Regarding the song selection process for his new album, Stansell said, “That happened back in August of last year. I had an array of songs to choose from. When I was writing, I knew what was making the record and what wasn’t. For the most part, my producer and I sat down and picked the strongest tracks. I am really proud of this album. I think we did our job well.”
Stansell continued, “Country music is not only about the sound. It’s about the structure and content. A lot of what I do is storytelling, which is baseline country music. I am a hillbilly from Tennessee, so I can’t sing anything but country music.”
When asked to select a personal favorite tune from this new project, Stansell was unable to pick one song in particular. “I like them all for different reasons. It is hard to choose a favorite,” he explained.
He did acknowledge that the album’s closing song “Hometown” is dear to him. “We filmed a music video for that song in Nashville, when I was there in February, and it will come out in the fall. It is in the editing stages now. I am really excited about that since it is a song that people relate to a lot,” he said. “This album was a labor of love.”
Stansell revealed that he will be releasing a new single this summer. “It should be a fun, upbeat, summer country-pop song,” he said. “I am excited about that. We are trying to get more people to turn their eyes and ears to the record. That’s really the plan for the year. I think it is going to go well.”
He is also working with Equality California, where he will be singing at one of their donor brunches. “That keeps me running too,” he said.
Digital transformation of music business
On the impact of technology on the music business, Stansell said, “Technology has made music more accessible to people, and I think that is a good thing. For artists and writers, it is a little bit harder to make money these days. For somebody like me, I am excited to have that opportunity to push material out, and have people listen to it. The more people that can in front of it, the better for me. I feel I am living in a good time to be making music.”
Brandon Stansell’s new album Slow Down is available on iTunes. The CD earned a glowing review from Digital Journal.
To learn more about singer-songwriter Brandon Stansell, check out his homepage.
