Multitasking is no problem for AGP recording artist Brielle.
The 17-year-old Jamestown High School student travels to New York City twice a week to co-write with music professionals. She also found time to do her school work and compete with the JHS indoor and outdoor track teams, something she plans to continue in her upcoming senior year.
Her debut, self-titled EP came out last week, and Brielle has a full-length album in the works. She'll introduce her sound to a local audience Saturday, July 28, at The Spire in Jamestown.
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Brielle, who will be a senior at Jamestown High School this fall, has launched a pop music career and will perform at The Spire on Saturday, July 28.
AGP Records photo
"This is really the kickoff for her," said Tim Edborg, CEO of AGP Records.
Edborg, Brielle's father, created the label after hearing his daughter's version of "Who'd Have Known," written by Lily Allen.
"My wife (Lianne) and I were up in our ski house in Vermont, and Brielle couldn't go because she had indoor track," said Edborg, whose son Christian is also a JHS athlete. "We got home on Sunday night. It was late. Brielle said, 'Hey Dad, look what I recorded on GarageBand.' The very next day is when I formed AGP Records."
Brielle's performing career began at age 5. She has performed in plays, and with the Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet, the Junior Guilders and the JHS orchestra. She has played violin since her days in kindergarten.
Of her six released songs, Brielle wrote four of them, two of which were co-written by her keyboardist, Steve Davis. Edborg produced several of the songs, and Jamie Siegel, who worked with Whitney Houston and Taking Back Sunday, co-produced and mixed some of the tracks. The EP is available at brielle1.bandcamp.com.
Several of Brielle's songs have garnered national attention. Six of them have been licensed to MTV's "Snooki and JWoww," and one track, "Hands Up," could be seen on an international stage.
"That's being edited into a video for the summer Olympics," Edborg said. "Because Brielle is a high jumper on the varsity track team, her marketing guy would like her to be in the video. We're compiling a bunch of high-profile female athletes because it's kind of a girl-power anthem."
In total, Brielle plans to perform 16 songs during her July 28 show, which will begin at 8 p.m.
"The Spire has a really cool vibe," Brielle said of the former First Congregational Church. "We've been practicing for the show for a while now."
In the last month, Brielle has written 16 more songs, which will be tracked in the near future. She describes her music as a combination of the sounds of Maroon 5, Paramore, Kid Cudi and Katy Perry.
"It's very unique," she said. "If you listen to my music, you won't say, 'This sounds like so and so.' You'd think it sounds like me. It's definitely pop. There are some rock influences, some alternative influences, some R&B and hip-hop influences, but it's all pop. My sound is very positive, but it's almost like a dark brightness. That's a total contradiction, but if you listen to songs like 'Playing With Danger,' you might understand what that means."
Some of Brielle's songs feature her on the electric and acoustic violin. She'll play those instruments, as well as an acoustic guitar, at The Spire.
She'll also wear a dress she designed. She is working on her own clothing line, and Brielle hopes to eventually earn a degree in fashion design.
She might choose to focus solely on music after graduating high school next year, however. Until then, she will continue writing songs, while also focusing on school and track.
"We feel that we'll probably have 50 songs done by October or November," Edborg said. "We'll be able to pick which songs we want to go on the album."
On July 28, Brielle will be joined on stage by her bandmates Davis, Jed Thomson, Brandon Jones and Norbbie Gavin.
Tickets to the show at The Spire are $15 and can be purchased at brielleonline.com; facebook.com/briellemusic; The Labyrinth Press Company, 12 E. Fourth St., Jamestown; or at The Spire the night of the show. The Spire is located at 317 E. Third St., Jamestown.