For TAZ, music is a calling. The New York native and recent graduate of Yale University, who earned his nickname TAZ because of his ferocious guitar playing, was first inspired to pick up a guitar at eight years old after watching the movie School of Rock. From that moment on, his guitar rarely left his hands. Just four years later, he was starring in the Tony Award-nominated Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway production of School of Rock the Musical for over two years. He has since extended his acting and theatrical resume with appearances in the 2024 major motion picture “Saturday Night,” Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live on NBC, and Spike Lee’s Netflix series She’s Gotta Have It, among others.
A live performer like no other – seamlessly slipping between blistering guitar riffs and soulful vocals with a carefree charisma – TAZ has built an international fanbase through extensive touring in the US, Europe, Asia, Canada, and the Caribbean. The young talent, who already has his own signature guitar from D’Angelico Guitars, has performed at some of the most legendary venues and festivals in America, such as Coachella, New Orleans Jazz Fest, The Met Gala, Madison Square Garden, and MetLife Stadium, the latter opening for The Rolling Stones. TAZ has collaborated with and shared the stage with many of the most prominent musicians of our time and many of his musical idols, including Lady Gaga, Jon Batiste, Stevie Nicks, Quinn XCII, Mac DeMarco, Gary Clark Jr., Slash, The Revivalists, Buddy Guy, multiple members of the Allman Brothers Band (Gregg Allman, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Butch Trucks, and Oteil Burbridge), and countless more. Since making his national television debut on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a child prodigy at just ten years old, Brandon has also appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (with Jon Batiste), Good Morning America, The View, Austin City Limits (with Batiste), and The Tony Awards.
Earning an endorsement from John Mayer as “the first young guitar player that is not a gimmick,” TAZ is living proof that dreams really do come true
First off — “Say Something” is a genre blender in the best way possible. Pop, R&B, rock, even a little hip-hop in there. Was there a specific emotional thread or story that pulled all those sounds together for you?
I wouldn’t say it was an emotional thread, but I would say it was more so a thought process. In the same way we draw on wisdom from our past experiences to inform us about the best ways to move forward in any experience, I draw on all my influences to represent what a communication breakdown feels like inside my head, as represented through song form.
You’ve played Coachella, opened for The Stones, and shared the stage with Lady Gaga and Stevie Nicks…but this is your debut single. Why now, and why this track as the first official statement?
Now, because right now I know who I want to be as an artist, what I want to sound like, and what I want to say to the world. For some people, they wake up one day and instantly know who they want to be; it took me north of a decade to arrive at these conclusions. However, I’m thankful for all of those musical experiences, because they helped me get to this point.
You’ve got Neff-U (a literal GRAMMY magnet) behind the boards for this one. What did he bring out in you that maybe you hadn’t heard in yourself yet?
He helped me become comfortable stepping out of my comfort zone and transition from writing jams to songs. It took years of trial and error in the studio to learn how to be comfortable in my own skin, but the enjoyment of the process drew me back day by day, time and time again.
The guitar has been your sidekick since watching School of Rock at age eight — do you still remember the first riff that made you go, “Okay, I’m really doing this”?
I wish I remembered what riff it was, or maybe which performance. However, I’ve been playing live consistently since I was 8 years old, so it feels like I’ve just always been doing it.
Your stage name comes from the Tasmanian Devil, which makes perfect sense when watching you live. But what’s something offstage that surprises people about you?
Though going crazy onstage is my favorite thing to do, leisure time helps me gather the energy required to put on these performances. That being said, I am obsessed with reality TV.
You’ve gone from Broadway to big screens to blowing the roof off venues around the world. How does acting and live theater feed into your songwriting — if at all?
I wouldn’t say acting feeds into my songwriting, but rather my performances. The new live show I put together heavily utilizes my theatre background. Instead of simply playing a compilation of songs, I’ve structured a meaningful story with a distinct beginning, climax, ending, and dynamic intensity throughout. Through this, I hope to foster more connection with audiences who are starved to experience live music.
You just wrapped up Yale (no big deal). How did being in that environment shape your perspective as an artist — or even challenge it?
Yale allowed me to understand the importance of my decision to become a professional artist. On one hand, I can use my economics degree to work a grueling job in my home city of New York and embark on an arduous, but more defined path to success. However, I chose to be an artist because, for me, the journey is much more fulfilling.
“Say Something” feels like a plea for honesty — emotionally, sonically, lyrically. Was there something you were struggling to say before this track came out?
“Say Something” is more of a critique of modern social norms than a distinct call to action against something I’ve been struggling to say. Although, I think it can apply to many situations! Since the song is out, it’s not just my song anymore; it’s for everyone out there.
You’ve had endorsements from literal legends — John Mayer, Buddy Guy, the Allman Brothers crew. When you’re surrounded by that kind of legacy, how do you stay grounded in your sound and story?
I have plenty of people around me who keep me grounded in a variety of ways. I mostly stay grounded through spending quality time with family, which gives me a sense of normalcy and importance away from the music world. Sound-wise, I do so through creating with people who are not afraid to challenge me.
Mercury Lounge is such a classic NYC venue — what does it mean to celebrate this release in the same city where it all started for you?
I’ve been looking forward to a “new music release” show since I started making music, and this is my first one ever. For me, a huge priority in creating records is the manifestation of playing them live. We’ve been rehearsing and preparing for months; it will be a show that nobody will ever forget. It means everything.
