Hard work leads to success for Brennley Brown; Q&A with 'Miracle Story' singer

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

@joshuamaloni

When Western New Yorkers watch Brennley Brown on stage at Life Church Buffalo, and hear her unique country-Christian musical offerings, they might ask themselves, “Where did this trailblazer come from?”

Surprisingly, the answer is California.

Not known as a hotbed for either country or Christian music, the Golden State is where Brown was born – on a ranch in Apple Valley – and it is where she got her big breaks: first on a kindergarten stage, and then as a finalist on season 12 of NBC’s “The Voice.”

Though she instantly connected with audiences, Brown knew lasting success would be a long-term endeavor. And, when both her school teachers and celebrity mentors asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Brown knew the answer wasn’t “Pigeonholed.”

So, instead of being one thing – or trying to capitalize on overnight fame at the age of 14 – Brown spent the next eight years working on her craft, building a fanbase, forging a unique sound, and establishing herself in the worlds of country, Christian, and even voiceover (Disney’s "Sofia the First," Netflix’s "Dragon: Rescue Riders”).

The multihyphenate, who will make her Buffalo-area debut when opening for Ben Fuller on Nov. 9, recently released a rousing Johnny Cash-meets-Dolly-Parton-esque proclamation of God’s love in “The Jesus I Know”; a tender-hearted, guitar-driven ballad titled “Miracle Story”; and a cover of the popular Christmas tune “Mary, Did You Know?”

Speaking of Dolly, it was the iconic entertainer who shared a video message with Brown earlier this year, inviting Brennley to perform on the Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville on June 27.

Brown shared more in this edited Q&A.

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Q: Have you been out to this market or performed here before?

Brennley Brown: I've never been; no. I'm really excited. Really, really excited. I've never been up to Buffalo. I've been to New York a couple times growing up. I used to go there a lot. I got very close to booking a Broadway role when I was little, and so I was going to NYC a lot during that time in that audition process. I haven't been to Buffalo, New York, specifically, so I'm really very, very excited to be able to be up there with you all.

Q: You mentioned you had some interest in Broadway. Certainly, we know you were on “The Voice” at a young age. When was the point in which people knew you were good at this, and when you knew this was something you wanted to pursue and make a go of it?

Brennley Brown: I think the moment for me was, honestly, it was in my kindergarten talent show, believe it or not. I had just turned 6 years old. I was in my kindergarten class, and I had a teacher – her name was Mrs. Murphy – and she would hear me singing in class so much that she'd have to, like, put me in the corner (laughs).

But I remember I sang “Mississippi Girl” by Faith Hill at my kindergarten talent show, and I just remember looking out and just seeing the smiles on people's faces and the joy that music brought. And that's really when I knew I wanted to do this.

But I think there were several moments that the Lord used in my life to really just affirm the calling that he's put on my life and music. And there's another moment when I was around 12, and my mom was dealing with some really intense health issues at this time, and it went undiagnosed for a long time. And through that time, it was when my relationship with Jesus became very real, and I met him, truly, for the first time, and started reading the word of God. My life was really changed. My faith grew really strong. But also, my love for music began to grow even more, and I started writing songs; and just realized the healing power of music. I believe God created it.

And so, I think those two moments really shaped me as an artist, and made me realize this is really what I was made to do, and I haven't looked back since.

Brennley Brown (Photo courtesy of Provident Entertainment/Sony Music/Merge PR)

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Q: So, if I say the words “country,” “Christian” and “California,” I think one of these things is not like the other, right?

Based on what you just told me, I'm guessing you got into Christian music as a way to express your gratitude, your joy; you wanted to give God thanks for the things going on in your life. But country music, where did your interest in that come from – and were there Christian artists you were interested in, as well?

Brennley Brown: Yeah, so, I grew up listening to a lot of traditional country music. My dad introduced me to ’70s country music, and so I listened to Waylon and Merle and Emmylou Harris, and fell in love with the sound of the steel guitar at 5 years old, and just loved the stories that country music tells. You know, such raw, honest, beautiful stories that are told through country music, and that's why I fell in love with it.

But my mom introduced me to a lot of gospel music growing up, so I listened to a lot of Maranatha Praise Band, and grew up also singing in church on the worship team.

And so, I always was really influenced by my love for country music as an artist, and those artists that really shaped my sound and what I love. But my heart for the Lord, and growing up in church and singing worship, and with such a strong gospel influence from my mom, it was really like a perfect storm of, “I just want to blend the two.”

And so, when I started coming to Nashville and writing during that time, so many folks in the industry would say, “Well, you have to choose a lane. You know, you have to be country, or you have to be Christian. You can't (be both).” And then with my sound, I would go into meetings, and same thing; they'd say, “Oh, well, you're too country to be a Christian artist,” or “You're too Christian to be a country artist.”

I just always knew that the Lord didn't want me to have to choose a lane. It's not how he works. He doesn't really work in those boxes that we think he does all the time, you know? And so, I just continued to stay the course, and the Lord just continued to put things on my heart to write about.

It's been, actually, incredibly fun to be able to go into the studio and develop my sound over the years, and build this new record that's coming out at the top of the year. It really represents all of who I am. I'm excited for folks to hear that.

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Q: Tell me about June 27.

Brennley Brown: Oh my gosh; wild (laughs); still pinching myself, if I'm being honest. That was incredible. What a gift.

I dreamed of that moment since I was a little girl. I remember my first trip to Nashville, we landed here, my parents and I, and that was the first place we went, was the Grand Ole Opry. And I remember walking in, and we watched the show, and I just said a little prayer, and I just had a dream in my heart from that day to sing on that stage.

So, to have been able to do that and make my Opry debut was a dream come true.

Q: That's awesome.

I covered “The Voice” for its first 10 seasons, and I have kind of a love-hate relationship with the show. On the one hand, my concern is that it's a TV show, and it doesn't necessarily help the musicians on it as much as it could. On the other hand, it did provide me with a platform to work with some really great artists like Cassadee Pope and Judith Hill and Christina Grimmie.

So many times, when we watch “The Voice,” the singers that don't win – the singers that get eliminated at any point in the show – they will always say, “Well, you haven't seen the last of me” – but, inevitably, we have usually seen the last of them.

What is it about you – and perhaps it’s something you picked up on the show – but what is it about you, about your upbringing, about your character, that you were able to take and parlay this into touring, this record that you mentioned coming out, and performing on the Grand Ole Opry stage? What did you do differently to get to this point that some of the other singers haven't done?

Brennley Brown: That's such a good question. Nobody's ever asked me that before.

You know, I don't know. I think a few factors. I was so young on the show – I was 14 years old – and so I think I knew, coming off that show, there was a lot of work to still be done, and a lot of development.

I had had my taste of Nashville, and what that industry was like, even before I went on “The Voice.” I had come a few times. I had taken a few trips. My family and I didn't really know what the heck we were doing, but we were learning.

I think I realized, even if you walk on down Broadway here in Nashville, you really recognize just how saturated it is – you know, the competition aspect of it – and just how many people have this dream of playing music. And I think I grasped the work that it was truly going to take.

I think some artists that go on that show – and it's super easy to think this way – you go on and you're taken from point A to point Z in a matter of weeks. You know, being in front of millions every week, and being in those environments, and the pressure of it all, and being with the celebrity coaches. In a way, it feels like, “Oh, I've skipped steps in the work that it's going to take.” But the reality is that is not the case.

It's an incredible stepping stone that I look back and I'm so grateful that the Lord allowed me the opportunity, and allowed me to experience that at such a young age. But I think I knew, “OK, now is where we're really hitting the pavement, and I have to get in line,” if you will, “and work and work, and write, and really put in the time and the work to develop who I am as an artist, and what I want to say through this music.”

I think, for me, it wasn't coming to Nashville after the show with my hand out going, “Hey, where's my record deal?” That's just not how it works. It really is a process of time, and a lot of work, and a lot of grinding it out, a lot of playing shows.

Again, I'm so grateful for what that show allowed me, but I think it also pushed me in a lot of ways to realize the impact that the message of my music can have on people, and wanting to really establish what that was.

And so, I took several years after “The Voice,” and I didn't sign any deal, or work with any team. I just wanted to write, and come to Nashville, and get in line, put my head down, and work. I think that, for me, has helped in that journey and, Lord willing, is creating longevity in my career.

Brennley Brown, "Miracle Story" (Photo courtesy of Provident Entertainment/Sony Music/Merge PR)

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Q: Talk about this current tour with Ben Fuller – how it came to be, and what can we expect from your live show when we see you up on the big stage in a couple of weeks?

Brennley Brown: I'm so excited. This is so fun. Ben and I met because we are signed to Sony Provident. We're at the same label. And I just have always loved his music and his heart for the Lord, and have just been a huge fan of what he does and who he is.

I'm very, very excited to be joining forces on this tour. It's something that, you know, we've played a couple of shows. I've opened up for him a couple of times over the last year, and we played some fun festivals. I had told our agent, I said, “Oh, I think it'd be so fun if we did the Ben and Brennley tour.” And so, sure enough, Ben was kind of saying the same thing. So, when he decided on his headlining tour, he called me and he said, “Hey, I'd love for you to open up for me.” I was honored, and immediately said, “Absolutely,” and, “How can we do this?”

We're just really excited to share the love of Jesus with people, first and foremost. I think that is the driver of this tour, and the message. I mean, the tour is called the “If I Got Jesus Tour.” That's going to be the heartbeat behind it. And from the team and the crew that's going out on this tour, it's been awesome to just hear their hearts for that, and that mission. I'm really excited about that.

As far as my live show goes, I'm really excited. I'm playing a lot of new songs off the new record, and so that's going to be really fun to be able to share with folks. I might even throw a little CeCe Winans gospel tune in there, too, for us. So, that'll be fun.

But I think just excited to share some of the new music that's out. I have a new single out right now called “The Jesus I Know,” and it's been so fun to play live. I'm excited to continue to play that out, and mostly just meet people. I've never really been, like I mentioned, up to this kind of Northeast region, if you will. So, I'm excited to meet people out there and hear their stories and be able to connect with the fans. That's the best part about it.

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