We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christina Brennan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Christina, appreciate you joining us today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

I started playing music at a young age, with the guitar being my first instrument. In terms of learning, I couldn’t have started any earlier, and when it comes to pursuing a career in music—a field that’s notoriously tough to break into—the earlier the better.
Music has always been my true passion; there was never really anything else I considered doing. After graduating from high school, I earned my bachelor’s degree in songwriting from Berklee College of Music in 2018. Like many grads, I found myself facing the big question: “What now?” and “How do I turn everything I’ve learned into a successful career?”
This is where I spent some time figuring things out. I moved back to Philadelphia and spent two years playing in-house at a dueling piano bar. From there, I went on to perform as a singer in a wedding band before booking myself at local bars and restaurants. Although I wouldn’t trade those experiences, I was constantly driven by a desire to pursue my own music and establish myself as an artist. In hindsight, that’s the part I wish I’d started sooner.
A year ago, I took the leap and moved to Nashville, knowing no one and starting over from scratch. It’s been tough, and it still is. Sometimes, I look at artists 5 to 8 years younger than me who are already excelling, and I can’t help but feel the urge to rewind time. The reality is, the music industry takes time—and the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that everyone’s journey is different. The key is to keep moving forward and growing, because that’s really all you can do.

Christina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Music has been a part of my life from an early age. I can still remember my first music-related memory: one Christmas, my dad bought my sister a guitar. I was six at the time, and she was five and a half years older than me. I always looked up to her and wanted to do everything she did, so I couldn’t take my eyes off that guitar. Ironically, she ended up picking up piano instead, and I was the one who decided to learn guitar.
Fast forward to 8th grade, and I’m at Harcum College’s Summer Music Programs camp, playing lead guitar. That experience became the backdrop for my first performance and introduced me to the stage and an audience. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that for my first performance, I was singing Sporty Spice’s background vocals to “Say You’ll Be There.” Afterward, my counselors and peers were all asking, “Where did THAT voice come from?! I didn’t know you could sing!” That moment was the turning point when I realized my future was in music.
After high school, I was accepted to Berklee College of Music for voice, but I chose to focus my studies on songwriting. For those unfamiliar with my music, my songwriting is deeply influenced by blues and rock musicians—both past and present. My style is a blend of Grace Potter, Bonnie Raitt, and Stevie Nicks: a fusion of rock, acoustic blues, and a touch of western flair, with slide guitar adding that extra edge.
The last thing you should know me is that, no matter what, Don’t Call Me Tina ;)

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

When I first started taking voice lessons, a lot of the concepts just weren’t clicking. My mind would try to execute one thing, but my body would produce something completely different. Eventually, I found a vocal coach who really understood my struggles: Lisa Willson. She quickly identified the issue and suspected I might have vocal nodules—small bumps that form on the vocal cords. For any vocalist, it’s a worst-case scenario because the surgery to remove them could change your voice permanently.
After numerous doctor visits, we discovered it wasn’t nodules at all, but rather severe allergies and acid reflux causing the issues.
What I didn’t anticipate, though, was that I would have to relearn how to sing. Over the years, my body had developed bad habits to compensate for what I was doing wrong. While I was relieved surgery wasn’t necessary, unlearning everything I had known about singing and starting from scratch with a completely new technique was a huge challenge—especially for someone so young at the time.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For many artists, the true magic lies in the connection with the listener. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of someone coming up to you and saying that your song helped them get through a tough time, made their day a little brighter, or resonated with something they’ve been through themselves. It’s all about that connection. Of course, I love creating music for myself, but the real depth of meaning in my art comes from how others connect with it. That’s where the true power lies.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dcmtmusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dcmtmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DCMTMusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS16qS0r8tBA09wZwJZA6XA?view_as=subscriber
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1NaC8H3EbbjR0lAe8EDT4n?si=BhZeWFFdTE2drceb0lm7KA

Image Credits

DCMT_Photo1: Trina larosis
DCMT_Photo2: Ambika Verma
DCMT_Photo3: Alissa Wyle
DCMT_Photo4: Rosie Simmons
DCMT_Photo5: Rosie Simmons
DCMT_Photo6: Rosie Simmons
DCMT_Photo7: Trina larosis