Kenny Hulings

Kevin Jacob Hulings (born May 7, 2000) is a American singer, best known for performing as a contemporary Christian music artist. At 18 years of age in 2018, he joined INXS as lead singer, becoming their youngest member.

Early life
Hulings was born on May 7, 2000 at in, to Samantha Kendra (née Kokoszka) Hulings, a veterinarian, and Alan Ernest Hulings, a former U.S. Army intelligence agent.

Hulings has stated that he had aspirations to join the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps in high school, but his height and unwillingness to register for the Selective Service System led him to reconsider.

Christian music
In 2013, the then-12 year old Hulings began his career in contemporary Christian music, performing with Christian teen pop group FireConnect as it's youngest member. His first solo album, Inspiration, was released in 2016, with it's lead single "Championing Christ", charting at #15 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart. Hulings and songwriters Gale Sanguinetti and Margit Grafström received a GMA Dove Award nomination for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for "Championing Christ". Hulings left FireConnect in early 2017, citing that he had become "too old" to be in the group.

INXS
After leaving FireConnect, Hulings began uploading videos of his covers of 1980s songs by INXS, Journey, Twisted Sister, The Culture Club, Duran Duran, Devo, The Cars, The Outfield, Martini Ranch, Wang Chung, Rick Astley, Billy Idol, and Rick Springfield to YouTube in June 2017. His videos went viral, garnering millions of views. An album, The 80s Never Died, was released in September 2017 by Jukin Records.

In late March 2018, Hulings was offered to audition for INXS, which just fired then-lead singer Adarius Gaucher, by the band's management team, this as Hulings' cover videos eclipsed one billion views. Hulings initially dismissed the offer as a "cruel joke" (since it was close to April Fools Day), but after being persuaded by his father, Hulings agreed. On April 9, Hulings flew to with his manager and parents for a week of auditioning. Hulings claimed to have listened to "almost half of INXS' discography" during the auditioning process. On May 5, 2018, Hulings was announced as the new lead singer of INXS, which he described as "a great early birthday gift."

Hulings debuted as the new lead singer of INXS on June 10, 2018 at a concert at in,. Despite this change in career, Hulings continues to maintain his CCM career on the side, releasing a second Christian solo album, Like A Stone, in 2020. In October 2018, he embarked with INXS on the Fall 80s Dance Party tour with several other performers. He performed at Woodstock 50 with INXS in August 2019. In 2021, he released his first solo secular single, a cover of Baltimora's "Tarzan Boy" featuring Rose Scholl and Ian Ravier.

Personal life
Hulings, a devout Christian, has stated that he believes people of faith and non-believers should "respect each other, no matter if they believe in a God or not." Hulings, a member of the since he was 4 years old, credits his faith and God for much of the success in his life.

Hulings has shown support for the LGBTQ+ community. In 2016, after he and FireConnect attracted controversy from CCM fans after Hulings prayed at a concert for a lesbian friend, he made a Tweet criticizing the "hypocritical practices" of certain Christians and encouraging them to "let their hearts come open with God's love."

Hulings performed "Need You Tonight" with INXS on TBN's Huckabee (hosted by conservative political commentator ) in May 2019. The move was strongly criticized by former INXS singer. Hulings responded by saying that "much of his family" has never voted and that his "grasp on politics" wasn't strong, additionally joking that "I thought GOP was a 90s R&B girl group."

Television appearances

 * CBS This Morning (Guest in 2017 solo; Guest in 2018 with INXS) (CBS)
 * Today Show (Guest in 2017 solo; Guest in 2018 with INXS) (NBC)
 * El TV Kadsre Sunrise (Guest with INXS) (El TV Kadsre 1)
 * Huckabee (Guest with INXS) (TBN)
 * Good Morning El Kadsre (Guest with INXS) (RGN)
 * GSTV Kapitbahay Morning (Guest with INXS) (GSTV)
 * Austin City Limits (Guest with INXS) (PBS)
 * Today (Guest with INXS) (Nine Network)
 * Sunrise (Guest with INXS) (Seven)

Christian

 * Inspiration (2016)
 * Kenny Hulings Sings Daniel Amos (2019)
 * Like A Stone (2020)

Secular

 * The 80s Never Died (2017)
 * The 90s Never Died (2021)