It may be true that Cowgirls Don’t Cry, but Brianna Harness’ music never fails to get us at least a little bit emotional. Coming from a musical family, it’s no surprise that Brianna has a polished sound she’s spent her entire life working towards. She has a way with words that really shines through in every song she sings, conveying rich emotions in even the simplest lines.
In her recent single ‘Lonely,’ Brianna tackles that lingering feeling that pandemic isolation has brought upon all of us. All the while, she emphasizes self-care and the importance of being patient with herself – those are the key themes of the warm music video, which combines coziness and luxury as she spends some alone time in a cottage in Texas.
We got to talk to Brianna all about ‘Lonely,’ its music video, and her upcoming album, Cowgirls Don’t Cry, which we’re stoked to listen to this July! So grab your cowgirl boots, press play, and keep reading to see what we learned.
And here’s some live footage of Brianna’s music feeling like a hug…
Congratulations on your stunning new single, ‘Lonely!’ How does it feel to let the song out into the world?
Thank you so much for that! Releasing music is personally such a release for me! From writing the song to recording it, and then putting so much thought into the treatment and video that puts that story into perspective for people — it really is a relieving and fulfilling feeling.
What does ‘Lonely’ mean to you?
‘Lonely’ is a song I wrote this year after having a rough couple of months. I was going through a lot, and I found myself having to part ways with friends and even family who weren’t able to grow with me to the next level. It’s a tough thing, and it’s very easy to feel like you don’t have anyone who actually understands what you’re going through, and ‘Lonely’ describes just that.
Is there a certain lyric on ‘Lonely’ that you’re especially proud of?
I love when I say, “I thought I was hungry but I was mistaken / the pain in my stomach was my heart breaking” — I feel like both heartbreak and being hungry share the same physical feeling of emptiness.
The ‘Lonely’ music video shows you spending a night alone at home, complete with a gorgeous green dress, wine, and vinyl records. How do you like to spend your alone time?
I would say I spend most of my alone time very similar to how I did in the video — at home, relaxing, writing and reading, cooking… not to say I don’t love a good social gathering, but I definitely stay at home more than go out these days!
What was it like on the set of the ‘Lonely’ video? How did you come up with the concept?
The set of the lonely video was honestly one of my favorites thus far and the most fun to film. I searched for weeks trying to find the perfect location with the perfect bathtub and a room that flowed just right — funny enough, it turned out to be all the way in Texas in a tiny town called Littlefield, which was a 13-hour drive from my home in Nashville, but I loved the location so much I didn’t even care. We drove 13 hours, got there, took a nap, and then woke up at 6 AM and created the set. I did my own hair and makeup, and we filmed all the way ’til the next day at 6 AM until we had to clean up and drive back 13 hours — such a beautiful experience.
You’ll be releasing your Cowgirls Don’t Cry album this July, and we can’t wait to hear it! Which song are you most excited for fans to check out?
This is really a hard question because I am so excited for each song individually because they each tell a different story and have different emotions and instruments going into them, but if I had to pick, I would say I’m most excited for the title track, ‘Cowgirls Don’t Cry,’ because I am so ready to shoot the music video for that one!
You tweeted back in January that you love feeling like you’ve outdone yourself in the studio. Do you feel like Cowgirls Don’t Cry has outdone your past work? What do you do if something you make doesn’t meet your expectations?
Yes, I would say Cowgirls Don’t Cry has most definitely outdone all of my past work. I have grown so much as an artist and a person since I’ve dropped Welcome to My Nightmare or anything before that, and I put so much into making sure this album was exactly how I heard it in my head. I have a great team, an incredible producer, and a bunch of amazing players at reach, so if something isn’t going as planned, we will just keep working on it ‘til it’s perfect. I’ve only scratched two songs ever so it’s not often that something doesn’t meet my expectations!
Your sound is such a cool fusion of genres like pop, country, and R&B. Who are some artists who have inspired you?
I’ve always gone through phases with music with what I actually listen to from growing up on the 80s-2000s R&B like Mary J. Blige, India.Arie, and Erykah Badu, to my dad’s heavy rap background, to growing up in the south with most radio stations playing country, and I’ve always personally loved rock and metal in doses. I feel like I’ve really created my own sound from the years of different music, so it’s hard to pinpoint where my sound is inspired from.
You come from such a musical family, and you even teamed up with your dad for 2019’s Angels & Outlaws. What has it been like to be able to have his support while still getting to branch out and explore the kind of music you want to make?
It’s honestly very empowering to have someone like him in my life who understands music and the industry. He has always been my best friend and supported everything I’ve ever wanted to do, especially my music, while still giving me his opinion and the best advice on it. He has always been my biggest inspiration!
At THP, we’re all about discovering new talent and finding the next big hit before it blows up. Who are some up-and-coming artists you’re digging lately?
I would agree — some of the best songs out right now are from independent artists and people who are just getting started. I would say you definitely have to check out the other artists on Angels and Outlaws — we have some incredible artists on our team offering every genre you could want to hear!
And just like that, we have a new favorite artist and a new album to get hyped up for! Thank you to Brianna for answering our questions, we had such a great time learning more about your music!
What do you think of ‘Lonely?’ Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! And for more interviews with artists you love (or artists you will love), click here.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BRIANNA HARNESS:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE
