INTERVIEW: Brittany Ann Tranbaugh Takes The Leap With Community
Brittany Ann Tranbaugh takes us through her leap into life as an independent musician and her plans for the album she's currently crowdfunding.
Brittany Ann Tranbaugh puts the "independent" in independent artist. I remember when she decided to make music her full-time gig and she really has treated it like a 40-hour-a-week job (but, of course, it's really a 24/7 one.) Tranbaugh has done so much to tie together up-and-coming artists of all stripes of the rainbow, firmly embodying the idea that a rising tide can lift all boats (with abundance – no trickle-downs.) So that's why we need to lift hers – Tranbaugh is setting out to record her first full-band album and chose to go the crowdfunding route. With one week remaining and $9k to go, Tranbaugh spoke with us about the importance of crowdfunding and how she's co-created the scene she now thrives in.
You're embarking on a crowdfunding campaign for your next album. What made you decide to go this route?
Honestly, I simply can't afford the cost of recording an album without financial support, and I'd rather have that financial support collectively come from my fans than a record label that owns my work. I hesitated to take the leap and launch the crowdfunding campaign out of a fear of failure and disappointment, but I've been really moved by the response so far. We are one week away from our deadline and 64% funded by 229 individual donors. It kind of blows my mind when I really pause and think about the fact that 229 people believe in my music enough to contribute their hard-earned money to the making of this project. I feel affirmed in my decision to crowdfund, and also in the decision I made to tour heavily the past few years - when I read donors' comments a lot of them say they heard me for the first time on a tour, specifically on one of my tours opening for Carsie Blanton.
You've tirelessly helped to build a queer folk and country scene on the I-95 corridor. What is giving you/renewing your energy in the scene?
I think it's mostly a realization that if I want a truly fulfilling and sustainable career in music, I need to have a community mindset. I don't want to feel like I'm just out here asking people for stuff for my own personal gain, and competing against my fellow artists. That's exhausting and demoralizing. I want to feel like I'm co-creating a scene, uplifting my fellow artists, and connecting people. I currently do this through my work curating The Meet Cute house concert series and Philly's Queer Country Night, running a discord server for Philly musicians, and creating resources for touring artists.
What can we expect from this project?
The plan is to record 10 songs in 5 days at Elm Street Studios in Conshohocken, PA with producer Nick Krill and my bandmates Joe Plowman (bass), Adam Shumski (drums), Liz Faure (pedal steel, guitar), and Shona Carr (fiddle, banjo, guitar).
This batch of songs is optimistic and joyful without being delusional. Written during and after the end of a decade-long relationship, the songs are personal and specific while being widely relatable. If you’re already a fan, you know I love using wit to add levity to difficult subjects, and there’s a lot more of that to look forward to here. Sonically, you can expect an increase in country vibes with the addition of pedal steel, fiddle, and banjo into the band.
What are you most looking forward to for your recording session?
I'm looking forward to working out arrangement stuff during pre-production days, and then using the 5 days in the studio to purely capture the live energy of my band. The plan is to do full-band live takes, and only overdub vocal harmonies and instrumental solos. I've been feeling inspired by Adrienne Lenker/Big Thief lately, and how intimate and raw their recordings are. I think that sort of approach will work well for these songs.
You can contribute to the fundraiser here.
