Brett Young Explains How His Parents’ Relationship Affects His Songwriting
Plenty of country songs have been inspired by heartbreak, love lost, divorce and failed relationships -- but it's unlikely you'll hear Brett Young singing that sort of country song. In a recent interview the rising singer-songwriter explained how his parents' happy, 37-year marriage has influenced his songwriting.
“My parents’ example of a loving, caring relationship, I think, has affected my songwriting a ton and allowed me to start writing love songs that people could connect to without sounding like you’re being cheesy, because they’re coming from a real place, something that I saw coming up," Young -- who notes that "writing love songs is the hardest thing to do" because "everybody can relate to a sad song, so it's an easy thing to write" -- tells Taste of Country during his RISERS interview. "I think they’re a huge influence on my songwriting."
Young recalls that, when he was a child, his parents would walk around their house singing "Hooked on a Feeling" by BJ Thomas -- "their song."
"I’ve never heard them raise their voice to each other. I’ve never seen my dad come home from work and not walk straight to my mom and ask her about her day," Young says of his parents. "I had the best example set by my parents for what a couple can -- and, in my opinion, should -- be."
In February, Young released his self-titled debut album; he describes the project as "[filled with] a lot of love and a lot of hurt."
“I like the idea of a relationship where you can need and rely on each other and not feel needy and not feel like that makes you not independent,” Young notes. “I think I realized my parents’ relationship was special when I had my first girlfriend, and she came from a broken marriage. I watched how much closeness there was between her and her mom, and also how much bickering.”
This summer, Young will be out on the road with Lady Antebellum, serving as an opening act for their You Look Good World Tour. A list of all of Young’s upcoming shows, including those on his trek with Lady A, is available on his website.
Watch Brett Young Perform "In Case You Didn't Know" in Nashville
New Artists to Watch in 2017