Rising Stars: Meet Brenna Bone

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brenna Bone. 

Hi Brenna, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I always knew I was meant for the stage. I remember writing my first song at age 8, for my sister’s 10th birthday, and I would stand on the fireplace like it was my own stage, and belted it out for the whole birthday party. It was to the melody of Britney Spears’ song “Lucky.” I idolized Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. I would read books about them, I studied their CD covers from front to back, I just knew I wanted to be an artist someday. 

Growing up, I was also involved in competitive dance and cheerleading. We traveled all over, almost every weekend, for about 10 years. My competition years is what gave me the confidence and the attitude to be on the stage and become a performer. 

I was also always involved in choir at school and through the church. Eventually, I started to sing my own solos at the school concerts. My love for music continued to grow even more. 

Fast forward to when I graduated high school and started college. I began to teach myself how to play guitar and started to really dive into writing my own songs. I would sit for hours in my living room and write, or record, or just simply play. The days would come to an end and I hadn’t even left the room. I was addicted to music. I started to gig around town and next thing you knew, I was playing sometimes 3 times a week. My friend Seann and I, formed an acoustic act and we played over 50 shows one summer. That was when I began to realize, “I could actually make a career out of this and LOVE what I do!” 

I knew I had to get to Nashville, just to visit. I had never been to Music City before. I instantly fell in love and decided to make the jump. I have now been living here for 4 years! Crazy how time flies. This has been the most exhilarating ride thus far and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store! 

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?
There has definitely been a lot of ups and downs, but that’s what keeps me going. I may get frustrated at times, but I try to tell myself that at the end of every bad day, there’s gotta be a good one around the corner. Keep plugging away and something good will come! 

One of the things that I have struggled with the most is really just getting my songs heard. I have been working SO hard to be able to pump some more content out and to play some more shows! More often than not, it really does come down to pinching pennies just to release one song, and hope that it gets heard. I’ve been at some pretty low points. My friend and I used to joke about having green bean weeks. There would be nights where that’s what we’d eat for dinner, the Great Value 99 cent canned green beans!! Hey, that was a deal!! 

There’s been times where I know I have to play a showcase because I don’t want to pass up the opportunity, but that means having to pay a band (they have to make a living too), and that means having to pick up an extra shift or two at work to be able to pay them. Being an artist is investing in yourself but also really believing that you will be successful. I know I have to stay determined and stay my path, stay true to myself as an artist, keep working as hard as I can, and it will pay off someday. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
One thing that a lot of people don’t know about me is that I am also a Respiratory Therapist. For the longest time, I was told to hide this from my audience or quit my job if I wanted to be serious about music. 

Since the pandemic started, I have been working in the Covid ICU. I never would have thought that I would be living let alone working through something like Covid. I truly believe that this is something that I was supposed to do in my life. God blessed me with a healing hand and this was a duty he has given me. My life will forever be changed by these patients and their families. It has been an emotional rollercoaster, to say the very least, but it has made me a stronger person. 

My answer to the people that have told me to quit this job if I want to be serious about music, “why?” I have learned that not everyone has the same path. This job is how I make my money, to be able to fund my music career. I know I have the ability and the drive to work hard at everything I do. 

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Some of my best friends are my most influential mentors. But also, networking is huge! It is so important to go to as many shows and events as you can. You never know who you will clique with! I am so grateful for the team I have around me. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.brennabone.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/brennabone
• Facebook: Www.Facebook.com/BrennaBone
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCLGGtlmHcuUhF3Wliix3liQ

Image Credits
Marisa Taylor