You know when you hear an artist’s voice for the first time and you already know they’re gonna be something special for you? That’s how we felt when we discovered Brett Cameron, and you deserve that feeling, too, so we’re introducing you to this incredible artist! We think ‘Oceans Away’ is the perfect place to start – it’s a touching love song that goes from gentle and mellow to more passionate, pledging his care for someone with stunning vocals that really capture the emotions in the lyrics. Being fully honest, we can’t stop thinking about it.
We got to talk to Brett all about ‘Oceans Away,’ his new Hope Is A Rebellion album, and more… and it turns out he has a special talent for singing at double speed. Watch ‘Oceans Away’ below, then keep reading to check out our interview with Brett!
Hi Brett, congrats on your newest single, ‘Oceans Away!’ What has it been like for you to share the song with your fans and see how they’re reacting?
Thank you! It’s been the most powerful release so far in this album cycle. It’s one straight from the heart and I hope it resonates with folks as much as it resonates with me.
‘Oceans Away’ has so many beautiful lyrics, with one of our favorites being “across the stars, I’d fight for you until the day I die.” Is there a certain lyric on ‘Oceans Away’ that you’re especially proud of?
I appreciate that. That is certainly one of my favorites. “I will be everything you’d dreamed I’d be / and you’ll see” is my favorite line in the track. It’s simple, but really cuts to the heart of what the song is about: making the ones you love the most proud of who you are and continue to strive to be. It’s a bit of a declarative statement – north star for me, which was instilled by my late grandpa, Hy.
You filmed the music video for ‘Oceans Away’ at 2x speed in one take, which must have been such a unique experience! How did you come up with the video concept, and what was it like to bring it to life on set?
Honestly, I have always loved the ‘Yellow’ music video by Coldplay for its simplicity, yet its ability to capture my attention. With the first two music videos for this new record, my videographer, Jake Keherly, and I brainstormed ways to efficiently create visually appealing, yet simplistic music videos. The experience was beautiful; it’s always nice when the backdrop is a sunset over the water! We recorded about 10 takes, got surrounded by water as the sun was setting, trudged through knee-high water, and did one more take for good measure right before darkness descended — that was the one we kept.
We’ve been loving your new album, Hope Is A Rebellion, which came out on March 10th! Which songs were you most excited for fans to hear, and what are the main messages you hope listeners take away from the record?
I am really excited for folks to hear the songs within the context of the tracklisting, as I put a lot of thought into how the record flows. Other than the singles already released, which are some of my favorites, ‘City Lights’ is an exciting opener, ‘Brussels’ captures the essence of the record, and ‘Unresolved’ is an interesting slow-burn that adds another layer to the sonics of the album. I hope people take away the notion that to be hopeful and an optimist can sometimes feel like swimming against the tide, but that it’s always worth it. At the end of the day, it’s a choice to see the good in yourself, others, and the world. It’s vital, in my opinion, to believe that change is possible, seasons come and go, and the people who have passed on are never actually gone in your heart, memory, and soul.
You’ve gotten to play shows with incredible artists like Greyson Chance, Kodaline, The Black Keys, and Jon Bellion! Is there anything you learned from sharing a stage with them that you’ve carried with you?
Those moments all felt like the hard work had paid off and that the dream that I continue to chase is attainable. It’s also instilled in me that there is not one single path towards achieving one’s ambitions – that with the lows come the highs and that it’s all part of the process. It’s mostly, though, taught me to be in the moment. You never know what will come after those incredible opportunities, so it’s best to be as present as you can be in the room with people who are there to connect with you.
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 am not sure I’d call them up-and-coming, as they are established in their own right, but I am always happy to give a shout out: Mandala, Leifer, Rachel Bochner, Emily Jackson, Itamar Gov-Ari, Brooke Taylor, Morning Wars, and Julia Zivic, to name a few.
How do you feel you’ve grown as an artist since your last album, June 2021’s Plastic Hour?
I have more so continued on the path of staying true to what inspires me while exploring different sounds, instruments, song structures, and themes. I really pushed myself on this record to not let much slip through the cracks as it pertains to new song ideas. I have hundreds of concepts [i.e., one-off melodies, chord progressions, etc.] recorded on voice memos and tried my best to sift through the different ideas and hone in on the strongest contenders. Every one of them had a shot at making the record, as I built instrumentals around them and reflected on whether it hit the mark for the standard I set for this album. The process is the most thorough and time-consuming to date.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with your music already, which of your songs would you recommend to them to get a feel for who you are as an artist?
‘Church of Gold,’ ‘Armour,’ ‘It Comes in Waves & Then It’s Gone,’ ‘Badlands,’ and ‘Roses in the Backseat.’
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2023?
More shows and music!
Is there anything else you’d like to add or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on?
Thank you. I appreciate anyone who takes the time out to listen to a song and connect with me. It means so much. Sending out love!
Thank you so much to Brett for answering all of our questions! Have we convinced you to check out his Hope Is A Rebellion album? Which song is your fave? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be listening to ‘Oceans Away’ and ‘Brussels’ on repeat…
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BRETT CAMERON:
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