One Day More!

"... another day, another destiny!"

Leavin' Home is coming out TOMORROW!

I'm going to have a livestream hangout in celebration at 5:30 PM (Pacific Time) tomorrow (3/11)!

If you're interested, the link to the livestream will be posted on my Facebook page an hour before going live.

I'll be talking a bit about making the album, some of the songs, and probably some very random things... I might sing somethin'... I'll also answer questions; so if you have any questions, you can send 'em to me on Facebook or Twitter beforehand or in the chat section of the livestream itself!

If you can't make it this time, hopefully this will be just the first of many!

We'll see how it goes, "there's a first time for ever'thing". :)
 

-Brittany

Song Introduction: Wildfire

This song is one I've written and talked about and performed quite a few times this past year, and it's amazing where it has taken me since March 2015 when it was released.

This song was inspired by the 2014 Carlton Complex Wildfires in Washington state, my own experience, and the stories of others. Writing this song, I never imagined that we would have another horrible summer of fires just a year later. In 2014, the Carlton Complex was named the state's largest recorded wildfire. In 2015, that record was broken. I'm praying this summer will be different.

One Line:
"I'll hear the wind chimes sing all night..."
Before moving to Washington, we had wind chimes just outside the back patio door of our house in Illinois (same ones pictured up above). I loved the sound. After moving, the familiar ringing of those chimes felt like home.

When the fires came the closest to us during that week in July, the wind would pick up out of nowhere--wildfires create weather of their own, and going to sleep on those nights (wondering if I really should have been going to sleep or if I should have stayed awake), I noticed the wind chimes. I was very aware of that little piece of home amidst my fear and the danger.

This was not an easy song to write. The subject matter affected the people and towns all around this area, my friends, my favorite places... But I had to write it. The strength of the people fighting those fires every day, the unbelievable destruction that could tear down one house then skirt around the house next door leaving it completely untouched, the perseverance of those who lost so much... But most of all, the beauty that rose up from within those ashes. People helping each other (neighbors and volunteers from all across the country). Towns coming together.

These things were too powerful for this songwriter to ignore.


-Brittany

P.S. Happy Leap Day!

Leavin' Home Update

Hey all!

There are quite a few things on the Before-You-Release-An-Album Checklist, and I am joyfully close to the bottom of that list. Two of the last big things are getting the album mastered and creating the album design.

After all the recording work is complete, I have to get the songs mastered. The people who master the album are my fresh sets of ears. They meticulously go through each song and make all of the different sound and instrument levels uniform across the entire album. Once they’re done, they send me a proof to either approve or reject. For “Leavin’ Home”, I caught something in one of the songs (it sounded like one of the musicians accidentally bumped a string), and getting that taken care of delayed our progress a bit. However, it’s worth it to wait on worthy delays.
Check!

Designing the album is one of my favorite parts. I worked with Evan Walker (he designed the artwork for “Whispered Stories”), and once again I’m thrilled with what he put together. After writing, editing, proof-reading, and editing again, it’s so satisfying to see the booklet and the front and back covers. To see the physical album taking shape. Evan helped create the perfect setting, and I can’t wait for you to be able to look through it yourself.
Check!

Shortly, everything will be submitted and in the production company’s hands, and we are that much closer to launch!

I will have a date for you very, very soon!!

-Brittany

Song Introduction: He Gave Me the Sea

Picking up my mini-series of introductions to songs on Leavin' Home, here are some snapshots of a song called "He Gave Me the Sea".

Two Christmases ago, my whole family met up and rented a house on the Outerbanks of North Carolina for a week. We had 13 people in a big summer house in the dead of winter. Is there a better time to stay at the beach?

My siblings are all married and have families of their own, and during this week there were three kiddos under the age of six running around (really four under the age of six, but the littlest at the time was only a few months old and not quite running yet). When I wasn't being invited to tea parties or playing unique renditions of board games with my nieces, I loved standing in the shadows, so to speak. I loved watching my siblings be parents. My brothers and sisters have always been my heroes, and seeing so many sweet moments between them and their kids was beautiful to watch.

One of the first times we walked down to the beach, I overheard my brother tell my niece that that big ocean was all for her. It didn't matter if she couldn't take it with her, or that she had no idea what to do with it... He simply gave her the sea. She may not remember it, but that moment between my niece and my brother caught my heart. There were a week-full of moments like this that inspired this song.

One Line: "Safe because he’s strong..."
The oldest of the three musketeers was very willing to brave the icy water, but the younger two found the ocean to be a bit daunting. These two were willing to get close to the water if dad was standing there with them, though. As long as he was there--ready to pick them up if the water got too close to their feet, they wanted to get as close as they could. I loved that little bit of adventurous spirit and also where they found their courage--in the knowledge that dad had 'em.
 

-Brittany

Cart (0)