Breland on Playing Stagecoach: ‘You Just Wanna Come With as Much Heat as You Can’
Breland's Stagecoach Festival promise is simple: "We turn up," he says with emphasis when asked to give a way-too-early preview of what he'll bring to California next April.
"We turn up, man," he repeats. "Our show is fun, live music, but we got tracks. You're gonna feel some 808s. but you're going to hear some real guitar licks."
The cross-genre newcomer has been lifted up by a more than a couple superstars who know a thing or two about filling big stages. Sam Hunt was the first to cosign, remixing "My Truck" with Breland in 2019. Keith Urban has been a relentless champion of the new hitmaker, and Thomas Rhett joined him at the ACM Awards for a song called "Praise the Lord" that showcased Breland's endless energy.
"You just wanna come with as much heat as you can," he reiterates, talking to Taste of Country. The full interview about his new Cross Country album, how he entices A-list artists to join him and the power of showing up to work every day is available here.
"I try to do a completely cover-free set," the "For What It's Worth" singer says, "but we do sometimes throw in some 'Strawberry Wine' (Deana Carter). The key is for every song on my album to pop off so crazy that we just play the record top to bottom. That is the ideal world, if I could have it my way."
Cross Country shows off a one-of-a-kind mix of genres. "For What It's Worth" is a radio-friendly, pop-country groove, while "Throw It Back" (with Urban) goes deep into hip-hop. There's a ton of tempo on songs like "Here for It" with Ingrid Andress. There's also a lot of Breland's personal story, including an unapologetic heartbreaker called "Happy Song."
"Probably the saddest song on the album," he tells ToC. "It’s the song that has the least redemption because 'For What It’s Worth' and 'Good for You' are sad, but they’re at least resolute."
The full Stagecoach lineup was released on Monday, featuring Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and Chris Stapleton as headliners. Breland is lined up for Day 1 of the April 28-30, 2023 festival. Passes go on sale on Friday (Sept. 16) through the Stagecoach Festival website.