Why Kane Brown’s ‘Grand’ Isn’t Supposed to Sound Like Country Music
The best artists know not to repeat themselves too much. Country star Kane Brown took his music in a new direction with his song “Grand.” During an interview, Brown explained why he felt that switching genres for the song was a good idea. He also laughed off the way some online commenters reacted to “Grand.”
Kane Brown didn’t want ‘Grand’ to be a country song
Country music is in an interesting place. More and more artists are fusing country with other genres like rock music and electronica. Brown is definitely in that category. For instance, his tune “One Thing Right” combined EDM and rock with a country twang. Sometimes, country artists step outside of their chosen genre entirely.
During a 2022 interview with The New York Times, Brown discussed his song “Grand.” “I released ‘Grand,’ and there’s so many comments that are saying, ‘This isn’t country,'” he said. “It’s like, ‘No [expletive].’ I wasn’t trying to make this country.” Brown laughed at how people reacted to the song.
‘Grand’ is a rap song but it still has some country in its heart
“Grand” is a rap song with some Auto-Tuned vocals reminiscent of a lot of the R&B music that came out after Kanye West released his masterpiece 808s & Heartbreak. From a certain point of view, the track is proof that Brown can completely eschew country music.
On the other hand, “Grand” still borrows a lot from country music lyrically. The track is largely about his love for his family. While there are songs about families in every genre of music, country music often focuses on the singer’s loved ones (mothers in particular).
Brown gave fans insight into his decision to record rap music. “When I first came in, with how I look — tattoos, biracial, all that stuff — I was already getting perceived as a rapper, and it kept going on for years,” Brown said. “I might as well just take on that role.”
Kane Brown cares about what his kids think but not what country music fans think
The “One Mississippi” singer revealed he thinks less and less about how he’s perceived by the public. “I used to always be nervous about what people were going to think, and I was kind of scared — I didn’t want people to think that I was leaving country music because that’s my heart,” Brown said. “But now, it’s just to the point where it’s like, I’m a dad now, two kids; I care what they think. So I’m just not that scared kid anymore.”
Regardless, Brown’s decision to diversify his output could work for the better. After all, The New York Times reported Lil Nas X became a sensation by combining rap and country with “Old Town Road.” Maybe Brown release a song as big as “Old Town Road” someday. Country music is only getting bigger on the charts, so it wouldn’t be too surprising!
After hearing “Grand,” fans can only wonder what unexpected and awesome directions Brown’s career can go from here.
