Read the Brina Kay Interview below and share it on social media.
Please tell our readers who you are and what you do?
My name is Brina Kay and I am an American singer songwriter from Illinois. I would consider my style contemporary country, because my lyrics contain complexities and storytelling elements with pop influences. I have an amazing producer from London named Aubrey Whitfield who has complemented my writing with instrumentals that I think help give me a really unique sound. I’ve just graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Journalism (advertising and public relations emphasis.) Now that I’m not a full time student, I have more time to work on new projects and engage with fans. I’m very excited! I hope to move to Nashville Tennessee to pursue singing and songwriting full time. Right now I’m working at a business specializing in arts management and promoting the performing arts in Nebraska, and working toward completing my first EP.
https://soundcloud.com/rinaay/tracks
Tweets by brinakaymusic
How would you describe your influences and how have they changed over the years?
Oddly enough, it’s hard to say where exactly my influences come from, because I can find inspiration in almost anything. In terms of other artists, I’d say that my very first and strongest influences are the Dixie Chicks, especially Natalie Maines. I grew up listening to them, and sang Traveling Soldier for just about every musical audition I went on. I’m a girl who isn’t afraid to speak my mind, and that translates into my writing. Miranda Lambert stands out to me as well in this regard. She’s able to write songs about being tough and taking no prisoners, and then turn around and be vulnerable, and that is the kind of authenticity I strive to maintain. I like making music that is big, full and dramatic, and makes the listener feels something. I think Rascal Flatts embodies that idea and I draw from them as well, especially when discussing instrumentals. I don’t think my taste has necessarily changed, but it’s definitely evolved. I listen to all kinds of music, but I definitely was more into pop and strayed away from country during my pre-teen and early teenage years. I went though a phase where I wasn’t doing much music and instead was focusing on things like sports, but when I started getting into it again, country music just felt like home. I think it’s the genre I sound best in, and at the end of the day I just want to tell stories. However, I want to do country in a way that is Me. I’m not from the South; I grew up in a northwest Chicago suburb, so I’m not going to be singing about fields, tractors and country boys (although those things are great!) My Dad’s side of the family is from Idaho, so I do have a bit of western flair, but I’ve had mostly Midwest experiences shaping my character. I’ve also done a lot of traveling. I’ve studied in Costa Rica, Cuba, England, and traveled to plenty of U.S states as well. I try to bring some inspiration back from wherever I go, so my music is always going to be fresh and interesting.
What´s new right now?
I’ve actually just finished a new single called “Trapped” and it is now available on iTunes and Spotify. I’m very excited about this one, because it’s a song I originally wrote back in high school. It’s about having dreams so big that they scare you, and not knowing where to begin. It was a very special song to me, and Aubrey did an amazing job bringing it to life. I have two other prior singles released, “Never Slowing Down” and “Nothing on the Radio.” Each is very unique and tells it’s own story. “Never Slowing Down” was my very first fully produced track, and is the anthem I return to when I begin to doubt myself or get afraid. It’s all about chasing your dreams no matter what and going after them with everything you’ve got. Releasing that song gave me the courage to go ahead with “Nothing on the Radio” which is about the reality of going through heartbreak. I’ve got a music video coming out for that song soon, as well as a lyric video for “Trapped” which will hopefully be ready by February first. I have an array of songs already written that I’m working on for my EP, and they’re all going to offer something different. You’ll just have to wait and see! In the meantime, I hope to perform locally in Lincoln Nebraska every chance I get. I’m planning to attend opened mic night at the Crescent Moon Coffee in the Lincoln Haymarket on February first, and hopefully many more Thursdays to come after that. I’ve also been looking at opportunities to perform at The Owl and Gateway Mall, but no specific dates have been determined yet. I post weekly covers on YouTube and Instagram as well, and you can keep up with everything I do by following my social media channels. Thank you so much for all your support!
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Are you a superfan of anyone? How did you become a superfan? Do you remember how you become a fan and what turned you into super fan? Have you ever thought about why you´re such a fan?
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What was the biggest mistake you made when you started making music and what would be the number one tip you could give to a newcomer musician?
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How do you get gigs? Can you share any tips?
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Do you have good promotion tips for other musicians?
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Do you have insights on how to grow your audience on soundcloud that you want to share with our audience?
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What has been your biggest challenge right now? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
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How do you personally discover new music?
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Once you discovered new music, do you tell others about the new music/artist you discovered? If yes, how exactly?
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What is your number one tip to improve your music production or songwriting skills?
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What is your best tip for those who struggle with finishing their tracks?
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We meet again in one year. What has changed?
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https://soundcloud.com/rinaay/tracks
https://www.facebook.com/Brina-Kay-765508876973980/
https://twitter.com/brinakaymusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Pe0aTO7BcrDpIXtIEkHfS
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Enter your questions to the artist in the facebook comment section below.
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