Beyond the Stage: Colin Bracewell’s Journey Through Music
Meet Colin Bracewell, a 24-year-old musician based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. His music blends heartfelt storytelling with a unique mix of indie, folk, and alternative sounds. Drawn to music at an early age, he found inspiration in his own personal experiences and artists who shaped his music taste. With a voice that's captivating and raw, he captures and connects with his listeners.
Colin Bracewell has just recently got off tour and is now working on his next new—and big project; his debut album. As he continues to pave his path in the music world, Bracewell is gaining attention for his one of a kind sound.
We had the pleasure to speak with and get to know Bracewell. In this interview, we’ll explore behind the scenes of his tour, influences, and stories behind the music.
UPTIGHT: Okay, so first, we can do a greeting for our wonderful audience. What's your name, age, and where are you from; all that stuff!
COLIN BRACEWELL: Great, my name is Colin Bracewell. I am twenty-four years old and I’m originally from Ontario, Canada, but I currently live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
UPTIGHT: Lovely. I know you were just recently on tour, how did that go for you? What was the experience like?
BRACEWELL: Oh it was great, this was the first time we did just a weekend tour, so mainly Friday and Saturday shows. It was the first time that we had a decent amount of people show up too, there wasn't ever a dead show. I guess that's progress if you will.
UPTIGHT: Hey, that’s great! Is there an especially memorable performance? Why did it stand out?
BRACEWELL: From the tour, I would say Milwaukee because we played in this place that had a bowling alley downstairs, but essentially it was a ballroom and it was so scary because it was this huge room. During soundcheck we were like “Oh my God, how are we even going to fill this.” We were only opening for someone, but we were the direct support. So after we did soundcheck and kind of ran away to get food, we went back on stage and it felt super full. The room just filled out; everyone was super into it. It was also the first show that didn’t have my normal band. This show was the first one where I played with two other guys to form a three piece and that was really great because it went a lot smoother than we all expected. That really amped us up for the rest of tour.
UPTIGHT: That seems very fun, sounds like you really enjoyed it. Are there any venues, cities, or festivals you would like to play in the future?
BRACEWELL: Oh that's so crazy, I literally got asked to do this last night and I responded three hours late so I missed it. Well, anyways I guess the dream venue would be the Troubadour in LA. There is a lot of history there so that's a big one on my list. I would also say, The Moroccan Lounge– which is also in LA– would be pretty cool to play someday. I don’t know why, well I guess I do know why. LA is at the top of my list right now because I'm taking a roadtrip there in January. Those two are the ones I’m really excited to play, hopefully I will. I don’t know, in Minneapolis I’ve hit pretty much all the big ones, we played at First Avenue, that's where Prince played. Yeah, I'd say I want to be able to play those in the next few years.
UPTIGHT: Yeah, Los Angeles is always a good place to go. I’ve been there a few times myself. Can you tell me about your musical influences growing up? When did you realize you wanted to pursue music?
BRACEWELL: Yeah, so it was more when I started writing my own music in sophomore year in high school. So, all the popular artists to listen to were Daniel Caesar, Frank Ocean, John Mayer and this R&B sort of thing. Rex Orange County was also very popular. So, those were my influences then and I guess now my top five were Finneas, Role Model, Harry Styles, and I really liked Clairo’s album she came out with this year. Those were my more recent influences but it used to be more R&B and now it turned more into folk and pop, but I still think there are some soul R&B influences in what I listen to.
UPTIGHT: I totally have to agree with you on Role Model and Harry Styles, I love them! Charm by Clairo is such a good album as well.
BRACEWELL: Oh my God, yeah I’m so obsessed with them.
UPTIGHT: If someone was listening to your music for the first time, how would you describe your sound or aesthetic?
BRACEWELL: I used to always say indie pop, but it honestly depends on the show. I think tour really showed that. We played this one house show which was in a basement in Iowa and that was definitely more of a heavier show. I’ve written enough songs to choose from different ones in a thirty minute set– even with the covers we do. But for an ideal show, I think I would be able to cover all that heavy stuff but still be able to have some acoustic elements, but it honestly really depends on the type of audience. Sure, we have a “setlist” but it's really flexible. If we have a super high energy crowd, then we would switch up some songs for sure.
UPTIGHT: Awesome, that makes sense. I think being able to switch stuff up from time to time is nice.
BRACEWELL: Yeah, yeah, you’re right. It definitely helps, for sure.
UPTIGHT: I really love your EP, Cozy, that was released back in March. Can you walk me through your creative process for that?
BRACEWELL: I started writing those songs probably around this time last year, maybe a bit before that. I had certain people I really wanted to work with— there’s this band called Bad Bad Hats, they’re Minneapolis based. They’re so sweet and helpful and incredible songwriters and producers. I had around ten songs, then we narrowed it down to four, then we started working on it. I had a show date set in March at this venue called the Fine Line in Minneapolis. So, we just recorded live tracks for all these songs and I think on one of the last days I was like “Why don’t I just add a secret bonus track!” So, then I added my song ‘Alright’. That one was just me sitting with an acoustic and we just did one take of me with a cassette player so that was a fun thing to do.
UPTIGHT: Oh, I love that, it sounds like it was fun! What themes or messages do you hope to convey in your music?
BRACEWELL: I sometimes feel bad that I don't have a true purpose in most of my songs, but a lot of my songs are love songs or personal relationship songs.. I think they are helpful to people and it's really awesome when people say, “Wow, this song really helped me get through this semester,” which is so crazy because I didn’t think it would have that type of effect on anyone. I just share what's on my mind and I think that might change, especially now in the way I'm writing this new project. For some songs, I am ready to have more of an impact or put out more of my perception on what the world looks like. Global things. But in my mind, I just don’t feel like it’s my place. Sometimes I do. Most of the time, I’m just here to hopefully help people to find an escape and just have a safe space and be accepting of everyone. I think my music does a good job of that without getting too political. Someday, I would love to be like a The 1975 Matty Healy and just say whatever I’m thinking. Sometimes it can be problematic, but there is a tasteful way to do that, which I respect him for.
UPTIGHT: Totally agree, sharing what’s on your mind can resonate with so many more people than we think. Anyways, when you’re not making music, what do you like to do to relax or recharge?
BRACEWELL: Gosh, I used to not do this but after graduating I have become a pretty steady reader, which is so strange because I didn’t think I would do such a thing. This year, I think I read six or seven books which I'm really proud of. I was like “Why did I do that?” to myself but there's something about removing yourself from stuff going around you. I'm on my phone a lot, just with social media and having to be on there and obviously I get side tracked as we all do. Reading has definitely been fun. In the summer, I own this small fishing boat so I go boating and fishing a lot. Last Friday I went snowboarding for the first time in three years. I backpacked, did lots of thrifting, and listened to records.
UPTIGHT: Reading is definitely a big one for me too. Now that it's cold out we can’t do much of that outdoors stuff which is sad because I love spending time outside. What are your goals for next year?
BRACEWELL: I am trying to leave next year open. The only thing I need to get done is to finish this album, that's the goal for next year. I think I can do it, we’ll see. Everything else is just continuing on the path of being an artist. Which means being open to different opportunities. Whether that means moving somewhere or staying local. Probably the big thing is to just put out that album, I’ve never put out a huge body of work before. So far the writing process has been so fun.
UPTIGHT: I think everyone is trying to just go with the flow. To wrap up, is there anything you want to say to your fans?
BRACEWELL: I just want to say, be patient, but also I know people, my fans, are so understanding and nice. I am so excited for the new album because I put out that EP in March, you know? So I'm really excited for people to hear what I’ve been working on. Just expect to see a lot in 2025. A lot in so many ways. Not just in music but more; not like new visuals because I think I have a pretty unique style. Expect more fun shows and probably higher production shows as well. I really want to put more effort into not only sounding good but sharing more about songs instead of just playing them. I think I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from people saying “What is this about?” and I do want to share it. Sometimes I feel like I have a hard time sharing but if people are interested, why not give the people what they want? I feel comfortable sharing, so why not do it.
As Colin Bracewell continues to evolve as an artist, it is certain that his unique mix of introspection and innovation will only take him further in his music career. We have only scratched the surface of what this talented musician has to offer, the future looks very bright for him. Be sure to stay tuned with Colin Bracewell, there's so much more to come. We cannot wait to see what's next.