by danielle holian
photo courtesy of brida
Nashville based singer-songwriter Brida has been turning heads with her debut single “In My Dreams” and follow-up single “You Found Me,” which was accompanied by her debut music video. These tracks will feature on her debut album Down in Flames, which is inspired by her journey with her twin flame, releasing on August 22nd. Unclear Magazine caught up with the songstress to discuss all this music in the hype of her upcoming debut album.
You will release your debut album, Down in Flames, later this month. What can you tell us about this forthcoming album, and what inspired it?
Brida: “It is a concept album, of sorts, based on the life-altering experience of meeting my Twin Flame. I had already been married to my soulmate for 10 years when my Twin Flame walked into a room. I felt an immediate soul recognition, lifetimes of emotions coursed through my body like energetic shockwaves, and I knew in an instant my life would never be the same. The blessed thing is that this meeting sent me on a healing journey that not only burned away everything that was inauthentic about my life, it also improved my relationships, including my marriage. The devastating thing is that after years of my Twin Flame being my closest confidant, he moved out of my life and we never even spoke about our deep connection. This album was the result of me processing why the most important soul connection one could have would show up only for them to disappear. Although our relationship was never romantic, the album will come across as a break-up album, but with deeper spiritual and metaphysical references because of the nature of our connection.”
And ahead of this album release, you released your debut singles “In My Dreams,” and “You Found Me” — why were these particular tracks the perfect introduction to you as an artist?
B: “‘You Found Me’ is the first track on the album because it envelops the entire story, with lyrics that share what that first moment I laid eyes on my Twin Flame felt like, to the aftermath of my life going up in flames when he left. This one song is the over-arching theme of the album: me processing the deepest awe and loss I’ve ever known. ‘In My Dreams’ is a musical representation of my favorite aspect of our Twin Flame connection. Although my Twin is no longer a regular part of my daily life, his soul often meets up with my soul in our dreams at night. We speak to one another and our energetic bodies often intertwine. It’s the single most mind-blowing experience of my lifetime! I wanted people to know that this is more than a love story or a ‘break-up’ story. It’s the kind of connection that not even real life circumstances can block, and it can open our eyes that we are so much more than our physical bodies. Love is so much bigger than we ever knew it was.”
How was the songwriting process for Down in Flames?
B: “My usual songwriting methods flew out the window with this one. Most of it was written in tears at my piano, me just letting the emotions take me where they needed to go to achieve some sense of peace or healing over the situation. But I think the result is the most authentic music I’ve ever written. I’m a big believer in transmutation of energy: taking an intense emotion and diving into it, then transforming it into something of beauty. Creating the songs on this album is one of the ways I personally healed and gave myself closure so that I could move forward.”
And how has it been for you personally creating music during the pandemic?
B: “Most of this album was written previous to the pandemic. However, the pandemic gave me the freedom of time and finances that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. My husband is a teacher who got to be home for nine months. He told me he wanted to take care of every aspect of our personal life — our home, our child, cooking, cleaning, etc. so that I could have time to focus solely on my album. I also had a large travel fund saved up for us to go to Iceland for our 15-year wedding anniversary. The trip was cancelled due to the pandemic and I was given the green light to put that money towards the album. I was so grateful to have something so meaningful to focus on during a time when most people were in a state of waiting. I am also grateful that I had the means to hire and collaborate with so many other creatives like producers, filmmakers, and photographers when those industries had slowed down.”
What do you want the listeners to take away from your music?
B: “I want the listeners to sing along, cry along, and heal along to this album. Everyone, whether they are a Twin Flame or not, knows the feeling of grief when they lose someone they hold so dear. I want them to have a catharsis as they listen, and to know they are not alone in the midst of the darkness of loss.”
And finally, what’s one fun fact about yourself for our readers?
B: “I have been obsessed with camels since childhood. My husband and I are currently in the process of buying our dream home and property to not only raise Bactrian Camels, but will also be a sanctuary for creativity and enrichment for our community.”