NASHVILLE, Tn. — Carmichaels native Brynn Marie certainly had an unforgettable Valentine’s Day. The talented singer and performer, who has been living in Nashville for the past four years and has been steadily making a name for herself in the world of country music, gave her fans a special Valentine’s Day gift by releasing her single, “Bandaid on a Bullet Hole,” on Tuesday. The song, which is now available on i-Tunes and can be requested on radio stations across the nation, is the first single to be released from her upcoming EP, “Things Change.” Fans got a chance to hear the single and other songs from the EP on Monday, when Brynn Marie debuted them on Ustream.tv. The event included live acoustic performances, a Q&A session and prize giveaways.
The single and EP are the next steps in Brynn Marie’s path to superstardom since moving to Nashville. Over the years she has certainly been keeping herself busy paving that path; in addition to making connections, producing, writing and performing, she has opened for many country stars such as LeAnn Rimes, Jake Owen and Loretta Lynn. She has also headlined two overseas Armed Forces Entertainment tours that took her to the Middle East as well as Puerto Rico, and recently she appeared in the CMA Country Weekly Fashion Show. “It has been non-stop work, and I’m loving every minute of it,” she said. “This is the kind of business where you put in years and years of work into it, and sometimes you never see a paycheck. It’s true what they say: You really have to pay your dues in this business. “Every job, every penny I’ve earned has been going into fulfilling my dream,” she added. “The business is a gamble, and I am hoping that fans will eventually catch on to what I’m about. I have spent the past four years defining myself as an artist … I’ve been like a sponge, soaking up all of the ins-and-outs of the music business.”
Brynn Marie is now being represented by Mark Adelman of Career Artist Management under the umbrella of Frontline Management with Irving Azoff. She has been working non-stop on her music, and now, thanks to her new single as well as the upcoming debuts of the six-song EP and a video for “Bandaid,” the busy performer’s schedule is about to get even busier.
Brynn Marie co-produced the EP with Patricia Summers that was recorded by Drew Bollman at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, which owned by country superstar Martina McBride and her husband, John. The songs on the EP were mixed by Bollman and Derek Bason at Starstruck Studio in Nashville, which is owned by Reba McIntire. The EP was mastered by Hank Williams at Master Mix in Nashville.
Brynn Marie said she is very excited about the new single. “It is very edgy and different, it is an upbeat song that you can totally dance to,” she explained. “It has a rock/pop feel with all the country elements. I feel very strongly about the subject matter in the song, because it has an ‘I Am Woman’ vibe. It’s about being strong. I can really relate to it, and I’m sure everyone else will too.” She said the song, which was written by Lennie, Ford Thurston and Michael Rodgers, defines her as an artist and as a person. “People who know my sound and style will definitely enjoy it,” she said. “It’s me being true to myself and my fans, and that’s all that matters to me.” Brynn Marie said she loves hearing feedback about her music, and encourages people to check out her website, www.brynnmarie.com. Another unique aspect about the EP and single was the fact that the singer enabled people to support the EP through an online program called Kickstarter. She said the number of people who supported her through the program was “overwhelming.”
Now that the single is released, Brynn Marie is excited about her next venture: The debut of the music video for “Bandaid.” The video, which was directed, shot and edited by Jeff Johnson and produced by Jeff Johnson Films, is scheduled to premiere next month. The video, which was filmed in January on a 19-hour shoot at Silverpoint Studio in Nashville, features members of the Tennessee Titans cheerleaders. Johnson, who has directed videos for country stars such as Keith Urban and Billy Currington, said he is excited for Brynn Marie’s fans to see her music video. “Brynn is an artist with some extreme talents. In my opinion, ‘Bandaid On A Bullet Hole’ really defines her as an artist,” Johnson said. “The song intrigued me because it covers all aspects of today’s popular music. The song really pulls from three different genres of music — rock, pop and country. “I was lucky enough to have the honor of directing a music video for this song,” he added. “As a director, I really wanted to tap into all those musical genres with scene changes, but having some fun with it too. The live performance in the video really shows her stage talents, the dance sequence exploits her dancing background and the bullet hole wall sequence really pulls out a sultry, sexy pop vibe out of her. Brynn looks like a superstar in this video, there’s no doubt about it. I really can’t wait for the world to see it. “It may shock some people,” he said with a laugh. The lighting for the video was handled by Erik Parker in conjunction with Bandit Lites and Chris Lisle Lighting Design. “Being a part of this video for Brynn was great,” Parker said. “She is a professional, excited artist who wants to have fun while making the best quality products possible. The day of the video shoot was definitely a lot of fun to be a part of. I’m looking forward to the exciting things that are coming with her career.” The choreography, which was handled by Brynn Marie and Molly Moenkhoff, also provided some unforgettable memories for the singer. “We started choreographing the dance moves in my living room,” she recalled with a laugh. “We just moved the couches and started figuring out the steps. It was just another example of how much fun it was shooting the video.” Brynn Marie said she thoroughly enjoyed the shoot, saying it was “by far, the biggest and most massive production I have ever been a part of.” In addition to a hard-working production crew, she was also assisted by some familiar faces. “My family came to Nashville (from Carmichaels) to help with the video, and they were wonderful,” she said. “They supported me and helped me with so many different aspects. It was great to have them there. My brother Ryan can be seen playing drums during some of the live performance footage, my sister Jen was part of my ‘Glam Squad’ as my hair stylist on the set, and my parents were there offering much love and support. And my brother Tony couldn’t be there due to a scheduling conflict, but I know that he was there in spirit, in my heart. I am so deeply appreciative of all of them.” The singer can also be seen in a video for a song titled “Hung Me on the Line,” which was released last year. The song, co-written by Brynn Marie and Ford Thurston, was also directed by Jeff Johnson.
With the release of her new single and her upcoming video and EP, Brynn Marie’s life is about to get even more hectic. She plans on making numerous live appearances and performances and conducting a multitude of interviews, as well as embarking on a tour to support her new material. But no matter how busy she gets, and no matter how high her star rises, she said she will never forget her roots. “Having small-town roots is awesome because it keeps me grounded,” she said. “Coming from a hard-working coal town helps me appreciate how important it is for me to work hard in Nashville. I am proud of where I come from, and I am looking forward to returning home to Greene County in the near future to visit my family, friends and fans.” Looking back at what she has experienced thus far on her road to success and looking ahead at her future, Brynn Marie said she has much to be thankful for and excited about.
“I am grateful for the love and support of my family, my friends, everyone involved in the Kickstarter program, the musicians and crews that I’ve been blessed to work with, and especially my fans,” she said. “I am very proud of my past accomplishments, I am very happy with my present endeavors and I’m very excited about the future. I can’t wait to see where this journey continues to take me.”
