2022 was a strong year for Nashville/LA-based country singer, Laura Bryna, having released multiple records over the course of just 12 months. Ask any of the 160K “Bryniacs” who follow the wild and innovative adventures of Laura Bryna on TikTok and they’ll give it to you straight. No matter how much impact the ever-evolving, genre-transcendent singer-songwriter has had these past few years on the international dance charts, she’s still a country girl at heart.
“I look at my life and career like a tree with many branches that keep sprouting out with new
opportunities to be creative and make a difference,” Laura says. “I want to continue making music and seeing where the dream takes me. I’m prepared for whatever life has in store.”
We recently had the chance to sit down and chat with Laura, who, in addition to being a talented recording artist and performer, is also very passionate about philanthropy. We love when people spread kindness!
Hi, Laura! Thank you for joining us today. We love your new single "Jawbreaker." You describe the song as "encapsulating your very essence as an artist." How would you describe your artistry to new fans?
"Jawbreaker" sums up Laura Bryna to a "T" - it's fun, it's edgy and it's sassy with lots of attitude! The style of music I bring to the table, I feel, is very much in the vein of a female Chris Stapleton or Jelly RolI. In the past my sound has been more singer-songwriter, modern day me combines a cross-section of genres including country, blues and rock. There's definitely a darker/swampier feel to my new material! At the end of the day I always want to be true to myself, to be the most authentic me I can be!
The music video for the song is super sexy and Moulin Rouge-esque. What was it like filming it?
The "Jawbreaker" video was so much fun to make. We worked with Justin Key (Director) and Taillight Productions to develop a video concept that matched the energy and feel of the song! Justin had this vision of "combining the essence of four great movies...Jawbreaker, Moulin Rouge, Roadhouse, and Coyote Ugly -the resultant video speaks for itself! The location, an American Legion just outside Nashville, was transformed to become a dingy, dive bar complete with chicken coop wire surrounding the stage and rowdy, badass patrons. Throughout the day I was able to feed off the energy and vibe from everyone working the shoot (the extras, film crew, hair/makeup, onlookers) and this lent itself to help the video turn out the way it did! I'm extremely proud of this video and feel it's the perfect complement to the song itself.
You fell in love with country music as a kid, growing up in Maryland. Who are some of your biggest influences?
The list of people who've influenced me is considerable since I loved to listen to all genres of music growing up! My dad would drive me to Sunday school in his open top Corvette and we'd sing along to all the golden oldies! If I had to name a few I guess I'd have to say Wynnona Judd for her sass and attitude, Etta James for her blues and interpretation of songs and Dolly Parton for being an incredible songwriter, entertainer and philanthropist! In recent years I've been strongly influenced by the likes of Chris Stapleton! I love his musicality, his effortless ability to deliver an emotional song or difficult topic – I'd love to collaborate on a song with him at some time during my career!
You've been very involved in the Make-A-Wish Foundation. What does the organization mean to you?
I love children and I always want them to be able to dream big, just like me. They have a wonderful imagination and I want to help make those dreams come true! Make-A-Wish will always have a special place in my heart because every day they enable children everywhere to fulfill their dreams! I have been fortunate to work in many capacities with Make-A-Wish - I've served on the board for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter as well as volunteering for several different chapters, stuffing envelopes, making phone calls, granting wishes, etc... No job could be as rewarding as the smiles I'd see on a kid's face when they saw their dream finally become a reality. The memories I have and the friends I made will always stay in my heart.
What else can your fans expect from you in 2023?
2023 is going to be a big year!! I've lots of new music in the works, I'm working with some new producers/songwriters both in Nashville and LA. I can't wait for everyone to hear my new songs - the follow-up single to Jawbreaker, I think, is going to be one of my best yet! Plus, I'll also be releasing some cool covers of old-time classics that I've added a Laura Bryna twist to. The one area where I really want to ramp up is performing live! With everything that's happened over the past number of years I've hardly played any live shows but that's about to change! I'm super-excited to reconnect with everyone who supports me and my music and can't wait to get some hugs from my fellow Bryniacs! I'm also looking forward to publishing two more children's books about my parrots, they've been a labor of love for nearly 10 years and I'm finally ready for the world to read them.
For more information, visit www.laurabryna.com and follow her on social media.