It seems like in a sea of countless acts that deliver milquetoast or “souless”, very few are able to stand out as true artists that pour themselves and their emotions into everything they create. That’s not the case for the subject of this article: Brittany Davis. Davis describes herself as a “vessel of sonic sounds”, but I’d argue she’s much more than that. She’s a herald of joy and authenticity, a wonderful musician and an inspiring example to everyone that wants their voices to be heard.
I was lucky enough to not only see her in action at SXSW, but able to talk to her and dig deeper into her artistic journey, the messages behind her lyrics and how wonderful it is to create art.
Photos by Abraham Vidal (@vidaltgs)
When I first arrived at Cooper's BBQ, the place was nearly empty. The previous artist had already left, and so did many in the crowd. Those that remained were scattered around the tables of the restaurant. Eating, chatting, scrolling through their phones. No one was prepared for what they were about to see.
Brittany and her band stepped on stage with vigor. She sat in front of her Yamaha MX49 keyboard and began playing. Instantly, everybody in the room had no other choice but to stare in awe and groove to the funky sounds hitting our ears. What was once an empty space with 10 - 12 people suddenly became an entire crowd of 30 - 40 listeners dancing around and enjoying the show. A true testament to Brittany’s ability to pull people in.
The concert was great. But truly, the highlight of the night for me was the short interview I had with Brittany right after. Her smile and joy was contagious and her words were powerful enough to inspire so much admiration in my heart towards her.
Photos by Abraham Vidal (@vidaltgs)
“My vibes are straight from the soul. They come from every genre that you can think of. From hip-hop to classical music, every one of them is tailor-made from their soul”, she explains. “That is a gift given directly by the Lord. I believe that Jesus gave me that gift. I truly believe I’m a channel, a vessel for that sonic translation. That’s what I’m here for.”
Although recently she’s spent a lot of time recording her newest EP, for Brittany playing for a live audience is a blessing. “I feel alive! I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to do! And the best part is I’m not the star, it’s everybody around me… I’m serving them.”
Brittany combines instrumentalization and sonic experiences with hard hitting lyrics about the Black experience, inequality, the meaning of beauty, love and self-acceptance. One of my personal favorites comes from her song: I Choose to Live. “Look at your neighbor and say: “We gotta do better”/The only way to conquer is to fight this sh*t together/Numbers ain’t never lied, they can’t hold us back forever/I choose to live, I choose to live, I choose to live and not die”.
Photos by Abraham Vidal (@vidaltgs)
“This music I’m making right now is exposing the fullness of what I’m creating to give life to everyone. Everyone deserves to see the power they’ve got inside their hearts.”, she said. “It’s real. It doesn’t have a beginning or an end. It’s infinite! And that’s what I want people to really see: that this music is an infinite channel. It doesn’t turn on or off.”
Photos by Abraham Vidal (@vidaltgs)