Following on premiere on RTÉ Radio, hyper-gifted multi-instrumentalist Braynin dropped his debut single “Too Late’ and amassed 100 million streams during 2020 alone, writing and producing for the likes of global DJ Imanbek and Darkroom/Interscope’s newest signee, Cian Ducrot.
Having been awarded a scholarship at the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin School aged 14, he left his home in Cork- Ireland to continue his studies in violin and piano. During his time there, he excelled at improvisation, harmony, and composition.
The multi-instrumentalist has single-handedly written, produced, mix-mastered, and performed the song, showcasing a mastery of his craft way beyond his years; a definite artist to watch. “Too Late” is the first of four songs Braynin has lined up for 2021.
Tell us about your latest release ‘Too Late’ and how it came about?
“Too Late” is a song about fleeting love amidst the chaos of Lockdown. I got friend-zoned by a girl who I really liked. That was a blow. The same day I wrote “Too Late”. It came together so quickly and naturally I was speechless. The title literally means is it too late for us to be something more than friends? My favourite line is “city sunset, glittering red, how could I have ever impressed?”
How did you get into music and how did your Irish heritage shape your artistry?
Well, I have been involved in music my whole life. My first memory of listening to music was when I heard ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ by Britney Spears. I was 3 years old and I was obsessed. I didn’t realise at the time that the songwriter, Max Martin, would become such a big musical influence in my life, let alone pop music. Come to think of it I’ve always been obsessed with pop music.
It wasn’t until age 5 that I started actually playing music though, when I started learning the classical violin and piano. Classical music brought me to London where I am based now. I got a scholarship to the Yehudi Menuhin school age 14 which was a big deal for me at the time. Since then I’ve been away from home. It’s been all or nothing from day 1.
When I was very young I was also surrounded by Traditional Irish music and loved going to pub sessions in the West of Ireland where I grew up. There is such a great heritage of Irish music there. That style of ‘folk’ music taught me so much about music, that classical music often lacks.
Irish music is so free and improvised. A beauty in the imperfections if you will. I think the combination of the two genres, which were constantly fighting for my attention during my musical upbringing kept me grounded.
As a result, I never took myself too seriously in either one. Now I think it gives me a unique approach to composing. Throughout my youth, my parents brought me everywhere related to music, and paid for any classes I wished to attend. For that, I am eternally grateful.
What is it about production that draws you in the most?
I love all aspects of producing. Choosing a cool new sound/instrument is always my main concern when producing, which I enjoy thoroughly. Usually, with songwriting, we’re nearly always talking about the same concepts, so in my opinion, the production is where one can spice it up and make something more unique.
I nearly always begin producing by trying to find that hooky production to draw people in. It can be quite a satisfying process if you already have a brilliant song to produce around.
Who inspires you the most in today’s scene?
Definitely Max Martin and his camp. They have that ‘classical’ approach to pop music which I love. No stone unturned. It’s a very systematic yet rigorous approach and it results in amazing music. I’m also a big fan of Finneas and Billie. Their concepts and lyricism are so different yet natural – stunning songwriters.
Tell us how a song of yours is born
I always start with the chords i.e.- Harmony. On my Piano most of the time, or if I’m not feeling anything on the piano, I’ll put some chords into a cool synth or some strings just to get me excited.
I’ll then loop that until I have a chorus that I love and record that into my iPhone so I don’t forget it. Then I flesh out the structure and lyrics of the song. That should all take a couple of hours.
Production then is a whole other ball game. Sometimes that takes me weeks to get right. Ironically, it’s all about the vocal/melody. If that’s not good, no amount of production will fix that.
What inspires your lyrics?
In general, usually random things. A TV show, a movie, a quote about love. For a while, I got used to having to write about anything when nothing was happening in my own love life haha.
My new song “Too Late” was different. I met a girl during lockdown and we would hang out loads. She’s amazing. She’s the inspiration for most of my new songs, and they’re much better. I guess writing about something real is the key. But it’s not always possible.
Who do you look at for style inspo?
I love Justin Bieber’s style at the moment – music and fashion. Travis Scott is cool too. Fashion-wise, I love Nike Jordans and Airforce. Love tracksuits when I’m in the studio, I need to be comfy. I love hoodies and baggy trousers too. That’s my vibe. Musically speaking I don’t have a particular style/genre. I would say I’m genre-fluid if anything! That’s the beauty of being a producer-songwriter-artist! I don’t feel the need to fit into one box. I do what I like, specifically what I like to listen to.
What’s the future looking like for you?
Short term, I have 3 more releases on the horizon. “Butterflies” is the name of the next single, which I’m really excited about. Long term, lots of goals – collaborating with big Artists and A-list writers and producers, Albums, No.1s, Grammys, sold out tours … the list goes on.
All that aside, I want to make music people can’t get enough of. Music that’s addictive. Those songs you can’t get out of your head. That’s always the primary focus. At the end of the day, if I can make music that makes people happy, I’m happy.
