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Breland (musician)

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Breland
Birth nameDaniel Gerard Breland
Also known asThe Pen Point Guard
Born (1995-07-18) July 18, 1995 (age 29)
Burlington Township, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2019–present
Labels
Websitebrelandmusic.com

Daniel Gerard Breland[1] (born July 18, 1995), known professionally as Breland, is an American singer, songwriter and record producer of a hybrid of country-trap, R&B, and soul music. His 2019 debut single, "My Truck", rose to prominence the following year after gaining popular attention via social media, reaching No. 26 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, and was remixed with Sam Hunt before being certified platinum for sales of one million units as of January 2021.[2][3]

Breland has released two EPs on Bad Realm Records/Atlantic Records, and his music been streamed on Spotify over 28 million times. He is scheduled to release his debut full-length album in 2021.

Early life and education

Daniel Breland grew up in Burlington, New Jersey, the son of two ordained ministers Tonya and Gerard Breland who filled their home with gospel music.[4] At age 14, he entered the Peddie School, a New Jersey boarding school, and was exposed for the first time to secular music in the hip-hop, R&B, country and pop genres. His favorites were 70s soul artists such as Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder.[5]

Breland started writing his own songs, a mix of styles he was listening to and liked.[6] He turned down admission to New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to study business at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. While there, he sang and arranged a cappella with a group called the Phantoms, and was a Residential Advisor.

Musical career

Breland began his career as a professional songwriter while at Georgetown, and in his second year, he met rapper Chinx (Chinx Drugz), an associate of French Montana. One night at Chinx's Far Rockaway, New York home, the rapper left Breland working on music to go perform at his show. He never came back, as Chinx was murdered.

After graduation, he moved to Atlanta. While working a job selling language technology during the day, he wrote music usually until late into the morning hours. Breland taught himself how to engineer on Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and FL Studio. With approximately 2,000 songs in three years, he made placements with artists such as Trey Songz[4][6] and wrote nearly half of the tracks on The Golden Child, the debut from Def Jam Recordings R&B artist YK Osiris.[5]

Breland often posted his original material on Instagram. He started the #BrelandVerseChallenge on the app to engage his fans during COVID-19 quarantine. He ended up giving two of his Instagram followers their first major-label writing credit on the song, "In The Woulds," an R&B and pop song featuring Chase Rice and Lauren Alaina, two country music artists.[7] However, newcomer and country rap artist Rvshvd was originally intended to be featured on "In the Woulds" before Chase Rice was added to the final version, despite this, he still received songwriting credits for it.

In September 2019, he wrote the song, "My Truck", about the truck culture found in rural America. The music was a blend of hip hop and country music and when he posted the song on Instagram, he received a great response, and realized he had found his niche with the country-trap genre.

"I just felt like it was time for people to change their perspective on what country music is and what country music can be, because there is an audience of country music listeners under 30 who believe Black Lives Matter," he told the Associated Press. "My Truck" reached No. 26 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.[8]

In an interview on the television program Extra at the time, Breland termed his musical hybrid sound as cross country,[9] while most media categorizes him as country-trap.

Signed to Bad Realm Records/Atlantic Records, Breland signed with SALXCO Management,[10] and released a remix of "My Truck" that features country music's Sam Hunt.[11] "My Truck" has over 2.6 million U.S. streams, 2,000 downloads sold and 2.8 million radio audience impressions, according to Nielsen Audio,[12] and hit No. 1 on Spotify's Viral 50 Chart in February.[13]

In May 2020, Breland's self-titled EP was released by Bad Realm Records/Atlantic Records. The music crossed genres of country, hip hop, R&B and pop with songs like the singles, "My Truck", and "Horseride," as well as "In the Woulds." Producers included Sam Sumser (Lizzo, Jason Derulo), Sean Small (Lizzo, Usher), Charlie Handsome (Post Malone, Kanye West, Khalid) as well as country singers Mitchell Tenpenny, and Walker Hayes. The EP charted at No. 48 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart.[14]

The EP, Rage and Sorrow followed with a June 2020 release. Breland's theme on the EP was derived from the racial unrest prompted by the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, and the killing of Breonna Taylor. "Intro" features a line from the 1960s blues song, "Tobacco Road", and has a rock guitar. Other songs include "Real Men Don't Cry", and "A Message". Producers include Carson Thatcher (Parson James, Andy Grammer), Brian Kennedy, and Rob Persaud.[13]

He and Keith Urban co-wrote two songs for Urban's September 2020 album, The Speed of Now Part 1, including the song "Out the Cage" that has Breland adding vocals, and Nile Rodgers's on rhythm guitar, and the track "Soul Food".[15]

In September 2020, Breland joined Apple Music Country as an on-air host for his own radio show called Land of the Bre.[16]

Discography

Extended plays

List of EPs, with selected chart positions, showing other relevant details
Title Details Peak chart positions
US
Country
[14] 		US
Heat
[17]
Breland 48 15
Rage & Sorrow[18]
  • Released: June 19, 2020
  • Label: Bad Realm, Atlantic
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
 — —

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing other relevant details
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[19] 		US Country Songs
[20] 		US
R&B
/HH
[21] 		CAN
[22]
"My Truck" 2019 92 24 46 95 Breland EP
"Horseride" 2020 — — — —
"Cross Country"
(solo or featuring Mickey Guyton) 		2021 — — — — TBA
"Throw It Back"
(featuring Keith Urban) 		— 38 — —[A]
"High Horse"
(with Nelly and Blanco Brown)[25] 		— — — — Heartland
List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US Country Songs
[26] 		US Country Airplay
[27] 		CAN Country
[28]
"Beers on Me"
(Dierks Bentley featuring Breland and Hardy) 		2021 22 28 28 TBA

Notes

  1. ^ "Throw It Back" did not enter the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, but peaked at number 42 on the Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales chart.[24]

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Year Title Artist(s) Album
2020 "Ol Girl Interlude"[29] DJ Luke Nasty Highway Music 2
"Out the Cage" Keith Urban, Nile Rodgers The Speed of Now Part 1
2021 "Miles"[30] Tiera Tiera EP
"All I See"[31] Gary LeVox One on One EP

References

  1. ^ Aderoju, Darlene (April 21, 2021). "Keith Urban, Breland and Nile Rodgers Release New 'Out the Cage' Music Video: 'You Can't Break Me'". People Magazine. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  2. ^ Dowling, Marcus K. (January 27, 2021). "Breland's "My Truck" Goes Platinum But He's Not The Only One Singing About Trucks". CMT News. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Gold & Platinum – Breland". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Caramanica, Jon (May 20, 2020). "Breland Is Country. Breland Is Hip-Hop. Can Breland Go Pop?". New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Corry, Kristin (July 30, 2020). "Breland's Ambitious Country Rap Is More Than a Trend". Vice Magazine. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Seabrook III, Robby (June 24, 2020). "THE BREAK PRESENTS: BRELAND". XXL Magazine. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  7. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan (July 2020). "Breland's New Country-Rap Road". Rolling Stone. p. 86.
  8. ^ Hall, Kristin M. "Country music reckons with racial stereotypes and its future". Associated Press. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  9. ^ "Breland Talks Genre-Bending Music and 'Cross Country'". Extra TV. September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  10. ^ "THE B-SIDE Breland (Bad Realm)". Hits Magazine. April 27, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  11. ^ "The 50 Best Songs of 2020 (So Far): Staff Picks". Billboard. June 10, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  12. ^ Zellner, Xander (March 13, 2020). "Country-Trap Singer Breland Is Crafting a New Sound With 'My Truck': Emerging Artists Spotlight". Billboard. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Turner, Rianna (June 20, 2020). "Genre-bending Artist Breland Emerges As A New Voice in Music for the Black Lives Matter Movement". Forbes. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Top Country Albums: July 4, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  15. ^ "GUILTY PLEASURES". Associated Press. September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  16. ^ Norris, Rebeccq (August 23, 2020). "Apple Music Launches Country Radio Shows with Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line & More". Country Living. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Top Heatseekers Albums: June 6, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  18. ^ "Rage & Sorrow – Single by BRELAND". Apple Music.
  19. ^ "My Truck": "The Hot 100: July 4, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  20. ^
  21. ^ "My Truck": "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: June 27, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  22. ^ "My Truck": "Canadian Hot 100: May 9, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  23. ^ "Canadian certifications – Breland". Music Canada. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  24. ^ "Canadian Digital Singles Sales Chart: June 18, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  25. ^ "Nelly Details Country Project Heartland; Shares First Single "High Horse"". August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021 – via https://hiphop-n-more.com. {{cite web}}: External link in |via= (help)
  26. ^ "Dierks Bentley Chart History: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  27. ^ "Dierks Bentley Chart History - Country Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  28. ^ "Dierks Bentley Chart History - Canada Country". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  29. ^ "Highway Music 2 by DJ Luke Nasty".
  30. ^ "Tiera & BRELAND Collaborate on Breezy New Love Song, 'Miles'". February 16, 2021.
  31. ^ "One on One - EP by Gary LeVox".
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