Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon M. Miller.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in a small town in Upstate Western New York. A village of around 800 people named Forestville, about an hour south of Buffalo. My Dad had bought a six acre grape vineyard which he spent about two years clearing and then we moved into a double wide house installed on the property when I was 8 years old.
I had a pretty good upbringing, but in my teenage years, my father’s alcoholism had become a repeat issue. His final attempt at sobriety and salvaging his and my mother’s marriage led to him taking his own life. I experienced this when I was 17 and in the final half of my senior year of high school, which led me astray for a short period.
I left that environment and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2010 to live with my brother who was working there. That’s where I met the woman who became my wife, joined the army, and really got back on track. I served six years in the US Army which took me all around the country and to my last duty station on Oahu in Hawaii. Upon completing my enlistment in 2017, my wife and I chose to stay in Hawaii where I attended the University of Hawaii, and served at a restaurant.
Since childhood I always had a passion for music, but I never explored the possibility of pursuing it professionally. I didn’t see that as an option for someone like me. I thought artists were some extraordinary version of a person that was divinely chosen. However, a series of events and revelatory moments led me in an unforeseen direction.
At 28, I bought my first guitar and began teaching myself how to strum chords and sing along as a hobby. While working at the restaurant I got to know some of the artists who played sets at the restaurant, and realized they weren’t extraordinary people, they were people who committed to their art and made it extraordinary. While attending UH Manoa I had taken a music class as an elective which led me to changing my major to music, and decided I would make performing music my career.
From there it’s been years of a long, slow, dedicated grind to reach the point where I felt comfortable to take my performance abilities to the stage. My wife and I moved to the Nashville area in November of 2024. After 10 amazing years in Hawaii, we decided to return to the mainland, so we could have the lifestyle and upbringing for our daughter we’d envisioned.
It wasn’t until about a year after moving that I attempted my first live performance. I did the open round at the Nashville Songwriter’s Showcase at The Commodore Grill, and after, was asked if I’d like to play a future round. The answer was easy. From there my journey as a performing artist began.
In the last year, since playing that first round, I have made a tremendous amount of personal progress. I play rounds regularly, about once or twice per week. I recorded my first four original tracks at The 515 Studio in Nashville, with producer Andrew Williams, leading to my first single release, “Better Off Than Dead”, on May 1st of 2026. That same month, I was booked for my first paid restaurant gig, and have continued to get repeat bookings and new opportunities since.
From here, my goal is to keep building upon everything I have done so far. I’m eager to get back into the studio, and record a few more original tracks that I have been steadily playing out at rounds. I foresee myself performing regularly at restaurants and bars, and in the near future, building a band.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but I never expected it to be easy. I remember someone telling me I was setting myself up for a difficult life, and frankly, that sounded appealing to me. I believe that hard things are the things worth doing.
I’d say my biggest hurdle was learning my instrument and developing my voice to a point where I felt confident getting on stage. Having never presented myself as a performer before, I wanted to be sure that when I finally did, people would find me undeniably good at what I do.
Since becoming somewhat established as a performer, the challenges have shifted toward finding my path within the industry. The biggest struggles have been navigating social media and convincing venues to take a chance on a new artist without an established name or accolades.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a singer-songwriter who loves performing country and Americana hits, and writing country-esque music shaped and influenced by real-life experiences. Whether that be a sad song using a metaphorical river to describe the pain of loss, or an upbeat anthem about moving on from a toxic relationship without regard for judgment, I think my songs deliver a refreshing amount of honesty and connect with people’s relatable experiences.
I’m most proud of coming as far as I have since deciding at 28 years old that I would take up, basically, a whole new identity. In 7 years I went from not being able to play a guitar whatsoever, to having music released, and earning money to perform for people.
I think there are a few things that set me apart from others, but I don’t think it makes me any more qualified or special than anyone else. I didn’t pursue a music dream from a young age. I basically lived a third of a lifetime before I even considered music as a career. I think that fact, and the life I’ve lived, have given me a wealth of experiences and ability to write songs that come from an authentic place that listeners might appreciate.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
It’s so difficult to project what will happen with the music industry in the future. I think the biggest discussion at the moment is what place AI music will have in the grand scheme. I personally don’t believe authentic human songwriting and composition will be replaced, but I do think it will experience a new level of competition.
The most exciting discussion for me in regards to the future of the industry is in live performance. I think as AI and tech advances, people will be drawn to seek out human experiences. There will always be something special and more appealing about watching an artist perform their craft.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonmmillermusic?rpxt=MXAwcDNybnR6bThrcg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandonmmillermusic?
- Soundcloud: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/brandon-m-miller/1887500091
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1b41oFUvaGp4poqvGikvpU?si=Tw1oUHhZQnihguReAKHjmg&utm_source=copy-link
