BRIEL the Artist Shares Key Details About Crafting Brand New Album “DAMN GENESIS”

Intro:

BRIEL the Artist is a groundbreaking Bronx-born artist that we’ll be interviewing in today’s article. BRIEL crafts music that blends genres and emotions by using storytelling to explore themes like love, identity, and self-discovery. DAMN GENESIS is BRIEL’s debut mixtape that released this summer, and it features some of their unique artistic qualities mentioned previously. The project is full of layers, both musically & thematically, that fans are sure to enjoy! Before reading our brief conversation, make sure you listen to BRIEL the Artist today below.

Me: What was the creative process like while making this new record? How'd you get inspired?

Briel: Honestly, the inspiration came from not overthinking it — just doing. For the first time, I allowed myself to create without this pressure of where it had to lead or what it had to be. I always dreamed of making a full body of work, but at the start, it was really just me in my room, freestyling over free beats I found on YouTube. That’s how THE BLINDS was born — it was the very first song I ever made that actually made the cut for the mixtape.

That record was inspired by my humor — by the way I naturally am in real life. People always tell me I’m animated, almost like a character, and for so long, I felt like I had to shrink that part of myself. I grew up believing that side of me was “too much” — too weird, too immature, too playful. But deep down, that’s just me. So with THE BLINDS and really the whole project, I wanted to reclaim that. The little adlibs like “Ouuu, who’s he?” — those are me stepping into my playful, bold side unapologetically. That freedom sparked the whole energy for this project.

Did you draw inspiration from any specific genres or artists for this release?

Absolutely — I’ve always been inspired by the women of R&B. Artists like Summer Walker, Ari Lennox, Doja Cat, and SZA have definitely shaped how I approach music. But with this mixtape, I let myself pull from everything — all the little pieces of who I am and what I’m drawn to creatively. I love how SZA can be raw and raunchy with her lyrics — unfiltered but still beautiful. That honesty inspired me to lean into that side of myself. And Doja Cat’s playfulness? I admire that so much. She reminds me that music doesn’t always have to be so heavy — it can be fun, animated, and still hit hard. Those things live in me too.

But what I love most about this process is that once I’m in my notes app or locked away in my little bedroom studio, I’m not thinking about anyone else. It’s just me — saying what I want to say, experimenting, playing around — and the ideas start flowing naturally. I think that’s how I’ve been able to keep it original while still honoring the artists and sounds that inspire me. album, hopefully our love of soul and jazz, hip hop and funk, blues and folk, etc etc, comes across.

Nice! And are the themes or narratives on this album inspired by your personal life story? Specifically, topics like acceptance & love that appear on the album?

Yes, yes, and double… triple… quadruple yes. DAMN GENESIS is based on a true story — my story. Every single one of those ten tracks holds a piece of my heart because they each unpack a moment, a lesson, or a situation I’ve lived through.

If you really listen, the mixtape plays out like chapters of my life. It starts with THE BLINDS — that song captures what it feels like to fall too fast, to get swept up in infatuation when your heart’s craving connection. Then you hit NAH NAH NAH, which gets real about dealing with a verbally abusive partner — those moments where love doesn’t feel safe anymore. From there, SITUATIONSHIP is me finally saying no to the confusion, no to settling for less than I deserve. And LADIES SONG? That one’s me speaking to anyone stuck in that same cycle — reminding them they can walk away too.

I could sit here and break down every record because they all tie together — it’s messy, it’s complicated, but at the core, this project is about wrestling with love, figuring out your worth, processing the pain, and eventually — finding your healing.

Were there any songs from DAMN GENESIS that didn’t make the final tracklist? If so, why?

Oh baby, plenty didn’t make it. If I had kept everything, we’d be sitting at thirteen… maybe more, which felt like too much for this moment. Not too much for my supporters — y’all could definitely handle it — but for a debut mixtape, I wanted to be intentional. I see DAMN GENESIS as this experimental playground, where I could test different sounds, try new styles, and really explore who I am sonically before I lock in and create the biggest project of my life. This mixtape is also my first time stepping into the music industry in a real, professional way — so I wanted to test the waters, but not overwhelm the introduction.

I’ll be nice and leak a couple titles that didn’t make the cut — just know, they’re probably never seeing the light of day… well, maybe one. SYNTH’S GROOVE, DOOMED, SAVIOR, and BUTTERFLY. That last one… BUTTERFLY… she’s basically PRETTY’s twin sister. So who knows — maybe one day I’ll let her fly.

I’m sure friends would love to hear some of those! Now, what are your favorite songs on the album?

Ouuu, is it wrong if I say all of them? Because honestly… all of them are my babies. But if I had to choose one — I’d say SHOT ON ME holds a special place in my heart, both for the story behind it and how the song came together. Without spilling too much of my own tea, let’s just say there was this artist I had a crush on — we’re still friends to this day, but back then, when we were both in school and really close, there was definitely something there. I liked him, and I knew he liked me too, but I was never the type to say anything. Plus, I was single and… let’s just say my DMs looked like hurricane season in Florida — flooded.

When I tried testing the waters with him, he just kept disappointing me, so I left it alone — we stayed friends, and honestly, that was for the best. But here’s the plot twist: years later, he told me he had written a song about me. And of course, I had to listen. I’ll be real… the song wasn’t great — but not too much on him, that’s still my friend, and hey, it was about me! It got me thinking though — not many artists get songs written about them, and even fewer get to tell their side. At first, I was hesitant — especially being in a relationship now, I didn’t know how I felt singing about an old crush. But my good friend Vernon Maxwell reminded me that as an artist, you have to tell your truth. That’s what we do. So I went full-force with it.

Creating SHOT ON ME from scratch was a whole vibe. Noizy’s beat gave me that sexy, seductive, but still hood energy I wanted — I call it my “sexy gangsta” moment. The song came together so fast, it almost scared me. And to this day, the second verse still shocks me because I never pictured myself getting that sexual in my music… I definitely matched my freak to the beat — unapologetically. It’s raw, it’s real, it’s me — and that’s why I love this record so much.

What was the most challenging part of creating the album as a whole?

Honestly? Doing everything — that was the hardest part. This project was fully me at first. I didn’t have the luxury of a team — no in-house producer, no songwriters, and most importantly… no engineer. It was just me, my notes app, my iPad, and a whole lot of trial and error (before Kean Lane came in and remix-engineered the whole project). The mixtape was fully produced by me with the help of beatmakers I found on YouTube, and I wrote, arranged, and engineered every single track myself. And when I say I hate the engineering process… I hate it more than smelling a seafood boil — and if you know me, you know that’s saying a lot.

Engineering drained me. You fix one thing, another thing sounds off, and suddenly you’re stuck tweaking levels, re-recording vocals, and mixing for hours. There were so many nights I just sat there, staring at my iPad, zoning out, forgetting to eat, forgetting to use the bathroom — just trying to get it done. Even weed couldn’t save me from that stress. But thankfully, Kean Lane came in and saved the day. He’s a pro, I was a beginner — and his ear, his skills, his patience really brought this project to life in a way I couldn’t have done by myself. His contribution made all the difference, and now the vision sounds exactly how I heard it in my head.

Do you have any upcoming releases or plans that you're comfortable sharing with the readers?

Right now, the only upcoming release I’m focused on is DAMN GENESIS — not just on your favorite streaming platforms, but eventually, physically in your hands. I really believe there’s something special about holding music in real life. Streaming is convenient, but physical music? That’s history you can touch. It holds more value — it feels personal, timeless. So definitely keep an eye out for updates on physical copies of DAMN GENESIS. This is just the beginning — and I want people to experience the project in every form possible.

That’s exciting! And finally, in your own words, why should a new listener check out DAMN GENESIS today?

People should check out DAMN GENESIS because it’s real — it’s the story of an everyday person… and that person could easily be you. What do I mean by that? We all carry vulnerability, whether we want to admit it or not. You might hide it, you might not speak on it — but it’s there. These ten songs are pieces of my story, but I believe somewhere in them, you’ll find pieces of your story too. I want people to really sit with this project — don’t just stream it in the background, actually listen. Let yourself feel something. If it makes you cry, good.

If it makes you mad because it brings up a memory you tried to bury — I’ll even give you permission to hate it and leave a bad review. But at the end of the day, my hope is that this mixtape inspires you to be honest with yourself, to heal, and to tell your story in whatever way feels right for you. No matter who you are or what you’ve been through, there’s always room to grow, to become the next version of yourself. You deserve that — and there’s no better time to start than right now.