We had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Bree about her latest projects. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Bree! Thank you for granting the interview. Your music is amazing and we’re excited to speak with you about. What can you tell listeners about your highly-anticipated brand new single “You Played It All” from her first EP “Unbreakable” that dropped on October 19th.
Thank you so much!!! That is so kind of you and means a lot to me.
This new single I wrote a few years ago as a sad piano ballad but when I took it to my producer this past summer, we started playing around with it in the studio and we ended up turning it into this fun, upbeat yet emotional dance ballad. I absolutely loved the entire creative process of this song and where it ended up. It turned into something so special that I didn’t see coming when I first wrote it which is the coolest part of being a musician and songwriter.
It is a song about dating and relationships in today’s dating era where many guys play games and lead girls on and don’t take relationships seriously. They get scared of commitment or just purely enjoy the chase and are emotionally immature, but a lot of great women get hurt by them in the process. What I want people to take away from this song, however, is that if someone is playing with your emotions in any dating/relationship scenario, they aren’t worth your time or energy and you’re better off without them. So, what seems like a hurtful situation is actually a blessing in disguise because you deserve so much better than that.
Tell us what inspired “You Played It All?”
Originally when I wrote this a few years ago, it was inspired by a guy who I felt was playing games, leading me on and it seemed like things were doomed to fail from the start. This was probably back in my University days but I just always felt like there was something so raw and real about this song and its lyrics and I really wanted to record it. I was also then, seeing a guy who turned out to be very narcissistic for a brief amount of time when we took this song into production this past summer and it inspired me and brought a whole new level of meaning into the song and my lyrics which is why the song’s meaning is essential that I dodged a bullet. Each song I write is a piece of me and my life story and the entire process is therapy for me. I put my heart and soul into each song I work on no matter what it is about, so this one should impress with the same feelings.
You mentioned your music is based on real-life experience. Tell us more.
I always write from personal experience, it’s how I have always written my songs since I was a kid. I take something I am going through, and I pour it into a song and work through it, the process is so therapeutic for me. I have also written songs about a topic that is important to me, or about a situation that a friend of mine has gone through. I am an empath, so I feel very deeply, and I feel what my friends are going through, so I put my emotions into a song. There is nothing better than going through something horrible and being able to make something beautiful and positive out of it.
Q4. Tell us about your songwriting process. How do you choose a topic to sing about?
Often times I write when I am going through something. I will just get this hit of inspiration or be feeling deep emotions and sit down and just write. But a lot of the time we as musicians/songwriters have to write when we aren’t always inspired. I will then think of a topic that is important to me or tap into some buried emotions or experiences I have gone through that I can pull from. A lot of times co-writing is very helpful in these situations. They bring new ears and experiences to the table when writing, which helps with bouncing ideas off of someone else and reworking lyrics you may be stuck on.
My personal process is usually taking a feeling/topic/experience that I want to write about or work through and then I work on lyrics and a version of a song. Once I have the majority of that together, I take the song to a co-writer and/or producer and work on it with them to improve it and give it new life. I have been fortunate enough to work with producers and co-writers who know and understand my vision and direction I want to take a song or often times we will work on a song together and take it to a different level than I originally expected which is what happened with this current single “You Played It All”.
What has been your biggest challenge as a singer?
My personal biggest challenge has actually been my health. I have always struggled with ENT problems which as a musician is a major Achilles heel. I had chronic ear infections as a child and I am actually very deaf in my left ear due to complications and surgeries growing up and wear a hearing aid. I also have had chronic reoccurring throat infections especially this past year. As a singer, our body is our instrument, so these things have really been a challenge and is something I am always battling and working on bettering.
What’s the ultimate direction of your music?
My ultimate direction with my career is to be an international recording artist and tour the world. I want to be able to do this full-time every single day and make music, perform and bring awareness to things that I believe in and am passionate about.
How can fans-to-be gain access to your music?
They can find me everywhere! I am on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes etc. Or they can watch my music videos on YouTube! All links are on my website www.BreeTaylor.com.
What are your musical icons/influences?
I LOVE Taylor Swift. She is such a talented songwriter, performer, and businesswoman, which I admire about her so much! I strive to be a businesswoman and songwriter like her, so I find her to be a major icon in music to me. I also grew up listening to so many different genres of music and types of artists. I love Shania Twain, Michelle Branch, Amanda Marshall, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood…the list goes on and on.
When looking back on the production of the album “Unbreakable” what resonated with you the most and why?
What really resonates with me about this album was how far I have come along the way. I worked on this album the past two years and each song was a different part of me and my life along the way. I learned something new about myself with each song I wrote and recorded. My songwriting ability has grown and changed for the better, I have been able to work with different producers and co-writers and dabble in different kinds of sounds with each song. Overall though, I really just see how much I have grown as a person and as an artist.
In your opinion, how could a singer make an impact on the world?
I think singers can have a huge impact on the world. Being a musician, you have a voice and a platform to be able to speak up on important cultural and world issues. I am an advocate for mental health and plan to bring more awareness to it and help those struggling with different kinds of mental illness and emotional trauma. I have been through a lot during my lifetime and anxiety and depression are issues that affect me personally and makes me want to help others. I have so many issues that I am passionate about and change that I want to help make happen and being able to use my voice through music is a huge asset. Being a performer and entertainer, I have a platform to talk about these things as do any other singers out there.
If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose this career? Would you do anything differently?
I would choose this career over and over again, every time. There isn’t anything else I would want to do in this world. I feel such joy and pure blissful happiness when I am writing or performing, and I just feel like it is what I was meant to do. I would probably make some different moves/decisions along this career path though. For example, financial decisions I have made with music, not working with a horrible manager I was signed with last year who scammed me and other artists, not let a relationship of mine hold me and my career ambitions back – things like that.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about your music?
I want people to share with ME their stories or experiences with my music! There is nothing I love more than hearing how a song of mine has impacted someone’s life in some way – it means so much to me! I want people to take away from my music some kind of emotion or personal connection to my songs. Music is meant to connect people and I love being able to do that and hear how I have.
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