McKenna Johns
We’re so stoked to welcome our good friend McKenna Johns to the Dreamos Round Table! McKenna’s an artist in every sense of the word. She’s a singer, songwriter, musician, creative director, and fashion designer buildings her dreams from California.
McKenna signed to Capitol Records at 19 as a songwriter, and with the band she and her 3 siblings started, The Young Escape. The band’s first two radio singles with Capitol, “Good Life” and “Love Me Like You”, secured #1 spots on the Hot AC Billboard chart, while their latest single, "So Alive", made it to the top 5 for over 20 weeks. Their reputation for incredible live shows has led them to four national tours.
As McKenna continues making a difference through the power of music, her creativity continues taking new ground. She recently created the band’s streetwear brand, “Good Life Essentials”, which has deepened the connection between TYE and their audience, while also expanding the reach of their influence.
Fueled by her faith, McKenna uses her platform to empower others to live with purpose, pursue their dreams, and encourage those around them to do the same. We know you’ll be encouraged and inspired as you hear more from her heart, story, and pursuit.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
My full-time dream is music. I have an alternative pop/rock band with three of my siblings called, “The Young Escape”. We’ve had the privilege of touring and writing with artists who immensely inspired us as we grew up in California. Our first two radio singles with Capitol Records, “Good Life” and “Love Me Like You” secured #1 spots on the Hot AC Billboard chart, and our current single, "So Alive", made it to the top 5 for over 20 weeks.
It’s been a surreal journey! I’m grateful to have the opportunity to be creative from all different aspects of the TYE operation - From songwriting to bringing the brand to life, and designing our new streetwear brand called, “Good Life Essentials.” Turning this dream into a reality as a family is my favorite thing in the world.
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
I was raised in a very creative home. I can honestly say I always knew I wanted to be an artist. When I was five, I would beg my dad to play the upright piano in our living room almost every day. He would play and sing worship music, and It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. Being greatly inspired by that, I picked up piano very naturally as a little girl, and I’ve been playing and singing ever since. It’s therapy for me. I also went through a wonderful punk stage as I got a little older with a hot pink Austin Bizzar electric guitar (Which was therapy for about a year; I wrote some weird songs on that thing).
My passion for music has been the ultimate dream inside my heart for as long as I can remember. But, the moment it became real for me was when I started playing live shows with my siblings. We met so many young people at our shows experiencing heartbreaking circumstances like abusive relationships, self-harm, and spiritual bankruptcy. After these shows, they would come up to us and tell us with tear-rimmed eyes that our music changed their lives forever. Music has had such a significant impact on my life, but seeing God use our music to impact other people in profound ways humbled me. It made me realize that I was created to do this.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. There’s a vast difference between caring and carrying. I care so deeply about the details of my dream that If I’m not careful, I end up carrying the weight of it on my own. I want all the answers now. I want to push something forward. I want that tour; I want that hit song, I WANT. I have a driven personality. I can rush forward so full of self-confidence without even the slightest fear of God.
This weight has caused me to break before. When I keep my faith at the core of everything I do, I can pursue my dream with STRENGTH because I know I don’t have to carry it alone. I’m not powerful enough to mess up what God has for my life; when I surrender the weight of thinking I could, I then experience an unexplainable peace. I also experience something bigger than myself. It’s given me the ability to tolerate delays without becoming annoyed or anxious.
It’s allowed me to take the pressure off of my physical ability and talent, and to work from rest. It’s postured me to choose to trust God even when the circumstances haven’t yet changed. I’m learning to stop relying on myself and start relying on God. I can care deeply about what I love, but I have to let God carry it. He’s in the details.
What are some practical steps you take to keep moving forward?
My classical vocal coach of five+ years once told me, “Amateurs practice until they can get it right; professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong.” That challenged me. As a stubborn fifteen-year-old who absolutely hated doing vocal warmups, that affirmation forced me to figure out how to fall in love with doing vocal warmups every single day. I do them in my sleep now (not literally, that would be creepy for my sister Kyrsten, my roommate of twenty years).
That phase of stubbornness taught me the art of work ethic. Running my vocal exercises in the morning even when I didn’t feel like it, or writing a new song in the afternoon even when I felt like I was completely out of ideas. My goals slowly got more accessible because I simply began with what was necessary, which turned into doing what was possible. Then suddenly, I was doing the things I once thought were impossible. It’s the “Eat the Elephant” concept. My dad used to say, “How do you eat an elephant?” And we would all say together, “One bite at a time.”
I would never eat an elephant in real life, but this connected with me. Giving your all doesn’t mean you have to do it all in a day. Every step forward counts, no matter how big or small. I’ve also recently rediscovered the fact that my value is not attached to what I accomplish. You have to have balance. The balance for me is intentionally creating moments of rest, like having coffee with my mom and sister and spending time with the people closest to my heart.
What encouragement would you give someone who’s going after their dream?
If someone makes you feel like you’re not good enough to pursue the dreams God has instilled in your heart, I dare you not to listen. I’ll be honest, there’s been people who have told me that I needed to be more “sexy” or “edgy” as a female vocalist to have a lasting career. Hearing that as an insecure 19-year-old made me feel small. Yet, that experience fueled me to truly figure out who God created me to be and to be unapologetic about it.
Don’t convince yourself that you need to bend until you break to fit inside of a mold. But, if you do, know that it’s never too late for God to pick up the pieces. You were uniquely created with a purpose that was meant for you and only you; no one can take that away from you. I’ve had a broken heart, I’ve had epic fails, and I’ve had the most joy-filled victories. I’ve needed to persevere through the really bad days to realize that God wastes nothing. Every detail of your story counts. So, embrace the uncertainty and welcome the challenges. I’ve learned that some of the most beautiful chapters in our lives won’t have a title until much later. You didn’t go through all of that for nothing.