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Top Shelf
With Jimmie Allen’s recent #1 song, Kane Brown’s #1 album and Grammy wins for artists like Kacey Musgraves and Brandi Carlile, country music seems to be swinging open its doors to some of the more unlikely of country artists – enter Brandon Stansell.
When CMT premiered the video for Brandon’s last single “Hometown” in November 2018, he instantly became what they called “living history.” The premiere of this video, addressing LGBTQ themes, is a first for the home of country music videos. The video then went on to be named one of Rolling Stone’s 10 Best Country Music Videos of 2018. Plus, Grammy.com will be releasing an acoustic cover of “Hometown” in June for Pride month as a part of their PRESS PLAY series.
“Country music may not be known for being inclusive to LGBTQ artists, but rising musician Brandon Stansell is redefining the genre one soulful song at a time,” says Billboard. His is a bold new voice in the genre, as comfortable making you tap your foot as shed a tear – a singer-songwriter with something to say, and a voice to remember.
A Chattanooga, Tennessee native, Stansell’s first show was on the Grand Ole Opry stage at the age of 6. He spent his earliest years earning his chops as a performer and dreaming of making it big in Nashville. After moving to the Music City to attend Belmont University, Stansell snagged a spot as a dancer on Taylor Swift’s Fearless tour. After moving to New York and putting a short pause on his musical career, Stansell headed to Los Angeles where he took a deep dive into exploring the world of songwriting, channeling his life experiences into his first EP, 2015’s Dear John.
Stansell hit his artistic stride with the release of his 2017 LP Slow Down, which earned praise from Billboard, Rolling Stone, CMT, The Huffington Post and more. Now, he’s gearing up to share a new side of himself with his fans. Stansell’s new single “Top Shelf” is an infectious, summer-ready track all about savoring the moment when the right one comes along. With his new single, Stansell is showing off a more evolved sound he developed alongside frequent co-writer and first-time producer MYLEN.
An active advocate for the LGBTQ community, Stansell has committed to playing a series of Pride festivals in June as well as GLAAD’s Concert for Love and Acceptance June 6th at Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville. With a performance set for June 9th at LA’s Pride Festival, an active touring schedule and the release of “Top Shelf,” Stansell is set to once again make the country music world take notice.
“Rising musician Brandon Stansell is redefining the genre one soulful song at a time.” – Billboard
“A man of many talents.” – Grammy.com
“Stansell is showing off a more evolved sound he developed.” – LGBTQ Music Chart
“A drinking song led by syncopated guitar riffs and a sunny chorus, lightens the mood.” – Rolling Stone
“With honesty, talent and heart, Stansell is telling important stories in the spirit of country’s adherence to three chords and the truth.” – Wide Open Country