Singer, songwriter, producer, performer, style icon, charismatic, genre-crossing, dynamic and bold are just some of the words you regularly see or hear when people talk about Breland. However, you describe this guy from the suburbs of Philadelphia, it always brings a smile to your face because he is someone that always has a smile on his face. The other thing is he is talented, like to the extent of over a billion streams talented and he’s been on the road with none other than Shania Twain. Breland has been a regular visitor to the UK during country music week and Country To Country, where in addition to hosting the event, he made his main stage debut this year. This year he also had his first trip to The Long Road Festival where we hung out with Breland to talk about the upcoming UK tour, his new track “Cowboy Don’t” and looking ahead to his beloved Philadelphia Eagles prospects for the upcoming NFL season
It's great that you’re back over here man, I suppose back again because it’s becoming a bit of a second home for you over really, so there must be something about our little island that you really love to keep you coming to visit. “I’ve been out here a bunch and I’m going to be out here a bunch more. It’s the fans and the way that they connect with the music. I feel like every time that I come out here, I have gone back home definitively stronger as a performer, I’m able to be more vulnerable on stage here and I’m able to connect with people on a deeper level than I can anywhere else in the world so, not only am I able to come out here now and play a headline tour but I get to open for Shania (Twain) and play back to back nights at the O2, three nights at the arena in Glasgow and back to back nights in Dublin are just dreams come true for any artist. I’m just really blessed to be able to experience them this early in my career.”
You have already played quite a few dates with Shania back at home, she is this huge global icon and like you said it’s still early in your career and you are still learning as you go so, there must be a lot of great things that you are picking up from being on the road with her. “Sometimes when we open for artists, we will play are show and then head off ready for the next one but I have watched every single show of hers. I stay and sit in the crowd like a fan and I just watch every single show. Also, we have had the chance to perform together on stage during her shows which all of those moments are really special but just seeing the amount of joy that she brings to stage even at this point in her career. It’s how much respect that her fans have for her and how much love that she has for her audience then the type of longevity that she has in this game and how these songs have stood the test of time is not normal. I have really thoroughly enjoyed being able to tour with her and it is a blessing to be able to do more dates and do more dates in my favourite places in the world.”
With your sets on the tour, they are massive venues, you know we are talking stadiums and huge arenas, do you feel you have to change what you to affect the size of the venues compared to what you do at your own shows? “It’s almost the exact opposite. I feel like I have been playing stadium shows and small clubs so, when we actually get to do the arenas and stadiums, I feel like I’m right at home. There is a level of energy that we try to bring to everything that we do, whether there are five hundred people in the crowd or fifty thousand, we try to bring the same level of energy regardless and if anything it makes more sense bringing that level of energy in these bigger venues.”
Before that tour and your own headline tour, we’re up here at The Long Road. At festivals and shows in new places are you someone that likes to get out and see everything that is going on? “I love to. I think it really helps, when you haven’t been to a location before and you are playing a show there to be able to walk around a little bit, talk to strangers and have some interactions as those tend to be the things that you talk about on stage to help you connect with the audience and help you understand what it is that they’re going through and what their experience might be like.”
The other exciting thing right now is that we have just had a new track out, which like always must feel great to be putting something new out as the album had been out for quite a while now. In terms of the next chapter, what was it about “Cowboy Don’t” that you felt was the best way to start showing what was coming next? “It’s one that I think is probably sonically the most traditionally country production that I have done but the lyric is so layered because as country as it sounds, I’m also saying that I like doing things that a Cowboy Don’t. I think it kind of helps explain some of the other music that I have where people might be like, I don’t really get this, this isn’t what I would consider to be country or whatever so, I think this song helps to establish what I am doing.”
Before the Shania tour, you have your own headline shows where you have Avery (Anna) coming out with you. I saw her play yesterday where it was the first time that I had properly listened to her and she seems super sweet, just a really warm young lady so, that will be a cool run. “Yeah, our music is so different but I also feel like the audiences out here just really appreciate a great story and I think she has great stories in her songs. I’m a big fan of her and I actually first met her at C2C in 2022 so, it’s almost like a full circle moment for us to be playing together again here."
That must be one of the things about festival and bigger events where you have to opportunity to get to know some new people. As an artist it is like a networking opportunity for people that you might want to write with. “Oh yeah, I have definitely had some collaborations come out of it. This is called “The Extra mile Tour” and I have a song called “The Extra Mile” that is coming out in a couple of weeks and is a song that I wrote with Caitlyn Smith, who I met out here at C2C so, it really does yield real connections, collaborations and new music.”
Lastly, I hope you stay away from Lincoln Financial Field as much as possible this year because I remember you saying before that the (Philadelphia) Eagles have never lost when you have been to see them but I think those boys in New York might run us both a little bit closer in the NFC East this year. “We’ll see. I’m not too worried about it, I mean knock on wood but I’ve had a chance to watch the Eagles in pre-season which you obviously take with a grain of salt but I think we have a great line-up and we were able to bring a lot of people back. I’m good friends with our new Offensive Coordinator Brian Johnson and I’m looking forward to what he brings to the table.”
As a Cowboys fan, there isn’t much I want to like about you guys but I have to admit I am a big fan of your head coach. I think (Nick) Sirriani is legit. “He’s a fiery dude that matches the feeling of the city and the fanbase so well. I know a lot of Cowboys fans that don’t really feel that way about coach McCarthy so, I think it is nice when you have a coach that kind of fits right in and look the Cowboys are going to be pretty good this year and I imagine we will probably run into each other at some point in the post season so I’m looking forward to it.”
Fairly confident about heading to Vegas and going one better than this year come February though? “I thought we were a little ahead of schedule last year with the Superbowl, I thought our real goal was maybe to try and get into the Divisional but we exceeded expectations. Getting back to the Superbowl is always tough, there are so many things that can happen like you have got to stay healthy and it’s all about matchups with who you end up playing against. You might run into a juggernaut of a team that gets hot at the right time but I think we have as good a chance as anybody in the conference.”
With all of the time that you been spending over here, have you settled on a team in “football” in our terms yet? “I don’t want to say anything because I don’t want to lose any fans so I think it is easier to just say that I love everybody equally.”
Everyone is getting excited again about soccer back at home now that Messi is playing in Miami. “Oh yeah and it’s cool to see because for me I’m just a fan of sport, I think sport and music go hand in hand where athletes and musicians tend to appreciate what the other one does because it requires the same kind of level of dedication, discipline and talent to succeed at the highest level. I just love seeing people do what they do and I’ll figure out which team is actually mine, I have one that I’m leaning towards but I won’t say anything yet.” That’s cool, appreciate your time man!
Breland UK Tour Dates Sept 8th – Bristol, Thekla Sept 9th – London, Electric Ballroom Sept 10th – Manchester, Gorilla Sept 12th – Glasgow, St. Luke’s Sept 13th – Belfast, Empire Music Hall
Shania Twain UK & Ireland Tour Dates Sept 14th – Glasgow, OVO Hydro Sept 16th – London, The O2 Sept 17th – London, The O2 Sept 19th – Dublin, 3Arena Sept 20th – Dublin, 3Arena Sept 22nd – Glasgow, OVO Hydro Sept 23rd – Glasgow, OVO Hydro Sept 25th – Manchester, AO Arena Sept 26th – Birmingham, Utilita Arena Birmingham Sept 28th – Leeds, First Direct Arena
You can catch Breland on his European tour and opening for Shania Twain on her UK and Ireland dates with full details and ticket information on his WEBSITE. His latest track “Cowboy Don’t” is out now through Bad Realm Records/Atlantic Records/Warner Music Nashville and available HERE plus you can keep up to date with all that Breland is up to on INSTAGRAMTIKTOK & FACEBOOK. The Long Road Festival will return in 2024 to Stanford Hall in Leicestershire over the weekend of 23rd to 25th August where the initial release of limited early bird tickets have already SOLD OUT. Further tickets will be available in the future on their WEBSITE which you can be the first to know when by checking out their socials on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.