“For myself I just want to spread a message. A message of the forgiveness and hope that I have received and that it is available to everyone everywhere. So for me, I am not worried about being trendy. Music nowadays seems to be all over the place which is a good thing. A lot of different genre’s, music, people etc. For me personally, whatever is put on my heart is the direction I go with in a song. That is how my decision is made in creating my lyrics.” @mrmebr
Listen to the show: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/avaliveradio/2015/09/17/episode-257-ava-live-radio-behind-the-music-with-jacqueline-jax
GETTING TO KNOW BRANDON R
by Jacqueline Jax host of A.V.A Live Radio
Success is…
Having my music touch a life. I have heard stories of how my music touched and saved a life and that is more than enough for me. I have said it over and over again. If my music made me 0 dollars I would still write and record because it’s something I love to do.
Proudest moment…
One of my success stories would be being featured on REVERBNATION’S WEBSITE because a song of mine scored high on a 50 people crowd review. This was a great success because I saw that RANDOM people enjoyed my music and this feature kind of sparked my music into other cool things. The feature got me picked up by a label who had me do a song on their compilation album. I was picked up by a label for my song, “Reached Your Limit” and that was promoted globally on a smaller scale. I met some other great people from that feature along the way as well.
Life goal…
My goal for my life and career is simple… Brandon R Music – What is it?? Its Positive/Christian rap music done in a creative and fresh new way, which stems from my life experiences. I have chosen to live a life for God, and I want to share my joys in living my life out for him through my music. We all go through experiences in life and the direction and choices we make while going through them are what defines us. I’m not perfect and am far from it….but I want my legacy to be that of someone who loves God, who chased after God, is a loving husband and dad, and made an impact on the lives of some people through my music and actions. WHAT’S YOUR LEGACY??
Challenging himself…
I challenge myself by wanting to keep improving. I want to get better and grow as an artist. I try to stay educated on what music is out right now just to see different styles etc. I hear music from a person like NF and that inspires me as he is so gifted with his lyrics, songs, etc. Hearing other beats, rapping styles and watching unique videos always raises the bar for me as well.
3 ways I challenge myself and reach my goals…
1) Seek GOD, his ways, and let that move me into the direction I need to go.
2) Keep, make, and continue relationships with people.
3) Remember what’s important and focus on that.
Overcoming challenge…
Recording music in my own house has been a challenge. I am constantly striving to achieve the best sound for my music, and even with buying new & upgrading equipment, it is certainly an ongoing process. Having a studio in my home has been both a challenge and a blessing. It’s nice to just go down to the basement and start working on a concept etc. I also know a nicely ran studio could really help with professional sound. I do at times feel like I am missing out on that. Also, years ago, as a new artist, figuring out what kind of artist I wanted to be was a challenge. I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted to go in or even what my targeted audience was. I would make club music, or music without a message, but knew that I wanted to keep profanity out of the tracks. As of 3 or 4 years ago I really found myself as an artist and knew what I was called to be. That was to spread GODS message, BUT in a creative way that today’s generation could understand and appreciate. That is exactly what I am doing.
Starting in music…
Growing up I was always a big fan of hip hop/rap music. In junior high school I started writing down the lyrics from popular songs & then would practice rapping them. Over time, I began to realize that I actually enjoyed the creative aspect of coming up with my own lyrics and that rhyming and word flow came pretty easily to me. For as long as I can recall, it’s always been a hobby and a great way to express myself. About 4 years ago my life took a turn and I hit rock bottom. I was on the verge of giving up on everything that I had. Fortunately, God grabbed a hold of my ear and I rededicated my life to Him and to my family. Since receiving that clarity, I am confident in the purpose for my music. I have had a couple of great opportunities to share my music; being featured on reverbnation, being picked to be part of a compilation album, getting signed to a label, and performed live on stage at a few times at church. These stepping stones have fueled my passion and my desire to get my music, story, and message out to people.
Reached Your Limit…
Well, I wrote the song after reading a Facebook post from my pastor. He was making mention that he was feeling a bit down, drained & defeated, like he had “REACHED HIS LIMIT.” At that moment, I realized that everyday people reach “their limit” whether it be a job, addiction, marriage, relationship, whatever. I wanted to let people know that when that happens, you’re not alone! You need to stop, seek God, and pray. As i started to write the chorus it just came easy. I was not initially intending to draw much from my own personal experiences for the song, but as the story unfolded it became my testimony.
What to expect…
I am constantly dropping singles. I have quite a few songs recorded, but have yet to make an album. I love collaborating with other artists, so some of my more recent songs have features on them . Ultimately the main message of my music is always the same. I want people to realize there is a GOD and that if we allow Him, he will lead us in the midst of this dangerous, and scary world. I really just pray that my music HELPS people and leads them to GOD.
The music scene in Aurora…
I currently live in Aurora, Il and they have some cool smaller places to go for live music, shows etc. I’m not super active in the local music scene, but I do get involved with the worship team at my church and sometimes at an event for local churches that takes place on Friday nights. I have come into contact with some really musically gifted individuals and I continue to reach out to those that I think would be great on one of my tracks.
Outside of music hobbies…
I really love getting to perform rap verses at my church on Sundays. I have had the opportunity to perform at multiple church venues and that has been pretty cool. It’s not really something you see or hear a lot of, rap in church! So I’m extremely grateful to my brother-in-law for giving me the opportunity and confidence to get up on stage and do that.
The changing music industry…
The music business is tough. There are so many artists out there trying to get noticed, and so many that are so good. It’s tough to get the attention of people who can not only help promote your music, but also are legit and have your best interest in mind. I feel like more often than not, people are out to get theirs. However, I have also come across some amazing people who have been super supportive. Those are the people you want to work with and build relationships with. I really like working with artists and collaborating on projects. I’ve met some great people in the process.
Social Media…
is a great tool to help spread your music. It can really be a nice platform to get people interested in your music and to get your message heard. There are so many sites, platforms etc, that I feel like social media can get flooded with so much info that it can be hard to filter. But, overall it is very beneficial for artists.
Music marketing…
is very important for artists. As an artist you want people to hear your music. I try to to find credible magazines, websites and radio stations to reach out to. In sharing with them what my message is and what my music is about, it’s all about determining if its a good fit. If so, then great! If not, i move on to someone who shares some interest in what i do
I would love to have 5 minutes alone with…
Besides GOD, I would love the opportunity to have 5 minutes alone with a guy like Tim Tebow or the rapper Lecrae. People who have been in the lime light, and yet are still out spoken about their faith. I’d love to hear how they have dealt with that and what their biggest struggles have been.
Music trends…
For myself I just want to spread a message. A message of the forgiveness and hope that I have received and that it is available to everyone everywhere. So for me, I am not worried about being trendy. Music nowadays seems to be all over the place which is a good thing. A lot of different genre’s, music, people etc. For me personally, whatever is put on my heart is the direction I go with in a song. That is how my decision is made in creating my lyrics.
The creative process…
Everything for me is done at home on my computer. From writing, producing, recording, editing etc. My wife is a big supporter of my music and helps me with video shooting and photography as well. When I have a subject or idea for a song I head right down to my in home studio, sit at the desk and create there.
Biggest fear…
Not feeling like I reached my full potential, or reached enough people. Putting myself out there is also pretty terrifying. I know i should be doing shows and getting more of a local audience, but at the same time I am afraid of performing. However, the more I get out on stage, the more comfortable I am becoming.
Social Media…
Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/brmusic4u
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandonjrmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrmebr
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/reached-your-limit-single/id952087146
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCpWenbVPcZixKStQN-I1v
Instagram: https://instagram.com/brandon_r_music/