On his new single “Game Face,” he said, “I’ve always been an athlete (football, baseball, soccer, gymnastics, and wrestling) and a musician (singer, dancer, songwriter, drummer, guitarist, pianist) with a passion for motivating and encouraging others. This song, and the content surrounding it, aim to bring my broad horizon of backgrounds into one main focus: Give strength to anyone facing a challenge on or off the field.”
He shared that “Game Face” is, without a doubt, the obvious choice for any athlete heading into the competition, as “it’s the clear-cut pump-you-up, adrenaline rush needed to stir up the inner beast prepared for battle, but it really goes so much deeper than sports.” “Still, I think it would be an incredible new opening to Monday Night Football, and a huge goal of mine is to perform it at the Super Bowl,” he said.
“That said, the opposition faced on the athletic field, along with the intense training required to get there, I believe, is representative of the battles we all face in life,” he said. “‘Game Face’ is not about a single moment but a mindset, a way of life, a series of moments, a set of choices. Just like in the gym and in life, the greatest challenges are what strengthen us the most. They prepare us to be willing and able to look adversity in the face, whether it has a face or not, and say ‘Bring it on!'”
“‘Game Face’ is about recognizing that the best prizes usually lay just beyond the toughest obstacles, and to that, I say, ‘I’ve got my ‘Game Face’ on, and I’m ready to play!'” he added.
He continued, “As of now, ‘Game Face’ is being released exclusively through the Guiding Star app, while previous releases have been sent straight to Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, and Amazon. ‘Game Face’ is being made available as a ‘Luxury Release,’ which includes many extras that aren’t usually included with a typical artist release, such as both full and Instrumental versions of the song, pictures, lyric sheet, behind-the-scenes video, liner notes and links, and, of course, the world’s first ‘Song Experience,’ with technology no other artist has ever included in any release in history. A live performance will also be broadcast exclusively to those with the app. It’s a ton of fun.”
He won the ABC Dancing with the Stars spin-off series Dance Wars: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann. “It was an incredible and challenging experience, drawing on every bit of both my athletic training and music education to be able to rise to the top as a performer than can sing and dance at the same time, live in front of 10+ million people each week,” he said.
“In order to be able to perform successfully each Monday night, we had to sprint, do sit-ups and push-ups, and eventually jump up and down, all while singing full out as part of our training during each week. If we slowed down or missed a note, we had extra laps added. It was like boot camp for performers, and I loved it. The choreographers and trainers called me their “soldier.” Being surrounded by other performers that shared the same passion for entertaining others as I did, (and still do) alongside such an incredibly high level of excellence was a dream come true and a time I’ll never forget,” he elaborated.
His life took a hard turn when the post-show promotional plans fell apart. “After winning the “Dance War” and recording a couple of new songs with Hollywood Records, I was sent back home to Nashville with the instructions to rest up and await a call to return to LA, when they and the recordings were ready for me. Since my lease in Nashville had ended, while I was out in LA, I opted not to renew it, so when I returned, I didn’t have a place to stay. Thinking it would only be a few days until I would get a call to move to LA, I thought, ‘I’m young and single and up for the adventure,’ so I just slept in my car, instead of crashing couches for an unknown amount of time,” he said.
He continued,” I told no-one, including family, during this time, that I was doing this. Fast-forward 3 months, I was still signing autographs by day and sleeping in my car by night, when I finally got “the call.” Unfortunately, it was not the call I was hoping for or expecting. Instead of inviting me to move out to LA and continue on the path of promotions, they said I was being released from my contract and nothing further would be pursued. It was a difficult time, to say the least, but I had no intention of letting this awesome opportunity go to waste.”
“I put my degree in the music business to work and began writing new songs, booking shows as best as I could on my own, and doing all I could to keep helping others as my focus, rather than on myself,” he said. “Focusing on myself was depressing, but helping others brought me joy. It was an incredible time of growth that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I feel stronger and wiser and more compassionate than ever, and my current music and performances are a reflection of that experience.”
On staying motivated to continue to pursue his passion, he said, “After getting the heartbreaking call from Hollywood Records, I knew I was standing in front of a new challenge, but I had just won a War, so I felt ready to face another battle. At this point, my heart and mind turned to the realization that millions of people, especially youth, still knew my name and face and would be looking to hear from me. (I was stopped daily for pictures and autographs.”
“It was during this time that I developed what I called the, ‘Do What You Dream Tour’,” he said. “In addition to typical venues, the tour included going to schools to both speak and perform, with the ultimate goal of encouraging and motivating the students (and staff.) I finally had an incredible platform on which to stand, and I intended to use it for the good of others. Little did they know, for a while anyway, I was actually living in the car I showed up in. It was the messages I received from some of the students that really kept me going.”
He continued, “There were kids that wrote to me saying they had been depressed and hurting themselves before I arrived, but they didn’t feel that way anymore after hearing my message of hope, love, and encouragement that came with my performance. I’ve always felt called to a higher purpose than simply making a name for myself. The messages from the students were confirmation for me that I was answering that call by continuing to press on, even in the face of adversity, which is why I’m here today and continuing to do what I do. It was their encouragement that inspired me to get (and keep) my game face on, and perhaps the true original inspiration behind the song.”
On his plans for 2020, he said, “2020 will be my biggest year yet! With an incredible team surrounding me, the platform for reach has gotten even taller, which means the opportunity for good will be even greater! The live show will be unlike anyone has ever seen. I’ve actually upped my physical training specifically to bring the intense choreography I’ve put into the music to a whole new level. Innovative technology will continue to be weaved into my live shows and releases, with some surprises yet to be seen or disclosed. My hope is to be able to visit more schools than ever this year, while the team also has its sights set on stadiums. In short, 2020 will be life-changing.”
He listed Justin Timberlake, Usher, Michael Buble’, Bruno Mars, Adam Levine, Josh Groban, Brian McKnight, Pentatonix, and Boyz II Men as his dream duet choices. “Each has had a huge impact on my life and music with their creative excellence,” he said.
The holidays are coming up, and he shared that The Pentatonix Christmas album is his favorite around his house for years. “We start listening to mid-summer. Specifically, for me, I’ve always loved ‘Mary Did You Know’ and ‘Little Drummer Boy’,” he said.
To learn more about Phillip Clyde Bernier and “Game Face”, check out his Facebook page and his website.
