How did you discover you wanted to be a musician?
I loved musical theater as a kid, which really got me involved with music in general. In 7th grade, I started teaching myself guitar through YouTube and began writing songs. My high school had a program that taught us how to use Logic, and once I took it, I was hooked. Songwriting quickly became a big hyperfixation for me. But it was really going to Belmont that took things to the next level-I finally got to experience making music in an authentic, meaningful way.
What do you love about Nashville?
It’s really inspiring to see such a music-based community. I’ve really made a community out of the love for music. I feel like everyone you meet is doing music, is a writer, or is simply working in the industry. I’m grateful to be here.
You’ve done multiple supporting gigs with artists like Tristan, Kenzie Cait and more, what led for these to happen?
With Tristan specifically, we were co-workers at this super sick cheese and wine place that her mom and sister run, and we became friends through it. In February, I opened for her first headlining show, and it was super fun. It’s really all been through work, school, or random reasons that got us connected.
Do you have a favorite experience from being a support act?
Yes! I opened up for Charli Adams at the Blue Room in Nashville, and it was sick. When she asked me to be a part of the show, I was ecstatic. It was a pretty unique and legit experience.
Do you have any bucket list venues?
I think playing the Ryman in Nashville would be really cool or anywhere outside the country.
You were raised in Chicago, how has St.Patrick’s Day been down there?
St. Patrick’s Day has been perfect. My family is super Irish, like many in Chicago. My dad plays the bagpipes and it’s really serious. I try to go back every March because it’s so much fun; everyone is just having a ball.
How does the music you that you listened to while growing up impact your current music?
I listened to a lot of what my dad was into-he loves the Grateful Dead and reggae. But honestly, I also listened to a lot of musical theater because I was such a theater kid. I feel like I didn’t really become sentient in understanding how I could form my own music taste until halfway through high school. Listening to musical theater was definitely formative for me because it’s so emotional, and that’s really inspired my writing.
What’s your favorite musical?
Next to Normal
What would be the best way for someone to listen to your music for the first time?
I think it’s really cool when people see an artist live for the first time without ever having heard of them-that experience says everything. It can get you hooked on an artist in a completely different way.
How do you come about songwriting and you bring your ideas to life?
It’s different a lot of the time. I usually pick up my guitar, mess around with chords, and just wait for something to come to mind. Sometimes ideas come to me in the car, but most of the time it starts from messing around, journaling, or things I talk about in therapy.
What can we expect from this new era you’re entering?
I feel like I’m leaning hard into acoustic, indie, soft, and some rock vibes. I’m still sticking to the same old sad and intense lyrics behind the music, but I’m diving even deeper into the acoustic world.
Describe your upcoming music in 3 words:
Raw, honest, authentic.
How do you build the visual world for your songs?
It’s so fun having another opportunity to show what a song is supposed to feel like, and I do that through visuals. For my EP, I worked with my friend Grey, who’s an incredible artist. I would send over the songs, and they would just create. I told them, “Use your style of art, but create based on how the song makes you feel.”
With my more recent stuff, I’ve done a lot of DIY and gotten creative with my own ideas. I’m obsessed with VHS and that effect, so I’ve been messing around with it for content. I love art-it’s another creative outlet, and I feel lucky to turn that into content that feels good and authentic.
How did “What’s Changed” come together?
I was writing with my producer, Chris Donlin, when we had a session with our good friend Jack Van Cleaf, who’s brilliant with words. The song came together around a guitar riff that Chris had been wanting to work on-it sounded beautiful. That riff basically became the main banjo line you hear throughout the song. We had also been spitballing ideas in the car earlier and came up with the line, “Went to Lucky’s on your birthday.” It all just came together so smoothly-it was a really fun day.
Then I posted a clip on TikTok, and my peers were like, “This is sick.” It felt a little country for me at first, but I knew Chris could shape it to still sound like it belonged in the Bridey universe.
My friend Maisy Stella hit me up and was like, “Can I please have the demo?” to I was chatting with my manager, and we thought it could be fun to have a feature on it since it leaned a bit more country. Then Maisy was like, “Can I be a part of it?” and I obviously said yes.
We got back in the studio, and Chris put the track together. Our friend Chase Wofford played drums on it. Maisy came in a couple of weeks later to track her verse, and it was so fun. It sounded perfect, and I’m really glad she wanted to jump on it.
How was collaborating with Maisy Stella when she joined the track?
It felt like Maisy was such a cheerleader for the song, and when she joined the track, it felt like she was meant to be on it. It all came together at the perfect time where I wanted to put out something that feels good but is also honest.
What were some of your inspirations for this song specifically?
I feel like it’s my love song for Nashville. I’m 24 now, I got here when I was 18, and I’m almost 25. It really captures what my life has looked like over the past five years here, in a really sweet way. A lot of my friends who’ve grown up alongside me over these past few years have said they feel the same way about the song, which is really touching.
What are some emerging artists that everybody and their mother show be listening to?
Maxwell Luke, Tristan, Leith Ross, Safe House, Caroline Carter