BREAKING THE RULES WITH BRIVON’S NEW SINGLE
With her upcoming single “And I,” independent R&B Brivon returns with sensual and assertive sounds like velvet on bare skin. Known for her popular debut album Whatever Happens, Happens, Brivon’s new single is a continuation of sharing her sentiments on intimacy and relationships.
Moving from Alaska to the East Coast, Brivon has been building her name in the R&B space since 2020, starting with her first single “Alone,”. “And I” is a study of power dynamics, erotic tension, and what it means to take control through passion. The production is slow and filled with reverb, grounded by a slow bassline that beats like a heart.
Her vocals surround and melt into the sharp beats, providing a seductive undertone. Creating harmonies in the chorus that enthrall with lyrics that echo like a whisper. Through rebellious lyrics, she serenaded “I don’t play by the rules” and “I can be so sweet / but I could make you hurt.” She isn’t asking for space — she’s taking it. This single is the sound of a queer artist who is claiming her power and creating her narrative by mixing sensuality with strategy.
Crave Music Magazine spoke with Brivon about her new single, artistic influences and how she’s molding her narrative in the R&B scene. Here’s what she shared with us:
CRAVE: How has your shift in your environment from Alaska to the DMV shaped the way you approach songwriting?
BRIVON: Coming from such a secluded yet diverse place like Alaska, you have to find your own way. You either grew there or you flew there. In my case, my grandmother moved her family to Alaska to start a new life and with that, cultures got left behind. That’s the beginning of my story. I was a blank canvas. I was susceptible to everything but luckily that made me want to learn about everything. My lack of history, culture and identity in my upbringing caused me to be curious and adventurous. This all translates to how I approach not only songwriting but art as a whole. I don’t believe in being boxed in or labeled. Art imitates life and life is ever changing so that is my approach to music. I make music that reflects my most current purest form of life.
CRAVE: When and how did you know you wanted to make music?
BRIVON: Growing up, I wrote little silly pieces here and there. No real rhyme or reason. What led me to release my first single was a traumatic heartbreak in 2020. Not having anyone to talk to or truly understand the complexities of it turned that pain into songwriting. After I finished writing my first full song about the situation, it felt like a therapy session and the only way to finish my healing journey was to release it, so I did. The overwhelming responses I got from it was my confirmation that music is what I needed to do.
CRAVE: Who are some of your favorite musicians/songs/albums that inspire you?
BRIVON: My influences range from jazz & blues to neo-soul to current hip-hop and R&B. Jill Scott, Brandy, Beyonce, Smino, Noname, H.E.R. My inspirations currently are small unsigned artists. The rawness, hunger and authenticity of an unsigned artist is unworldly and those are unsung heroes that inspire me everyday.
CRAVE: Do you write with rhythm and vocal delivery already in mind, or does that come later?
BRIVON: If I feel driven to a beat, I either come up with the words first then it just flows out like water. I don’t really think too much. Once I get out the first couple of words, my hands just type and most of the time I don’t even know how it’s going to turn out until the very end. I start from the ground out. I compare songs to neighborhoods. Words create the structure then the rhythm and vocal delivery is how I build the environment around the song.
CRAVE: You say in the song that you don’t play by the rules, in a production context, did that extend to how you recorded vocals or created the song?
BRIVON: Absolutely. Sometimes I record in the shower. I made a song while on a road trip. I’ve finalized mixes with my team in the middle of a function once. I do what I do when I’m driven to do it because it fulfills me. A creative’s best work comes from stepping out of themselves and into becoming the essence of their art. We always hear people make hits by accident or how a song was created in an unorthodox way and it blew up. There’s no rush to this sh-! There is no “How to make the best song” handbook. That’s the fun of it all. Whatever you release genuinely will resonate with those it’s meant for.
CRAVE: What’s one piece of advice—either from someone else or something you’ve learned on your own—that’s stuck with you during your songwriting journey?
BRIVON: Learning and accepting that “life is not linear” has been a game-changer. Some days are easier than others. I’m not gonna be on my A-game all the time. Some songs I write are going to be terrible but in those times, letting it be what it is is my foundation for becoming better.
Brivon’s “And I” is an empowering and sultry declaration from an artist who knows exactly what she wants and how to express it through songwriting. It blends an environment of intimacy and assertion that deserves a special spot on a certain type of playlist.
Set the mood and turn up the volume with “And I,” out now on all platforms!
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