Most aspiring singers who move to Music City leave just as quickly as they show up. The sound of doors closing has a way of making even the most strong willed, optimistic people grow faint and give up, but Virginia native Brinn Black did just the opposite: she got mad. Black used the disappoints and hardships that come with being an up-and-coming pop-country singer to propel her career to the next level with the release of her new EP, "Get Mad." I've learned to just fight back and not give into what life puts in front of you," said Black, "We all have the ability to create our own destiny."
Raised in the small town of Chester, Va., Black was baptized in gospel music and began singing in church at the tender age of three. With an influential worship leader and a classically trained opera-singing mother, Black knew music was her calling and began to sharpen her singing skills by joining show choir in high school. Shortly after graduating high school she headed to Music City to "hit the stage" and pursue her dreams.
Upon arriving in Nashville, Black enrolled in MTSU where she majored in Recording Industry and minored in Vocal Performance. While there, she began honing her singing, songwriting and guitar playing skills that would all soon make her a triple-threat performer. She soon met several people whom would be influential in her music career and formed the band, Long Time Coming. As a group they began performing at local venues such as the infamous Blue Bird Cafe, Douglas Corner, and the Hall of Fame Lounge, where she began to receive local exposure. In addition to attending school and waiting tables and performing with her band at night, Black worked in promotions at a local radio station, which taught here about live performance and selling merchandise.
One of her mentors, who worked at Warner Bros. Records, soon inspired her to begin writing songs, so she joined the first songwriting emphasis class to ever be offered at MTSU, which soon lead to a songwriting internship with Bug Music. For a class assignment she composed her debut EP, including the song "Sweet Virginia Sunset," which became her first radio single that was distributed to over 150 across the world and powered her into a solo career.
Writing music has become an emotional outlet for Black, which she also uses to give back to the community. "Music helped me through a lot of tough times in my life and helped me channel my energy. That's exactly what I hope [my music] does for other people going through tough times," said Black. In addition to her songwriting skills, Black uses her vocal prowess to benefit cancer research, natural disaster relief funds and other charities close to her heart.
During the 2010 flood that devastated Music City, Black used her talent and prominence to give back to the city that helped shape her career. With the help of her hometown high school, Black created "Stuff The Truck," with the intentions of filling an 18-wheeler with much needed supplies, including 20,000 bottles of water donated by Dasani. This selfless act of kindness came full circle when Journeys shoe store approached her to feature her music video, "Not That Girl," in their stores nation-wide. This soon gained her over 40,000 YouTube hits and thousands of lifetime fans.
After receiving national exposure with her first music video and several radio singles, Black has gone on to perform for large crowds across the country at fairs and festivals such as Taste of Chicago and the San Diego Fair. Black recently returned to her hometown, for her new EP release party that included several performances at her former high school. Her new EP, "Get Mad," showcases her raspy, robust voice with fierce female fight songs such as "Hit the Stage" and the title-track "Just Get Mad," while still capturing her kind-hearted loving side with the power ballad, "Powerless."
With a hard work ethic and natural born talent like her mother, Black has landed her on over 150 radio stations around the world and on stages across the nation with some of country music's biggest stars, this mad music maven is one stage way from stardom!
