With the rise of TikTok in conjunction with other powerful tools in the hands of creatives these days, we’ve seen the growth of accessibility and life-changing creative platforms lend well to the youth. Sometimes for better or worse, however, lucky for us today I’ll be shedding light on the former as I highlight the 18 year old, Tuscaloosa, AL native, Brenn!. Without question, the self-proclaimed, “king of the south”, has the tides rollin’ in his favor as he recently dropped his new single, “4runner”, on April 28th. Following a host of viral TikTok snippets prior and post-release of the song, Brenn! has continued to build upon the song’s momentum which has now reached almost 8 million streams on Spotify. While this might not be the typical record to land on the Lyrical Lemonade page, “4runner” is one that I couldn’t possibly pass up on, so I’m elated to be sharing the platform with him today.
Kicking off the tune with calming bird chirps likely reminiscent of a serene Alabama morning, Brenn! then dives into a slowly building acoustic verse – gearing up anticipation for the infectious hook that we’ve all come to know and love (thanks, TikTok). What begins as a vocal-focused intro overtop of minimalist acoustic production swiftly transforms into an extravagant, folk-infused head-knocker as the song evolves. Produced by Nashville-based producer, Mike Robinson, the song’s production features emotion-stirring guitars and bracing drums, which lends well to Brenn!’s commanding howl that will send chills up your spine. Telling the story of having to battle with the emotions resulting from a friend moving away and feeling stuck and lonely in his hometown, “4runner” explores a narrative that isn’t too unfamiliar to a lot of southeastern kids who can’t seem to leave the life and area that they come from behind. Delivering a relatable, yet thoughtful message, Brenn! reminds me of some of my personal favorite storytellers within the folk and singer-songwriter world at the moment including Noah Kahan, The Lumineers, and Hans Williams.
If you haven’t already listened to “4runner” , be sure to check it out below!