Today we’d like to introduce you to Briar Blakley.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My Story and Inspirations:
I’m a singer, songwriter, and musician originally from Shuqualak, Mississippi, a small rural town where I got my start singing in church. My mom was the choir director and had me leading songs at five years old. At first, I was mostly just talking through the lyrics, but eventually, my little voice came through, and my family realized, “Oh wait, she can actually sing!” It was the same with piano. I took beginner lessons at six but quickly started playing by ear, teaching myself to play along to songs on the radio and during services. That’s where I developed a deep love for soul and gospel music—styles that still shape how I approach sound and emotion. I often build a song’s production before the lyrics.
In high school, I left home to attend the Mississippi School of the Arts, a residential school for artistically gifted students. I studied vocal performance, music theory, choral music, and musical theater. We traveled, competed, and once performed at Lincoln Center in New York with the Philharmonic. That experience expanded my vocal range and introduced me to artists like Audra McDonald and shows like Ragtime. I also fell in love with modern dance after attending performances by my classmates. That art form really stayed with me.
In 2015, I auditioned for The Voice and made it into the Top 20. When that chapter ended, I went home to reflect on who I wanted to be as an artist. Around that time, I discovered the Pandora music app, which introduced me to producers and styles I had never heard before. I became drawn to electronic music, DJs, and experimental R&B. That curiosity sparked my first independent SoundCloud releases, The Enlightenment, an experimental collection, followed by March Badness, which leaned more into pop and electronic influences.
In 2019, I released Retro Future while living in New York. It was inspired by Afrofuturism and contemporary vintage electronic sounds with soulful vocals. The songs came together during long train rides between Brooklyn and New Jersey. Earlier this year, I released a single called Server Farm, inspired by a photo of an actual Google server farm—cold, static, built solely for storing memories and files. It was a reflection of my inner world at the time and the loneliness of being a lost memory to someone I loved.
All of my latest releases can be found on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2KfptEI6qhJg31w1k0UXjR?si=7J7jNWdzSK6FDqCu5eTpwg
Songwriting Process and Self-producing:
I often find inspiration through visual content, whether it’s beautiful architectural photography, the open fields of Mississippi, or stunning cinematography, which I come across on YouTube or social media. I also love modern dance. There’s an openness and abstractness to that art form that really resonates with me.
If I’m honest, I’ve definitely found myself reaching for my phone in the shower to quickly record ideas that come to me lol. I’m also often inspired when I sit down and start playing random things on a piano roll in my DAW. If I find a cool pad or synth, it evokes an emotion that leads me to melodies. I love producing and creating from scratch. Building something from the ground up is the most exciting part for me. I’ve always been more moved by production than lyrics. Melodies and feelings come to me first, and then I build a foundation with my piano before going back to add lyrics. Every now and then, I’ll think of lyrics first, and the whole process flips upside down.
I find it harder to write when there are a lot of people around, so my recording and writing process is definitely more intimate lol. When it comes to storytelling, I’m drawn to dystopian, futuristic, and fantasy-inspired themes, as well as romanticized nature concepts around love. You can hear those influences in my songs Server Farm, 1 of 5, and Merry Go.
Inspirations:
Ah, there are quite a few to name, but if I had to pinpoint some key influences, I’d say Michael Jackson, Sampha, Earth, Wind & Fire, Frank Ocean, Tame Impala, Fred Hammond, Israel & New Breed, Alicia Keys, Rosie Lowe, Active Child, Ravyn Lenae, Moses Sumney, The Hics, James Blake, and Kaytranada—just to name a few! These artists have a way of being niche and unique in their artistry. The way they shape chords, beats, and instrumentation speaks to me.
Community & Advocacy:
I also love supporting local social justice and food justice causes. One organization that’s been especially meaningful to me is the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. Their mission focuses on fostering self-supporting communities through cooperative economic development, land retention, and advocacy for socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, cooperatives, and landowners. I love lending my voice to causes that matter to me and make a difference in my community.
Career Highlights:
Honestly, I feel the best is yet to come, and I’m really excited about my future in music! However, there have been some amazing moments that celebrate my ability to impress people in high places, like my journey on The Voice, landing a spot on Pharrell Williams’ team, and being mentored by the legendary Lionel Richie. I feel like I made my hometown and my family so proud.
I always experience joy when I’m able to share a project with the world. Back when I released some of my first projects on SoundCloud, back when that was the place to go lol, I had an incredible run. People around the world found my music and celebrated it!
Over the past two years, I’ve had some really cool viral moments on TikTok thanks to my cover videos, including a tribute to Michael Jackson and a remix of his iconic “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” That was fun.
Looking Ahead:
As for the future, I’m looking forward to winning a Grammy and other prestigious awards one day—but overall, I’m just happy to have the ability to create and do what I love. I’d love to collaborate with more artists from Mississippi and the Atlanta area. I want to be recognized for my artistry and share beautiful work with the world.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Obstacles & Challenges:
I’ve always faced challenges in doing what I love while supporting my financial needs, as many other artists may experience. It’s often very challenging to be an independent, up-and-coming artist, trying to figure out health insurance, income, and all those things while paying for promotional items and sessions. I’ve kept one foot in the door of digital marketing and music for a while now to create some level of stability. After getting laid off earlier this year, I took that as a sign to make music my priority and trust that the rest will figure itself out—that’s the faith I cling to. I’m lucky enough to also have an amazing support system in my parents, my boyfriend, and creative music friends that help me out with things when needed. Unfortunately, I lost one of my best friends in 2023, and that loss led me to further realize how
short life is. He was also so proud and supportive of me and my music and reminded me of how
blessed I am. So, I practice gratitude for life and knowing I have a roof over my head, food, and
clothing. That’s a blessing and motivation that keeps me going, in addition to the joy of the art
itself.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Musical Style: How would you describe your unique musical style, and what themes or emotions do you often explore in your songs?
I’m known for my musicianship and sonic taste that shines through my music as well as my performances. I would describe my musical style as dystopian, futuristic, and fantasy oriented yet infused with retro and vintage sounds. It spans a wide variety of genres including Alternative R&B, electro soul, dance, ambient, and chillwave. My sound is built on emotive chords and fluid movements with open, expressive vocals. I often explore romantic themes that hold both tension and acceptance.
I love performing live. I always smile a little inside at the beginning of my shows when the audience is staring, having absolutely no idea what to expect. Then, after I let out the first note or melody or sing the first song, they’re always like, “What the hell is happening!” I love that wow factor and the feeling of people coming up to me after the show to tell me how much they enjoyed it. I love pushing out emotion and filling the room with it. I’m actually studying the art of performance these days because I’m always striving to perfect my stage presence, which is mostly a combination of me being behind the keyboard and in front. I want to learn the skills of bringing the audience to me rather than having to project a lot because my music isn’t always super hype—it’s often emotive and reflective. I also love playing around with vocal effects during my performances. In the future, I plan to incorporate more live sampling and instrumentation.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Additional Information:
Artistic Growth and Evolution:
I’ve become more aware of what truly fuels my passion and keeps me motivated. I’ve evolved into more of myself as an artist rather than aiming to recreate the work of my influences. I’ve found my voice, even down to where I prefer to be in the vocal scale—I’m okay with spending a lot of time in the lower registers. I definitely plan to become more personal with my music. I sometimes find myself writing from an imaginary state of being or imagining what a feeling is like, but I want to continue to dig deeper into my own emotions and bring them to life in a poetic way. With my upcoming music, I’ve found myself stripping down the production a bit and allowing the openness to tell the story.
Message and Advice to Fans:
I’m working toward this every day. Remember to appreciate wherever you are in your process and adopt a tunnel vision mindset. Don’t focus on who’s perceivably ahead of you or has more momentum; focus specifically on being the best version of yourself. Master the things you do well. Always follow your intuition when it comes to your creative process. Get comfortable with patience and practice it daily. Don’t forget to live in between projects and creations. You’ll often find so much inspiration and gratitude during those in-between moments. Don’t worry about how others perceive or like the art you release; release it because it brings you joy. Always cling to the part of this journey you love. Hold on to the why, and get off the train only to stretch; don’t get off or give up for good. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/BriarMusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briarblakleymusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/briarblakley
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@briarblakleymusic
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/briarblakley
- Other: https://www.threads.com/@briarblakleymusic
Image Credits
Ryan Garry
P. Miller
