Essential 8: Brittany Jean

Photo by: Hillary Belton Photography

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Brittany Jean is a singer-songwriter whose interest in music started at a very young age. She began writing songs when she was sixteen and stepped into a recording studio for the first time in October 2012. She has since released three albums. Whispered Stories, Leavin' Home, and her latest, Wander With Me.
Released on January 18, 2018, the personal and heartfelt collection focuses on the people you take with you and the people who take you with them as you step out on the road. Recently, Brittany Jean graciously took the time to answer her Essential 8 and discuss her album's title, inspiration, John Denver, and more!

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
My new album is called Wander With Me, and it is titled after the first song on the record. Both the song and the album are dedicated to the fans who have been wandering with me for the past few years, but the song is also an invitation to whoever is listening to wander with me, too. It’s a “thank you” as well as a first “hello”, and it’s a “remember when” as well as a “what’s next?”.

I actually have a brand new music video for the title song—check it out!
https://youtu.be/ID_RPPBeBEI
 
Why did you choose to anchor the album with the songs you did?
Song placement takes a lot of thought. Careful thought. Every song on an album is set in its place for a reason, and like pillars, you need the strength of each song to support the next. When puzzling over what should go where, you have to take in the full picture. What does your album look like as a whole? Is there a theme or a common thread that connects some or all of the songs together? Do some of the pieces have a natural place before you even begin? And then it takes experimentation. With time and soft eyes, the songs—including the anchor songs—begin to sort of fall into place like a Boggle board. Just a little less haphazard.
 
Where do you draw inspiration from when writing?
Inspiration and ideas can come from anywhere—and usually when you’re not looking for it. It could be a conversation. It could be a happen-by-chance meeting. It could be a friend… a memory… an experience… a place… a road trip… a book…. I never know where my next song idea might come from.
However, I enjoy writing songs about other people most of all. While I’ve certainly written about personal struggles and stories, I love capturing the beauty of someone else’s story—especially when that someone might not even see their own beauty yet. 

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​What’s the best advice to give to a musician just starting out?
“Play your game.”

Alright, so these aren’t my own words, but this was the first thing that came to mind. Allow me to explain. In the movie “Miracle” about the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team, during a critical moment in the toughest game they’ve played against the everybody-knows-they’re-the-best team in the world, the US coach tells his players, “Play your game.”

If you want to be a musician, own your craft. Ask questions. Learn everything. Take the challenges. Work hard. Build strong. Believe strong. Own your field. If music is where you are meant to be… Play your game.

What are your “must have” albums for the road?
Being in charge of the music on a road trip is my chance to be a DJ—it’s all about playlists! Some of the songs you need on the road: “Carolina in the Pines” (Michael Martin Murphy), “Castles in the Air” (Don McLean), “Rocky Mountain High” (John Denver), “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” (Gordon Lightfoot), “Down Down Low” (Christa Wells), and… every Beach Boys song you can find. Oh, and the entire soundtrack for “The Greatest Showman”. Oh! And “That Don’t Impress Me Much” by Shania Twain… and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift… I could do this all day. How you get all of those to work together is up to you… as the DJ. It’s an important job. When all else fails, audio books are a fantastic change of pace.
 
What’s your dream venue and why?
My dream venue is less about the place and more about the atmosphere.
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I do have venues I’d love to play (is Madison Square Garden too big?), but what matters most at every venue is who shows up. I would much rather play in a tiny, hole in the wall cafe or in someone’s living room for listeners who are hanging on every word than to play in a grand auditorium for people who are simply waiting for the next band. You know? So my dream venue would be wherever my kindred spirits are. Finding that venue isn’t always easy, but when you do… it’s magic.
 
Which song of yours gets the best crowd response?
“A Little Bit of Someday” gets a consistently beautiful response. It’s a song about being content with where you are while still continuing to dream. It isn’t a toe-tapping or head-bopping song—it’s just sweet-natured (can I say that about my own song?). I love catching people singing along to that one…
From my new album, “Wander With Me” and “Smoke and Mirrors” have been getting nice responses, too!
 
Favorite (or first) concert you ever attended?
The first big concert I ever went to was a John Denver concert. I was really, really little! The thing I remember most about that show was that John Denver sounded just like his recordings. Novel, I know. But growing up hearing his albums all the time, as a little kid, I didn’t realize how incredible that was—that he sounded as good (or even better) live as he did on his recordings. And he looked like he was having the time of his life up there. He’s one of my all-time favorite songwriters, and I’m glad I got to see him perform.

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