Coast 2 Coast Closeup – Chris Brien

Bringing his own flare of outlaw country to the table, Chris Brien is one of Alberta’s fastest rising country acts. Originally hailing from the lower mainland of B.C., he now resides in Calgary. Brien delivers deep rugged vocals that are captivating with each note he sings, all while sharing a powerful performance that gets everyone on the dance floor. He’s a blue collar working man, with inspirations and comparisons to notable acts such as, Johnny Cash, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson and Tyler Childers; so you know he’s country – down to the dirt roads, the callus on his hands, the dust on his boots and mud on his truck – country.

Brien released his second single to radio, ‘Saturdays Are For The Girl,’ on July 23rd, 2021. A hard rocking, high energy tune with an underlying love story – that Saturday is for your girl. The song was written by Brien, Aaron Pollock and Dave Borys, and was recorded and produced at one of the top studios in Canada, MCC Studios (Calgary, AB) with Johnny Gasparic.

Excited about the future Brien says, “I have always been drawn to the lifestyle that surrounds country music and I feel very fortunate to be a part of such an incredible community. I  feel like this is just the start of what I hope to be a long, successful career in the music industry. The best is certainly yet to come and I’d love for you to join in on the ride!”

Brien has a few singles under his belt that are all true examples of Brien’s enticing mix of modern and traditional country influences. ‘One Sunrise at a Time’ (January 2021), was his official release to radio that turned a page in his career. This song shifted him from the lighthearted themes of previous releases, to him successfully diving headfirst into more emotional and meaningful lyrics. The song was officially nominated for a 2021 YYC Music Award in the “Country Recording of the Year” category. It has over 45,000 streams and over 400 radio spins, with adds across the nation. 2020 was also a busy year for Brien as he released his first two singles, an upbeat cheeky summer anthem called, ‘Booze Control,’ (July) and his raw and dark, ear catching debut, ‘Someone to Blame,’ (April). Both tunes combined have over 120,000 streams and continue to see playlist adds.

When Brien isn’t hitting the stage or writing songs, you can find him in the woods, on a lake or at his cabin. He’s an avid outdoorsman, who never passes up an opportunity to hit the open road and take in Canada’s fresh mountain air.

Listen to the interview