“When I say Brandie, you say Blaze. Brandie. Blaze. Brandie. Blaze” was the chant throughout Union Tavern for Brandie Blaze’s release party for her latest album: Broken Rainbows.
Broken Rainbows is an album that was born from strength and reflects Brandie Blaze’s life. The name “Broken Rainbows” comes from a UK-based non-profit for queer youths. This 17-track album has 4 distinct color suites: yellow, red, blue, and black, reflecting different emotions and feelings. Each suite is separated by interludes from Boston Music Awards’ 2022 Spoken Word Artist of the Year, Amanda Shea. Brandie translated her suites during the album release show by changing her outfits not only between suites, but also between songs!
Kicking off her album with a bang in a white outfit, Brandie sang the first lyrics off Broken Rainbows “1, 2, 3, they really wanna be Brandie 1, 2, 3” to inaugurate her album in Union Tavern.
The yellow suite represents strength and freedom and is an extension of Brandie’s third album, Late Bloomer. The color also reminds her of her late grandmother. Her song So Free ft. RnB singer Miranda Rae proved to be the most powerful moment of the show, when the whole crowd sang the lines “like I can be anything” acapella. In that moment, everyone felt free and strong, like they really could be anything.
The red suite is a symbol of passion, which was heard through Brandie’s and Chevé’s vocals on Honey, along with Zaafir’s rap in Lil’ Daddy, both of which were performed live with some sensual dancing from the artists and audience.
The blue suite embodies sadness, and the best and hardest song Brandie has ever written is part of this suite: The Things That You Say with Jill McCracken joining in on vocals and guitar. The song covers her experience with emotional abuse. High is a tribute to Brandie’s friend who passed away from an overdose, and the song is her way of raising awareness about the opioid crisis. 7 Months is the first song Brandie wrote after her mental health break with the line “Brandie Blaze is back”, which she definitely is.
The last suite, the black suite, celebrates Brandie’s rebirth, her Blackness, and herself. The album comes to a close with the song Muted ft. Red Shaydez, which makes her journey in the album come full circle, especially with the line “I just put ‘em on mute”. Brandie closed the show in a cute and sassy black outfit with her signature glitter teardrops by her makeup artist, CeCe. After giving her best friend DJ WhySham a shoutout, we all sang happy birthday to her and left the show feeling so many emotions and using the colors yellow, red, blue, and black to categorize our feelings.
When asked which color suite Brandie would add if she could, she said she’d include a teal suite that would live between the blue and black suites, so she could expand on the redemption arc and how she rebuilt herself. If she could feature anyone in her album, she would have a version of The Things That You Say ft. Jill McCracken, which we saw and heard at the release party. Brandie also mentioned that she’s playing with the idea of a more emotional deluxe album, which I’m secretly hoping will become a reality.
“It’s been a journey getting here. I’m a solo artist in name, but you need a great team to support you, believe in you, and keep you in check”, said Brandie Blaze. The support for Brandie was evident from the show turnout and performances from DJ TROY Frost, Bia Javier, Bakari J.B., TBT, Mr. PSA, and even a cypher where local artists Eva Davenport, Tashawn Taylor, and Paul Willis dropped some bars.
Catch Brandie Blaze at Boston Calling on Friday 5/26 @ 2:50pm on the Tivoli Audio Orange Stage. “Just be prepared to have a blast! This is bigger and better than what I could have imagined for myself!” Brandie says, reflecting on her 10th year performing as Brandie Blaze.