Brett Pruneau has been touring throughout North America and Europe since the age of 17, with an emphasis on performing live with an ensemble of musical groups. He’s now releasing his own collection of songs on The Real Thing with a few unexpected twists fans will enjoy. Check out the EP down below:
Hello Brett and welcome! You just released a new EP! Tell us what inspires your music?
Hi there, so happy to get to talk to you! YES! I just released a brand new EP titled The Real Thing. It’s been my lifeline throughout this summer where the pandemic utterly decimated the arts industry — it was imperative that I had something to keep myself creative and moving forward, so I started this project almost immediately back in March when things started getting serious.
I definitely would say I feel inspired to make music from experiences that are relatable. I think being genuine and honest is so important, and that may sound cliche, but there are so many ‘fake’ aspects to life: social media unfortunately very seriously punctuates that reality. So this EP really focuses on genuine human interactions and the things we ALL feel that are “real’…. happiness and heartache being the most prominent, obviously. At the end of the day, we’re all just craving that ‘real thing’.
How did you choose the songs on the new EP? What was that process like?
This EP started off initially as just a collection of songs that I’ve been singing over the years but never went into the studio to record or release… and as I began compiling them, I really began to notice this thread of a theme forming. So I took that idea and started building upon it, adding a few originals written by some very talented colleagues — one being Mario Spinetti based in CA and the other Caleb Hoyer in NYC. Suddenly I felt this little spark of magic starting to grow.
The Real Thing was very much a collaborative effort between myself and my Producer, Brian McGrane, at Stream Valley Studios. He was instrumental in helping me realize this vision and understood exactly what I was trying to achieve right from the very start. I couldn’t have made this happen without Brian and his incredible range of talents.
How did you start your recording career?
My recording career started when I was about 17, I was discovered by a man called David Downes. He was the creator of the Multi-Platinum Irish Sensation ‘Celtic Woman’, and at the time was touring as the musical director with the project. I’d managed to get a super rough homemade demo into his hands and soon after we ended up signing a development deal together. I moved to Dublin, Ireland shortly after where I began honing my craft and learning all about studio technique and the world of recording from an incredible team of professionals that had worked with the likes of U2, The Cranberries, Riverdance, and many more. It was a really special season of life for me.
What is your genre of music and why that genre over others?
I’d say my genre music is a unique blend between the adult-contemporary/pop world, and the Crossover world. My sound tends to be described as quite a ‘classic’ sound… which I take as a huge compliment. It’s been fun throughout my career to place that sound on top of some more modern songs and create this quite “romantic” and powerful spin on something maybe a bit unexpected.
Who are your influences?
My biggest influence would have to be Sara Bareilles. I feel she is the Joni Mitchell of my generation. I see and feel ‘heart’ in everything that she does and I love that she is always unabashedly herself. One of my dear friends, Geoff Kidwell, is great friends with Sara and I’ve gotten to spend some time with her over the years and she is just a breath of fresh air. Her talent brings me to my knees. — I actually feature a beautiful duet written by Sara on my EP called ‘You Matter To Me’ from her Tony-nominated score for ‘Waitress: The Musical’.
….I’m also a huge Celine Dion fan…. I have to slip that in there. Ever since I was a tiny tiny boy I’ve been mesmerized by her, almost obnoxiously so. She is definitely my “Diva” (everyone has one….).
How do you define success?
Success to me is happiness. Simply put.
Financial happiness, Creative happiness, Career happiness…. if it’s all bringing you happiness, how can it not be a success? It doesn’t have to be glamorous and lit up in lights to be a success. I’m really happy that I was raised to carry that perspective with me.
What can we expect from you in 2021?
You can expect lots more music and projects as we enter 2021. I think 2020 has made entertainers VERY hungry.… I’m developing a brand new album of original music written by the incredible Effie Passero from American Idol, I will begin production on that project in the new year. I’m really looking forward to sharing more details on that very soon. It’s a really special project.
In the meantime, you can stay up to date on all the happenings via my website brettpruneaumusic.com and Facebook and Instagram at @brettpruneau!
