LIAM BREW
also appearing with.....
GUYS, GIRLS, GUITARS & BARS
Brisbane Convoy For Kids - Sat 30 Oct
SUNNY COWGIRLS
Twin Towns Services Club - Sat 18 Sep
Pioneer Village CM Club - Sun 19 Sep
When he was 16 years old, Liam Brew was asked to write a school essay titled “My Plans After School”. While his mates wrote about uni, surfing and highly paid jobs, Liam had only one goal: to win the Toyota Star Maker Quest in 2009.
At just 18, it was his first time in Star Maker, and he blitzed a top-class field to emerge the winner. Just a few short months later, he was spearheading a whole new generation of country stars, with the release of his debut album, Wild Heart on the award-winning Compass Bros label.
While his predecessors — artists like Lee Kernaghan, James Blundell, Adam Brand and of course Keith Urban — were the first home-grown contemporary country acts, Liam is the first Gen Y male to launch himself on the country scene.
“I grew up listening to those guys — and a whole lot of American country music like Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney. All of that music has influenced me,” Liam said.
“Now I feel I’m part of a new wave of country music, one that will connect with a new generation of fans, the kids I’ve grown up with.”
The parallels between Liam and one of his biggest influences, Keith Urban, are fascinating, and a little eerie. The pair grew up just a few kilometres apart near Caboolture on the Sunshine Coast. Liam was born the year Keith won Star Maker. And the first talent quest he won — in the Junior Male category — had been won by Keith two decades earlier. Their names are engraved side by side on the trophy.
These days, Liam regularly performs at the same venues Keith played as a young artist, and their music has a similar quality — an energy and freshness that is unmistakeable.
“The day after I won Star Maker, Keith did a video cross from Nashville to congratulate the new Star Maker winner, saying he hoped I’d go as far as him. It was pretty cool to think he was saying that to me!” Liam said.
For now, though, Liam realises he has to build his career from the ground up. A graduate of the Tamworth Camerata and the College of Country Music, he’s already put in the groundwork, and he’s made a sensational start to his recording career with Wild Heart.
The album was produced by Graham Thompson, and features a swag of world-class songs as a vehicle for Liam’s fresh and vibrant vocal style.
Wild Heart is pure country with a very cool, contemporary edge. There are plenty of songs that rock out, including the first single, “Girls With Girlfriends” – the track was a Top 10 hit on Australian country music radio & upon release the clip was chosen as ‘Country Pick’ on CMC which peaked at No. 10 on the Top 30 Countdown — the catchy “Like I’m Famous” and the cruisy “Hangin’ Around”.
But there are also several songs on Wild Heart that show Liam’s more thoughtful side. They include the evocative title track, “Wild Heart”, written by fellow Aussies Sam Hawksley and Jedd Hughes, and the wonderful “Rented Houses”.
Another Star Maker success story, Travis Collins, joins Liam for a duet on the exquisite “A Woman Can Do That to a Man”, a song that Liam admits took his breath away when he first heard it.
“I think part of the shift to this generation of country music is that willingness to express emotion, to be vulnerable. It’s also about not taking yourself too seriously,” Liam said.
“The girls in my generation are coming across as strong and assertive, but for me it’s the opposite — I want my music to be emotional as well as fun, and I want it to say something.”
Wild Heart was launched at the Gympie Muster in August 2009. It was a nostalgic journey for Liam, who won the Muster Talent Search two years ago, at the age of 17.
“I had always fantasised about doing Friday night on the main stage at the Muster, and I was really excited about it — especially as I not only launched the album but there was a signing afterwards. It was a dream come true for me, and it’s just the start,” Liam said.
The release of Wild Heart scored Liam a finalist placement in the Maton New Talent Of The Year category at the 2010 CMAA Country Music Awards Of Australia.
Liam started 2010 with a return to the Tamworth Country Music Festival where his journey began. During the festival Liam performed at the Official Opening Concert to a capacity crowd, supported The McClymonts at two sell-out shows and joined Adam Brand, one of his musical heroes on stage at Adam’s Annual Birthday Bash.
In June 2010 Liam realised another dream of his – his 2nd single/video clip, ‘Doghouse’ reached the Top 10 of the Country Music Channel’s Top 30 Countdown when the clip peaked at No.6.
In coming months Liam will tour much of the country with performances at the Urban Country Music Festival in Caboolture & the Ipswich Festival supporting Jetty Road. Plus shows with The Davidson Brothers, James Blundell, Travis Collins and he will join label mate Kirsty Lee Akers, McAlister Kemp and Chelsea Basham on the ‘Guys, Girls, Guitars And Bars Tour’ – the tour will kick off in May. August & September will see Liam join The Sunny Cowgirls on their ‘Summer Tour’ which will include shows in NSW & QLD
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