By Kelly Youngblood
An anti-bullying song written and performed by two Mahomet brothers has landed them a spot on the Disney Playlist.
“Leave Me Be”, written by seventh grader Kyle Kinnamon, was featured on the Disney blog on Oct. 22 in honor of Unity Day, which highlighted the importance of speaking out against bullying.
Here’s a look at the video, which has gotten nearly 14,000 views to date.
Kyle said he wrote the song about six months ago after he personally experienced being bullied by a student at his school.
Writing the song was a way for him to get his feelings out about the experience, says his mom Maggie Kinnamon.
Kyle said he decided to include a verse for his younger brother Kade, a sixth grader at Mahomet Seymour Junior High, so he could be a part of it too.
Kade admits his brother is a very talented musician and songwriter. “I knew he was going places,” Kade said.
Kyle has been playing piano since he was six year old and also plays guitar and the French horn, but “Let Me Be” was the first song he ever wrote. Since then, he’s written five more songs.
The brothers say they were surprised to learn their song had been picked to be featured on Disney Playlist.
“We knew it was good but we were still shocked and surprised (it was chosen),” said Maggie, who teaches drama and dance at Leal and Martin Luther King Elementary in Urbana.
But when the family heard the good news they were all thrilled, Maggie said.
A writer from the Disney Playlist blog contacted the boys at school to interview them and then the story and video were published on the blog last week.
Kyle, who says his musical idols include Eminem and Justin Bieber, said his friends and fellow students at school have been very supportive.
“They’ve all been congratulating me,” Kyle said.
Kyle is enjoying all of the positive feedback his song has gotten him but says knowing he might be helping others who have been bullied “feels great.”
Above all, he just loves writing his own songs and hopes for a career in the music industry one day.
“The best part about (writing songs) is when it comes naturally. I love it when the music just sort of comes out of you,” he said.