The Sit Down with Breland
At the end of May BRELAND returns to the UK as part of a nine date headline European tour. The 9-city tour will take BRELAND to major cities across Europe, including Manchester, London, Amsterdam, Cologne and concluding in Hamburg on June 12. The tour will also feature a special festival appearance at the American Speedfest in Kent, UK on June 7. Breland has already achieved major success in the UK, having previously toured with the legendary Shania Twain and captivated crowds with his performances at the C2C Festival, where he also hosted. He also made history by selling out London's iconic Electric Ballroom, proving his undeniable appeal across the Atlantic. With his latest visit to the UK getting closer Nikki caught up with the New Jersey native to talk about the Philly Eagles Super Bowl winning season, his love for the UK and European crowds, UK history and culture and his upcoming ‘Truth Telling’ Tour.
Before we dig into the music, I've gotta say, I'm always happy when I get to speak to another Eagles fan.
I am an Eagles fan. What a season it was.
You were at the Super Bowl? Right?
I was, I went, I went to all the playoff games. How did you become an Eagles fan from over there?
I've watched the NFL for about 15 years, and that was just one of the teams my first season when I was getting into it that stood out.
You chose correctly. If I'm if I'm around and there's an Eagles game available to me, I will be there pretty much.
I don't blame you, I'd schedule my tour around it if I was a singer.
Luckily, Eagles usually play on Sundays, and we don't really play a whole lot of shows on Sundays, so it usually works out.
I could speak to you about football all day, but I know I've only got limited time with you. I gotta say, at this point, it feels like we should just give you dual citizenship, because you come over and you play in the UK and Europe so often.
I know. This is probably the longest it's been with me playing out there, but I did spend a few weeks out there this past summer, just writing and hanging out, which is cool. But yes, and I don't just say this for y'alls benefit, but like, it is my favourite place to play. Like, if I could just play in London and the UK all the time, no shade to other markets, but like, that's where I need to be. It's always the best crowd, the best energy. All the fans do their due diligence. They learn all the songs. They come early, they stay late, they buy merch. Like everyone could learn a thing or two from the UK market.
Absolutely, that's the thing I hear a lot from international artists, that it's such a different type of crowd over here in terms of how we engage with the music. Outside of the fans, is there anything else that you particularly enjoy when you get to come over here?
Yeah, I'm a bit of a history nerd. I really like going to the museums and just kind of learning about the different cultures. I mean, on this tour, we'll be spending some time in Germany and Denmark and Amsterdam, and I feel like it's really easy to get around and each of these countries has such a rich culture and history. So that's a personal favourite. I love the accents. I love the beer. I just I honestly, I feel like, even just like as a performer, when I step on stage, especially in the UK, I feel like my complete self as an artist, like, I feel like I have a different level of command of the stage. I feel like y'all understand my humour. I feel like y'all understand my music in a different way than even here in the States. I think sometimes in America it's like, if you make country music that isn't super traditional, there are a lot of country listeners that are quick to dismiss it, whereas in the UK, y'all are all kind of immigrants to country music as well. And so I think my story kind of resonates. Like I don't come from a place that produces a whole lot of country music. I didn't really even grow up on country music, but I fell in love with it just the same. And I definitely feel that energy when I'm out there. I feel like I get more support on, you know, BBC Radio, than I do on country radio here in America. So there's multiple reasons why, but every time I step on stage, I think given all of those factors, it feels like home. And then even just when I'm out there, especially this time of the year, like May to September, is just beautiful. Stays light till like 9:10pm. It’s just a vibe for me.
It's good time for you to be heading over; the beer gardens are starting to fill up again!
Before we dig into the music, I've gotta say, I'm always happy when I get to speak to another Eagles fan.
I am an Eagles fan. What a season it was.
You were at the Super Bowl? Right?
I was, I went, I went to all the playoff games. How did you become an Eagles fan from over there?
I've watched the NFL for about 15 years, and that was just one of the teams my first season when I was getting into it that stood out.
You chose correctly. If I'm if I'm around and there's an Eagles game available to me, I will be there pretty much.
I don't blame you, I'd schedule my tour around it if I was a singer.
Luckily, Eagles usually play on Sundays, and we don't really play a whole lot of shows on Sundays, so it usually works out.
I could speak to you about football all day, but I know I've only got limited time with you. I gotta say, at this point, it feels like we should just give you dual citizenship, because you come over and you play in the UK and Europe so often.
I know. This is probably the longest it's been with me playing out there, but I did spend a few weeks out there this past summer, just writing and hanging out, which is cool. But yes, and I don't just say this for y'alls benefit, but like, it is my favourite place to play. Like, if I could just play in London and the UK all the time, no shade to other markets, but like, that's where I need to be. It's always the best crowd, the best energy. All the fans do their due diligence. They learn all the songs. They come early, they stay late, they buy merch. Like everyone could learn a thing or two from the UK market.
Absolutely, that's the thing I hear a lot from international artists, that it's such a different type of crowd over here in terms of how we engage with the music. Outside of the fans, is there anything else that you particularly enjoy when you get to come over here?
Yeah, I'm a bit of a history nerd. I really like going to the museums and just kind of learning about the different cultures. I mean, on this tour, we'll be spending some time in Germany and Denmark and Amsterdam, and I feel like it's really easy to get around and each of these countries has such a rich culture and history. So that's a personal favourite. I love the accents. I love the beer. I just I honestly, I feel like, even just like as a performer, when I step on stage, especially in the UK, I feel like my complete self as an artist, like, I feel like I have a different level of command of the stage. I feel like y'all understand my humour. I feel like y'all understand my music in a different way than even here in the States. I think sometimes in America it's like, if you make country music that isn't super traditional, there are a lot of country listeners that are quick to dismiss it, whereas in the UK, y'all are all kind of immigrants to country music as well. And so I think my story kind of resonates. Like I don't come from a place that produces a whole lot of country music. I didn't really even grow up on country music, but I fell in love with it just the same. And I definitely feel that energy when I'm out there. I feel like I get more support on, you know, BBC Radio, than I do on country radio here in America. So there's multiple reasons why, but every time I step on stage, I think given all of those factors, it feels like home. And then even just when I'm out there, especially this time of the year, like May to September, is just beautiful. Stays light till like 9:10pm. It’s just a vibe for me.
It's good time for you to be heading over; the beer gardens are starting to fill up again!
You were saying about not being a typical, like traditional country artist, but that being said, you do have a real strong country fan base. I mean, country is three chords and the truth, right? Do you think a lot of that is to do with your roots as a songwriter and a storyteller, that it attracts such a diverse sort of mix to your shows specifically?
Yeah. I mean, I think if you are a country music fan, and you like, you know, strong lyricism in the music, and you like some of those elements, you know, guitar based music. I do think that you'll appreciate my music, but I think where I've really done best is with audiences that appreciate country music, but also listen to other genres of music, because that's what you're going to get at my shows, you know, like, my bass player comes from the the reggae world. My guitarist comes from the gospel world, my drummer comes from the rock world. And so the show that we put on is kind of an amalgamation of all of the styles that we like. And my music inherently does that, you know, I've got songs like, praise the Lord, but then I'll have a song like, the beers are on me. But then I'll have a song that’s more throw back, and these songs are all playing around at the intersection of country and something else, which is kind of the style that I have tried to develop. And, you know, the namesake of my debut album, Cross Country, is a celebration of a lot of different genres. And for me, I can tell stories in a traditional country way. And I do have some songs that I think do that really well. I've got a song called ‘Good For You’ that I feel like it's like as traditionally country as one could go. But I think where people really resonate with my music is, and why people enjoy coming to these shows is because they are getting so many different flavors. And you kind of get to see a few different shows all in one, because we can break it down acoustically, and I can just talk to the crowd. We can go big. We can rock out. You know, we've got some hip hop elements. And I think for me, that's really the sweet spot, and why things tend to go so well for us in Europe in particular, because just the way that y'alls radio works in the UK is like, you're already primed to hear a bunch of different genres back to back to back when you're listening to the radio, whereas American audiences, we listen to our music a little bit differently, because if you listen to country radio, you're only going to get a certain kind of music and a certain kind of country music. If you turn on BBC Radio, you're going to get a little bit of everything.
Definitely. And I mean, just touching on the different styles of your music, I didn't know til recently that you'd done The Sims.
Yeah [laughs] that's one of the funnier stories, honestly, because I thought that when you did music for The Sims, that they would just run it through some program that would jumble up my words and turn it into Simlish. But in reality, they send you the Simlish lyrics, and you have to sing it like that. And you know, a song like natural is already tough to sing because it's got multiple key changes. And, you know, trying to sing it in Simlish and sing the harmonies and everything with the key changes was a challenge. And then I always have this moment before we play it live where I'm, like, worried that I'm gonna start singing The Sims lyrics, because I still remember some of them, like [writer’s note: Breland sings a snippet of ‘Natural’ in Simlish language - it was awesome, but I have no idea how to transcribe this part, but you can hear it on YouTube if you wanna get the gist]. And I'm like, what is are these nonsense words? But yeah, that was a fun one, definitely. And it's cool too, because I think, you know, people discover music in a lot of different ways. For a lot of kids, they're not necessarily listening to radio, or they're not necessarily listening to streaming. You know, they're on YouTube and they're playing video games. So if you can get a song in The Sims or in any of these popular games or popular movies or TV shows, sometimes that's the only way that people will discover what it is that you do. Like, I had a chance to sing my song ‘Praise the Lord’ in a scene of the movie ‘Roadhouse’ that came out last year. And there are a lot of people that may only recognize me from that, you know, so you got to take all of those opportunities.
Love it! Going back to international shows, being an artist that comes over as much as you do, do you think that that gives you a more unique perspective when it comes to creating new music? Because you know that the audiences over here and at home are so different?
Yeah, definitely. I think the first time that I played out in the UK - it was C2C a couple years ago - I immediately felt like, okay, now that I'm seeing how people are responding to this, and people respond to the music a little differently in different places, you know. So I think over the last couple of years, some of the music that I've made, I'm definitely making with that in mind. Like, how is this going to play in some of the different places that we play shows, and how will people receive it? And I think I've grown a lot as a performer just from playing those shows. The show that I played in London the last time I was there was the biggest I had ever played. The most tickets that I had ever sold. You know, like it is a real stronghold for me as a performer. And anytime I come out there, I definitely feel like I come back and start making music that will work for those crowds in particular, absolutely.
I mean, good music is good music, right, and the fans will respond. But over here, and in Europe, we definitely appreciate an artist even more when they do make the effort like you do, because so many country artists just tour North America every year, or twice a year, and don't go outside of that. So when an artist does make the effort to come over, it feels like they're embraced even more.
Definitely, and I think it works the other way too, right? Like there are some popular UK acts that have really made it big in the United States. And, you know, I think we appreciate that too. Like knowing that you're going out of your way to try to satisfy that fan base, for sure.
True, though I think the UK artists mainly just come out for the weather.
I just did a song with Ella Henderson that came out a couple weeks ago, called ‘One Door Closes’ and I've come out to the UK a couple times to write. Last summer, I wrote a song called ‘Motion’ from my most recent EP that I wrote out in the UK as well. And so I'm trying to incorporate that more into what I do. And hopefully when I play these shows, you know, next month or in few weeks, people will, will know it, and they'll enjoy it, and maybe we'll have a guest appearance.
Yeah. I mean, I think if you are a country music fan, and you like, you know, strong lyricism in the music, and you like some of those elements, you know, guitar based music. I do think that you'll appreciate my music, but I think where I've really done best is with audiences that appreciate country music, but also listen to other genres of music, because that's what you're going to get at my shows, you know, like, my bass player comes from the the reggae world. My guitarist comes from the gospel world, my drummer comes from the rock world. And so the show that we put on is kind of an amalgamation of all of the styles that we like. And my music inherently does that, you know, I've got songs like, praise the Lord, but then I'll have a song like, the beers are on me. But then I'll have a song that’s more throw back, and these songs are all playing around at the intersection of country and something else, which is kind of the style that I have tried to develop. And, you know, the namesake of my debut album, Cross Country, is a celebration of a lot of different genres. And for me, I can tell stories in a traditional country way. And I do have some songs that I think do that really well. I've got a song called ‘Good For You’ that I feel like it's like as traditionally country as one could go. But I think where people really resonate with my music is, and why people enjoy coming to these shows is because they are getting so many different flavors. And you kind of get to see a few different shows all in one, because we can break it down acoustically, and I can just talk to the crowd. We can go big. We can rock out. You know, we've got some hip hop elements. And I think for me, that's really the sweet spot, and why things tend to go so well for us in Europe in particular, because just the way that y'alls radio works in the UK is like, you're already primed to hear a bunch of different genres back to back to back when you're listening to the radio, whereas American audiences, we listen to our music a little bit differently, because if you listen to country radio, you're only going to get a certain kind of music and a certain kind of country music. If you turn on BBC Radio, you're going to get a little bit of everything.
Definitely. And I mean, just touching on the different styles of your music, I didn't know til recently that you'd done The Sims.
Yeah [laughs] that's one of the funnier stories, honestly, because I thought that when you did music for The Sims, that they would just run it through some program that would jumble up my words and turn it into Simlish. But in reality, they send you the Simlish lyrics, and you have to sing it like that. And you know, a song like natural is already tough to sing because it's got multiple key changes. And, you know, trying to sing it in Simlish and sing the harmonies and everything with the key changes was a challenge. And then I always have this moment before we play it live where I'm, like, worried that I'm gonna start singing The Sims lyrics, because I still remember some of them, like [writer’s note: Breland sings a snippet of ‘Natural’ in Simlish language - it was awesome, but I have no idea how to transcribe this part, but you can hear it on YouTube if you wanna get the gist]. And I'm like, what is are these nonsense words? But yeah, that was a fun one, definitely. And it's cool too, because I think, you know, people discover music in a lot of different ways. For a lot of kids, they're not necessarily listening to radio, or they're not necessarily listening to streaming. You know, they're on YouTube and they're playing video games. So if you can get a song in The Sims or in any of these popular games or popular movies or TV shows, sometimes that's the only way that people will discover what it is that you do. Like, I had a chance to sing my song ‘Praise the Lord’ in a scene of the movie ‘Roadhouse’ that came out last year. And there are a lot of people that may only recognize me from that, you know, so you got to take all of those opportunities.
Love it! Going back to international shows, being an artist that comes over as much as you do, do you think that that gives you a more unique perspective when it comes to creating new music? Because you know that the audiences over here and at home are so different?
Yeah, definitely. I think the first time that I played out in the UK - it was C2C a couple years ago - I immediately felt like, okay, now that I'm seeing how people are responding to this, and people respond to the music a little differently in different places, you know. So I think over the last couple of years, some of the music that I've made, I'm definitely making with that in mind. Like, how is this going to play in some of the different places that we play shows, and how will people receive it? And I think I've grown a lot as a performer just from playing those shows. The show that I played in London the last time I was there was the biggest I had ever played. The most tickets that I had ever sold. You know, like it is a real stronghold for me as a performer. And anytime I come out there, I definitely feel like I come back and start making music that will work for those crowds in particular, absolutely.
I mean, good music is good music, right, and the fans will respond. But over here, and in Europe, we definitely appreciate an artist even more when they do make the effort like you do, because so many country artists just tour North America every year, or twice a year, and don't go outside of that. So when an artist does make the effort to come over, it feels like they're embraced even more.
Definitely, and I think it works the other way too, right? Like there are some popular UK acts that have really made it big in the United States. And, you know, I think we appreciate that too. Like knowing that you're going out of your way to try to satisfy that fan base, for sure.
True, though I think the UK artists mainly just come out for the weather.
I just did a song with Ella Henderson that came out a couple weeks ago, called ‘One Door Closes’ and I've come out to the UK a couple times to write. Last summer, I wrote a song called ‘Motion’ from my most recent EP that I wrote out in the UK as well. And so I'm trying to incorporate that more into what I do. And hopefully when I play these shows, you know, next month or in few weeks, people will, will know it, and they'll enjoy it, and maybe we'll have a guest appearance.
That’s cool, and Ella Henderson’s actually from my hometown. You are known for being real big on collaborations, not just within country, but outside of it as well. What is it about collaborating with different artists that - I mean - I imagine that it’s a different creative outlet for you when you're working with another artist as well, as opposed to with your band or the songwriters that you work with typically?
Yeah, absolutely. I can always write music by myself and, you know, put it out and not have a whole lot of input from other people, but it's a large part of my social expression as well. Like getting to connect with people, you know, whether it's another artist or just a co-writer or a producer, being in the room and creating something with someone you get to share something special with that person. And when it is another artist, it kind of gives you the freedom to lean into directions that you might not normally do, like I did a collaboration with another UK artist a couple years ago, Maisie Peters on a song called ‘Cate’s Brother,’ and it is very much a punk pop song. I would never have considered being a part of a song like that, but when she asked, I was like, well this is cool. This opens me up to a different audience. This allows me to try something a little different, and you know, her audience will be exposed to me in a way that they weren't before. And that's always a lot of fun to get to create, but my favourite part of doing that really is getting a chance to perform with those people. You know, if I end up at a festival where I'm playing and Thomas Rhett is playing the same festival, he might bring me out to sing our song together, or something like that, and those are the moments, because then you can actually see the impact that it has on the fans and the people in the crowd. And it's like, wow, we sat down in a room a few months or even years ago to create this thing, and now there are thousands of people that are singing it back at us, and it's just like a really beautiful, full circle moment. So I'm always down for for a good collab. And I definitely have some some more collabs up my sleeve for sure. That's
good too.
100% and in all honesty, that was my way into your music - it was your song with Alana Springsteen (‘For What it’s Worth’) where I first heard you.
Oh yeah?
I love that song, and when I heard it, I loved your vocal on it, and then that's how I started listening to you as well. So, like you say, a good way to open yourself up to people who hadn’t discovered your music before.
Absolutely, yeah. And getting Alana on that song was cool too, because we've been friends for a long time, and I'm always down to collaborate with artists that I don't know or that I don't know very well, but anytime I collaborate with someone that I do know and already have a relationship with, it means even more because Alana and I had been friends for two or three years before we made that song. We were always trying to figure out what we should do together? How should we do it? So I'm glad that it did pay off, and people seem to really enjoy that one.
Did you ever think that you would be on stage at the Ryman performing a duet with Nelly?
Breland & Friends is such a such a special show. It's coming up again in a couple weeks, and just kind of the preparation that goes into it, it's different than any other show that we play, you know, like we learn a bunch of songs that we literally will only play that night. We always have a couple of surprise guests that come out, and we do it for a great cause. So no, I probably wouldn't have anticipated any of that. But Breland & Friends has become an outlet where it seems like anything is possible, and I've had a lot of great artists that have come into town specifically just for that event, wanting to come out and perform with me and do something for the kids, which is great. Also, shout out to Nelly in general. I mean, we've made a lot of music together at this point, and he's absolutely one of the pioneers of the crossover country sound. You know, he was making records with Tim McGraw in 2004, like, really, really ahead of his time in that regard. So to be able to share the stage with him at any time, he's like, one of my OG’s.
I agree. I love him. But like, speaking of Breland & Friends, I gotta say, like, what you do with that - I think music is such a healer anyway, like, lyrically, melodically and all that can do so much good - but when you then take it above that, and you're doing these benefit concerts, and you're raising money that's actually going to do real good for the people who really need it, and the organizations that you’re raising money for, I think it's incredible. How did that initially come about? Because this is your fourth one coming up in a couple of weeks.
Yes. The fourth one. And yeah, I agree. I think just the way that I was raised, it’s like it doesn't mean anything if it only benefits me. And I've really had kind of an awakening over the last year and a half, couple of years, where I'm like, do I want to be popular or do I want to be impactful? And personally, I would rather be impactful. And moments like Breland & Friends, I think, really kind of bring that together in a really beautiful and tactile way, like I can see the work that the Oasis Center does. You know, Breland & Friends is their biggest fundraising event that they do each year by far, and the people that they're able to help, the programs that they've put together, they've lost a lot of funding this year, almost half of their funding, just based on some things that are happening in the American government. So I feel like this Breland & Friends is even more important than the previous ones, because they don't have as much of a safety net as they would have had before. And so it means a lot to me to be able to do something that can help young people and just help people in general. I always try to come on stage with that perspective of like, hey, there's someone in the crowd who may need this. But you're right, it definitely takes it to another level when you know 100% of the proceeds, and everybody that's here, we're all working together, and being able to use my gifts toward that purpose is everything.
It is incredible. Was it Breland & Friends that led to you, under the previous administration, being a global music ambassador and going overseas and really promoting music and inclusivity and all that?
Absolutely, yeah, That was such a great honour as well. And some of the artists that that they had me doing that with, I mean, Kane brown Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll.
It was like the Avengers of country music.
It was a lot of country music artists, which makes sense because it's such an American born genre. But, you know, these are all artists that I know personally, and they all have really big hearts, and they all want their music to mean more. And, you know, it was short lived because of the way that the election went. But being able to travel, to go to Korea, or go to Brazil, or even just some of the things that we were able to do; we filmed a couple things for some public schools here in the States for some music classes. All of that stuff, I think, is really important. And for me, putting out music is great. Being able to play shows, being able to make a living, doing something that I love, it's fantastic. But knowing that I can go the extra step and do something for somebody else, that that makes it all the more worth it.
Yeah, absolutely. I can always write music by myself and, you know, put it out and not have a whole lot of input from other people, but it's a large part of my social expression as well. Like getting to connect with people, you know, whether it's another artist or just a co-writer or a producer, being in the room and creating something with someone you get to share something special with that person. And when it is another artist, it kind of gives you the freedom to lean into directions that you might not normally do, like I did a collaboration with another UK artist a couple years ago, Maisie Peters on a song called ‘Cate’s Brother,’ and it is very much a punk pop song. I would never have considered being a part of a song like that, but when she asked, I was like, well this is cool. This opens me up to a different audience. This allows me to try something a little different, and you know, her audience will be exposed to me in a way that they weren't before. And that's always a lot of fun to get to create, but my favourite part of doing that really is getting a chance to perform with those people. You know, if I end up at a festival where I'm playing and Thomas Rhett is playing the same festival, he might bring me out to sing our song together, or something like that, and those are the moments, because then you can actually see the impact that it has on the fans and the people in the crowd. And it's like, wow, we sat down in a room a few months or even years ago to create this thing, and now there are thousands of people that are singing it back at us, and it's just like a really beautiful, full circle moment. So I'm always down for for a good collab. And I definitely have some some more collabs up my sleeve for sure. That's
good too.
100% and in all honesty, that was my way into your music - it was your song with Alana Springsteen (‘For What it’s Worth’) where I first heard you.
Oh yeah?
I love that song, and when I heard it, I loved your vocal on it, and then that's how I started listening to you as well. So, like you say, a good way to open yourself up to people who hadn’t discovered your music before.
Absolutely, yeah. And getting Alana on that song was cool too, because we've been friends for a long time, and I'm always down to collaborate with artists that I don't know or that I don't know very well, but anytime I collaborate with someone that I do know and already have a relationship with, it means even more because Alana and I had been friends for two or three years before we made that song. We were always trying to figure out what we should do together? How should we do it? So I'm glad that it did pay off, and people seem to really enjoy that one.
Did you ever think that you would be on stage at the Ryman performing a duet with Nelly?
Breland & Friends is such a such a special show. It's coming up again in a couple weeks, and just kind of the preparation that goes into it, it's different than any other show that we play, you know, like we learn a bunch of songs that we literally will only play that night. We always have a couple of surprise guests that come out, and we do it for a great cause. So no, I probably wouldn't have anticipated any of that. But Breland & Friends has become an outlet where it seems like anything is possible, and I've had a lot of great artists that have come into town specifically just for that event, wanting to come out and perform with me and do something for the kids, which is great. Also, shout out to Nelly in general. I mean, we've made a lot of music together at this point, and he's absolutely one of the pioneers of the crossover country sound. You know, he was making records with Tim McGraw in 2004, like, really, really ahead of his time in that regard. So to be able to share the stage with him at any time, he's like, one of my OG’s.
I agree. I love him. But like, speaking of Breland & Friends, I gotta say, like, what you do with that - I think music is such a healer anyway, like, lyrically, melodically and all that can do so much good - but when you then take it above that, and you're doing these benefit concerts, and you're raising money that's actually going to do real good for the people who really need it, and the organizations that you’re raising money for, I think it's incredible. How did that initially come about? Because this is your fourth one coming up in a couple of weeks.
Yes. The fourth one. And yeah, I agree. I think just the way that I was raised, it’s like it doesn't mean anything if it only benefits me. And I've really had kind of an awakening over the last year and a half, couple of years, where I'm like, do I want to be popular or do I want to be impactful? And personally, I would rather be impactful. And moments like Breland & Friends, I think, really kind of bring that together in a really beautiful and tactile way, like I can see the work that the Oasis Center does. You know, Breland & Friends is their biggest fundraising event that they do each year by far, and the people that they're able to help, the programs that they've put together, they've lost a lot of funding this year, almost half of their funding, just based on some things that are happening in the American government. So I feel like this Breland & Friends is even more important than the previous ones, because they don't have as much of a safety net as they would have had before. And so it means a lot to me to be able to do something that can help young people and just help people in general. I always try to come on stage with that perspective of like, hey, there's someone in the crowd who may need this. But you're right, it definitely takes it to another level when you know 100% of the proceeds, and everybody that's here, we're all working together, and being able to use my gifts toward that purpose is everything.
It is incredible. Was it Breland & Friends that led to you, under the previous administration, being a global music ambassador and going overseas and really promoting music and inclusivity and all that?
Absolutely, yeah, That was such a great honour as well. And some of the artists that that they had me doing that with, I mean, Kane brown Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll.
It was like the Avengers of country music.
It was a lot of country music artists, which makes sense because it's such an American born genre. But, you know, these are all artists that I know personally, and they all have really big hearts, and they all want their music to mean more. And, you know, it was short lived because of the way that the election went. But being able to travel, to go to Korea, or go to Brazil, or even just some of the things that we were able to do; we filmed a couple things for some public schools here in the States for some music classes. All of that stuff, I think, is really important. And for me, putting out music is great. Being able to play shows, being able to make a living, doing something that I love, it's fantastic. But knowing that I can go the extra step and do something for somebody else, that that makes it all the more worth it.
Yeah, I bet. And then circling back around to touring, you’re coming back over here next month for your second headline tour, starting in Glasgow. It’s called the ‘Truth Telling Tour’ - how did you land on that name?
Yeah, I've just recently started working on my second album, and I have a handful of songs that I've been making, and I'll have even more by the time I come out there. But one of the first songs that kind of sonically and just like directionally, from a lyrical perspective, really resonated with me and my team. Was a song called ‘Truth Telling’, which we'll probably play. I mean, we have to play it on that tour, but yeah, I just want to be a little bit more vulnerable in my music. And I think the direction of this next project, people are going to learn a little bit more about me, learn a little bit more about things that I don't talk about as much, like how I'm actually feeling and, you know, relationships that I've been in and the relationship that I'm in now. These are things that I haven't really talked about as much in my music, and I've kept more of my private life private, but I think I'm at a point in my own development where I'm like, Hey, I'm I'm open to being a little bit more vulnerable and, you know, kind of giving people a picture in and I think in a lot of ways, you know, some of my favorite music, some of the artists that I like, even outside of country. You know, when I listen to artists like SZA, it's like, it feels like you're reading her diary when she's writing these songs. And that's part of why people appreciate it so much so, just challenging myself on this project, and in this next chapter in my career, to just tell the truth a little bit more. And I think that song kind of got me in that direction. So felt like a good name for the tour. You know, we'll play the song, and we'll probably play a couple of their unreleased songs by the time we get out there, but just wanting to be a little bit more vulnerable, a little bit more real with my audience, and hopefully they'll
appreciate that.
I think they will. And you're known for your energetic performances, whether it's a full band or just you and your guitar player. Can audiences expect more of that when you come back next month?
Yeah, we're still gonna bring the energy. I mean, I don't have enough new music to just tour that, so you're gonna get the songs that you love. And you know, any song that we've ever had that has touched BBC Radio, or that we have any sort of data to support the idea that people may know it, we'll certainly be playing it. And then, you know, we'll sprinkle in some of the newer songs, which some of them are also energetic, but just lyrically, being a little bit more vulnerable in those and yeah, you'll get the full spectrum of emotions. We got a couple songs that'll make people cry. We got some some songs that'll make them think. We got some songs that'll make them dance, some songs that may make people want to drink, and regardless of what it is that people want when they come to these shows, we're going to try to do what we can
to make sure they get what they need.
Well, that's good to hear. I've got tickets for the Manchester show, and I'm looking forward to it.
Amazing. I'll see you there.
But if ‘Natural’ is on your setlist, please just be your original version and not The Sims one. Even though you still know the lyrics.
For sure.
And on that note, I've kept you way longer than they told me I had, so I know I'm pushing my luck, but it's been so cool to chat to you. And I'm really excited for your tour when you head over.
Yeah for sure, I appreciate it. I'm really, really excited for the tour. Manchester has always been a city that's been very kind to us, whether it was headline shows of mine or shows that I've played with Russell Dickerson or Shania. So you're definitely in for a good one.
No doubt, and you're headlining the American SpeedFest on this run too - it feels like you're really ticking off the big festivals in the UK country calendar. Are there any venues or festivals that are still on your bucket list? Because it seems like you're playing a lot of
them.
Yeah, I've done a few. At some point I want to do Glastonbury. I gotta play Hyde Park at some point. Not sure when exactly that will happen, but I'm just waiting for the call, and I will certainly say yes when it comes.
I'm starting that petition now. We're gonna make sure that happens.
Yeah, let’s go.
Thanks again for your time, man. It's been really awesome to chat to you.
No, I appreciate it. Likewise, take care.
“TRUTH TELLING UK & EU TOUR 2025” DATES
Tickets for the Truth Telling Tour are on sale now https://www.brelandmusic.com/tour
Stay up to date with BRELAND via his WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X | AMAZON MUSIC | YOUTUBE | SOUNDCLOUD
Yeah, I've just recently started working on my second album, and I have a handful of songs that I've been making, and I'll have even more by the time I come out there. But one of the first songs that kind of sonically and just like directionally, from a lyrical perspective, really resonated with me and my team. Was a song called ‘Truth Telling’, which we'll probably play. I mean, we have to play it on that tour, but yeah, I just want to be a little bit more vulnerable in my music. And I think the direction of this next project, people are going to learn a little bit more about me, learn a little bit more about things that I don't talk about as much, like how I'm actually feeling and, you know, relationships that I've been in and the relationship that I'm in now. These are things that I haven't really talked about as much in my music, and I've kept more of my private life private, but I think I'm at a point in my own development where I'm like, Hey, I'm I'm open to being a little bit more vulnerable and, you know, kind of giving people a picture in and I think in a lot of ways, you know, some of my favorite music, some of the artists that I like, even outside of country. You know, when I listen to artists like SZA, it's like, it feels like you're reading her diary when she's writing these songs. And that's part of why people appreciate it so much so, just challenging myself on this project, and in this next chapter in my career, to just tell the truth a little bit more. And I think that song kind of got me in that direction. So felt like a good name for the tour. You know, we'll play the song, and we'll probably play a couple of their unreleased songs by the time we get out there, but just wanting to be a little bit more vulnerable, a little bit more real with my audience, and hopefully they'll
appreciate that.
I think they will. And you're known for your energetic performances, whether it's a full band or just you and your guitar player. Can audiences expect more of that when you come back next month?
Yeah, we're still gonna bring the energy. I mean, I don't have enough new music to just tour that, so you're gonna get the songs that you love. And you know, any song that we've ever had that has touched BBC Radio, or that we have any sort of data to support the idea that people may know it, we'll certainly be playing it. And then, you know, we'll sprinkle in some of the newer songs, which some of them are also energetic, but just lyrically, being a little bit more vulnerable in those and yeah, you'll get the full spectrum of emotions. We got a couple songs that'll make people cry. We got some some songs that'll make them think. We got some songs that'll make them dance, some songs that may make people want to drink, and regardless of what it is that people want when they come to these shows, we're going to try to do what we can
to make sure they get what they need.
Well, that's good to hear. I've got tickets for the Manchester show, and I'm looking forward to it.
Amazing. I'll see you there.
But if ‘Natural’ is on your setlist, please just be your original version and not The Sims one. Even though you still know the lyrics.
For sure.
And on that note, I've kept you way longer than they told me I had, so I know I'm pushing my luck, but it's been so cool to chat to you. And I'm really excited for your tour when you head over.
Yeah for sure, I appreciate it. I'm really, really excited for the tour. Manchester has always been a city that's been very kind to us, whether it was headline shows of mine or shows that I've played with Russell Dickerson or Shania. So you're definitely in for a good one.
No doubt, and you're headlining the American SpeedFest on this run too - it feels like you're really ticking off the big festivals in the UK country calendar. Are there any venues or festivals that are still on your bucket list? Because it seems like you're playing a lot of
them.
Yeah, I've done a few. At some point I want to do Glastonbury. I gotta play Hyde Park at some point. Not sure when exactly that will happen, but I'm just waiting for the call, and I will certainly say yes when it comes.
I'm starting that petition now. We're gonna make sure that happens.
Yeah, let’s go.
Thanks again for your time, man. It's been really awesome to chat to you.
No, I appreciate it. Likewise, take care.
“TRUTH TELLING UK & EU TOUR 2025” DATES
- May 29 – Glasgow, UK – SWG3 Warehouse
- May 31 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute 2
- June 1 – Manchester, UK – Club Academy
- June 3 – Bristol, UK – Fleece
- June 5 – London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall
- June 7 – Kent, UK – American Speedfest
- June 9 – Amsterdam, NL – Melkweg OZ
- June 11 – Cologne, DE – Helio37
- June 12 – Hamburg, DE – Turmzimmer
Tickets for the Truth Telling Tour are on sale now https://www.brelandmusic.com/tour
Stay up to date with BRELAND via his WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X | AMAZON MUSIC | YOUTUBE | SOUNDCLOUD
