Brenna Williams has just released her first single, “Ransom”, off her upcoming EP! She describes this as the first song she truly believes is a reflection of her authentic self. The word “ransom” often has a negative connotation attached to it, as being held ransom usually is price demanded for someone or something to be released after captivity. She uses “ransom” as a metaphor for how powerful love can be and the effect it has on someone. Brenna starts off the song detailing her life before this person. She’s lonely, stuck in a “riptide…drowning in truth.” This person caught her at her lowest point, and she’s willing to let them take her away. Brenna wants this person to stay with her forever and then some, and exclaims you “can’t put a price on faint hearted lovers.” In the second verse, Brenna skips forward to waking up next to this person, and it is a complete emotional switch. She’s “breathing in [them]”, in a slow, fiery love. In the bridge, she takes a look back on her previous state before this person, saying that she was a terrible liar by telling people she was okay. This person was a blinding light that guided her to happiness. If you boil this song down, it really is a love song. But, there’s another layer of complexity that makes this description of love unconventional.
“Ransom” is a beautiful blend of 70s soft rock and indie pop. Citing Fleetwood Mac as one of her earliest influences, the soft drum beats and acoustic instrumentation heard in the song are reminiscent of that era. The indie-pop vibe in the song is attributed to personal lyrics and a DIY ethic, as Brenna has said she records her music in her bedroom and FaceTime’s her producer. Her voice is deep and powerful, as most of the song is spent in her lower register. However, she shows off her upper range in the bridge, yet she maintains control and keeps her tone quality. This song is laid back and is super easy to listen to, yet it is so intriguing at the same time. The production is beautiful, but Brenna says it took a long time to get there. In a TikTok, she said that the production started off as Americana inspired, then morphing into a dark, ominous vibe, then to a Weezer vibe, then a Fleetwood Mac vibe, and the final product ended up a combination of all of those.
Brenna Williams, although being a singer-songwriter, has a strong foundation in visual start. Being a fashion design student in college, she was acclimated to an environment in 3-dimensions. However, her passion for music pushed her to look beyond a 3-dimensional plane and create quality songs that resonated with listeners on a deeper level. For over 10 years, she traveled throughout the US to music studios to hone in on her sound as well as develop her musicianship. She released her first single, “All I Know”, in 2019, and has consistently released music since. Now, she’s planning to release her first EP later this year. Although she may be a small artist, she certainly packs a punch, and her EP will surely cement Brenna as a powerful indie-pop artist.
Written By Lauren DiGiovanni
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