lot of crossover emotionally for me. That was definitely a challenge. I want this album to be one that someone can listen to which brings up memories they have forgotten and inspires them to move forward to the things, places, and people they do not know yet. The right song can trigger someone’s emotions in a magical way and I hope my emotions come through these songs to facilitate that process.
How will you celebrate the album release? And where can people see you play live?
I have about a dozen shows this year. My upcoming ones are at a place in Rochester called the Redwood Room. It is a really intimate spot with great food and a killer atmosphere. I play there on February 15th and 25th as well as on March 28th. I will also be at the Eagles Club in Minneapolis on March 14th with a few other artists. All my show dates are on my website. With these songs being recorded I am now working on new stuff so there should be some of those started to get played at shows as I work them out.
Mostly Minnesota 