Sebastian Konnackel Finds his Niche with Alternative Rock Band Kitsune
Nov. 17, 2020
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Growing up in India, Sebastian Konnackel always had a passion for music. Finding himself tapping the beat of his favorite songs, he soon found himself playing the drums at his high school’s brass band where he learned to play by trial and error.
Today, Konnackel is making his mark with Kitsune an alternative rock band that is growing its fan base with a slew of hit singles, powered by his relentless and innovative drumming style. The soft-spoken drummer shows his energetic rhythms in the new single Grief II,” now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and other platforms. To download the song, click here.
“I’m very excited about being in this band and sharing my experience with them,” he said. “This new song is a great way to introduce the band to those who aren’t familiar with us.”
Formed in 2018, Kitsune is made up of Kurtis “Kala” Lloyd on vocals, Mack Goth on bass, Cameron Parkinson on guitar and Konnackel on drums and percussion, making a contemporary sound that spawned a slew of hit singles such as “Blackpill,” “Grief” and “Dear Mom.” Like its predecessors, “Grief II” features Konnackel’s heart-pounding beat and the band’s melodic guitars that echo their unique blend of alternative and classic rock that has earned them a growing following around the world.
“The latest single ‘Grief II’ was written in memory of our singer Kurtis’ brother who passed away last June,” Konnackel said. “Like with our previous single it was a little difficult recording the song as we are all in different cities and we had to send in our parts to each other online and then it was sent to our mixing engineer, Jordan Chase to finish.”
Even as the band deals with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Konnackel is pleased with the band’s efforts to create new music and his own growth as a musician. Having grown up in India with a passion for music, he taught himself the drums by listening and watching experienced drummers and ultimately developing his own unique style.
“My earliest influences when it comes to heavy music were Linkin Park and System of a Down. Then as I progressed in my drumming, Lamb of God, Slipknot and Dimmu Borgir became my biggest influences,” he recalled. “What inspired me the most about them was their fearlessness, they were making music that most of the mainstream either looked down upon or even despised. They did it purely because of their passion for the music, and that inspired me to do the same thing later in life as well.”
He would later earn a Bachelor’s Degree in electronics and communications from BMS College of Engineering in Bangalore, India. But instead of becoming an engineer, he opted to become a professional musician and joined a succession of bands, including Rhetoric where he played a major role in developing their unique blend of progressive metal and Indian classical music.
He would move to the U.S. to further his career and joined such bands as Saint Ee Ha, Scofield and Disruptant playing a key role in their sound and recordings before joining Kitsune. While the band continues to record new music during the pandemic, Konnackel is excited about the band’s future prospects.
“I’m looking forward to what the future brings,” he said. “I miss playing live so much. There is a certain energy that you can feel while playing to a crowd of people, all of them listening to you eagerly that you cannot experience playing by yourself. However, I am hopeful all of this shall pass and that I would be able to play in front of people soon.”
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