Born in Brisbane, Australia to a coal mining father and champion athlete mother, Kodey Brim’s desire to became a touring songwriter was a big surprise to them. They encouraged her newly found interest by buying her first guitar when she was twelve.
Kodey spent her teens quietly exploring a variety of musical instruments and a passion for creative writing and drama. Inspired by Stevie Nicks, The Temper Trap and Brandi Carlile, Kodey found her voice and realized that she had something to say. A major change in her life happened when she landed a scholarship to the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA.
Moving thousands of miles away from home for the first time brought joy, pain, love, heartbreak, and all kinds of adventure that she continues to explore in her songwriting. From her hometown of Brisbane, Austraila, to Nashville and then Madrid, Kodey has found her style as a blend of pop vocal melodies, folk guitar and descriptive lyrics. She loves wearing a different jumpsuit to every show, gold glitter, her two dogs, and discovering the wide world around her. Catch her on both sides of the globe where she plays local clubs and songwriter nights.
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Kodey Brims about the latest music, challenges, technology and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
I am from Brisbane, Australia and I would say that I create pop music with folk and country elements. Country music inspired me to write music in the first place but I love the freedom for creativity and experimentation that the pop music genre encourages.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
Music has always been a part of my life since I was a child and as the many years and instruments went by my love for it just grew and grew. When I discovered songwriting as a teenager, I realized that it combined my two favourite hobbies of creative writing and music and I decided that that was what I wanted to do with my life.
Despite my moments of self doubt, I ground myself in the fact that creating and performing give me a joy and a purpose like nothing else and that has never changed. What also keeps me going is the support of my girlfriend and my family. When I don’t believe in myself, they do, and that means more than I could ever express.
How is this new release different than previsous ones? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
This new release is different than previous ones because it’s the first time that I have been truly honest in a song. In the past I have been afraid to be vulnerable in front of other people but this song threw it all out of the window. ‘Out of My Hands’ is an honest and cathartic experience of accepting and dealing with time and change as a twenty-something year old in a chaotic world. The only thing I wanted to accomplish with song was to have the production match the emotions of the lyrics and the melody. I’m so lucky I got to work with Invisible Heroes to produce this song and the rest of the songs on my upcoming EP.
In this oversaturated, digital music age, how has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
Technology has been super important for me to be able to stay connected with the people I love who are overseas. I began performing in Australia, then I moved to the United States, and now I’m living in Spain (it’s crazy how life works sometimes). That means that my ‘fan base’ is spread out across 3 countries. Technology, in particular social media, has helped me stay connected with the people who have believed in me from the beginning and that is really special.
What was the last song you listened to?
‘Overnight’ by Maggie Rogers. I LOVE her new album.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
I’m really loving that vinyl is making a comeback. It is so nice to have such a tangible form of music that I can hold in my hands. I also love that vinyl sometimes comes with a little poster or album art that I can put on my wall.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
In terms of supporting songwriters I prefer Apple Music. They have really been making an effort and they support the Music Modernization Act. Spotify however hasn’t been so supportive of songwriters and that makes me really frustrated because I really love their platform and believe it’s the most accessible music streaming platform for artists to connect with new fans… I’m hoping that Spotify can change it’s mind.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
For more information about me and what I’m up to, check out my website: www.kodeybrimsmusic.com
To connect with me online I’m on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as @kodeybrimsmusic
You can find my music on all online streaming platforms!
Anything else before we sign off?
Rainbows and good cup of coffee can make anything better 🌈☕️
