Brí
Interview conducted May 26, 2021
By Dan Locke
Irish indie pop artist, Brí is releasing her fifth single ‘If I Wasn’t Scared’ on June 16th and with it is reaffirming her credentials as one of the most exciting artists around. With powerful yet fragile vocals over delicate instrumentation, Brí takes us on another magical journey into her melodic lamenting world.
You are an Irish indie pop artist. What is your upbringing?
I was born in San Francisco to an American mother and an Irish father and we moved back here to Ireland when I was just a baby and I was raised here.
How did you discover music?
My mom was in the church choir and my dad sang songs to us as he drove us to school in the mornings so that was probably where my interest in music first began.
How did you start to write music?
I taught myself to play guitar and had always loved singing. My auntie passed away when I was 16 and I felt I had to express or release the feeling somehow and it came out in the form of a song. Ever since I’ve written as a way to heal from anything that is bothering me or weighing me down. It’s like the song pours out of me and I’m not actively trying to write it.
How did you get your first guitar, and do you still have it?
My first guitar was passed down from my late uncle to my mother to me and my parents still have it in their house.
Why do you go by just Brí ?
When playing gigs as ‘Briana’, I used to find that everyone thought I was saying that my name was ‘Rihanna’. Some of my close friends already called me Brí so it made sense to me to go with that.
Describe your music.
Words most commonly used to describe my music include; heartfelt, honest, ethereal, haunting vocals, indie pop, dreamy and mesmeric.
What was your first performance like?
I’m pretty sure my first performance was a talent show when I was 7 or 8 and I remember how my dad was standing in the wings rooting for me. That meant the world to me because he was always very busy and worked a lot. My first headline show in 2019 in Whelan’s venue in Dublin was hugely important to me and I’ll never forget it. It sold out and I’ll always remember the feeling of the crowd knowing all of the words to my songs. It felt really special.
What makes a good songwriter?
I admire authenticity in songwriters. I know that some songwriters will set out to write a pop song or set out to write about a topic that they haven’t personally gone through but I am drawn in to songwriters who write from their heart and who let us peek into their soul. It’s intimate and beautiful and when you write from that place, I feel you can do no wrong.
What was the title of your first original song?
Did you record it? My first original song was called ‘Picture Frame’. I haven’t played it for anyone and I haven’t recorded it.
What is the process of writing your music?
I feel a song bubbling in me before I sit down to write it. I don’t try to write unless I have that bubbling feeling and when I sit down, I mess around with chords either on the keyboard or guitar until they match my mood and then when the melody feels right the words pour out and I write them down.
How was it to win the 2019 IVMA Choice Award for your debut video “Low Supply”?
I was so touched to hear that; it was my first music video and I didn’t expect to come away with an award. I was honored.
How was it to have a sold-out show on June 11, 2019?
That meant the world to me. I will always remember that feeling of support and love in the room. It was emotional for me that my first headliner sold out too.
Tell me about your debut album “Hide” which comes out in October?
‘Hide’ is a series of 10 songs that I’m really proud to release into the world. I used to worry about what people thought a lot of the time and I would fear that if I really followed my dreams that people would think that I was taking myself too seriously or would think that I thought too highly of myself. ‘Hide’ is about my battle with those beliefs or fears and coming out the other side; ‘From now on I won’t hide.’
What is the backstory to your single “If I Wasn’t Scared” which drops on June 16th?
‘If I Wasn’t Scared’ assumes a man’s perspective of a relationship as he struggles to balance his feelings with a ‘tough guy’ image, particularly among ‘the boys’. It is a toxic masculinity tale that strips back cold layers of indifference and questions the fear that it uncovers.
How was it to record it remotely from you home?
I learned a lot from recording at home; my favourite thing about it was doing as many takes as I liked without worrying that I was taking up too much of anyone’s time.
What is your favorite track on your album?
That is a good question. At the moment, it’s probably between ‘Time’ and ‘In My Head’ which aren’t out yet.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
As an artist, streaming is what I’ve always known and I have nothing to compare to. I think the money to be made is very little unless you’ve really progressed quite far in your career but otherwise, I think it’s a great way to be discovered.
How was it to see yourself in the paper with other emerging artist on May 5, 2021?
It’s always a mixture of surprising and nice to see yourself in the local newspaper and Anthony O’Sullivan has been so supportive of Offaly musicians and I couldn’t feel more supported by him. I’m really grateful for the amazing write-ups he’s done for my music so far.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
I try to stay really hopeful and positive when it comes to talk about Covid killing live music. I don’t think a livestream can ever replace the atmospheric, immersive feeling of singing or swaying along in a crowd at a great gig, in person. My hope is that the vaccines will save us all and life will gradually return to a sense of normality in time.
Do you think that Covid-19 has been a plus to an artist career?
I think it depends on that individual artist’s circumstances at the time. As well as being a musician, I have a full-time office job so Covid for me has meant moving home and living with my parents for the past year and being able to save up to afford this album which I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to do if I had to work from the office and continue to pay rent in the city. For most though, whose income stems directly from gigs, I don’t think it’s been positive in that respect at all and it’s been incredibly testing, difficult times for most. Social media and home recording set-ups are a great way to keep people going as we wait for the return of gigs though and I’m grateful that we at least have had that.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
Recording an album mostly! That has taken up most of my focus the past year. I’m always recording harmonies for it, or organizing a music video or some part of it at all times.
How do you stay healthy during the lockdown?
Truthfully, I tend to be all or nothing; either I eat my weight in chocolate or I go on smoothie-making health kicks, go walking every day, or I don’t go on a walk for ages. I dare to call it to balance but feel I’ll be in a better routine when I move into my new place in Dublin, at least that’s what I tell myself!
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
I’ve mostly been focused on the album and have let that take over so I haven’t felt the time for new hobbies actually this past year.
What is your happy place?
My happy place definitely involves coffee, chocolate, and music. I think my favourite aspect of music is as I’m writing the song or as I’ve just finished it, seconded by performing it and hearing people singing the words back
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