SPOTLIGHT: BRELAND
Interview - Taj Hayer
Photography - Jimmy Fontaine
Platinum-selling cross-genre US star BRELAND has just completed his first ever UK headline tour, which kicked off with a sold out show at Bristol’s Thekla before taking in consecutive nights in Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham before headlining Electric Ballroom in London. The hybrid Nashville artist blends country, pop, hip hop and more with in his unique twist which has seen him become a beloved new name on both sides of the Atlantic.
The country icon Shania Twain invited BRELAND on the UK leg after he amazed US crowds on the Stateside run of her Queen Of Me tour over recent months. The pair have also become musical collaborators and he featured on a new version of the track Inhale/Exhale AIR. Following his headline tour BRELAND returned to UK arenas as main support for Shania Twain across her entire UK and Ireland tour.
For those that are new to BRELAND or his sound, he rose to fame in 2019 with his single My Truck, which hot to the top of Spotify’s Global Viral 50 Chart and has since gone platinum. He went on to release his acclaimed debut album Cross Country and has clocked up over a billion career streams. He’s proved himself one of the most exciting and in-demand artists to emerge from the Nashville scene in recent years, and The Rakish Gent caught up with him after his London performance.
How was your first UK headline tour?
I thought my first UK headline tour was a success. Any chance you get to play in front of crowds that have never seen you before, and people are still showing up, it feels really good as an artist.
How have you found UK audiences differ from US audiences at all?
I think that UK audiences tend to be a little bit more polite and respectful. You kinda have to do a little more to get them riled up, but at the same time they know so many lyrics they’re not afraid to sing along with you.
Do you enjoy life on the road whilst touring?
I do. I think there are some positives and negatives. It’s nice to be able to drive myself around or kinda do whatever I want, however you don’t really have all that freedom while you’re on the road. I really love what I do as an artist and I get a chance to do it with some of my favourite people.
When you released My Truck did you have any idea of what would follow with the album, performing at huge venues and going on to have the success that you have had?
I had no idea honestly, when I wrote My Truck we were just having a good time and I put it out with no marketing budget and no real plan. I just thought it was a catchy song. So for me to be overseas, playing all these shows and putting out an album, it’s definitely been a whirlwind experience.
For those that are unfamiliar with it, what can fans expect from the Cross Country album?
I think you can expect a lot of diverse sounds and new perspectives on country music. I think each song does something a little differently. Every song on there is routed in country music but is playing around with something else as well.
When did you start writing your own music and how did you develop that?
I started writing music seriously when I was back in high school, maybe 2009 or 2010. I kept working at it and eventually got to a place where I was writing and recording a song every day and multiple songs a day. I just tried to start building relationships in the industry until people would pay attention.
How much of your music would you say is autobiographical?
I would say at least 40% of my music is autobiographical, but maybe even more than that if you think about songs that I can relate to. I haven’t ever put out anything where there’s truly nothing in it that I can relate to but autobiographical is like that additional level with songs like Cross Country or Beautiful Lies or Real Men Don’t Cry – songs that are truly from experiences that I had and wanted to write about directly.
How do you decide who you want to collaborate/ work with and how does that process evolve?
Usually when I write a song, if it seems like a song that could use a feature, I start thinking about who my ideal feature could be and then I do everything in my power to try and manifest it. I’ve got a bunch of songs that I literally haven’t put out yet because I’m waiting on the artist that I have in mind to get on it. So far so good as to actually being able to get the artists that I want.
What are you working on now and next?
Right now we just put out the Cross Country: The Extra Mile project, which is the deluxe of my debut album. We’re looking forward to some projects in the new year. I have some ideas for how we want to kick the year off but we are still in the pretty early stages. I’m excited to get back in the studio and get recording.