THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Britti — born Brittany Guerin in Baton Rouge; reborn in and proudly repping New Orleans now — isn’t defined by genre as much as her effervescent spirit, which she shares with the world on Hello, I’m Britti., her aptly titled 11-song debut on Easy Eye Sound.
Produced and co-written by Dan Auerbach — lead singer of The Black Keys, founder of Easy Eye Sound, and the Grammy-winning producer behind celebrated releases from Yola, Marcus King, Valerie June, Dr. John and many more — Hello, I’m Britti. is a love letter to the place she calls home, a triumphant ode to fresh starts in the face of heartbreak, and the culmination of a years-long journey even Britti didn’t always know she was taking.
The album shows the many sides of a singular voice: Pairing shimmering country-pop with bright trills (much like childhood favourite Dolly Parton) on Back Where We Belong; putting breathy purrs atop the hazy reverie of ’90s R&B on Silly Boy; and placing full-on bellows alongside sumptuous horns in homage to her New Orleans home on Save Me. Ever the savvy producer, Auerbach enlisted a remarkable group of first-call players to uplift Britti’s formidable instrument, including bassist Nick Movshon (Amy Winehouse, Wu Tang Clan), Jay Bellerose (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Sharon Van Etten), guitarist Tom Bukovac (Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks), and keyboard wizard Mike Rojas (Yola, Miranda Lambert), among others.
Britti “grew up in the most musical environment in the world,” Auerbach observes. “It’s in her DNA.” Raised by her mother and grandmother — whom she dubs Brown Sugar and Cayenne Pepper, respectively — Britti was surrounded by music in the family home: Classic soul and R&B, blues, zydeco, and more. Her uncle, the eminent jazz bassist Roland Guerin, invited her to attend his gigs with Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and others. Britti soaked it all in while nurturing her own talent at every turn: school chorus, church choir, harmonizing with the radio on long car rides. “Singing is my passion,” she says, “but it’s also my purpose.”
After earning a degree in music performance from Loyola University, Britti fantasized about being “discovered” and pursuing a life in music. Yet for the better part of a decade that life revolved around working in a music store, selling instruments to people pursuing their dreams, while deferring her own. The end of a long-term relationship combined with a pandemic furlough prompted a moment of clarity. “I remember saying this out loud in prayer,” she recalls. “‘What if I actually try believing in myself?’ I had this whole dialogue with my ancestors, my spirit guide, and the divine like ‘What if I try?’ ”
She began posting videos covering songs by some of her favorite artists, including Auerbach’s own Whispered Words (Pretty Lies) from his debut solo LP Keep It Hid. Auerbach found the video online and within days the two were meeting in Nashville, discussing a collaboration. “I’m sure he’s great with everybody,” says Britti, “but we definitely vibe.”
Their shared interests and influences are on display throughout the album as each track tells its own compact story. The tunes span a range of sounds and emotions, with Britti’s unique vocal style the thread that runs through all of them. It’s a voice you won’t soon forget, and Hello, I’m Britti. is the perfect introduction.”
