Meet Brittany Bishop | Alt Country Artist and Activist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brittany Bishop and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brittany, what do you want your legacy to be?
As an artist and as a friend, I want to use my experiences in life (especially the painful ones) to help other people work through their own challenges, even if that is just feeling seen. There is so much power in shedding light on those parts of ourselves that we are ashamed of, or things we think we will never heal from. My favorite artists have given me that friendship and visibility through their songs, and I want to be that for others. The way I see it is if I’ve gone through something hard, I shouldn’t let it live within me and fester, I should be open about that and maybe it can help even one person to feel less alone.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Growing up I played in a Western Swing band, and I’ve always loved classic country music, and as I got older and discovered a broad spectrum of what country music could be I adopted influences from all over along the way. A real turning point for me was the release of Metamodern Sounds in Country Music by Sturgill Simpson, because it maintained that classic feel while completely expanding on what the genre could be. So today I’d consider my music to be alternative country, with influences of southern rock and even grunge at times. I don’t like to stick between absolute barriers of sound, but rather to listen to what the song and lyrical content itself calls for. Lyrically, I think the songs set themselves apart especially coming from a female in the country space. I am extremely personal in my lyrics because the only way I can write is if I am telling my story and it is 100% authentic for me. No critique on anyone else, but I’ve never been able to just write about boys, crushes, and breakups. I think that that dominates so much of the space and there are so many other facets of life that I’m really interested in exploring in my music.

I can say that I am the most proud of the music I have been making over the past two years, and I have never felt more in my lane and wholly myself. This is in part to the great group of musicians I’ve been privileged to collaborate with, and especially my producer and friend Bobby Holland. The camp we have worked with to create this record has been an absolute dream team and I’m so happy to have gotten to make my upcoming project Shadow of the Valley with them.

The journey to get here was anything but easy, and it’s still hard every single day. Living in a town like Nashville, you have to fight to be seen and heard, especially as a woman. I have fought tooth and nail, worked multiple jobs from sunup to sundown and learned the hard way on so many things. For me, it has not been a ten-year town, but I am okay with that because it put me where I am with the people I make music with now.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One thing about Nashville is that there are no shortage of amazing live shows and restaurants to hit up, but here are my top favorites ( be prepared for a lot of burgers):

Bad Luck Burger Food Truck in East Nashville

Jack Brown’s Burgers

Peninsula – one of the greatest tasting menus I’ve ever had

Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge- great country music off the beaten path

The Underdog- such a quirky bar that supports independent artists and was the venue for my Welcome Home music video

Redheaded Stranger- Green hatch chili burger and homemade tortillas and queso (thank me later)

The Optimist- I know oysters aren’t the first thing you think of in Tennessee but this place always delivers

Robert’s Western World- I sang on Broadway for almost 3 years and this is my one must-go-to spot. The players are incredible and you have to get a fried bologna sandwich while you’re there

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum- Although you can probably find it on every list of where to go in Nashville, I couldn’t agree more. It’s such a beautiful ever changing collection of the story of country music, and it’s impossible to leave there uninspired.

The Ryman Auditorium- This is my favorite venue in the entire world- From the sound, the ambiance, the attentiveness, and the feeling when you walk in that this place is full of history.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My story would not be possible without my mom, my stepdad, and my brothers, who have supported me musically since the beginning. Not everyone can say that their family encouraged them to pursue a career in music and take that risk, but they did. Also my wonderful friends and band that have become like family here in Nashville, I would not have the strength to keep going without them walking alongside me.

Website: https://brittanybishop.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittanylanebishop/?hl=en or username @brittanylanebishop

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brittanybishopmusic/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/rUdsZA8dD6g?si=cgDOs9ysbkBeVd0Q

Other: Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/7yHE8LGJcDOO60oN44UI60?si=CedzhV2_SHuqr200KgArmQ

Apple Music- https://music.apple.com/us/artist/brittany-bishop/1459398808

Image Credits
Ryan Nolan
David Bradley
Tim Nelson
Callie Hopper