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

Joey, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

2 years ago, I took a fresh start; I moved from Salt Lake City to Provo. After my first album, I started losing momentum as an artist, I lost the files of several self produced tracks that I was planning on releasing, and then a global pandemic hit. I hit an all time low with my mental health. It wasn’t until an opportunity presented itself in the form of a sound engineering job for a cafe venue called Java Junkie that I felt reassured to go back into the studio. It was through that job I met Bly Wallentine of Little Moon (NPR’s recent tiny desk winner) and recorded my second album ‘Deja Blues’.

With 2 albums under my belt, and a job in the center of the Provo Music Scene, I gained the momentum I had lost before the pandemic. It was then that Plaid Dog Recording in Boston reached out to me on Instagram. At first, I was positive it was a scam, but a few weeks into it and I was planning flights to Boston to record a new single. Through Plaid Dog’s crowdfunding process, I was able to raise a touching sum of money. I don’t think I had ever truly understood how much support I had. Now, I will be flying back to Boston in August to record the remaining tracks and put out my third album.

What it really all boils down to is that I was able to do so much because of running sound for Java Junkie; and not just for myself either. From booking groups, to running an open mic, to hosting an organizing a writers round (comparable to Bluebird Cafe in Nashville) I have been able to boost the voices of other musicians in the area and create an all-inclusive space for creatives from all different walks of life. Nothing has been so fulfilling to myself as the opportunity to run sound at this amazing coffeeshop.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi my name is Joey Brandin. I’m a singer songwriter from UT. Through high school, I played in a few punk bands. The message of bands like The Clash really stood out to me: using music as a means of addressing issues. Out of high school, I became an activist and started writing protest songs. After playing open mics in SLC regularly, I decided to drop out of college and pursue music.

While I have punk rock in my heart of hearts, I became really inspired by other music as well. I got very into Bossa Nova, and took heavy influence from artists like Elliott Smith, Beirut, and Kings of Convenience. My goal as a musician has always been to bounce around/transcend genres, but still talk about issues that are important to me.

I currently have 2 albums out: ‘Dim Lit Room’ and ‘Deja Blues’. You can find both on all major streaming platforms.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The number one answer to this will always be money, until our economic system says otherwise. If you find yourself in a privileged enough position, and you want to help, you need to treat creatives like local businesses in the face of chain monopolies: give your money to your community, and not to the already successful.

If you’re like the masses and don’t have much to spend, but you still want to help: participate. Go to your local open mics, your local art strolls, your local festivals. And hey: maybe throw a couple of bucks to the busker or street vendor. Or post about them on your social media.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Creating. It’s in the name: There’s nothing more satisfying than manifesting something inside you into something tangible. It’s a very magical part of the human condition. We can all do it; we take in so much over the course of our lives, learning, loving, and feeling inspired but also mourning and longing and feeling deep sadness. We take all of that like a lump of coal and turn it into a diamond. It’s not only a healing catharsis for ourselves, but also a synesthetic connection to others.

You can feel that rewarding feeling when someone else gets touched by something you created. I played a show once and a woman came up to me after and asked “did you used to frequent this specific open mic in SLC?” When I told her yes, her response was “You’re the reason I started playing ukulele!” Stuff like that is not only personally validating, but is also a very significant connection to mankind- a connection we all can and should try to nurture and experience.

Collaborating is another brilliant facet of the rewards of creating, and once again for the same reasons; it is not only satisfying to take a group of 2 or more people and produce their own collective diamond, but it is also forming bonds and friendships with people by getting to understand them on an almost spiritual level.

Creating is truly its own reward. And the great thing is, we can all do it. No matter what you might tell yourself “I’m not any good at this” or “so many other people are doing the same type of thing” It doesn’t matter. Create something anyway. You’ll grow your soul, and you may even gain more empathy for the rest of the world.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/joeybrandinofficial?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoeyBrandinMusic?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCqzeoDHVP9t9aQTJEZSHmoA
• Other: https://joeybrandin.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits
Patrick Semansky/AP