Cross-Genre Magic: BRELAND and His Most Successful Musical Collaborations
BRELAND isn’t just playing with other country music artists. As a genre-blending artist who fused hip-hop, gospel, R&B, and country into his music, he’s become the guy who shows up…
BRELAND isn’t just playing with other country music artists. As a genre-blending artist who fused hip-hop, gospel, R&B, and country into his music, he’s become the guy who shows up at a party with a catalog that works for everyone, from your cowboy uncle to your Gen-Z cousin who refuses to listen to anything without a beat drop.
His unique position in the industry made it easy for him to collaborate with other artists. And the results? Genre boundary crossing tracks that actually slap. Let’s take a look at his most successful collaborations that prove music doesn’t see any boundaries.
BRELAND and His Breakthrough Hit “My Truck”
Born Daniel Gerard Breland on July 18, 1995, in Burlington Township, New Jersey. He’s the son of ordained ministers Tonya and Gerard Breland. He turned down admission to New York University's prestigious Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music to study business at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. instead.
After graduation, he moved to Atlanta, where he worked a day job while writing music at night, becoming self-taught in music production using Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and FL Studio. He burst onto the music scene with his debut single “My Truck” from his self-titled debut EP released in 2020. The track went viral after posting it on social media. He received a great response to it and realized he had found his niche: country-trap.
Chart-Topping Collaborations: From Dierks Bentley to Keith Urban
BRELAND’s most successful collaborative tracks that achieved major chart success include “Beers on Me” featuring Dierks Bentley and HARDY. Bentley says of the idea for the track: “HARDY threw out this title and I remember immediately thinking, ’I wish I could buy all my fans a beer.’ After the year we’ve all had, it would be nice to get the first round and say, ‘Hey, we all got some problems, but we’re going to forget about them for a little while…the beers are on me.’”
He added, “I came back to Nashville to record the song and came across an article about BRELAND in the Nashville Scene. I got his number, and he came in the next day and wrote and sang the third verse. It was truly an organic collaboration, and I couldn’t be more proud to have him and HARDY on this song with me,” per CMT News.
BRELAND also worked with Keith Urban, where he co-wrote and featured on the single "Out The Cage" alongside Nile Rodgers, and the track "Soul Food." These collaborations showcase BRELAND's ability to blend his hip-hop background with country music elements and attract established country artists to work with him.
The Cross Country Album: A Collaborative Masterpiece
BRELAND’s debut studio album, Cross Country, is the ultimate showcase of his collaborative approach. Released on September 9, 2022, it consists of 14 tracks that feature collaborations with major country artists, including Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Mickey Guyton, Ingrid Andress, and Lady A.
The album peaked at position 143 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 15 on the US Top Country Albums. It also achieved gold certification by the RIAA.
BRELAND and His Lasting Legacy in Musical Collaboration
BRELAND achieved success in cross-genre collaborations, and his approach influenced the industry’s acceptance of genre fluidity. His hope for country music’s future is that it will reflect the diversity of the world we live in. After all, he has already successfully demonstrated that music can be a unifier across cultural and genre boundaries.
