Brianna Knight: Artist, Poet & Songstress
Gulie Carrington: So nice to see you Bri! First, I would love you to tell me about your artistic journey and how you became THEEE Brianna Knight!
Brianna Knight: My mother’s favorite thing to say is she guesses I heard her singing when I was in her belly (laughs) before I could speak. I was singing (like SINGINGGGG) and not the kind of singing usual kids do that’s off-pitch and can’t keep up with the rhythm. It was actually great. From there, my mom had me singing at school and at church. I started developing my singing with talent shows in elementary school. My voice teacher Mr. Perez poured into me. I came to him in the third grade saying I wanted to sing Mary J Blige Be Without you and at first, he did the usual “oh how cute” but it morphed into him seeing my potential and helping me craft it. I taught myself the guitar in high school, took a course with Berkeley college of music to learn about songwriting. In college, I joined a spoken word collective that made me work on poetry which helped me practice my writing.
I’d sing any and everywhere and after a while people started to know me not only for the talent but for me. I love seeing people create and find some type of joy from whatever it is whether my singing or just hearing a good joke or two.
GC: Love it 🥺 thank you for all the detail. I LIVE for your mom encouraging you to pursue your obvious gift. The inspiration seemed to always be there, or would you say there was a song or moment that made you say to yourself ‘this is it’?
BK: For me, when I fully decided to do this go all in (investing in it, seeking out mentorship and learning by myself) was last year (laughs) mind you I performed at the Apollo at this point, was entering a singing competition, I was getting paid gigs but nothing crazy. I switched my major last minute before graduating. I hated what I was doing. I had two jobs, student teaching and still was singing. I felt like I didn’t want to continue sacrificing my passion for something that is supposed to be reasonable.
So, from then I started writing like crazy. Everyday. I can’t go two days without writing something unless I’m super tired; I was recording. I have two full projects I need to touch up on but used them as practice. I learned more about vocal arrangements, took the time to study other artists writing and started learning to record and engineer.
The this is it was like you have to give it your all and as of recently I’ve been feeling like I’ve been giving 60% so I’m pushing it to the next level. The best is yet to come! I hate feeling like I could die tomorrow, and I didn’t give it my everything.
I’ve missed out on so many things with family and friends had people spend money me people rooting for me, I must do this. If not for myself, for them.
GC: That’s amazing!!! I hope you feel like your hard work is being seen! Get those streams, honey.
How have you switched up the way you do things due to Covid? Have you had to pivot much?
BK: Definitely performance wise (laughs) I would search high and low for virtual open mics. I also had to discipline myself with practicing. When you’re in person people inspire you to write to practice singing or learn something new. When you’re by yourself you can get complacent. Also, I’ve had to be wayyy more patient with myself. Sometimes you have to trust the process including resting. When Covid first hit I was writing and recording 12 hours straight every day. I wasn’t taking care of myself. I hardly slept I just was fixated but I learned breathing is a part of the process too.
People think you’re supposed to be a machine but you’re not, that’s not what creativity is. You give yourself the tools to build so definitely understanding you do need practice it is knowing when to cut it.
I’m very about being organic. With me, I’m not worried about the discipline it’s more of, I am believing in what I’m singing or what I’m writing? If I don’t believe it and I’m just writing to write I pack it up for the day and come back later.
Sometimes that walking away brings some amazing ideas, that’s how I got So Deep.
GC: Perfect! So Deep is such a vibe. NGL, I listen to it all the time and pick up a new element every time I hear it. When can we expect more from you, anything in the works we can know about right now?
Overall, what’s next for you?
BK: That’s so dope! Next month, I’m in the works of dropping another single. I’ve been changing my mind just because my ear changes daily (laughs) but definitely next month expect some stuff!
Check out Brianna Knight:
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