Brittany Kennell – from Montreal to Nashville and back

After performing at the hugely successful Lasso Country Music Festival last summer, evenko has engaged the country singer as a Lasso Ambassador for this summer’s festival.

Brittany Kennell’s career path into country music is perhaps a bit unlikely in a city famous for its international jazz festival and almost nightly rock and roll shows in one of several venues, from The Bell Centre to Club Soda and places in between. Brittany’s love of country music has been consistent through her teenage years, her formal music education and her chosen musical career path as a performer and recording artist.

“My parents listened to country music – so it was played at lot in our home. For me, the attraction has always been the stories. Even as a teenager, I would write in my journal – often composing song lyrics.  Lyrically, I realized that country would be my comfort zone.”

Brittany is now touring as a headliner and with her own band

“I play piano and guitar – although guitar is a lot more portable than a piano – even the electric ones. You don’t need electricity to play an acoustic guitar.”

“My parents have always been supportive of my love for music. When I was studying at John Abbot CEGEP, my mom saw an ad for Berklee College of Music in Boston, and that they had a program to teach songwriting as part of the curriculum.” Berklee is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Potential students must audition, and the acceptance rate is just 55%. Being able to afford the tuition isn’t enough – you must have demonstrable talent.

Her parents drove Brittany and a couple of friends to visit the school and audition. “We took a tour of the school, did our auditions – and we all got in. We learned a lot of useful tools about writing music; how to write with others, how to write jingles and other useful tools to make money by writing music.”

“I attended Berklee from 2008 through to 2011, graduating in three years instead of four.” There was a practical aspect to the compressed school period. “It was really expensive – so shaving a year off and still covering the four-year curriculum had an economic benefit.”

Attending Berklee meant that the die was cast for Brittany. “I made the decision that my chosen career would be as a performer and songwriter. During my last year at Berklee I tried jazz singing in a choir, but that confirmed to me that my voice was best suited to country.”

After graduation, Brittany came back to the West Island family home, but she was restless, wanting to put her Berklee musical education to work. “While attending Berklee, I had visited Nashville a couple of times, each for a week. Those visits included music industry publishing houses.”

“It’s a pleasure to work with Brittany. Her smile and artistic talent
light up the room and the stage. We are so proud to have Brittany as our ambassador!!
– Barry F Lorenzetti , Chairman, CEO and Founder BFL CANADA

Brittany was a headliner at Lasso 2022, Montreal’s first country music festival 
Photo: Lindsay Kennell

“I made the decision to move to Nashville to further my career. It was hard to leave home – but my parents were supportive, although they said that I was on my own financially… I was off the family payroll! They drove me down and helped me to get settled. I cried when they left – but then got down to business. I worked as a waitress for four or five years at a golf country club that was frequented by a lot of record label CEOs. It didn’t hurt for them to at least know who I was. On my off-days and evenings, I’d meet with other song writers, and we’d compare notes and work on songs.”

“It may seem odd, but the songwriters are all very supportive of each other. We were happy for a fellow writer who had a song picked up by an established artist. After I’d been in Nashville for about a year, I’d hire a band and showcase myself at a club called The Basement. It was close to the music industry offices, and the showcase would be at 6pm do that the music executives could stop by on their way home.”

“I spent seven years in Nashville, mainly because there wasn’t a lane for country music in Montreal. There were country festivals outside of Montreal, but before Lasso there wasn’t an outlet.”

“Montreal has always been a music city, but this city
is clearly now a country capital as well.”
– Nick Farkas, Vice-President, evenko

“They say that Nashville is a ’10-year town’ meaning that you’ve got to put in ten years. I lasted seven. I went through a really bad breakup and decided to come home. My timing turned out be good, because then Covid hit.”

“Around that time – we had a country music boom in Montreal and Quebec, especially with evenko adding the Lasso country festival to follow Osheaga at Parc Jean Drapeau in 2022. I had been opening for Matt Lang, and he’s been so gracious by exposing me to his fan base. I’d come on before him as a solo act with my guitar and play four songs.”

Brittany Kennell spent 7 years working on her songwriting in Nashville 
Photo: Lindsay Kennell

Brittany was a featured performer at the inaugural Lasso festival in 2022, which attracted 35,000 country music fans. Nick Farkas, Vice-president of evenko stated; “Montreal has always been a music city, but this city is now a country capital as well.”

“It was like I’d come full circle from my days playing at Clyde’s in Pointe-Claire Village. I was playing on this huge stage with my family and friends in the front row. My friends and performers from Nashville were there to see me perform at this major festival! It was such a validation for all the time and work that I’ve put in to build my career. I’m on the long road – and I know that I can do it.”

“This year, evenko has hired me to be an Ambassador for Lasso 2023, and I’ll also be performing at the kick-off party at M-Telus.  How great is that?”

Brittany enjoys professional management and booking representation. Two years ago, Barry Lorenzetti hired Brittany to perform at this annual gala to raise funds for his foundation that supports mental health initiatives. A musician and music-lover himself, Barry has engaged Brittany for subsequent gala events, and engaged her as an Ambassador for the Barry F. Lorenzetti Foundation.

“Last summer I was playing solo with an acoustic guitar. This summer I’m touring with my band for our own shows. The band includes drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, and keyboards. We also travel with our own sound technician. I try to emulate the band as a family, like Bruce Springsteen had done for so long.”

“A lot of my songs are upbeat – I didn’t want to write sad songs. There are better days ahead and I’m gonna be ok.”

For more information and to listen to Brittany’s music, please visit: www.brittanykennell.com