Since debuting with her Trying To Be Me album in 2008, Laura Bryna has continually challenged herself with each new release, crafting a fresh, modern sound while carving out her path with each next turn. 2022 was a monumental year for Bryan, which saw her giving us multiple releases and making heavy impact with her latest single, “Jawbreaker.” With CMA Fest happening this week in Nashville, we checked in with Laura to talk all things CMA Fest, learn about her enthusiastic fans The Bryniacs, and chat about “Jawbreaker” and why its resonated so much with listeners.

(Interview by: Jeffrey Kurtis/Photo by: JP Sanchez) 

1) The 50^th CMA Fest is coming up in just a few weeks and you’ll be around town for it. What are you looking forward to most about being in town during this week for this milestone event?

50 years is such a huge milestone and I'm so honored that I get to be a part of it!!

I am so excited to be with everyone IN PERSON!! I've missed being face to face with audiences - the energy, enthusiasm, and feedback you get from performing live is like my drug. Plus, over the past couple of years, I’ve made some great fans, who I consider family, on social media, they call themselves the Bryniacs - I’m super excited to meet them in person!

CMA Fest is the best event of the year!!  The caliber of artists performing is only matched by the dedication and commitment of the country fans it attracts from all walks of life! They’re the reason we can all do what we do, and I really appreciate that! I’m really looking forward to giving them something back via my performances and music!!

2) You’re playing the Nash News stage at Assembly Food Hall on Saturday June 10. Why do fans absolutely need to add your performance to their calendars and what can they expect from it?

I’m really looking forward to playing the Nash News stage on the Saturday night and believe me, I’m ready to bring it…big time! Fans watching a Laura Bryna performance should expect big songs, glam, drama and tons of energy! I feel like a wild animal who’s been caged and about to be set free!! People also tell me I have a wicked sense of humor so don’t be surprised if I shock you with some of my side chat…my poor band have to put up with me all the time!!

3) What other events throughout CMA Fest weekend will fans be able to find you at?

We have a private industry event on the morning of the 9th, interviewing with some of the country radio stations attending CMA Fest! On Thursday (8th) you’ll find me in Alan Jackson’s bar on Broadway where I have an interview with Fox 17 Nashville and then of course we play the Nash News Stage on Saturday night (10th). Fingers crossed, we’re still hoping to add at least one more performance to our schedule…check my socials for all the details!

4) Let’s talk your latest single “Jawbreaker.” Congratulations on the incredible success with the song. Why do you think the song has resonated so much with the listeners?

Thank you so much! It's definitely a “pinch yourself” moment! You never know how a song is going to turn out...you just throw it out there into the big, wide streaming world and hope people like it. As you said, I’ve been very lucky that “Jawbreaker” has resonated with so many people and the feedback I get through comments on my socials or on the video have been so heart-warming!

This song contains a lot of my personality and is filled with badass sass and attitude. I’m only five foot but anyone who knows me will tell you I’ve a very strong personality…sometimes a bit too strong but don’t tell anyone I said that!! There’s also an element of fun to the song with some of the references to candy, etc…, something we played on when we shot the music video. I love a good, tongue-in-cheek innuendo!!

The “Jawbreaker” music video has also been a smash hit with fans. Taillight who produced it, and in particular the director, Justin Key, had the idea to “smush” together a number of cult-classic movies including Moulin Rouge, Roadhouse, Coyote Ugly, and, of course, the original Jawbreaker movie. Without doubt I can say they achieved their objective, and we had such a laugh in the process. I think this fun element is obvious to anyone watching the video possibly explaining why it’s attracted so much attention on YouTube!

5) You co-wrote the song with Eric Sanicola and Grammy Award winner Damon Sharpe. We love talking songwriting, so can you take us back to that writing session and tell us how the song came together that day?

One day we were hanging out at the studio and I was saying to Damon and Eric that I really wanted a song that was fun, sassy, up-tempo, edgy and in your face...a badass kind of song. Something that females could relate to and have fun with. I gave them some examples of songs with attitude, think “Before He Cheats,” Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter,” “Redneck Woman.” We also talked about some cool guitar licks. I love the big guitar sound Jason Aldean uses in a lot of his songs. Once we had a general idea, we came up with a pretty cool melody and the name of the song with its double meanings drove a lot of the lyrics.

I really feel like this song fits me to a ‘T’ and recording the vocals was such a fun experience, I got to channel my inner fire and drive. If I could only sing one song for the rest of my life, "Jawbreaker," would definitely be it!! It's everything ‘Laura Bryna’ squished into three and a half minutes…if that’s even possible!

6) We’ve heard it said a bunch from songwriters that when they finished writing a song, they knew when they had something. Was that the feeling y’all had when you finished this one? If so, can you describe that feeling for those songwriters reading this Q&A right now?

That’s so true! After we’d just finished up the writing, adding some final candy-reference tweaks in the bridge, we looked at each other and without saying anything, I could tell we were all thinking the same thing… “Jawbreaker” was something special and we couldn’t wait to record it so people could hear it! I don’t know what it is, it’s difficult for me to describe but it was a feeling deep in my gut that was telling me ‘we did good’! Luckily it turns out it wasn’t just my gut…fans have been loving it and the song’s presence on radio has been growing by the week!

7) Sharpe not only co-wrote the song with you, but also produced it. What vision did he bring to each side of the song – from the pen to the production board – that really helped shape it in ways that might not have otherwise been there?

I love Damon!! He's incredibly talented in so many ways from songwriting, producing, being an artist himself as well as now being a DJ. Damon really gets me, especially vocally, and knows where I can go even if sometimes, I don’t know it myself. He's always challenging me, and I love that...all together he brings multiple talents to the table, and we make a really great team. Michael Carey also helped with production of the track, and he brings a different skillset to the party! Michael is all about big guitars and booming drums…with his help and expertise we were definitely able to achieve that HUGE sound I’d envisaged for the song! 

8) The song is also hitting a viral point with several fans doing dances on TikTok alongside of it. Did you expect anything like this to happen?

It’s so much fun to see what people do with the song on the likes of Tiktok and Instagram. Every day I’m checking the Sound for new, fun posts! A girlfriend of mine, Jenn, came up with the “Jawbreaker” line dance and I was like ‘I definitely got to try that!!’. We went to a horse ranch in LA at 7.30am one morning and recorded a tutorial video, in the heat and dust, with some other friends…we had so much fun! After we posted the video on our socials, we started getting tagged in videos of people doing the “Jawbreaker” line dance from all over the world including the Philippines, South America and New Zealand to name a few. It’s an amazing feeling of pride and satisfaction when something like this happens, for someone to take time out of their busy day to create something using a piece of your art is truly one of the greatest compliments.

9) So, with all the success on this last single, what’s next for Laura Bryna? New single, new album in the works, Etc?

Oh!!!! We have a LOT of fun stuff coming down the pike! I’m writing with some incredible songwriters, and we’ve been coming up with new songs that rival Jawbreaker’s sass and attitude - I’m chomping at the bit to get back in the studio to record them. Touring is a big part of my plans - we’re just in the planning stage but I’m hoping we can announce a series of dates in the coming weeks - I can’t wait to get back on the road! I’ve also recorded a cover of one of my favorite female rock n’ roll songs and we’re heading to Vegas to shoot the music video in the Neon Boneyard - that will be a very special experience!

Apart from my music career I’ve also written a number of kids books about my parrots - my first came out last Christmas and the next one is due to be published very soon! To go with these books, we’re creating some kid’s videos and will be launching a YouTube channel. It’s all go, all the time in my house!!

10) We always end with this one, but what one piece of advice can you offer to someone who is just starting out and trying to break into the music industry?

Career-wise : always listen and never stop learning!

Person-wise : my mantra as a person is to always “Be Nice”!! Treat everyone you meet with the same amount of respect no matter their social-standing or situation! At the end of the day, we’re all humans with our own unique insecurities and a simple act of kindness can make a person’s day! What can be more rewarding that that!!

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