Fatherhood brings new perspective in Hunter Kennedy's latest single
Fatherhood brought a shift in perspective for South African singer-songwriter Hunter Kennedy.
Image: Supplied / Faselis
Hunter Kennedy's latest single, "Waiting for Maria", is more than just a song – it's a reflection of a pivotal moment in the South African singer-songwriter's life.
As a lyricist for both Fokofpolisiekar and Die Heuwels Fantasties, Kennedy has crafted music with a distinct edge. Yet, as he waited for his daughter Maria to be born, Kennedy experienced a profound shift in perspective. Fatherhood, with its mix of anticipation, anxiety, and joy, led him to a place of clarity about life's bigger questions.
Kennedy wrote the chorus of the song while sitting in the hospital waiting area after Maria's birth. In that moment, he was struck by the realisation that he'd probably spend the rest of his life waiting for her – whether outside school, at a house party, or even on his deathbed. "And in that moment, all of life just made sense," he says.
Initially, Kennedy and his long-time producer/collaborator Fred Den Hartog worked on the song with a pop, almost hip-hop vibe. But when they stripped it down to its most basic form, the song felt more honest and truthful to Kennedy. This creative shift mirrors the emotional changes fatherhood brought – a "lighter emotional shade" compared to Kennedy's usual existential, satirical, and sometimes "downright weird" style in his work with Fokofpolisiekar and Die Heuwels Fantasties.
Hunter Kennedy laughs that "Waiting for Maria" isn't really about Maria but about the changes her arrival triggered in him. The lyrics are thoughtful, warmly sentimental, and surprisingly upbeat. It's a song that Kennedy's daughter might look back on with a knowing smile one day.
"Without knowing it, I had been waiting for her all my life," Kennedy reflects. "I know people say it's risky to make your kid your sole purpose - what happens when they grow up and leave? – but right now, it works for me. Being a dad and exploring the world through a child's lens is probably the most fun I'm having at the moment. I dunno. Fight me."
Hunter's close friend and Fokofpolisiekar band member Francois van Coke was so taken with the song that he encouraged Kennedy to release it and perform it live for the first time at Francois van Coke & Vriende, held at SunBet Arena in Pretoria on October 3, 2025.
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