Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist - Kane Brown

Episode Date: September 17, 2023

On this week's episode, Willie sits down with one of the brightest young stars in music, Kane Brown. They talk about his extraordinary rise from singing viral cover songs on social media to filling stadiums across the country and across the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey guys, Willie Geist here with another episode of the Sunday Sit Down podcast. My thanks as always for clicking and listening along. Got a great one for you this week with one of the biggest stars in all of music, not just country. His name is Kane Brown. Just recently racked up his 10th number one hit since his debut album in 2016. He's been on quite a ride. His previous number one hit sang that one with his wife, Caitlin, a song called Thank God. They have two girls together.

He made history this summer on his sold-out drunk or dreaming tour. He became the first black artist ever to headline a show at Boston's Fenway Park, believe it or not. He has had quite a run and, boy, quite a ride leading up to his career. All the things in a very difficult childhood, you'll hear him discuss, homelessness, abuse from a stepfather, racism that he experienced growing up in northwest Georgia in southeastern Tennessee. He says all made him the guy he is now and comes out in the music. And he believes it's the reason he's successful because he's telling stories that people can relate to, sadly, but truly. So I think you'll enjoy getting to know this really a guy who's a star.

And if you don't know his music, you probably have heard it on the radio. If you're not a country fan because he's crossed over, he's a pop star as well. There's a song called One Thing Right. You probably know. He collaborated with DJ Marshmallow. that was a hit on the pop charts as well. So he's doing it, he's got a sound that is, yes, he does old country well, but also he kind of mixes it up with little hip hop flavor, which you hear sometimes in country now as well. So I think you'll enjoy getting to know him. She'll point out his new single coming out is called I Can Feel It. It opens up with the iconic drum fill from Phil Collins. I can feel it coming in the night. We all know that one. And he's going out on a new tour. as well. So he's a very busy man. His name is Kane Brown, and he's on the Sunday Sit Down podcast right now. It's good to meet you, man. Thanks for making you. Thanks for making you. Thanks for having you. So you've been a busy man. I'm looking at your last year. The tour you're about to finish, you got a couple more dates coming up this week. Started a year ago, like next week, September in Melbourne, Australia. Does it feel like it's been a long haul?

It does, and then it feels like it's one by fast. I was saying I just released the song with my wife. Thank God I felt like a couple months ago, and it's already been a year. So it's been a wild. Yeah, and you were, you know, I said you started in Melbourne, you were in the UK. I mean, it's got to feel good as an artist to be able to travel the world and fill up those arenas. We're not just talking about, you know, Atlanta and Chattanooga anymore. Like, you're a global star.

What does that feel like? I mean, dude, it feels amazing, especially like I coming from where I came from. my background. I was actually talking about it last night. I started in a bathroom as where does that sound. Just doing songs and covers in a bathroom and getting to go to Australia. I never really left Georgia. So now I'm getting to travel the world to do music and it makes absolutely no sense to me. So you do have those moments still where you walk out and you go, wow, all these people show. Definitely, definitely. It's more of, you know, being at my house. though. Like if I'm at my house and I'm alone, because I'll walk outside and just, it's just quiet.

Because usually there's always somebody with me. I think that's when I get to admire it the most. It's just when I'm by myself at my house. Yeah, you talked about the origins of your music and starting in the bathroom. Where did it start for you? Where did you get that bug for? Not necessarily I'm going to grow up and be a star, but like I just like singing. I like playing. I like listening to me. music. How did that start for you? Music was always my life. I was kind of my escape, even though I didn't realize it, coming up to my childhood. And

it started coming out more when I started working. I was working at Lowe's. And in the meantime, like, while I was mixing paint, I was singing. And my buddy ended up hearing me and told me to try it for the talent show. So when I tried for the talent show,

I got like an encore. And so then that was like kind of what sparked me wanting to sing. And I just started posting it to Facebook. Did your coworkers like that you were seeing on the job? Was this in high school? Yeah, yeah. He was like, man, he came to coach. And I didn't know what I think about it.

I was like, really? And that's, you know, that's what sparked everything. And I'm very competitive. So then once, you know, people told me that they liked it, then I was like, I wonder how many other people I can get to like it. And then once you start seeing the numbers, then I just became, this numbers guy from social media and was like, how can I grow on?

And, you know, I was basically like an early TikTok on Facebook. Yeah. Yeah, I was going to say, you are a product of our times, which is combining big talent with these spaces and platforms that, you know, generations before didn't have. And you tell the one story of singing a song on Facebook, I think it was a Lee Bryce cover. Don't play that, by the way, please.

What's that? Edit here. insert the cover on Facebook. And then waking up the next morning to likes and shares and everything. Do you have a sense of how that happened or why that happened? I have no idea, man. I remember waking up and my phone was completely black and put it on the charger. And immediately, once it turned on, I just got notifications for hours.

I couldn't unlock my phone. I couldn't do anything. Just kept popping up. I didn't know what was going on. I dropped my phone. And then went back later. And I remember it being 60,000 followers overnight. Wow.

And I thought that was big. And then fast forward. And then I did a George Strait check yes or no. And 60,000 turned into millions. And that's when I started just writing my own music. Did you ever trace back that first sort of breakthrough moment? Was there somebody who had a bunch of followers who saw it or somebody who shared it or something? I still don't know.

I wanted to say it was like, this country Facebook page because they started sharing a lot of my videos. But I never actually found out the source. So what do you do with that? So you wake up, you're going back to work at Lowe's, I guess, right? Wake up. That was the funny part. So what was the next day at work?

Well, this time, now I'm at FedEx. Okay, okay. You moved on. Yeah, and so I was coming in late to work. You know, I was taking multiple lunch breaks, going doing covers in my car, and my boss was cool with it. because he liked to watch the numbers go up with me. We'd post it and be like, it would just immediately just flood my inbox.

And so he would just sit there and watch it with me and thought it was the coolest thing. And he wanted to see how far I could go. So it was like six months. That was with my first big boy job. I was making like $17.50 an hour. Yeah. I was so excited. And I get a call saying that we need you to move to Nashville, you know,

just try and start pursuing the career. You know, so scared not knowing what's going to happen. happen and he just told me he's like yeah man go and then you can come back if you need to so it was a assurance thing for me I'm thinking as a parent what your mom was going through while this was happening for her son what was her reaction when you said mom there's something going on here we weren't closed at the time okay yeah that's another topic but I was basically just me myself right so you you were grinding on your own you're making this happen by yourself and so you do ultimately go to Nashville where I guess you encountered some skepticism.

Like, oh, you're a social media guy or something else. Oh, yeah, a lot of skeptic. I can't even say that word. Yeah, a lot of that. And then there was a lot of shadiness. I wouldn't say from the Nashville part. I'd say from people that I met before that. And then.

People who wanted a piece of what was happening to you? Well, they ended up getting a piece, yeah. But, you know, I kept following my heart. and, you know, basically just, I don't know what you believe in. I know what I believe in. And I feel like it all worked out, you know, perfectly, especially, you know, to now. So when you get to Nashville, is that a scary thing for you? Is it a thrilling thing?

Like, how do you deal with that? Yeah. Yeah, I think it was thrilling. And it was cool, too. Like I said, I'm competitive. So I've got told by Nashville before. And then this time I'm going in with these numbers. and I'm confident.

And the people that said no to me before, I remembered them. I was like, I don't want anything to do with you. And then the people that now coming in, short story, my agent, Braden, when I was doing a little show in Rome, Georgia, my best friend got in a scuffle in the crowd. And I remember I jumped off stage. And I didn't do nothing. I was just protecting my friend because the dude just sucker-punched him for no reason.

He's like right in front of me and I see it. And so it got back around Nashville and no agency just wanted to work with me. And Braden was there from, you know, day one. And he never left me. So I'm not going anywhere. And he's still my agent today. And like that's my whole team and, you know, the loyalty and everything that I make sure that's around me. So the word of Nashville was that maybe you were trouble because you jumped in the crowd and got in a fight or whatever they thought you did?

And my look coming in was way different. Right. So it made it even worse for me. So, yeah, it was pretty crazy. Well, it's interesting you said about your look, because I imagine some people who had a vision of what country was supposed to be, what was supposed to look like, didn't know what to do with you. What were some of the reactions you heard from people in Nashville? Like, this doesn't work, you've got to change your style.

Was there any of that? I wouldn't say it was just Nashville. I'd say it was everywhere. I mean, especially the Internet, they'd be like, you know, just look at him. He's not country. That's not what country looks like, yada, yada, yada. But I feel like it's also what made me, you know, blow up on Facebook. Because, I mean, I had a lot of people that they clicked my video and they're like,

I thought you were going to rap. Excuse me. And then I started singing. So it kind of shocked them and they wanted to share it. So at what point, Kane, did you start to develop your sound, which does incorporate, I think you'd even say some elements of hip hop, which we hear in country now with you and Morgan Wall and people like that, drum machines and things like that. How do you describe your sound?

I think it kind of just evolves over time. When me first, when I first got into music, I was really scared of everything. I was like, well, if I do this wrong, if I do this wrong, and now it's just I get to be myself, and I wish I would have got to do that from the beginning. But it's hard, man. You want to be successful, and you feel like

you got to play by the book and all this stuff. But I did, and it helped me get here. and now it helps me get to open up. That's it, right? You earn your place and you get to do the doors open. You get to do what you want to do. When you write music, you've talked about your childhood and how that's informed the subject matter,

even in your most recent album, different man. When you talk about the things you encountered, poverty, abuse, racism, all the things you encountered as a young man, how much does that childhood, which was difficult by your own admission, how does that inform your music? Do you still feel it when you're sitting to write? a song? Not as much as I did when I first came in, and I still, I want to go back to that. But I feel like I've told a lot of my story, and I have noticed, like, as I keep going,

and more of my story opens up, especially on stage. Like, I used to tell one story, and now it's it's a win even further. And I feel like that's going to happen. It's going to lead to something else and maybe a documentary or, you know, a movie or something, which I think would be really cool. But yeah, when it comes to me and my music, I haven't went back down that rabbit hole yet. Yeah, you've told that story already. Yeah. Hey, guys, thanks for listening to the Sunday Sit Down podcast.

Stick around to hear more from Kane Brown right after the break. Welcome back now more of my conversation with Kane Brown. You mentioned a movie. You're a big actor now, too. We'll talk about that in a second. No, I'm not a big actor. Yeah, big guy. I saw him on fire country.

Seven minutes. That's how it starts. That's how it starts. I told you I was talking to your friend, Darius Rucker, last week. I was interviewing him, and he was talking about that moment where he kind of pivoted to country. And he said, like you, there were people who were skeptical, and they're not sure if the guy from Hootie and the Blowfish would work in country. We should say he started with the number one single. But he also said there were people who sat down across him and just said explicitly, like you were kind of saying now,

Like, I just don't think this works. He took that to be his race. Did you feel that in some ways in Nashville? I feel like it's just kind of like there for us, you know? I mean, not only does it happen, but it's also it happens so much that's kind of like your first thing to think about. And I get asked to talk about it all the time, but me talking about it is I just, I'm on stage, you know? look at all these people here, look at all the different races and all that stuff. That's what I tell my crowd.

So it gets weird when I have to talk about it. No, I get it. I get it. And that's kind of what he said, too, was like, you just kind of go out and show them. And if your music is good, it doesn't matter, right? Yeah, I mean, I don't feel like you have to talk about it at all. I mean, it's people see it. And then I feel like there's also people who play too much of it.

Right. Yeah. So we just got to find the balance. you have a new tour about to start which i think we can discuss here even a new single yeah that's coming out tell me how phil collins plays in to all this yeah uh well tarzan when i was a baby uh now we were about to play a stage coach and we were trying to think of everybody always brings like iconic artist out to play with them carry underwood brought guns and roses and then somebody else i think brought garth brooks um

And for me, I was like, well, what if we did Phil Collins? Well, if we did share. You know, somebody that was just, you know, not thinkable. And so after that, none of it happened, by the way. After that, I was writing in Canada, and Phil Collins was on our mind. And we did the big, you know, legendary drum fill. And we just started writing to it. And after I gave it to Dan Huff, which is an amazing producer,

he got to, you know, reimagine that drum fill. And when I got this song and listened to it in the car for the first time, I was just like, you know, immediately started doing air drums. And I got this vision of what it would be like on stage playing it with the production and knew it had to be my next single. I just told Sony, I was like,

usually we have like a meeting of what's the next single. I was like, no, this is it right here, right here. because we're trying to bring as much energy to my shows as possible. So I'm trying to, like, stop with the slow songs. And just bring all tempo. And it's called I Can Feel It. And you recognize that fill right out of the gate. Oh, yeah.

I mean, I got a chance to hear it. And you're like, there it is. Right, right out of the box. Like, here we go. You kind of launched into that song. So that's so interesting to hear you say you think about the performance when you do a single. Do you always do that? Do you jump to not just how this is going to sound on the radio,

but what's it going to look like at Fenway Park? Yeah, and it took me a while, because used to, like, I was so nervous to be on stage because I'm a very shy guy, but whenever I'm on stage, I'm the guy that I wish I was all the time. And so used to, I would look at, I would try and envision a song for, like, a music video or something like that, and now I immediately just think of what it would be like if I was on stage singing it. And you're going to be on a lot of stages singing it coming up on this new tour.

I don't know how much you can say yet, but we're talking big venues starting next year. Honestly, I don't know them all. But I do know we're doing six stadiums, which I'm really excited about. I know we're playing. Let me see, here we go. You're putting me to a test. We got them. All right, let's go.

Fenway. We're doing Colorado Rockies baseball stadium. Soccer Stadium in L.A. Don't want us called. I'm sorry. I don't know if I'm done with you. Texas Rangers baseball stadium. Nice.

Oh, yeah, Seattle. Oh, nice. Seattle. Nice. Yeah. So you did, on this tour, you did Fenway in June. Yes. What is that feeling like to play such an iconic venue,

but also just that layout of like you're out in center field playing back into the stadium? It was the most amazing feeling. For me, though, what was crazy is I've kind of felt like this coming from social media. It moved so fast for me. And so when I would play some of these big shows, I got like imposter syndrome. I wasn't the greatest on stage. I wondered what everybody thought about me.

And I was like, I'm not a performer. This isn't right, you know what I'm saying? But when we did Fenway, I knew that I was supposed to be there. And, you know, I played baseball since I was three. So just playing the baseballs there. Finnway was very iconic to me. And when I got out there, there was no nerves.

There was no, oh, my God, it was like, it's showtime. And I'm going to put on a show and let these people know that I'm so glad they're here. And then I'm so glad to be here. And it was one of the coolest moments of my life. And I can't wait to go back. And I can't wait to do more stadiums. So that was a big moment for you, not just performance, but in your life, it sounds like you got over something. Better get out there.

Yeah, that place is amazing. And you do feel the history, you know, the green monsters over there on that side. And, like, you get the whole thing going. And, you know, Darius was out there. So I got to watch him. I was sitting in the dugout with my wife and my team. And we were getting to, you know, watch Darius Rucker up on stage, too, play Fenway. And so it was a great feeling.

Stick around for more of my conversation with Cain Brown right after a break. Welcome back now to the rest of my conversation with Cain Brown. Another cool element about your performance is performing with your wife, right? Yeah. You're singing, thank God, with your two beautiful little girls, maybe somewhere in the stadium. Yeah, they're asleep. By the time you come on, they're done. How cool is that not only to perform with Caitlin, but also to have it become such a hit.

Thank God. It was awesome. I knew it was going to be a hit from the start. You know, we met through music. And once we found this song, we used to do covers and stuff and put it on YouTube. And so my fans knew that she sung, but not the whole place, country world, whatever. And we wrote to, or we found this song when we put it out. She was nervous.

I was like, babe, this song's going to be smash. They don't even have to go to radio. Like, it's going to be a smash because my fans have been waiting on it, and you're amazing. So we sent it to radio, and then it just took off for us. And I remember before we went out on stage at Fenway, she was like, I'm going to throw up. She was like, I'm going to throw up. It was like, just look at me. I'm right here.

Everything's going to be okay. And then she came out. She killed it. And then everybody lit their phones up and sang it back to us. It was her first number one. And, you know, it was just amazing for her. And I was glad that I got to be a part of it.

What is that feeling like? I love hearing artists like you answer this question, which is you got in a room somewhere with some people and wrote a song. And it's kind of the story of your life and the story of your relationship. You don't know what the response always is going to be. And then to walk out at Fenway Park with your wife and have 35,

40,000 people singing every word back to you, what is that feeling like? I mean, it's the best feeling in the world, man. I wish I could say I wrote, thank God, but I didn't. But no, it's, you know, when you do write your music and people sing it back to you, it's wild. I mean, I would say Jackson, which is really cool. So Jackson Free, he's a writer on the song and he was at the show. So I got to basically live through his Instagram because that was his first number one. And it's such a big song for him and me and my wife.

But just to see how excited he is. That's another thing I love is bringing, sorry I'm going off topic, but bringing people who haven't had a chance yet and giving them their first number one. That could have changing their lives, things like that. off topic again. Like I found a guy named Levan Gray out of Alabama.

He messaged me on Instagram. Signed him to a publishing company. He wrote a song with him. He has a number one. It changes life. Things like that. Just giving people opportunities that they wouldn't think they had to have

and stuff is amazing. And that's just off a DM on Instagram? Yeah. Wow. Good for you. Yeah, man. It's just following your heart. So that raises the question.

Well, you and your wife now because that was such a hit? Is there going to be more music? Oh, of course. Of course. Yeah. We're actually working on it right now. Just finish my studio, so hopefully we get a lot more.

Maybe she'll jump on a right, too. She says she's a little rusty. I bet she's all right. It's amazing to look at the charts, particularly this summer, but in general, and you've been right up at the top of them, how country has gone so mainstream. You know, you don't even have to call it. It's part of the culture, obviously. But where you can go to somewhere up here or go to Fenway and fill the place up and to see the top three or four songs, not just in country, but in all music be country,

it feels like you were part of a wave of a new generation of people who are taking country to a different place. Does it feel that way to you at all? I just do my own thing, man. I don't even, you know, look at that type of stuff. I just do my music and what I love though is like my new album coming out I got a song that George Strait

had on hold so you know it's going to be country but then I have a song like I can feel it that is Phil Collins meets Kane Brown it sounds completely different than the George Strait song I just love that I can be all over the place and be myself and not be worried about it and then people can come to my shows and still have fun.

That's the thing if you listen to your music. Like, I'm in the car yesterday, and I got you and Blake Shelton, and then I got you and marshmallow. And so it's like, that's Kane Brown, right? And it's all kid-friendly and family friends. Oh, yeah. Yeah, kids are in the car. Yeah.

So I mentioned your budding acting career. How was it to be on Fire Country, and it didn't make you want to do more of it? Ironically, it was super cold. Oh, was it? Yeah. Where'd you shoot it? Vancouver. Ah, yeah.

And it was probably like 20 degrees, maybe 30. Did not wear the right clothes. We were there for, I think, at least 10 hours. I was standing over. It was crazy because I wanted to see. I wanted to watch everything happening, but I was also freezing. And I felt back because I was taking, there was a heater, and I was just taking it off. But then the next night we prepared and brought my Xbox to put me in a trailer.

There you go. Yeah. Get you some wardrobe too, right? Yeah, but it was so cool. I was a little nervous the first time, but they were so welcoming, and it was a great feeling. It was my first time acting, and I didn't remember everybody's lines. So I remember the cop he's supposed to pass out or whatever whenever the kid's bus crashes, and I didn't realize he was supposed to pass out.

So I'm standing behind camera And when he passes out I'm like, oh snap But it was like a real reaction And they were like no dude That was perfect They liked it You thought you know what I'm saying

You said that's acting And so I was like oh I get it now You're like okay I can do this Yeah I feel like I was trying to When I was trying to act I feel like it was too hard Right

And when you don't try That's when all the real emotion comes up So you got the bug now You're gonna do some more I'm still learning. I need a coach, but yeah, I would love to do more. I bet we'll see you. I bet we'll see you.

When you get a chance to be on a show like that, or we just heard you were nominated for a big award today, CMAs, and be on this tour where you're selling out all these venues, do you stop and have moments? And you go, man, it's a long way from here back to the Facebook videos and the childhood I had. Do you allow yourself? to think about that perspective on it?

I just don't think about it because I feel like everything that I went through was a part of my life that got me here. And I'm actually proud of it. A lot of it was tough and hard and you didn't know what was going to come out of it. But I feel like that's who made me who I am today, made me strong,

it made me want to get back to people and made me humble and just made me proud of who I am and where I came from. And just keep moving forward. Yeah. Sounds like it. Now, the other rumor about you is you're a good basketball player.

I'm okay. What's your game like? I've got to scout you real quick. Oh, I'm getting older, so it's getting a little slow. Dude, if you're old, where do you see me out there? Hey, I don't know what it is the other day. I played at my house, and it's been a couple months, and my lower back was hurt me for like four days. My shin's hurt for like nine days.

I was popping avid. I mean, I take Avivville before I play. now. So that's just telling you. The preempt of Advil is the first step toward middle age basketball guy. Yeah, I just spot up shooter at this point. Yeah, that's the role you've got to put. I'm not trying to go down there anymore. Yeah. All right, should we walk over? It's like 130 degrees outside, but you're good with that. Yeah, I love the heat from Georgia. Thanks, Kane. Yeah, appreciate it. Thank you.

My big thanks again to Kane for a great conversation. You can check out his music, wherever you get yours and tickets are on sale now for his tour next year. It's called In the Air. My thanks to all of you for listening again this week. If you want to hear my conversations with our guests every week, be sure to click follow so you never miss an episode. And don't forget to tune in to Sunday today every weekend on NBC. I'm Willie Geist. We'll see you right back here next week on the Sunday Sit Down Podcast.