Singer-songwriter Brady Toops creates songs for the masses, which are penned straight from his heart. His new record Tried & True has been creating quite a stir around the artist, as it brings his uniqueness to life within every song. We recently had the chance to catch up with Brady Toops for an exclusive interview where he dives right into his musical process.
How long did it take you to record Tried & True? and what is the inspiration behind the release?
The recording process lasted about 2 years. It took a minute to discover the right people to work with and what direction to take the record. When I finally decided to move forward and produce the record myself, even though I had never fully produced a record before, the chips started to fall into place and the record unfolded naturally.
The record was inspired by and chronicles the last season of my life which included all sorts of new experiences from relationships, to reality shows, to traveling as well as touring.
Recently you released the video for “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” What was your reasoning for choosing that piece to cover? And how did you feel you put your own spin on it?
I think we all can agree there’s something really special about that song. In my estimation it’s one of the greatest songs ever written. But the reason I chose specifically to record a version of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” is I felt that the song fit the theme of my record really well. The record has a number of songs about love and lost love, so I thought that cover would fit perfectly. With my lower baritone voice, I also thought it would contrast Bon Iver’s high falsetto version that I’ve really loved.
How did you combine the elements of your influences to create the new album and hone a sound that is uniquely your own?
I suppose all artist take their combined influences and blend them together to create something hopefully unique. For me those influences included folk music like Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, some soul out of the vaults of Marvin Gaye, a bit of gospel from my upbringing, and finally the americana vibes from living here in Nashville for the last 7 years.
When in the studio creating the new album, did collaborations generally take place? Did you have any others in the studio with you working on the Tried & True tracks?
After initially starting the record on my own, I brought in a friend, Kevin Dailey, to co-produce it. He’s an incredible musician and helped cover a lot of ground in the beginning with the pre-production stage which helped create a basic vibe we could build off of. Then at different points in the recording process, I bought in other friends & musicians to cover more of the sounds and textures that we needed.
One of my favorite parts of the process was working with Whitney Coleman and Jessy Wilson who lent their voices to filling all the background vocals. They are incredible talents on their own, and I feel so grateful to have had them sing on my record. They definitely added a signature gospel element to the songs and, consequently, lifted the record into a whole new space.
What artists influenced you to want to become an artist yourself?
Some laugh at this, but honestly, my favorite artists growing up were Boyz II Men and anything 90s R&B. The harmonies, the soul, the passion did something inside of me that I couldn’t deny. Then as I grew older, some of the early Ben Harper and Damien Rice tunes inspired me in profound ways. I loved how their music could help me access emotions that I had long since buried or was unable to express.
What was the musical and lyrical inspiration for the record overall?
The catalyst for the whole record originated in the first song “Carolina”. It was inspired by a friend who’s love for life helped me believe again. I think I had slowly lost heart and didn’t realize it.
It was in that place where a beautiful soul came along and literally shifted seasons for me, opening my heart in newfound ways. From that first song opened a vein of creativity that I rode throughout the whole writing process. So the overall inspiration for the record came from these different experiences I had with people in my life, both new and old.
With the release of your latest record, what do you have in store for 2017?
We just finished up a 20+ city Midwest/West Coast tour in March and April. We’re locking in more touring dates for the summer and fall as well as looking into some exciting supporting slots.
I’ve also got some ideas for working on some new music. I’m interested in exploring some more modern styles a little beyond my current sonic palate, but not entirely removed. Probably some aspect of soul will always be a part of what I do. I think it just feels too good for it not to be there. 🙂
