Briana Calhoun is a singer/songwriter with an incredible story. During her teens and early twenties, Calhoun went through some difficult times. She fell victim to addiction, depression, and self-hatred which led to her doing time in state prison for multiple possession charges. Calhoun was able to turn her life around. Today, she is an artist, teacher, mother, wife and an advocate who seeks to empower others through her music. Currently, Calhoun has three songs released in advance of her upcoming EP including "Learn Girl", "Hang Up", and "Whiskey." .
For fans who have never heard your music, can you pick three words to describe it?! If three words just aren't enough then tell us more!!
Insightful, relatable, candid-- my music is real. It's about real people and situations that matter, not just to me, but to everyone.
When you are writing a song, where do you draw inspiration from? Or what topics do you like to sing about?
I draw inspiration from either situations I've faced, or experiences from other people mostly. Sometimes, however, I may just come up with a catchy hook or melody and make a story up. I actually have dreamed songs and stories behind songs, many, many times. I have to wake up and write them down or sing them into my phone or I'll forget them. Some of my best songs have come from my dreams.
Okay, this a fun question. When you are not doing music, what else do you enjoy doing?
I enjoy spending time with my family, working out, reading, writing, and practicing Spanish. I'm actually a high school Spanish teacher in "real life." Language is my forte in more areas than just songwriting. I even used to be a reporter, too, but songwriting is my favorite form of communication.
Can you tell us what song you've written that is the most emotional and describe the meaning behind it?
"Whiskey," which is also on the EP, was a a tough one. It's sort of a coming of age song about drinking too much and ruining a good relationship because of it. It was actually one of the first songs I ever wrote. It's hard for me to sing because it's so candid -- It makes me feel like I'm naked in front of everyone. But, people really seem to like it so I just bare down and play it anyway.
What was the first song or piece you ever wrote!?
It was called "Breathe Into Me" and it was about a boy I had a crush on that was making me "breathless." Lol, I listen to it now and it's pretty sappy, but hey, that's how teenage love is.
What is your dream gig? Is there a gig that you really want that would be the ultimate show for you?
I've always said that my dream gig would be to play with John Prine, which I can't do now and it's honestly so heartbreaking. He was my favorite songwriter -- possibly my favorite person of all time. I think stylistically playing with Maren Morris or Kacey Musgraves would be a good fit simply because, like me, they have many more elements to their style than just pop or country. As far as a dream venue; I'd love to play at Red Rocks in Co. -- it's just an awesome place.`
Are you working on any new material right now or what's in the works for the upcoming year?
I have a new single, "Baby, Baby, Baby," that's about to be released. It's a great song, not to sound too braggy but it really is-- it'll get your toes tappin' for sure! Other than that I plan on playing as many shows as possible when this pandemic is over and I also plan on doing as many co-writes as I can with writers that are more established than me. After after that, who knows? The moooooooon...
Tell us where fans can access your music.
The easiest way to access my music is to visit www.brismusic.com. The front page is a hub for all links, social media, and information. Other than that, you can just look up "BrianaCalhoun" in any streaming service and I'll be there.
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