Braynin

DMCWORLD grab a world exclusive with this Irish singer-songwriter and producer as he unveils his debut single ‘Too Late. Bold brass, luscious smooth strings, and mellow melodic wind textures, subtly create an orchestral bed of sound on which his gritty sparkling vocals sit. This impressive pop production comes as no surprise as Braynin draws from his extensive musical upbringing, clearly ​hinting at the world-class musical education he received at the renowned Yehudi Menuhin School. Enjoy his journey…

 

 

Hey Braynin how are you? Thanks so much for chatting to us today. Firstly, how did you get into music?

I’m delighted to be chatting with you today. Thank you for having me. Well, I have been involved in music all my life. As a child music was my only passion, apart from maybe lego haha! My first memory of listening to music was when I got a “POP PARTY CD” for Christmas and the first song on it was Britney Spears ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time ‘. I was 3 years old. I didn’t realise at the time that the songwriter – Max Martin would become my greatest idol and that pop music would become such a big part of my life.

It wasn’t until age 5 that I got involved actively with music when I started playing classical violin and piano in the Cork School of music – Ireland. I was also deeply immersed in Traditional Irish fiddle and loved going to Pub sessions in the West Kerry Gaeltacht in Ireland where I grew up. We have a house on Mount Brandon, west of Dingle, right on the cliff edge of the Wild Atlantic Way. There is such a great heritage of Irish music there. My parents brought me everywhere related to music, and brought me to any classes I wished to attend. It was a magical time. 

Which category do you fall under; are you a DJ, Singer, Songwriter, producer, or all of those things?

I’m first and foremost an artist. I sing, perform, write and produce my own music for myself as an artist and I also write and produce for other artists. I play the piano, violin and electric violin and utilise these when I’m writing.

I read you received a scholarship to Yehudi Menuhin School at the age of 14; what instruments did you study there

I was blessed to receive a scholarship to the Yehudi Menuhin School at age 14. It was life-changing. School life was highly specialised. Classical violin performance was my main study, but I also studied piano, harmony, composition, improvisation, choir, chamber music and orchestra.

Do you feel that your classical music training has shaped the producer that you are today? Do you think that understanding the theory behind music gives you an advantage with production?

Without a doubt my classical training has shaped the producer and artist that I am today. There is no right or wrong way to make music, however, I do feel it gives me a different sound. My productions are sometimes embedded with subtle orchestral textures and I definitely draw on my classical training when writing chords or choosing instruments. To be honest, it’s all about the feel at the end of the day, I guess maybe my process is different. Classical music is a very rigorous approach to music in general. I will say though, that there is often a cinematic/classical quality, (naturally), to my pop production, which gives it a unique sound.

Tell me about your latest song Too Late? What were your biggest inspirations for the track and the narrative behind it?

Well, during Lockdown I fell madly in love with this girl. I told her how I felt and she friend-zoned me! So I went and wrote “Too Late”.  I wanted to impress her, hoping she would change her mind, and I think it worked! Musically speaking my inspirations would be Hans Zimmer’s orchestral opuses, the pop genius of Max Martin, and the clever songwriting sensibilities of FINNEAS. It feels like a culmination of my musical upbringing. The final section pays homage to a classical ‘cadenza’, if you will, where I play an improvisatory electric-violin solo; an ode to my childhood hero – violinist Nigel Kennedy.

How long did it take you to work on Too Late?

To be honest, this is one of the first songs I wrote truly from the heart, it came together so quickly I was speechless. The songwriting was the quickest part, the production took much longer. I am blessed to have perfect pitch. That comes in handy! I just sit down to the piano and let the music flow and then get really excited playing around and coming up with harmonies and layers while producing. I love it. I’m living the dream! Being able to write my own music, have all the synths, instruments, drums and orchestra at my fingertips. 

You have 3 more singles planned for release in 2021, has lockdown increased your creativity and productivity as an artist? Has it also perhaps presented challenges?

Yes, there are 3 more singles planned for 2021. I wrote them all during lockdown. I don’t think lockdown increased my creativity but it assisted my productivity. Like everyone else, life became very restricted and I am blessed to be self-sufficient in my bedroom studio. I have everything I need to compose and produce and there are little or no distractions. It allowed me to focus on myself and gave me the space and freedom to work on my own music. It was more difficult to collaborate with others on Zoom, it doesn’t lead to the same spontaneity of actually physically being in a session with another artist so I’m looking forward to the restrictions lifting, being able to see my family in Ireland and getting back into the rooms again. Let alone all the gigs! 

In 2020, you amassed 100 million streams, producing tracks for the likes of DJ Imanbek. How has your style differed with this debut single as opposed to working on other artists’ tracks?

Working on productions for the likes of DJ Imanbek helped me to grow and develop as a producer. Having to work on a specific brief is exciting. It teaches you to be versatile and to think outside the box. Every artist endeavours to find their own particular sound. It’s a learning experience in itself, producing what the artist wants rather than what you want. I’ve learned that a middle ground always works out to be the best product in the end. 

What are some of your future plans?

I am excited for the future. I have many more songs emerging from within and look forward to when I can perform them live to audiences around the world. I can’t wait to collaborate more too. There are so many talented artists, songwriters and producers out there. The greatest achievement of all is being able to create music that people love and enjoy – that comes first. But some Grammys and No.1s are certainly on the Horizon too!

PURCHASE/STREAM: BRAYNIN “TOO LATE”

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