A Feature on Bren.d.o: The Southern Illinois Visionary Reframing Modern Neo-Soul
- I'm Not From London
- Nov 15
- 2 min read
There is a very specific kind of momentum surrounding Southern Illinois artist Brendan “Bren.d.o” Jennings — the kind that feels less like hype and more like the early pulse of a career about to crest into national recognition…
In 2025 he not only charted twice on the iTunes R&B listings, but also established himself as one of the most distinctive multi-disciplinary voices emerging from the Midwest. Music outlets have repeatedly framed him as “neo-soul’s newest storyteller,” and Bren.d.o appears more than ready to live up to the title.
His rise this year has been anchored by the success of two key singles: the neon-washed alt-R&B duet ‘Electric Love Affair’ featuring Kendra Chanae, and the punchy, rhythmic ‘Boom Boom’, set to appear on his upcoming album ‘The Corner’. Together, the tracks showcase the dualities that define Bren.d.o’s world — romantic yet restless, smooth yet emotionally tensile, glossy yet grounded in lived experience. ‘Electric Love Affair’, which earned features from The Gatekeeper Space and Rockdafuqout, was praised for its “neon lit” atmosphere and the seamless blend between Bren.d.o and Chanae’s vocals. Meanwhile, ‘Boom Boom’, released on YouTube mid-year and now sitting at over 118,000 views, carried his sound further into an alt-R&B and pop hybrid that continues to draw comparison to artists like Prince and Bruno Mars.
But music is only one facet of his expanding creative orbit. Bren.d.o is also the author of the psychological thriller ‘Chemical Exposure’, a novel exploring the blurred threshold between nightmares and waking reality. Set against the backdrop of Southern Illinois, the story follows Daniel, a man whose vivid dreams lead him toward a concealed threat within his own community. The book echoes the qualities that underpin Bren.d.o’s musical identity: tension, introspection, and a sense of narratives unfolding just beneath the surface.
His work beyond the arts — namely his community history and advocacy across Southern Illinois — adds yet another layer to his emerging profile. Coverage from WPSD Local 6, Illinois Humanities, and Belt Magazine has highlighted his commitment to documenting and uplifting regional stories, from historical preservation to civic engagement. It’s uncommon for a rising R&B artist to have this level of civic footprint, but for Bren.d.o, place is not a backdrop; it is a collaborator.
With ‘The Corner’ slated for early 2026, Bren.d.o enters the next stage of his career with a strong foundation: critical praise, charting singles, a developing literary readership, and a cultural presence spanning music, fiction, and community history. If 2025 was the introduction, 2026 may be the revelation — the moment where neo-soul’s newest storyteller becomes one of its defining voices.
