Cool Hunting

We asked Oakdale, California singer-songwriter Brett Dennen, who has one of the finest voices in contemporary pop-folk, about the humor which swirls amidst the brutal honesty of his lyrics, and whether he was generally a positive person by nature.
I'm weird. I can be laid back, and I can be stressed. I can be positive, and I can be cynical. I think generally, I am like everyone else. I want to love, and I want to be loved. I want to be happy and healthy, and I care about people. I care about the world. I want to be known for putting out a positive message I want to be a singer who inspires people to make the world better for everyone.

Some musicians stay strictly out of politics, you clearly beg to differ. Should those in the public eye be using their status to influence change?
It's really their choice. I think everyone who is in the public eye should use their status for something other than themselves, but it is their choice. I think the problem is that it is hard to speak your mind and heart. You write about politics, and people criticize you for it. It's happened to me. You get put in a category. They call you a protest singer. Then you are stuck in a category. You may even get criticized for being too optimistic. I'd rather be criticized for being too optimistic, than being criticized for making bad music'.