ON BEAT: Freddie McClendon

Freddie McClendon, from his Instagram account

Belmont sophomore Freddie McClendon is making a name for himself with his distinct online presence while taking on Nashville with his own unique sound. 

His music career is building at a rapid pace with his growing social media following of over 300,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok and over 36,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Originally from Greenwood, South Carolina, McClendon is carving his own channel in the music industry. 

From a young age, McClendon created music in some way, shape or form. As he grew older, he found inspiration in artists who produce new sounds and create unique ways to sonically push the industry forward while finding inspiration in raw and personal storytelling of artists. 

“Music has always been something that I’ve done for myself, I’m not necessarily inspired by one particular artist,” McClendon said. “I really love artists who can tell stories and break down boundaries. Those types of artists can be anyone from Johnny Cash to Chappel Roan.”

McClendon added that he admires anyone from musical theatre composer Stephen Sondheim to contemporary rapper Kendrick Lamar. To Freddie, these artists all have their own unique sounds and he loves that about them.

He likes to view the world around him in a unique perspective to provide lyrical inspiration. He pulls inspiration for his songwriting from multiple sources and feels that it can strike at any moment.

“When I’m driving around, I find ways to see the things around me and that will give me inspiration to create the lyrics.” McClendon added, “Usually when I’m sleeping, I’ll have a dream and it will tell me what my next song needs to be about.”

He has also used music as a great healer for personal experiences and as a way to convey messages that he felt had to be expressed. He said “King Henry” is his favorite song he has put out so far because he felt it connected on a deeper level with his community back in his hometown. 

“I really like my song “King Henry” because it told a story that I really wanted to tell for the people of South Carolina where I’m from. It broke down a lot of boundaries and it was a special piece for me because I got to talk about a lot of the injustices my family, along with others, had faced with the legal system in South Carolina.”

Attending Belmont has helped him evolve and grow his network, he said. He credited Belmont for providing him with a great environment of like minded people to be surrounded by to let his art flourish.

“I chose to go to school at Belmont because I wanted to be close to Nashville and around the music scene. I feel like the people that I’ve been around and the musicians that I’ve gotten to meet here have really helped turn me into a better artist and musician.”

Although he wanted to soak up the Nashville music scene for now, he said he wants to be a global artist in the future. His music is the most important thing in his journey, and he wants to bring joy to others through his art.

“I want to put the art first, inspire other people, tell stories, break boundaries and just be myself,” he said.

This article was written by Nick Singer