Day 5: Album Release
Last year was... stormy. For so many reasons that you already know about.
After losing over forty shows in 2020 and struggling with how to deal with that, I was encouraged to focus on what I could do. So I turned my attention to the Christmas album I've always wanted to create but hadn't had the time for yet. I couldn't control the gigs being canceled left and right, but writing, recording, and building a new album... By the Lord's grace, these things I could do.
I am delighted to announce that my Christmas album, Wintertide, is now available!
I am so excited to share it with you! You can purchase the album on my website, and it is also available on all of the streaming platforms--Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music.... (Just a note on the streaming options, only nine of the fifteen songs will be available on these platforms--all of the originals and two of the covers.) If you do stream the album, it would mean so much to me if you'd share it with someone!
Album Art
Oh, let's talk about the artwork--is it not gorgeous?!
When I asked my sister Angelina if she would be willing to create the album art for Wintertide, I knew whatever she came up with would be beautiful. She is an incredible artist, and I can't tell you how thrilled I was when she said "yes"!
I found a few photos for inspiration, trying to give her somewhere to start, but to be honest, I just showed her pictures of snowy watercolor trees. I also shared some of the lyrics from "Wintertide" (the song) and "Call Me North". She took the few meager things I gave her and came up with this beauty! When she sent me the first preview, I thought, "That's it! It's perfect!" I didn't realize it was just a rough draft or that this preview was at a smaller scale. I didn't see how it could get any better than that!
These paintings wrap around the entire album. As you open it up, there is more to see, and if you open it up all the way, the images flow all the way across the front and back. The forest greens and grays, the misty trees, that cabin, the deep blues, all the kindly, wild, free creatures... I just love it. I hope you love it too.
Thank you, Angelina, for your beautiful work.
Oh, one more thing. Fun fact: when Angelina shared the final draft, I noticed the wolf on one of the panels... All of the other animals in the artwork are mentioned in the album, but there were no wolves in any of the songs. Since I had a couple more songs to write at the time, I managed to tie howling wolves into one.
See if you notice... Listen for the wolves.
All the love,
Brittany
P.S. Psst...
Make sure to stop by @bjeanmusic on Instagram to enter the giveaway that's going on over there...