Today we’d like to introduce you to Conner Brooke.
Hi Conner, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Singing has always been my favorite thing! Even when I was a little girl, whenever I’d climb in the car with my parents my first question was always “can we turn on the radio?!” It was always country radio with my dad and Christian radio with my mom. To this day, those are my two biggest influences in my own writing.
I started singing in church and school choirs and took a chance trying out for the musical in 5th grade. Years later, when I was about 15 or 16, my dad brought home an old used guitar he’d bought from a friend. I picked it up and started learning some chords which eventually lead to me trying my hand at writing my own songs and playing out in public. I just never stopped.
But truly the biggest reason I am where I am today getting to pursue music in Nashville, is because of all the people who have helped me along the way. Without my parents and countless of dear friends who have poured into me and taken chances on me, I don’t know if I would have had the courage to keep going. This is definitely not a dream you can pursue in isolation and I can’t say thank you enough to everyone who’s cheered me on with each step.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. I don’t think it ever is to be honest. There’s no clear path and it definitely requires grit.
Some of the biggest struggles I’ve faced and still do at times have actually been internal- fighting self-doubt and comparison. I can definitely relate to the imposter syndrome feeling! It can be easy to tell yourself that someone else is way more talented, those songs are way better, or that you have no idea what you’re doing! And you know- all those things are totally true at times! There will always be someone that’s more talented or knows more than you do. But it doesn’t mean that I also don’t have the right to pursue something I love and have something to bring to the table! And I can give myself grace for the things I’m improving in and be proud and thankful for all I have gotten to do up to now.
Another real struggle has been still being mindful of a healthy schedule and avoiding burnout as I’ve gotten to pursue more and more opportunities. I work-full time in addition to doing music and also got married a year and a half ago. Needless to say I have a full schedule and a husband to consider when making commitments now!
It can be very tempting to say yes to every single opportunity that comes along because you don’t want to miss one! However, if you’re not careful you can end up running yourself into the ground pretty easily and realizing you haven’t made time for your people. It won’t be perfect and sometimes you do have to make sacrifices and shift some things around in a crazy season, but figure out what your priorities are and make time for them in that order!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a country artist and songwriter! Women like Martina McBride, Jo Dee Messina, and Carrie Underwood were my idols growing up. Now days, I can be found working on a new song either by myself or with friends, playing at writers rounds around town, getting to play gigs, or recording and releasing my own music.
I’m always the most proud of my work when I can tell one of my songs moved somebody. I like to think I get to add a little more good and beauty to the world that way. Most of the time I get to see this when I play my original songs at live shows or writers rounds.
However, several years ago some dear friends, Sam Rhodes and Justin Belew from Columbus, GA, connected me with an organization called Operation Song that pairs veterans with songwriters to share their stories. I’ve had the extreme honor a handful of times over the years to write songs with these vets or their family members. I think I was the most nervous for these writes because I wanted to respect all of the difficulties and pain they had walked through, be a good listener, and perfectly capture the story they wanted to tell. Being able to give them a song that’s their own and is their story has definitely been some of my proudest moments.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Recently, when I’ve not been performing my own music as country artist Conner Brooke- I’ve gotten to release my inner Avril Lavigne as the lead singer of pop-punk cover band called Clever Girl! What started as a group of coworkers forming a band for a company-wide competition evolved into a legit band getting to play our own gigs! We cover bands like No Doubt, Paramore, Yellowcard, and more! If you’re looking for a pop-punk cover band- give us a shout.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/connerbrooke
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connerbrookemusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connerbrookemusic/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/29AopSNgsoLqAftTkk1fmH?si=fKsqWkTtRNy5IeZVmkwiUg
Image Credits
Bryanna Moore Photography Parker Young Photography
