Today’s artist spotlight is on the soulful and authentic singer-songwriter RJ Bracchitta.
In the music industry, it’s not uncommon to witness the pressure on artists to create content that is not truly the art they want to make. Like a breath of fresh air within the sonic landscape of modern music, Bracchitta is releasing songs straight from the heart.
Bracchitta, a native of Connecticut, grew up listening to everything from Led Zeppelin to Brazilian music through his dad. He recently moved to Nashville and has surrounded himself with likeminded musicians in one of the largest music capitals in the country. He is releasing his debut album, “Free,” on Nov. 18 and new music videos every week leading up to it.
His music has a hushed and intimate sound to it, but is layered with soul, intricate yet relatable lyrics and jazz and folk influences. His music is an extension of who he is and how he feels in the most pure and inspired way.
Bracchitta released his EP, “The Attic” in 2013 and since then has geared his writing towards the new album. Talking about the new album, Bracchitta said, “I am extremely excited to share this music with the world. It’s an unreal feeling to hear songs that you started years ago in a completed form.”
Fans of John Mayer, James Taylor and Iron and Wine will especially enjoy Bracchitta’s music. He can be followed on Twitter @RJBracchitta or over at RJBracchittaMusic.com.
He’s been heavily inspired by his move to Nashville both in terms of surrounding himself with talent, but also learning how to trust his own instincts. “I am so fortunate to be able to explore my talents and share them with others here in Nashville. People love music here and it gives me a drive that I wouldn’t have anywhere else,” Bracchitta said. Still, he went on to say, “I wish someone had told me to take all advice with a grain of salt. Don’t get me wrong, I have had some amazing teachers here in Nashville, but I’ve come to understand in the past few years that I have everything I need.”
Following this sense of intuition has lead Bracchitta to find his niche in an industry that can dissuade artists from creating what is most natural to them. This openness allows him to appreciate any genre, no matter how indie or mainstream, as long as the artist does what feels right to them.
“I am always going to make the music that I hear in my head and my heart. I think music should always be raw and real. That is the kind of music that inspires me to create music of my own. Right now, for me, that is actually a lot of instrumental jazz. I think improvisation is really the greatest form of expression in any art,” Bracchitta said.
All of the lessons, experiences, people, ideas and musical influences that have seeped into his creative process have culminated into the kind of artist Bracchitta is today. “Free,” his upcoming record, is a coming of age for the songwriter. It captures a time in his life in which he is getting closer to fully embracing who he is both as an artist and human.
“To me, to be ‘free’ is to truly know and embrace who you are. It’s amazing how every single person on this earth is completely unique. Knowing that, it drives me crazy to think that anyone would want to hide that and try to be like someone else. I’m not there yet and I don’t know if I’ll ever be, but I’ve felt closer to ‘free’ than I ever have in the past year,” Bracchitta said.
Brett Steinberg is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at brett.steinberg@uconn.edu. He tweets @officialbrett.
