Daily Inspiration: Meet Carrie Brockwell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Brockwell.

Hi Carrie , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been singing and performing ever since I can remember. My dad and I performed in my hometown (Chesterfield, Virginia) church talent show when I was three, and I had a solo at my pre-school graduation. Performing and being a performer has never not been my dream. My dad (Barry Brockwell) and my uncle (Bruce Brockwell) were in a cover band for 15 years, and while I was growing up, in elementary school, I would listen to them practice in my garage. Hearing them play classic 70’s rock songs to 2000’s country hits and hearing it through the floor of my bedroom, I knew from a young age that I loved music, and I wanted to be just like them when I grew up. Fast forward to middle school, I fell in love with musical theater. At the age of 11 I scored my first main stage role as Annie in the musical ‘Annie.’ Hearing the applause and feeling my face in the lights after belting out “Tomorrow” is when I knew, performing was is it for me. I studied musical theater in high school at the arts school in Petersburg, Virginia (Appomattox Regional Governor’s School), when COVID hit my freshman year. Having my outlet to the stage being taken away from me because we couldn’t perform together at the time, I had to find another way to express my emotions and tell stories. This is when I picked up one of my dad’s guitars and wrote my first song, “Rock,” off of my debut EP titled ‘Impressions.’ My dad thought it was great so he took me to the studio where we recorded my first four songs. From there I started gigging in 2020, then the opportunity to audition for American Idol came up, and I went for it. At fifteen years old I went to Austin, Texas to audition for Luke Bryan, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie where I got three yeses to Hollywood! After my Idol experience, I started gigging very regularly playing festivals and shows up and down the East coast, and started recording and releasing new music. After graduating high school I started attending Belmont University to study music business and audio engineering and am now a multiple award winning singer/songwriter diving into Nashville to continue chasing my dreams of connecting with audiences and listeners all over.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think every road has it’s pot-holes and shaky moments, but eventually it all turns out to be pretty smooth. I am beyond blessed and grateful to have my wonderful parents who have encouraged and supported me from day one, and the most encouraging team, community, and family surrounding me. I am a very lucky girl. No doubt, like many other artists, I have faced some moments of low motivation, overthinking, writers block, or some days you really have no idea where to step or what move is the right one to make. But with all of that being said, I know that God has every step planned for me, and I know, and find peace in the fact, that every step I take, is going to lead to another great thing that I don’t even know about yet. That is what keeps me going. I am willing to work hard at my goals and my dreams in this industry because when you step on that stage, and have people come up to you after shows and tell you about how your song has impacted their life, that is what truly makes everything worth it. To know that what I am doing is impacting people and moving people, that is why I do it. That is what continues to make me fall in love with it more and more every day, even when my brain tells me I am not good at it, or I can’t do it. I know it is lying to me because of those moments.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a singer/songwriter in Nashville. I am a southern rock/country artist with some 70’s roots. I am inspired by artists like Carole King, Jackson Browne, and James Taylor, while I am also inspired by more modern artists like Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, and Billie Eilish. My music has that multigenerational feel, that pulls from a lot of different genres, but has lyrics to connect with many.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
When it comes to music, I truly would not be where I am without the people who have believed in me along the way. First off, my dad. It would not be right not to include him in here first and foremost. Everyone knows him as my amazing dadager, but he is way more than that. He has taught me business, how to make the right decisions, how to know what your gut is telling you, how to know when you need to self evaluate and maybe work a bit harder, but most importantly how to do it all genuinely, and with a kind heart. He is my role model and my best friend and I am so grateful that I have him as my guiding light. Secondly, Bernard Porter with PCG. I started working with him during my sophomore year of high school and he has truly been another guide in my musical journey, and a big part of teaching me how to make the right, gut decisions as well. He is the one I go to when I am unsure about which step is the right one to take and he is there to not just tell me which one is the correct one, but show me how to know the answer in my heart. I am eternally grateful that he has truly believed in me, and is a big part of my team. Another mentor of mine is Hall of Fame songwriter, Victoria Shaw. I started working with Victoria this past year and she has already taught me so much. When I am with her I try to be like a sponge and soak everything in. Her wisdom and her experience, is incredible, and I am just so grateful that she sees something in me, and believes in me enough, to want to share her wisdom with me. Victoria invited me to play the Bluebird Cafe with her, and that was a once in a lifetime moment. I can’t say it enough, but I am so grateful for her mentorship. I also want to mention, Brian Fechino, Britton Cameron, Pat McGee, Tony Lucca, Stephen Rudlin, and Brad Berkley, who have taught me, inspired me, given me so much advice, and whole heartedly believed in me. I am forever grateful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carriebrockwellmusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriebrockwellmusic/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carriebrockwellmusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carriebrockwellmusic