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Photo: Hayley Mikell

Coming of age. Camping. Carhartt (but in a good way). These are the first three words that might come to mind when you listen to Brenn!, the rising folk-pop artist based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. At only 19 years old, Brenn! has already won over the hearts of the South and is quickly amassing hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide. With only four singles out—including “4runner,” the teenage anthem that makes you want to run as fast as you can into the sunset (think: the energy of “Ribs” with the sound of “Freakin’ Out on the Interstate” but with a sprinkle of Southern charm)—this is only the beginning of what we imagine will be a lifetime of storytelling for Brenn!.

We had the chance to sit down with Brenn! and hear about his whirlwind of a year. From getting discovered online from his self-produced music and recording in a studio for the first time ever, to breaking both of his legs while filming a video (for a song about running) Brenn!’s story is already one for the books.

Ones to Watch: Let's start this off with a quick introduction. What's your name, how old are you, and where are you based?

Brenn!: My name is Brennan Keller, I am 19, and I'm based out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Let’s take things back to the beginning. Can you remember your first encounter with music? What kind of music played in your household growing up?

So my household had country music playing, obviously. But my first encounter with music was probably church. Lots of lots of hymns, I but I was never really musically inclined.

And when you started posting more music stuff on TikTok, did you expect it to get the reaction that it did (and has)?

For “4runner” specifically, I knew that one was, like, a good song, because that one was more professionally done. It wasn't made just in my room, just by me. And “4runner” went super viral after like two months of posting. I didn't expect it to become, like, this super viral song, but I didn't expect it to just flop.

Speaking of "4runner," you broke both your ankles making a TikTok to promote it. Firstly, I hope your ankles are better now. And secondly, can you tell us more about that experience?

So that was fun. I was doing a video shoot for the visual for "4runner." And we were driving a 4runner around. And then they're like, "Oh, we just need some shots of like, the land and the landscape just for filler and stuff. And then we'll do our next part." And then my clothes designer was like, "Your managers said we should get some TikToks done or whatever." And I was like, "Okay, I'll just do my normal thing. Just take my phone and follow me." So, I was like, I'm gonna hit a backflip now. And he was like, "You can hit a backflip right now?" And I was like, "Yeah, I can hit a backflip." And I started running, and I hit the backflip and... I break both my ankles.

Oh nooo!

And then they drove me to the Nashville Hospital. Very kindly. It hurt. It hurt a little bit.

Completely makes sense. I guess that made for an even better TikTok than the one you were initially planning to make?

Yeah, it was just hard to pump out content for two months while I was in bed because the whole theme of me and my song was running.

[laughs] Yes, very ironic. Well, it definitely had an impact. And the song is still super popular, so whatever you did ended up working! So how did “4runner” come to be? And what was the songwriting and production like when it came to making the track?

So I actually wrote the first verse in one—you know how rappers, like, freestyle?

I am familiar.

That was the first verse; that's how the first verse came out. So I was sitting on my bathroom floor after a traumatic friend break-up. Not a break-up, but like, my best friend of four and a half years was just like, "Oh, uh, no more." So I was like, okay, that sucks. I was on the floor of my bathroom, feeling it out, whatever. And then that line came out. And it was about her moving up north and whatnot, in her 4runner, which I later figured out—after the song comes out—was a Honda Pilot.

My manager, Jake, was like, "I'm gonna send you up to Nashville. So make some demos." So that was one of the demos I made. So I produced it on my computer. And then three months later, I went up to Nashville for my first studio session, and I wrote with Mike Robinson and Carrie. I forget her last name, but she does a lot of Noah Kahan stuff. Basically, we went through all the demos, and they're like, "Oh, what's this one?" I was like, "Oh, this one? I just called it 4runner. I used to like it but I don’t really like it anymore. Can we do a different one?" And they were like, "Let's just do this for like an hour and see where it goes." And then we figure out the chorus. And then the rest is kind of history.

When I first listened to it, I didn’t think of it being written about a friendship break-up, so that’s super interesting to hear how it all came to be.

Everyone has their own little interpretations. I've gotten a lot of DMs that are like, "Your song is so sad, it's about your friend dying," and I'm like, "No it's definitely not! It's definitely not." It's more like a letter to this girl about, like, "What's up? What's going on up there, while I'm not there? What are you doing?"

Yeah, no, that's super valid. And I feel like friendship break-ups can be more difficult than the relationship ones.

Well, I’ve never been in a relationship, so...

Hey, it could be better that way. I can’t say I recommend real break-ups, so you’re chilling.

Yeah, just seeing what they do to people, I’m like "I’ll just wait a little bit."

You have so much time. You're all good. Currently you have four singles out, all of which are incredible, what has it been like getting to share your sound and your music with the world over this past year?

So the stuff that I have out, I think, is not that great. I did it all on my own. Literally, everything is done by me. From the writing to producing to mixing, mastering everything is done by me. And yeah, they're not, like, awful, but I feel like the sound that I wanted to go for this whole time, was kind of more of a folky sound, and I just couldn't do that by myself. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to have Jake reach out to me and send me up to Nashville with these amazing people. And I'm very blessed, obviously, that everything's turned out the way it is. And, you know, things are still a little discouraging, but looking back, I feel like my old music versus the stuff that I'm gonna put out and the stuff that I already have put out. It's just, it's just a step up from it all.

From an outsider's perspective, what you have out now is pretty great. But also, as an artist, I can equally understand looking back at something and being like, "I could have changed this, this could have been better."

As long as people like it, I think we’re good.

Yeah exactly, it’s resonating with people. Personally, when I listen to your music, I think of camping in the woods and sunsets and Carhartt, but in a good way. If you had to describe your sound in three words or three things, what would they be?

Probably outdoors, growing up, and... I don't know... vintage cars.

Who or what inspires you, musically or non-musically?

I don't have a ton of inspiration musically anymore. But before I started writing there were some. "4runner" was the first song I wrote. I sat down and I sang it, and then I just tweaked it throughout the days, that little verse. Certain songs inspire me, I love Noah Kahan, Noah Kahan's great. I don't take inspiration from him anymore, but I think I did in terms of wanting to be able to tell a story. Because Noah Kahan's very good at telling a story and keeping everything cohesive. That's the inspiration I took from him. And then everything else is just, like, places. Like Utah, the Midwest, the South—like just places and things—like street signs. I love street signs and interstates. They’re great. I draw most of my inspiration from that, and from losing things.

I’m from California and I’ve never been to the Midwest or South, so it’s cool sort of hearing that part of the country in your music.

Yeah! I mean I haven’t left my little tri-state area.

Do you have plans to leave it?

I’m supposed to go to California—LA—in August.

That’s exciting!

Yeah, I’m a little nervous. But I’m sure I’ll make my way around.

For sure, LA can be hectic, but in a good way. Lots of music people there. Lots of street signs.

I don't think I fit in with all these other music people though because I don't really know what I'm doing. Like everyone's just talking about, like, "Oh, the chord progression" and I just play. I don't know anything about music.

I mean, I get that. I say I’m a journalist, but I also don't know what I'm doing. I just wrote some questions. So I think everyone's slightly faking it till they make it. But whatever works, works.

Yeah, I agree! It works.

Is there anyone you hope to collaborate with one day?

I think Zac Brown would be cool to do a song with. Or to go on tour with. Or the Lumineers.

What does the rest of the year hold for you? Is there anything we can expect from Brenn! in the next couple of months?

You can expect at least one new song on August 4th. I really like that one. And possibly another song you'd like November.

Sweet, can’t wait!

You can expect more, like, content stuff too. And we're doing a homegrown show in Bama. A lot of my followers on Instagram and stuff are from Bama.

Who are your Ones To Watch?

Nick Folwarczny, he’s great!