All Kane Brown wants is a chance in country music.
Growing up as a sometimes-homeless biracial kid in Georgia, he’s used to being judged.
“Color does matter, even though people don’t see it,” Brown said. “I’ve lived it my whole life. It’s just what I know.”
Even though Brown attended five high schools in as many years, he graduated. And when he covered a Chris Young tune at his high school talent show — his first public performance — the heavily tattooed singer recalls being showered with racial slurs from his classmates. When the song was over, the students gave him an encore, he said.
The 23-year-old singer is trying to conjure that same brand of fortitude again, but this time on a much larger stage as he looks to persuade a skeptical country music industry to embrace his self-titled debut album. In stores Dec. 2, the 11-song collection is home to songs penned by fellow artists Florida Georgia Line and Young, along with top Nashville songwriters including Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin and Brown himself.
“The coolest part about seeing him have a full album out now is I know how long he’s been writing for this and looking for outside songs,” Young said. “Being able to fit all of that sonically and make it his own on his first album is something that’s hugely important. It’s your first step out as an artist, and I think he’s handled it really, really well.”
To get this far, Brown has overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles stacked from a childhood facing poverty, violence and racism. The album tells that story — along with one of forgiveness, growth, fun and unconditional love.
To date, Brown has amassed more than 3 million followers on Facebook, driven by amateur performance videos, previews of which have generated more than 100 million views and shares. His co-penned “Used to Love You Sober” sold more than 500,000 copies without significant country radio support, he spent much of the year on tour with Florida Georgia Line and is currently headlining the Monster Energy Outbreak Presents: Kane Brown Ain’t No Stopping Us Now Tour.
Why country radio hasn’t been supportive is up for debate. Country music historian Bob Oermann theorizes it’s because radio frowned on Brown’s social media success, preferring to be the vehicle that breaks artists into the format. Or, he says, it could be due to Brown's touring schedule he hasn't made as many visits to country radio stations as other new artists. Race, Oermann admits, is a murky area and notes that, apart from Darius Rucker's crossover success, it has been decades since an artist of color has had consistent success in the format.
