Exclusive Interview: Dylan Brady Talks “Forgot About You” Single, Creating Music on His Own Terms, and More

Singer-songwriter Dylan C. Brady is a talent on the rise who has taken his career into his own hands, creating the music he wants on his own terms. It’s that authenticity that has resonated with thousands of listeners around the world and finds Dylan emerging as one of the prominent voices of his generation.

The gifted artist recently unveiled his latest single, “Forgot About You,” a captivating pop masterpiece that challenges conventional song production by fusing introspective lyrics with upbeat melodies.

Pop Culturalist had the privilege of speaking with Dylan about “Forgot About You,” what it means to him to have creative control over his artist project and sound, and more.

PC: You grew up in a musical family. Did you always know that this was the path for you? What was that origin story?
Dylan: I always make the joke that I knew because I’m not really good at anything else. [laughs] My dad plays music, but he never did it professionally. However, that’s how he got through college—playing at these bars. So there was always music in my house. I also have a twin brother. We used to do music together, so it’s always been a thing.

My twin brother is studying to be a veterinarian, but he’s good at everything. He’s a great athlete, musician, and he was excellent in school. Not that I was an idiot or anything. [laughs] But it was always music for me, and he could have chosen any of those paths. For me, it’s always been this. I’ve never really strayed from it. My mom says I was trying to sing before I could talk, which makes no sense. [laughs] But she says that’s the truth, so I believe her.

PC: In this career, it’s about having the right people around you. Who has been that community that’s influenced and impacted your career? How has that group of collaborators helped push your artistry forward?
Dylan: That’s a great question. I feel like it starts at home when you’re younger. My parents have always been super supportive. Not every parent would be super supportive, knowing that their son was dropping out of college after a year, so it starts there.

I moved to Nashville in 2016. Being in a city full of creative people who do the same thing can feel competitive to some people, but I don’t look at it as competition. I look at it as if your friends are winning, you’re winning, and vice versa.

The thing about this job is that it’s so personal. You are the product. The songs that you write are an extension of you. On top of that, your coworkers are your friends. I love the people I have around me. I love that I’m genuinely just a gigantic fan of the people around me.

PC: That’s a great mindset to have. You also just shared a powerful post about finally being able to make the music that you want. How has the path as an independent artist allowed you to do that? How has that affected the music?
Dylan: That’s another great question. When I moved to Nashville, the opportunities came pretty early. Those opportunities ended up not being what I thought they were, but they became gigantic learning experiences. I feel really lucky that I learned those things really young in my move to Nashville.

I was nineteen when I signed my first record deal. I was out of it by the time I was twenty-two. I thought that was the thing that was going to change my life because that’s what you’re told. And for some people, it very well can be. But it wasn’t the right one for me.

So I got out of it, and now I’m able to release the music that I want to make. I love country music. I’ll always be a fan of it. I grew up listening to it. My mom’s from all over down South. But I grew up on Long Island and never saw a chicken in my life. That, not drinking, and wearing pearls around my neck don’t necessarily constitute being a country artist, nor is that the music I want to make. But it’ll always be influenced by it, and it’ll always be a Nashville-written song. It’s been amazing to be able to release music again, make it when I want to make it, and with who I want to make it with because that’s what it’s all about.

There’s a gigantic difference between somebody who sings songs and being an artist. Someone who sings songs will sing whatever you want them to, and that’s great. But for me, being an artist is about what you sound like, what you want to say, how you want to say it, and what you want it to look like. It’s all of those things. It’s a vision.

For me, if you’re not able to make the music you want to make, it defeats the purpose of being an artist in the first place. So it’s been amazing to learn so much in the past seven years being here in Nashville and now being able to put out the music I want to make and run with it.

PC: Every artist is looking for that song that’s going to change their life. There was a point in your own career where that was true, but you’ve had a change in mindset. What led to that shift where it’s more about growing as an artist as opposed to the numbers?
Dylan: That’s a great question too. I tell myself that it’s not about the numbers, but I don’t necessarily always believe that for myself. [laughs] It’s impossible not to look at the numbers once in a while. Once again, this is the most personal job in the world. You are literally the product. It’s based on people, numbers, and algorithms liking you or not. As much as I say it’s not about the numbers and it’s about making the music that you want to make, I’m such a hypocrite. I always get in my head about those things. It’s interesting. It’s about continually making music that you love, that you believe in, and that you would listen to yourself. Everyone wants that song that shoots up on the charts and is a hit.

When I was fifteen and on Disney Channel, I thought that was going to be it. Everybody wants that thing. That, for me, wasn’t it. It’s been ten years since then. It’s been seven years in Nashville. Everyone wants that one song to be a hit, and I totally understand it. Rather than that gigantic swing upwards, you really want that steady climb. That’s where careers are made. But would I be opposed to a gigantic hit tomorrow? Of course not. But it’s about that steady climb.

It’s interesting because you said that artists are looking for that one song. You believe in most of your songs, I would say. You know that not all of them are the best songs that you’ve ever written, but a lot of times you believe in one song more than others. It’s interesting because a lot of times that song is not the song. You can believe in it, your “team” can believe in it, but at the end of the day, it’s up to the fans. Their favorite song might not be your favorite song. Or it might be, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good song or a bad song; it’s just whatever reacts. It’s interesting because a lot of times the song that you think is going to be the one isn’t, then the one that you never expect to be the one is. It’s up to the people.

PC: You’ve also been really open about the highs and lows of this industry, and you’ve had a lot of success. When you look back, is there a moment that stands out?
Dylan: I don’t know. I really do think it’s about that build. I’ve been singing since I was three. I’ve done music my whole life. When I was fifteen, I was on Disney Channel. Then I started working with Zac Brown Band and then Rascal Flatts. When all of those things happened, I thought they were going to be the thing. But they weren’t. They just led to the next thing. And hopefully, it leads to the thing after that.

I recently wrote a song that is not about that but could be interpreted that way. It’s called “Dominoes.” It’s basically about how all the people that you’ve loved before are leading to that last domino hitting. I’ve been trying to look at my music that way and trying to look at my career that way, where one domino leads to the next. You have to hit this one in order to hit the next one. So to answer your question, I don’t think there’s one that sticks out. It’s a bunch of things that stick out that will hopefully lead to that last domino.

PC: You’ve got a new single out now. Tell us about “Forgot About You” and the inspiration behind it.
Dylan: I love “Forgot About You.” Once again, it’s a song that I thought was going to be the one, and I’ll be completely transparent with you, it didn’t do what I thought it would do. That’s totally okay. It’s really interesting because a lot of times, I get in my head about that. But with “Forgot About You,” I was in my head about it, and then I went back and listened to it. I said to myself, “That is disappointing that it didn’t do what I think it would do.” But it still might. A song’s first day, first week, first month doesn’t dictate its life, especially now more than ever. Tracy Chapman recently won song of the year for a song she wrote 35 years ago. It’s mind-blowing. But with “Forgot About You,” I was a little in my head about it, and then I went back and listened to it, and I said to myself, “I made something here that I’m really proud of. I love this song, especially finally being able to make the music that I want.” “Forgot About You” is a good example of sonically where I want to be. I love that song, and that’s what it’s about.

Every song is its own domino. I have this cartoon on my phone. It’s this inspiring graphic, and it’s two guys who are basically digging for diamonds. One’s at the bottom and one’s at the top. The guy at the bottom turns around and leaves, but he’s so close to the diamonds, and he doesn’t know it. He’s digging and he’s right there, and then he says, “I’m never going to get there.” The other guy above him is still ten feet from the diamonds, but he’s still digging. You never know if that next throw of the axe is going to hit those diamonds or not, so it does keep you hungry.

I tell myself this. I have to practice what I preach and believe it. But a song’s first week doesn’t necessarily dictate its life. So I’m really eager to see what “Forgot About You” does because the reaction has been amazing. I’m really grateful for that. Everybody’s been loving it, and I’m really eager to see whose ears it hits next.

PC: There was a funny moment when you released the song, and your fans were curious what was going on in your life, but you’re very much a concept writer. Has that always been your process? Has it ever been strange to write from your perspective when you’re not experiencing it in the moment?

Dylan: I put out a song back in January called “How Are You?” It’s been the biggest reaction that I’ve seen to a song ever, and I’m really grateful for that. It’s another song that I really believed in and was hoping it was going to do something, and it did. That’s a rare thing for that to happen where it’s usually the ones that you don’t expect to do anything. With this song, I was getting all these comments like, “Did you and your girlfriend break up?” We hadn’t. We’ve been together for four years. But for me, the way I write songs, regardless if I’m going through it or not, if I’ve been through it before, if there’s a great concept, I’m going to write it. I’m going to tap into those emotions, whether I’m experiencing it in the moment.

With “How Are You?,” I wasn’t even thinking about a past relationship. I was thinking to myself, what if my girlfriend and I broke up, and I ran into her somewhere. What would I be feeling? “Forgot About You” is the same way. I put out another song called “Nobody’s You,” and the first line is, “Sometimes you tell me you wish that your eyes were blue, but if you could see those brown eyes looking back at you.” I put brown eyes in a lot of my songs because my girlfriend has brown eyes. “Forgot About You” is a sad song, and it has the words “brown eyes” in it too because I would never be able to forget about Brigetta and she’s got brown eyes. I thought it was a really cool concept. I thought, “Forgot I forgot about you” was a cool play on words. But I’m always concept first, then I dig into my emotions afterward.

I think it’s also interesting too because I’m no longer doing country music. But one of the staples of country music is the story and having a hook that someone might go, “I like what they did there.” Although I’m no longer doing country music, that’s a piece of the genre that I still love and want to bring to pop music. As much as you also do that in pop music, it’s a lot more rare. Being in Nashville for a little over seven years now, I’m really grateful. I’m learning how to really craft those types of songs.

PC: Of all the music that you’ve released, if you have to choose one that best encompasses who you are as an artist at this moment, which would it be and why?
Dylan: That’s a great question. I haven’t been able to put out music for so long, and now I’m getting to do it again. I’m going to pick two. “How Are You?” is the writer that I want to be and continue to strive to be, and will hopefully lead me to writing even better songs that I’m really proud of. I’m really proud of that story.

When we went and produced it, we had so many different versions. The first version was super upbeat, and then my buddy Adam and I, who I produced it with, we looked at each other and we were like, “Why don’t we just let the song be a song and let it speak for itself?” We stripped it back to just straight piano and a few other small things. But it’s really just piano and vocals. That encapsulates me as an artist because it’s the song first, and it has an interesting hook and story.

Then I’d say “Forgot About You.” Honestly, it’s fun not to play by any rules. The first verse is like ten BPMs slower than the rest of the song because we were like, “Who cares what the rules are? Let’s try things.” It’s super poppy but super organic at the same time. It still has all the acoustic guitars that I love putting on everything. It’s really fun, and it sits somewhere in between all these different genres and influences that I love.

It goes back to what I was saying earlier about being an artist; you want it to sound like you and not sound like anybody else. That song is a good example of a song that sounds like Dylan Brady in one of his forms when he’s not writing sweet little love songs or super sad, slow songs. [laughs] That’s an upbeat form of Dylan Brady.

PC: It’s been such a banner year for you. What does 2024 have in store?
Dylan: That’s a great question. A lot more songs. I’m almost trigger happy with songs at this point because we can finally do it again. That still means being smart with what comes next and being more strategic. But there’s a lot of new music on the way. It’s been a really insightful year to see what fans are resonating with. That’s made me rethink what songs come next and what order they come in. Definitely some touring opportunities that have not been nailed down yet, but I’m excited about. And a lot more songs that hopefully fans will love and resonate with.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Dylan: I’ve been really into a lot of singer-songwriter stuff lately. There’s a girl named Abby Holliday who I think is really cool. Anyone who’s written in the same vein as Lizzy McAlpine is what I’ve been really into lately.

PC: First album you bought?
Dylan: I think it was a Green Day album. My older sister was really into Green Day back in the day. It was International Superhits!. I love Green Day because my first instrument was drums, and I learned all their songs on drums.

PC: First concert you ever attended?
Dylan: I was a late bloomer to concerts. I was fourteen when I went to my first concert, other than the ones my dad did in the park in my hometown where he would play. My first concert was Walk off the Earth. They were headlining, and Parachute was opening. I feel very grateful now because I’ve been able to become friends with both of them. Walk off the Earth through social media. And then Will Anderson, who is the lead singer of Parachute, lives in Nashville. We’ve become buddies. It’s very full circle because I remember being fourteen when he was opening for Walk off the Earth, looked at me, and waved to me on stage. I remember when we got lunch one time and I told him about how fourteen-year-old me was freaking out that you waved to me on stage.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Dylan: Early on, it was pretty much any Rascal Flatts record. I’ll always go back to any of those early 2000 Rascal Flatts albums. They’ve influenced how I write melodies. I always joke that I think I gravitated towards them because we sound like we haven’t hit puberty when we sing. [laughs] Early Flatts records really shaped me early on. I still go back to them early on.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Dylan: Any big venue. Growing up in New York and being a diehard Rangers fan, I would say Madison Square Garden would be pretty cool.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Dylan: Dr. Pepper and a second pillow because I have a really bad back. I need to put a second pillow between my knees when I’m sleeping on the bunk.

To keep up with Dylan, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, and Apple Music. Listen to “Forgot About You” today.