Featuring Brynn Elliott

For everybody who does not know Bryan Elliott, UM, I want to give some background how we met because it's been a minute in its beautiful story. It is so I first met you. I think it was in August eighteen. Are coming up on three years of knowing each other. UM at the Arthur ash Kid's Day you performed. Is when I was working with Radio Disney, a Radio Disney UM, and I was introduced to and first of all, I saw your set and I was like, man, this girl's

got some spunk. And then I just learned more about your story and you told me about yourself. I was like, man, like you're so inspiring. So for those who don't know, tell them just your story, how you started out songwriting, what your process was, and you're going to Harvard and all that. Yeah. Yeah, it's funny because going to Harvard and me doing music are kind of inextricably linked, which

is really funny. It's hysterical because didn't you remember you telling you apply the first time you didn't get in? Didn't get in? Yeah, So like in high school, starting freshman year, I read Part and Prejudice in my freshman English class, fresh English, freshman English class, and I just got I got obsessed with like Jane Austen and like nerdy literature, eighteenth century women authors, and I really thought like, oh my goodness, I just want to read books for

the rest of my life. And I thought, like where do I Where do I do that? I must go to Harvard or something. And I said it one day to a friend kind of as a joke because they asked me, like, where do you want to go to college? I was like, I don't know, like where the nerds go Harvard? And then I realized as I was joking about that, that that was actually a real dream of mine in that moment, and my parents didn't go to college, and so even saying that seemed kind of hilarious and

completely out of reach. But I just decided, and I had a conversation with my mom and my dad and they were like, you know, you're kind of really social and you're like hanging out with your friends. You might need to like study just a little bit more if you want to go to Harvard and UM. And so that's what I did. My whole life actually just kind of shifted. It was Harvard, it was Harvard or or Out, We're out. It was like Rory Gilmore and Gilmore very

I watched that show. It was a great, very formative yes, and and so I was so overwhelmed throughout high school just trying to figure it out, not having a background family wise that went to call Like I didn't even know what a college application was. I had to google it, and yeah, Google is everything. And I had some really great friends who really helped, who knew more about the process and UM. And so at the end of the day, I just found myself completely needing to not feel like

a college resume. UM. I needed to feel human again. And my dad had this guitar that he bought when he and my mom first got married. Um he got it at a pawn shop and I was like, it just it almost like called out to me, like play me the guitar, which sounds like really cheesy, and but it really was that. It was like you need to do this, and um So I just started like learning off YouTube chords, playing Taylor Swift and ed Sharon songs, um and and I did that for like a year,

and then songwriting became. I just started writing songs. It became this way for me to process at the end of a really intense time in high school. And I wrote so many songs. I think I wrote like thirty songs, um in what time span in like in like three years. That's still substantial. Yeah, with like applying and applying to school and um so then I put my songs. I put them on my college application kind of as like really never thinking anything of it. Um that's so smart though. Yeah.

I was just like it's something that I've been doing. Yeah, and it's a way to show show yourself and stand out instead of being like I went to these classes, I got these grades, and to show who you are. Yeah, And I think there was always this part of me that was like I knew that I was a nerd and knew that I loved reading, but then music was kind of my safe place. It was always a place I like. My mom was very musical growing up, and

so music really felt second nature. And so I think it was this kind of thing where I put it on there because I was like, well, this, this is always going to be part of me in some way, so I want to show that. And when you applied to Harvard, did you apply for the philosophy making it undeclared? Well, it's undeclared. You don't have to declare, I think until you're a sophomore at Harvard. But I knew that I

wanted to study philosophy. UM. I loved the idea of asking questions what it means to be human and like, I mean, your EP is literally a question that's very intentional, too exactly. But so the story is I applied and did not get in UM. And that was a real blow because I my whole life was oriented around that school, around that school, which was pretty it's pretty much a lot.

And I called my mom so sad, and she was like, brand this is disappointing, but like it's okay, We're going to get through this, I don't um And I got a through a family friend, got an opportunity to start doing music to work with a producer, and I kind of thought such a random thing, and I was like, well, I could just do that for a year, like do this music internship, like learn how to produce out my songs and learn about music and the industry. Still thinking

like I'm going to go to Ford. Well, I definitely. I mean in my brain, I was like, I'm going to reapply to Harvard because why not? Like what do I have to lose that this was your gap year? This was Yes, That's how I was framing it was like this is my gap year. And I definitely had another college in mind because I was like, Okay, if it's not Harvard, I still really do want to go to college. This period Wake Forest University, which is still has a very special place in my heart because I

really did almost go there. But even then I was like, Okay, I'll just do this music thing for like fun, but I'm probably just gonna go to school and become like a like I'm going to study philosophy, So what do you do with you didn't think no, I was never like I'm gonna do I'm going to pursue music. I'm gonna be an artist. That was not my vocabulary. What do you think going into it you were going to end up doing if it wasn't music. I think I just wanted to be. I was like, I'll probably be

a teacher. I'll study studying philosophy. Isn't like that much different from saying I want to be an artist, but like, I just I don't know. For me, it felt like a more um like teaching felt like more of a job than some kind of nebulous like I want to be an artist thing. And it was actually my dad when I was I was applying reapplying to Harvard, and I was so like fixated on that and very nervous.

Um my dad called me. I had sent him some of the music I was working on, and he called me and he was like, Bren, I just just want to say something, and he's like, I don't know how you're going to react to it, okay, which when he would say that, it was always like a stomach oh yeah, here we go, or I just I knew I was I needed to like calm down, but he was like, you should go to college, like I want that for you know. He I think he really wanted me to

go without like pressuring me. He's like, you know that, that's like you know, we want that, we want that for you. But he was like, I think you're an artist. I was just like what he was like, I think you need to allow yourself to view yourself that way. It's okay, and like, first to have a just to have a person, let alone a parent say that. I mean, I know my other artist friends, other friends who you know,

we aren't doing art by are doing other things. Like I just know how incredibly privileged and beautiful that is to have a parent who encourages that. So so that was really the shift. That was really when I was like, whoa, I think my dad is right, he's name is. He knew me really well and he knew that I needed permission to go there, and so I applied to Harvard. I got in, and then I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm an artist now because I decided this is my

only label. Yes, like no, exactly. That was the journey was learning that you can as a human carry Yeah, that's that's natural, that's normal, And that was really the conversation was like, I am going to go to school, and the thought that I had was like, you know, having a career in music isn't something you just It's not overnight. It's really not, and people think it is. I've learned over the past couple of years from just doing my work it is such a hard job because

it is so oversaturated. Yes, especially now, especially now, especially with TikTok and things just going viral. To be an artist and release music and have that be your full income, girl, rough, yes, unless you're are on a grand day, you know, well then even then, I mean I hear I hear those artists even talking about how I think it was. Even like Julia Michael's on Twitter the other day, it was

so inspiring. She was like, it's so hard because like you have to have a TikTok story or a streaming story, and and she was going she speaking of a vulnerable, honest person. Wow. Yeah, So I think I think for everyone, no matter what, at any stage, you know, we're just trying to navigate a new landscape. And especially with the complete like shutdown of live music, TikTok really has become the only way to you know, get your music out there, so I understand why we are where we are, but

it is it's tricky. It's tricky enough, it's really tricky, and it brings into the question like what's doing well. Is it the songs by people that actually are an artists that do it just for fun and that put it I was a joke and then it goes viral or is it the people that spend their time working on the craft and then release it. Yeah, I don't know. That's a good question. I think probably both are true, and that I like that breakdown. Well, so I think

something from about being my brother's philosophy major. It's fascinating and the whole point of philosophies you just talked about asking questions. Have you used any of the philosophy concepts and theories in your writing or has it made you view songwriting as a whole any differently? Yeah, it really helped me with songwriting, I will say, studying philosophy, Yeah it did. What was interesting was once I like was

fully in college and I was writing new songs. When I was writing philosophy papers, I felt the same kind of feeling that I felt when I was writing a song. So interesting, Yeah, and I think it's because I think it's also just like good writing in general, you just you are trying to be clear and communicate these ideas. Like when you're writing a paper, you like have your main idea, your main concept. Like in a song, You're right, you have that same thing in a chorus, like you're

trying to communicate, um, you know, the thesis. Yeah, and I think songwriting is far more emotional um than than philosophy, but I think they're kind of very similar. So would you say songwriting is a shortened emotional version of philosophy too? I love that, Yes, girl, make merch out of I think, yeah, I need to get you involved because the way that you just phase that again, it was like I don't

even emotional. Okay, wait, let me think. I think I want to say, like overwhelmed, Like I'm like, it's just hit me. I think it was. Songwriting is a shorter, more emotional version of philosophy. I love that shorter and more emotional version of philosophy. I love that. I want to make I'm going to get on it today. Yeah. What would you say your favorite philosophical theory is it keeps you up that night? What I think about a lot.

Now is existential philosophy so like what I only took a few classes, but it is this sort of like the philosophy of the human experience, and I think it really is. It has inspired a lot of my music because it has to do with questions of authenticity and um so, like the title for my EP Can I Be Real? Came from this guy named sore and kir

Key Guard who is an existential philosopher. I think he was eighteen hundreds and he wrote about yeah about He said, the most common form of despair is not being who you really are. And I see that and are like in like today people on the internet, like we're all just trying to be ourselves. Yeah, but there's so many message is that we're receiving about what we should be, you know, or which I think we're just kind of

like well. Social media definitely contributes to that and positively and negatively in the sense of you see a highlight reel not and you see that and you think that's what I have to be. You feel bad because you're not that, but everybody listening. Social media is so fake, like it can be. It can be the generalized host like I think of just No, that is not how

people look all the time. Oh no, let's make I want to make that very clear because I felt for it, and it was awful when I realized that wasn't true. I was like, man, this is all just like a weird experience. It's weird. It's a perception thing because you see that and you're like, oh, that's really that's what

we should be. But then't even I heard this. I think it was Cindy Crawford was interviewed once and someone said, you know, I wish I looked like you, Like I wish I looked like Sandy Crawford, And she said, I wish I looked like Sandy Crawford too, right, Yeah, I like that's how it is. I think today was TikTok where this model I forget her name, but she was saying the process to take that one photo, it's not

what she actually even looks like. It's five to six hours makeup her photo shop lighting just to get one photo the way that she's yeah, or sanding whatever. And I was like, you're so, because there's the idea of that the way you want to present, But then what we actually all are and how we are day to day, and part of me wishes we all showed that more on social media. Yeah, I think it would help, It would help me. It would help me too. And I think,

I know you're an overthinker. Yeah, but that's the thing I'm so fascinating philosophy. For me, if I spent that much time thinking about what is life, I would get myself in a tail. It's not for everyone. How do you as an over as a fellow, how do you balance that between not overthinking but also living in the

moment and not worrying about what we are doing? As a philosophical perspective, I think for me that's just been about I think music, honestly, for me, has been a way to kind of let it go, you know, to just be in the moment. And I think it's why I love performing so much, because when I walk on that stage, all I have is that moment, you know. And so I think music is a huge release. And and yeah, and then just in life, like taking a walk.

I learned to walk during the pandemic, Like I don't think I walked before or just like that wasn't a thing for Yeah, watching some funny TV, any any show recommendations. You know, I've been watching New Girl from start to have you finished it? I'm almost I'm on the last season. I'm I'm getting a little emotional about it. Okay, So I watched I think till season five, and then I just for some reason I checked out, Well, yeah, I had trouble getting through it. It's do you recommend to

push through? I think because it's such a specific type of humor. I think there is that point where you're like, Okay, I get I get what this is. But yeah, I'm enjoying the last season because it's a little sentimental. But maybe that's yeah, I like that TV show. Fun fact, I met a guy off a dating app. Okay one time, I've already done that, let's get into and we were talking and he was saying, I saying, we're talking about New Girls, Like, yeah, my least favorite character is Nick

because he's just like so angry at the time. He goes, man, I'll my friends telling me. I'm like, I was like, oh, I mean it was just angry. I was like, how do I fix that? I can't recover from that. Did you get like a feeling from him that he was like a really angry when I was surprised when he said that, because I wouldn't if I just say that maybe, but yeah, I just feel like he complains a lot. Yeah, Schmid is my favorite. Oh, Schmidt is great, so funny.

There are a few characters that are just so original. Schmidt is one of them. Yes, I think that's the beauty of the show. And even like Jess, like her quirkiness, and it's just it's so relatable. It's very relatable. It's just I don't know, you know, I started watching it not too long ago, and you know how shows just like like this works for me. Right now, That's how I felt about Now. I don't know, I feel that what show of I've been watching? The show is binging.

I was binging pot Stars for a little bit, like so good. First of all, why is it on the History Channel? Is the History Channel? Still? Like, I don't know. It's a great mindless entertainment and learn some facts about antiques. Yes, it's great. We have to take a quick break, but when we come back, I want to talk more about social media and if any of the TV shows you've binged over the pandemic have helped you in being more creative. We'll be right back. Do you think shows have been

helpful maybe subconsciously relaxed so you can get more creative. Yeah, I think that works for me quite a bit. I do think there's a fine line though, some because sometimes TV shows for me has also been like a form of escapism that I think there is like an unhealthy thing there some shows where you're like, I just don't

want to deal with whatever. Um, and so I think that's the thing that you know, I've just you just have to check in with yourself on is like am I watching this because I just need a break from Like I just need thirty minutes from my own mind. I need to watch Jessica Day deal with her fake like TV life and I can or is this like? Or am I like avoiding something? And I think the avoidance is like it's always hard because it's so easy

to avoid things. But um, it's funny. I my friend gave me a philosophy book to read the other day, and I read it as a way to wind down because I hadn't I haven't read a lot of philosophy other than my existentialists bros who I write songs about or with like inspired by since Um and this one was kind of about the mind body thing and that was really relaxing. So I think it really can be anything that just feels like this is taking me out of whatever situation that i'm and that's that's been my

experience recently. I saw you, I think it was in February or early March, and in this I know and I remember then I was in such a creative rhet and I remember talking to you about it because I had just applied to college. I did the entire season

of the podcast. From my goodness, it was a lot, and I'm so glad, like because now we're here, you're here, yeah, like so you know what you're doing a little know it worked out like it was all the unknown then right now things have figured out a little more in my life. But I remember I was in such a

creative run and that is such a discouraging feeling. And I feel like it's not talked about enough because I remember I looked up YouTube videos what to do if you're in a creative rhet and frankly, you don't know when it's going to come back, when you're gonna feel o rejuvenated. Have you ever been in that situation, what do you do and when you're just can't come up

with those lyrics or you can't you don't your batteries drained. Yeah, that's a great question, and I ink I do think that the pandemic exacerbated all of that for for all of us who are kind of in these creative fields. I mean, I know a lot of my friends were like, you know, I'm just drained, and I think it's Zoom. I think Zoom is the big drainer. But that's another ranch with you. I completely agree with you. Yeah, so what I think that's what it is. Like the nature

of the time, it just was emotionally draining. I mean not just our country, but the world went through hell. I mean it was just like and then we're still in it. Yeah, And I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I absolutely do, and I hold on to that. But and it's just so hard. So I think we have to give ourselves like grace and that it's like, which is so hard because like I'm such an achieveril we really are, Um, I just I have to have had to come to this point

where I'm like it's okay that I haven't it. And I did come out with an ep and of a pandemic. Yes, yes, it has been so good. It's been so good. But yeah, but like, as achievers, you know this that there will never be a moment where we're like satisfied, you know, I just don't think that's going to be our reality. And then throw a global pandemic on top of that and you're just you know, it's hard, but I think for me, I've had to endlist some resources to help

me process. I'm started reading this book called The Artist Way. Have you ever heard about it? It's I don't know, I've just I've actually just started it, and it's, um this woman named Julia Cameron, and she's inspired a lot of Like there's some famous people that she has helped get through I'm forgetting and forgetting I should look at

my book. But basically she just has this thing called daily or morning Pages, where you like you write down extreme of consciousness, whatever comes to your head and you don't judge yourself. So like, as a songwriter especially, I'm like which words work, and like when you're in when you're collaborating with other people, you're like, oh, I have this idea but I'm really afraid to say it because

what if they don't like it? And she's like, it's all about like confronting your inner critic and just saying no, you don't get to have to say here. So that's been really helpful for me. It's just like getting the ideas out on paper and not listening to that internal judge voice that I have. And then she has like another thing called the artist state, where you just go out and take yourself out to a museum or you

bake something. She's like, it can be even yeah, and just like enjoy the experience of that and let that fuel you. So as I've kind of like experienced maybe a little bit of healing from this kind of creative route that I was in, I've I've found myself writing songs that I'm like, yeah, that's that's what I needed to write about. That's what I'm going through, and that feels right. That's so awesome to be able to have an outlet like that and that that that's the power

of music. Is that what you're going through, so many other people are and it just makes you feel not alone. We've been through a global pandemic as year and a half. Our lives have been substantially changed. I had my entire senior year online. Oh my gosh, on zoom, you haven't been able to perform right? How are you? How are you doing? Just I think we need to talk about that. We're in general, it's not talked about like how are you doing? Mentally? Are you coming out of it? Are

you still in it? How are you? It's a good question, thank you for asking, of course, and not just like the how are you doing? Oh I'm good? Like how are you actually doing? You know, Sammy I And this is a little heavy, but you know this we talked to the other day on the phone. But um, I think it's about like eleven weeks ago, now, ten weeks ago, I lost my dad, not to covid um, but I

lost him suddenly and unexpectedly, and it's been horrible. I mean, like I told the story about him earlier, like he was so good and while I'm so grateful that I had twenty six years with an amazing father, like it's just it's just this such a big hole in my life. So now I feel like I'm kind of just grieving and going through a really personal and deep grief on top of the pandemic. But in some ways, like you know,

we're all grieving. We're all grieving, and I've had so many friends lose people like grandparents are and maybe I'm just more aware of it now than I was in the past, but I really do feel like there's just been such a hard, such a hard year and a half for so many people. And so yeah, so I'm you know, I have a lot of like hope right now about moving through this and moving forward and keep going.

My last conversation with my dad, he told me I was probably like freaking out about something regarding the music business, and he just said, it's just like keep going. You got this, so it'll all work out. You got this. And so I'm really just trying to hold onto that, you know, I feel I feel him a lot when I when I am writing or playing music. I'm going on tour this fall, and he loved I met him on tour that when I met you too, yes, and and that was just like he he just loved it.

And so I I'm excited to do that and and yeah, so it's like both I think a lot of life. What I'm learning is like there's this guy named Frederick Beeckner who says, in this life I'm paraphrasing, but in this life, beautiful and terrible things will happen, but don't be afraid. And I'd say that's just what it is, you know. It's like life is, at the same time, sometimes within the same day, really horrible and really hard

and really wonderful and beautiful. And so I think learning to live in that tension is is what it's about, and finding the joy within the little things too, which can be It's it's all about the way I think you look at the world and you can portray you can find a negative of anything, and you can find

it positive in anything. Yes, And we should strive to find the positive and more yes, yes, and live in that, you know, because I think if you look throughout history and people, it's like that is what gets you through that, what that's what makes you fight for another day is the hope of something else exactly, and just surrounding yourself with people that you love and doing what you love and you still get to go on tour. Oh my gosh,

are you so excited. I'm so excited. What was Do you remember the last live show you performed at Oh goodness, I think so it was. Yeah, it was with James Arthur. I was opening for James Arthur on that run. We've played the Troubadour here and I like, I'm obsessed with that venue. Yeah, so incredible, So that one really stands out and people are playing shows and it's just so

great to see it. It is weird. It's weird. We were talking about this, like, it's definitely a different dynamic and people are trying their best to be safe and it's back but it's you know, it's just in its own variation and it's a very it is a variation. Um, but I'll take anything. Yeah, as long as it's not unzoomed. I'm thinking the first live event it was with you. It was the Rooftop that was like our low key

like save Yeah, everyone was wearing math. Everyone was still great though, because I was like Ben shout out to Ben Farber. Yeah, it was like I forgot. I was like, man, this is what live music is like. It just brings people together and that's what music does. Yeah, yeah, and it Yeah, it's the most I think that's the most beautiful thing about music, honestly, is that you can come from completely different countries, completely different backgrounds, different languages, worldviews,

and come together and just be in that moment. I think that's especially in the world we have of so much tension animosity towards each other, being able to have a night where literally like an hour and a half, an hour and a half is all you need. You're all together and you're just in the moment, enjoying it, enjoying it. There's not worrying about what work you have to do tomorrow, about the day you've had. But this guy thinks, sir, you're just living your best life. Yeah,

it's really special, to be honest. My favorite answered, so when you don't have your phone out videotaping it, can we talk about that. I'm very conflicted. Okay, here's my perspective. Okay, when I was I think I was ten or eleven, I saw I saw Maroon five, Okay, getting I'm getting it was in mask and Square Garden. We somehow got floor seats. It was like the best thing ever. And I remember so specifically Adam Bean said, everybody, I want you to stop videotaping. I want you to put away

your phones and just live in the moment. And there was this girl that was still videotaping, and he took her home, put it on the stage. He goes, I'll give it back to you after the set. And then and I was like, man, this is actually really great because though I wish I could have this to look back on my phone, I'm going to have this in my memories of just living in the moment. And this was what now, nine years ago, and I still have specifically that moment in my head. It's not recorded, and

I think that's what's great about it. Though I want a videotaped look at, sometimes the memories are better at my opinion, what's your take on it? You know? I think for me as an artist, as a performer, I'm fine with it at my shows because I want people to do what they want to do and and like, this might sound really weird, but this is called the Let's Be Real podcast, so I'm gonna be real. But like it is, it does help me sometimes, like when people post about my music at this point because I'm

still at such an early stage. But I do like when when I go to the shows, I'm often like playing out my phone because I want to be like, I want to post it and like, look where I first instincts now, isn't that so weird we think about it? That's what's weird to me. That's what I have to confront myself. I thought about it like that brand, that's weird. But like I don't think we should like we should

have grace first else than that as well. But it's just like no, But the fact that our first instinct now, now that I'm looking back, I'm analyzing my entire life. The fact that our first instinct now is to not enjoy what we're doing but tell people about it is really interesting. And it's that whole social media experiment that bucks with my mind. Do you ever see the social dilemma? Oh? I couldn't. I couldn't speak for like three days after I saw that. I have my phone out of my

social media app. Notification is still off from that, I'm proud of you. I'm proud of myself too for that and it's helped a lot. So what I recommend everybody take off the notifications from Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, anything. I only have it on for Gmail incredible, So you're not tempted. You go on the apps when you want, not when something alerts you it will help. See. I love that, and I love that you watch that that documentary and you made a very like practical, yes, conscious

next step towards your own mental health. Because I think I think that was my experience watching the documentary and I loved it, but I was also like, oh my gosh, like it was very doomsday, and I was like, because it is. Yes, it hit too close to home, so close, so close, and it's succeeeing, even like the footage of the fourteen year old girl and and the like the rise of anxiety and depression and suicide. All of that

stuff was so heavy. Um and and so I think, but I think what you did was so good is like, let's make a conscious decision to to change something about my interaction with it. I think that, I honestly think that is the path forward. And that's why I talk about it so much in my music as well, because I mean, it's just it affects me, and so I talk about it. But it's like social media is not evil, it's a neutral space, but the way that we interact

with it can be so healthy or not healthy. Yeah. Yeah, And so having those having these discussions, having conversation about it. I think that's the way. I hope so, and I think especially when people who have a big following time but like, man, this is not what I look like. This is from like a shoe from like this is that I'm in my pajamas. We have to take one more quick break. But when we come back, let's talk

about the perils of growing a social media following. And I also want to talk to you about your EP Can I be real, which I am obsessed with. We'll be right back. It's so interesting and I for someone who has anxiety, it's can be so toxic so fast, and I'm in this in between stage, which I feel like this isn't talked about. I'm building up my career right, I'm trying to thank you. I'm trying to think of it as more of a business. But it's so hard because at the same time, I'm a nineteen year old

girl being on social media. They're the same pressures. Yet I'm supposed to grow a following in order and that somehow is my worth how many followers I have, And that's what companies look at. And I understand that because it's a business, but it's really hard sometimes and it's personal because it's you. It's like a business, but it's also you. It is it's not like another sort of like off side nail. Yeah, it's polish. Are you are?

And it's finding that balance between having the difference of Okay, is this my worth? Is this really all that I'm worth? And it's having to separate that, like, no, there are two separate things. How have you dealt with that? Because I know I'm sure you've had similar people have told you said yes, yes, and again I totally understand what they're saying, um, and I want to be I want

to be there for that. I want to build. That's why sometimes at concerts, I do, you know, say like I'm here at this cool thing, or like you know, like if you do make those decisions and you do want to promote what you're doing and put yourself out there, and I you best believe I'm on TikTok every day, you know, just going for it. But I think that, yeah, it's it is a question of worth and I think it's I think it's like and I wish it wasn't too.

I really, I really wish I could mentally separate the two. But it's sometimes I don't know if it's being a teenage girl. I don't know if it's being in the entertainment industry. But I'm learning and I go through phases of it like Okay, how do I find a balance of what's good for my mental health to say off it? Because again, comparing yourself, I just that's what ends up happening.

But also having to continue it. Yeah, yeah, having to keep going and posting, and yeah, I mean, well, first of all, I think that the fact that you're even having the conversation and you're even naming that this is how you feel, is like it's honestly such a big part of it. I feel like this part isn't talked about when people it should be talking. It's not talked about it should be. And I think, like for me, it's like I have so much I want to do.

I would love like a million followers right now, like life a lot easier in a lot of ways. I feel like, yeah, it would just be great. But even then, you know, then it's like even like the set of problems and there will never be a moment where it's like, all right, I'm good, you know. I think even when you have all of that you're still going to have

to deal with your the worst thing. And I think that it's about knowing waking up and knowing like I think you do is so good for the world, you know, like having on his conversations is really good for the world. And even if it doesn't feel like you know, this big thing I know for me, like writing a song that means something to me that I feel like it's going to help someone, Like I think that at the end of the day is all we have. It just

like am I waking up doing my best contributing something good? Yeah, and knowing that that's it. Doesn't the numbers will be there or they won't. But I woke up and I did something today. I think it's a little like nicely put no, but it's it's true, and it's a it's an interesting balance. And when I frankly, I've wanted you on the pod for a minute now, right when I think perform a Microsoft theater, I don't pitch the idea,

and I said, what do you come on? You're like, of course, and like so this is a full circle. It's happening. But when I found out that your new EP was called can I be realized like, could this be better? But chills? Okay, I would like to say, tell me, I'm pretty yeah, it's all about this, but we're talking about First of all, it's a bob. Thank you, it's a bob. I was listening to it when I was in the shower. I was like, this is good Bob day. I know you're so honest in your songwriting.

How did that song come about? That's a that's a that's a real one. Um. Yeah, So it was a couple of things. I wrote down the lyrics maybe I'm worth more than some numbers or a score, which is exactly what we're I mean there it is. Um. I wrote that down in college because there was a scandal with the harvardman's soccer team where they had a group

chat rating freshman women. But like to me, they were like girls like still yeah, um the incoming yeah, the incoming class on their physical attractiveness hotness, like literally giving these women a number and then describing you know, horrific, just like horrible things said about these women exposed to the group chat. I want to know that. I don't know. To this day, I'm not sure. Um, but some of my friends it was they were. I think they were juniors or seniors by the time it all came out.

But for me, it just like not being part of it, but just kind of watching it unfold. And like some of the of my friends they wrote this incredible op ed in the newspaper about like how like why did we get here? The kind of thing. It's just like the whole thing, And then I just thought about how they must have felt and saw some of them yeah kind of like go through it. But at the same time, I was also going through like the whole social media thing and like still I'm you know, we're all still

going through that. But I is like feeling really awkward about myself online and just um and was having was still doing music, so it was like having to post for that and and then when you're your own brand too, and when your own brand and here, and I was like the whole body positivity conversation wasn't happening quite yet, so I was like I felt weird about my body, and so I just I just like I was like, as women, can we just not be reduced to this thing?

Can we just be like can you just care about yeah, can you care about what's in my brain for just a second, like you know, and just take me seriously what I have to contribute. Yeah, and and also like beauty, this concept of beauty is so and we have just made it about these like particular standards that like someone probably a dude, no or who knows. Honestly, I'm sure there's like a whole history thing there, but like reinforced by this, like obviously what you know, these women had

gone through by dudes, the objectifying thing. And then, um, basically so I wrote down in my lyric notebook that lyric. And I always knew that I wanted it to become a song. And I never, like, I wrote songs other songs about the internet and stuff, but I never like landed on that topic until three years later I met a songwriter named Michelle Buzz. She goes by Buzz, but I called Michelle. What a great name, what an incredible name. Incredible name she's releasing at right now, Um yeah, that's

her actual name. About Michelle, Michelle Buzz. She's releasing new music really soon and everyone should listen to it because she's incredible and and talks about these things she's so good at talking about like the real stuff and anyway, So I just met her day one. Why and I

think this is why we became best friends. Was we were like man being a woman in the music industry, like bro, Like we really went there and talked about how I talked about this of like if I post as a as a you know, aspiring songwriter, sporing artist, if I post a picture without makeup all the time, like is that going to gain me new followers? Or do I need to post like the like the sexy

stuff because that gets you followers. And that was a hard truth like we had we were like whoa, and so we just really really we laid it on thick and um, we had a session with the Monarch, this producer brother producer duo and they were really like pumped about the idea or Michelle and I just like we were like, we have to write a song about this, and so we did and tell me I'm pretty was what came from that. And so I'm very grateful. I was.

Actually I've been in rehearsals for the past week for this Young Girl and um, that song, it's so fun to play. What would you say the hardest part of being a female in the music industry is well, I wonder if it's that. I wonder if it's that, you know, because I think I think even like Billie Eilish has talked about it a lot recently with her new stuff of just like, you know, you have to you have to pick a lane, like of like, but I think, but I also I also don't think you give to

pick lane. I think as a as a woman, you're going to feel those pressures of like which angle do I go down? Which? And I think you just have to silence all of that, like Billy's doing, you know, like and just do what feels right for you. Social media is just they take the human out of a person where we forget they cry like they're just yeah, we're all we're all human, you know, And I feel like that should be celebrated. And keep in mind everyone

has her insecurities. Oh yeah. If you say you're not and you don't have insecurities, then you're lying exactly. Instagram social media's a picture perfect world. Can't say it enough. I can't say it enough. I'm insecure to post photos when my acne is bad or when I feel not good. You know, I wish that wasn't the case. Yeah, I know,

but there's something about it. There's something about it. But I think that's what's so special about your music in particular, because there are so many, so few people that really dig into our insecurities, really dig into that, because it's a stigma that it shouldn't be. So I applaud you for just being so authentic in your writing and in who you are. And though I know it can be really hard, I'm sure with people comparing themselves, like, keep doing what you're doing because I look up to you

a lot. Thanks. I look up to you for talking about it. It's so exciting to talk about it. And so yeah, it's it's not it's not often, and I'm so glad that we can just like have a conversation and not where it's not media trained and the same thing. But like, yeah, man, life has been rough, and that's okay, that's okay, that's part of it. You believe through a pandemic. Be nice to yourself. Be nice to yourself exactly and to others. And please follow brand on Instagram. Listen to

her ep can I be real? It's so fitting. I was when I was listening to some of the songs, I was like, man, this is important that it's out, and so I'm so glad it is and I'm so excited for when new music. And I'm going to see you live. Yes, You're awesome live, by the way, but I've seen you twice one of the Microsoft Theater and ar thresh Kid's Day. Yes, both such fun day as well. I remember when I first when I started the Microsoft Theaters, like this girl is a bad as Thank you? That

was like our first show. Yeah, that was a fun night. Pink suit, bring it back? You think I should bring it back? Oh? Interesting, Why wouldn't you? I don't know, but this is one of the one of my things. I'm like suit, I love a lavender, right, and we should bring them back just like since they are I feel I love they're powerful and are they more comfortable to performance? Absolutely, because they're like usually like yeah, the fabrics like louse and I love a suit. Who does.

Maybe I'll bring it back. Let's bring it back. You can wear the merch with a shirt on it. I say, that's your style for story. I love it. I love it. I'm gonna have to hire you a stylist. Hey, I'm here, I'm in californ I love in California. Oh my god, that's so weird. How does that feel? I don't know. I love that, okay, because you're like you're like New York,

like you're That's where I've lived my entire life. So are you going to like own the bicoastal thing or are you going to commit Okay because no matter what, my dogs there and Okay, well saying goodbye to him, Yeah, I know wherever the dog is is where home is exactly. That's what I say. He needs to come to California. But thank you Brent for coming on. Thank you guys so much for listening to this week's episode of The Left Bireau Podcast. If you haven't already, follow Brin on Instagram,

It's Bryn Elliott. Follow her TikTok, listen to Can I Be Real? It's She's just such an incredible artist and I love talking to her brand. Thank you again for coming on my podcast, and if you haven't already, makes sure you subscribe, leave a comment about something you liked or any other guests you want on, and don't forget to follow me on Instagram at It's Sammy J. That's I T S S A M M Y J. A y e. Alright, guys, I will see you next time.