Heather Brave Is Pop’s Next Star
Bright, brilliant, and big pop music can go hand-in-hand with quirky and clever expression.
Initially inspired by an obsession with The Wizard of Oz, Brave took the first step on her very own yellow brick road at the age of five when she donned a different Dorothy dress every day. After cutting her teeth in local theater, she began landing film and television roles by high school, but music resonated the loudest, especially as she discovered the likes of Ingrid Michaelson, Lily Allen, Kate Nash, and Vampire Weekend.
HEATHER BRAVE reveals a darker, grittier side with the sultry dance-pop gem “Feel You Watching”. Heather’s vocal soars over an intense sonic landscape built off a thundering piano riff and mixed with brooding synths and stacked melodies. The seductive sound is perfectly matched with sexy, voyeuristic lyrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Asa_pXfX-mA
You know exactly what’s on her mind. That sort of honesty and heart makes Brave the ultimate pop outlier.
We interviewed with Heather about her journey through music and ultimate places to create music.
Where is home?
Home is New York City, always.
Where is your artistic home? What city, neighborhood or country helped inspire and inform your art?
I grew up in New Jersey but started living in LA when I was 17 until I was 19. I learned so much by being in this new environment and ultimately decided my heart was in New York City and I needed to be here to create in a way that felt authentic to me. I was visiting family in NJ when I decided (somewhat impulsively after a dinner with one of my best friends in midtown) that I wanted to be back in NYC.
I felt really empowered to be in charge of my path and taking ownership of what I needed personally and artistically. So, that quality of being the boss of your circumstances is something that ultimately coursed through my music, making NYC and the power it represents my city muse.
What’s a typical day like for you?
I wake up, do a crazy pilates class, work on this novel I’m hoping to finish someday, head to rehearsal with the funniest band in the land, snack on some avocado rolls, meet up with friends, and repeat.
What was the last thing that inspired you?
I went to The Grammys this year and was able to look backstage and I saw Pink as she was getting ready for her intimate performance. I saw her taking a breath and preparing to do a big thing and that was so humbling. It showed that we all feel things so much and I felt really connected to her as a musician in that moment.
The past, present, or future. Which period would you like to recreate in a form of art?
I think it’s really easy to overlook the value of the present. It’s great to reflect and think about your hopes and plans, but there’s so much good happening right now that we sometimes dismiss. I think I’d want to recreate the present as a really dramatic music video that highlights the importance of the current moment so we can thoroughly get into it and appreciate it.
As an emerging artist today, what would you say are some of the challenges you face?
I can get wrapped up in making plans and getting excited. Patience is so crucial and that’s still something I’m getting used to.
What are some of your favorite artist collaborations?
I will always love Gotye’s and Kimbra’s song “Somebody That I Used to Know.” That was my shower song for a solid four years.
Has music always been your career plan?
I grew up acting, singing, and writing and the combination have always helped me grow. They’ve intertwined naturally. But there’s something so consistently personal and transparent about music that drew me to it, and I think always will.
The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, what/who inspires you the most?
My sister is also a musician. She plays bass and piano and our approach to music is different. She’s super knowledgeable about theory, and I follow my instincts. She is consistently pushing me though to be a better musician, and we show each other new music we wouldn’t have found otherwise. I can also count on her, to be honest with me and I value that we can help each other be better.
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What’s something people would be surprised to learn about you?
I went to a summer camp for 8 years in Upstate New York called French Woods where I did trapeze and learned all of these aerial skills. It was so scary, but the second I jumped it felt so worth it. And somehow I’m still afraid of heights.
How much has your style changed since you started doing music?
My style did a crazy loop. When I was first realizing I wanted to be a singer, I listened to Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michaleson but simultaneously was considering my background of Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson. I knew I wanted these two musical worlds to coalesce in a way that could capture people, but it took me a while to put that idea into existence.
I went down so many paths as an artist (I was also growing up, figuring out who I was), and finally, I got to the point when I turned 20 where I felt like I had returned to my roots but also found something fresh and new. So my style has evolved but also stayed the same at the core which is exciting (because I don’t know what will come in the future), but also comforting because I know I’ve stayed true to myself.
What’s your best advice for aspiring musicians?
Listen to advice, but listen closer to yourself. Your thoughts and visions are valid and beautiful.
What motto, quote or words to live by do you use to stay motivated when you aren’t feeling inspired?
“I think that I have every right to write a book. I’m interesting. I have perspective about me.” -Judy Garland.
I was always so infatuated with The Wizard of Oz and I love this quote from Judy Garland who played Dorothy. She says knowing about yourself is reason enough to share your feelings, thoughts, and opinions. That’s a really validating idea and always reignites me.
FOLLOW HEATHER BRAVE’S JOURNEY!
