Interview with PitStop Musicians
November 2018
"The most important thing I have learned is that if no new music or words are ready to come out of me, to not force it and more importantly, to not judge myself. "
"I don’t know if I will ever feel that sensation. It’s a constant climb of new experiences, many good and some bad. This path for me is an experience of new levels of success, new experiences, new places to travel to, new stages to play on, new people to collaborate with, new ways to be creative and connect with the process and what’s possible, and new experiences of failure too. It’s a constant, forever path."
"I don’t know if I will ever feel that sensation. It’s a constant climb of new experiences, many good and some bad. This path for me is an experience of new levels of success, new experiences, new places to travel to, new stages to play on, new people to collaborate with, new ways to be creative and connect with the process and what’s possible, and new experiences of failure too. It’s a constant, forever path."
Interview with VoyageLA
September 2018
"...focus on inclusion, community, self-expression, and a deep passion for music and multi-media art forms."
"I gave so many singer songwriters a platform and chance to be heard with a pro stage, pro announcement, pro lighting, and pro sound (I audio engineered, emceed, ran, curated, booked a featured artists each week, and just about lost my brain every Tuesday night hahah)"
"It has most definitely not been a smooth road along the way. I have dealt with people being extremely unreliable and not showing up, band members with drug issues, harassment both verbally and physically from men in the industry. And those are the common occurrence struggles."
"I gave so many singer songwriters a platform and chance to be heard with a pro stage, pro announcement, pro lighting, and pro sound (I audio engineered, emceed, ran, curated, booked a featured artists each week, and just about lost my brain every Tuesday night hahah)"
"It has most definitely not been a smooth road along the way. I have dealt with people being extremely unreliable and not showing up, band members with drug issues, harassment both verbally and physically from men in the industry. And those are the common occurrence struggles."
Official Music Video Premier by HIGH VOLTAGE
May 2018
"Raw. No blemish covered, no wrinkle pressed out, no hair combed, no post color tricks, no shadows hidden. Just raw…a song from her 2017 release Solitary Refinement and not one without greater than average significance…It’s an intensely sharp narrative and the truth isn’t always pretty but sometimes you just have to say 'no more.'"
Official Music Video Premier by BUZZBANDS.LA
November 2017
"Brenda Carsey is an L.A.-based singer-songwriter whose soulful pop is often as startlingly forthright as it is effortlessly melodious."
"The new video for the haunting, string-drenched ballad... [is] a potent reminder that communication — the honest kind — is often the light."
"The new video for the haunting, string-drenched ballad... [is] a potent reminder that communication — the honest kind — is often the light."
Echo Park Rising Festival
AUGUST 2017
LA Weekly
"This year's lineup included Lauren Ruth Ward, Surf Curse, The Buttertones, Miles Mosley, The Paranoyds, Brenda Carsey..."
Buzzbands LA
"There was another nightcap set to be found next door, where singer-keyboardist Brenda Carsey raised her clarion voice."
Yay!LA Magazine
"This year's lineup included Lauren Ruth Ward, Surf Curse, The Buttertones, Miles Mosley, The Paranoyds, Brenda Carsey..."
Buzzbands LA
"There was another nightcap set to be found next door, where singer-keyboardist Brenda Carsey raised her clarion voice."
Yay!LA Magazine
Official Music Video Debut by Impose Magazine
JUNE 2017
"It’s a song about freedom, breaking away from expending energy where we need not. The video reflects that ideal, outstanding in its ability to really address the subject manner in a stunning and simple way."
Premiere by Atwood Magazine: "BRENDA CARSEY’S EMPOWERING “DON’T SELL YOURSELF” COMMITS TO INTEGRITY"
May 2017
"...vibrant lyricism and graceful piano melodies, introducing herself with a sound that may well lend her the title of “the female Billy Joel.”"
"“Don’t Sell Yourself” is a middle finger to the facelessness of our capitalist society. Carsey breaks from the herd, addressing the decline in virtue, morality and human decency that leads corporations to treat humans like sheep, rather than people."
"She has found her voice and her place, and now there’s nothing stopping her from following her dreams. She may not have intended it, but Brenda Carsey is an inspiration."
"“Don’t Sell Yourself” is a middle finger to the facelessness of our capitalist society. Carsey breaks from the herd, addressing the decline in virtue, morality and human decency that leads corporations to treat humans like sheep, rather than people."
"She has found her voice and her place, and now there’s nothing stopping her from following her dreams. She may not have intended it, but Brenda Carsey is an inspiration."
Interview with The Edge LB
December 2016
"Her voice is smooth, yet sultry. Utilizing her wide vocal range from deep and rich to sweet and sprightly, the incorporated harmonies — all self layered — at times feel almost ethereal. Combined with her prowess on the piano which adds a fluid and melodic sugariness, she often pairs her tunes with electronic, trip-hop reminiscent backbeats."
"Carsey’s illustrative lyricism ranges on topics of love, loss, personal identity and the human condition that has the ability to procure a laugh, brighten spirits and pluck at heartstrings."
“'It [Solitary Refinement] (Brand Carsey's upcoming album set to be released May 2017) is the blueprint for everything that Brenda has been through and dreamed of, and lost and gained. You can hear, see, and feel all of that both in her voice, and in the arrangements." says Brian Frederick, Carsey’s current producer and sound engineer on her new record, who’s worked with names like DJ Quik, Whiz Khalifa, Isabella Summers (the Machine of Florence + the Machine) and even the Backstreet Boys on their 20th anniversary record."
"Carsey’s illustrative lyricism ranges on topics of love, loss, personal identity and the human condition that has the ability to procure a laugh, brighten spirits and pluck at heartstrings."
“'It [Solitary Refinement] (Brand Carsey's upcoming album set to be released May 2017) is the blueprint for everything that Brenda has been through and dreamed of, and lost and gained. You can hear, see, and feel all of that both in her voice, and in the arrangements." says Brian Frederick, Carsey’s current producer and sound engineer on her new record, who’s worked with names like DJ Quik, Whiz Khalifa, Isabella Summers (the Machine of Florence + the Machine) and even the Backstreet Boys on their 20th anniversary record."
Write-Up and Show Spotlight by TOUR WORTHY
September 2015
"Tuesday night, Silverlake Lounge is holding a whole set dedicated to “Women Who Rock” and you should be there for it!... Kicking off the evening is Los Angeles based singer/songwriter, instrumentalist and producer – Brenda Carsey and [her band] The Awe. Yes, she does all those things and, yes, she’s very impressive at all of them. When you watch Brenda and listen to her unique style, you can tell music is something that has been part of her life for a long, long time. Then that notion is affirmed when you hear that Carsey has been featured on nine albums and has produced, recorded and mixed four of those...herself (pause for a deep breath). Her live sets are fun, energetic and deliver an interesting blend of soul, pop and alt. rock. She is indeed pretty… AWE-inspiring… [crickets… crickets] …. Because her band is called the Awe, you see?"
Live Performance Write Up by Endless Sound
January 2015
January 7
"I’ve been meaning to catch Brenda Carsey for some time now and finally got to do so...Her solo performance with her backing band was absolutely great...Going to have to see her play again."
"I’ve been meaning to catch Brenda Carsey for some time now and finally got to do so...Her solo performance with her backing band was absolutely great...Going to have to see her play again."
January 11th
"Brenda and her group were just as tight as when I saw them Tuesday at The Virgil in LA. Seeing them play for the second time this week just solidified in my mind how good her songwriting and vocals are and how rock solid they are."
"Brenda and her group were just as tight as when I saw them Tuesday at The Virgil in LA. Seeing them play for the second time this week just solidified in my mind how good her songwriting and vocals are and how rock solid they are."
Album Review by The Daily Sound
January 2014
"Funky, soulful and undeniably catchy, SATYA is proof that though Carsey’s talents continue to evolve, the intrigue and ingenuity she brings to each release is certainly one of her unchangeable qualities. "
"Brenda Carsey has made a name for herself with a unique blend of raw vocal talent and “weirdness” that somehow come together to shine in her music. Per her bio: “she has been performing since the age of five, from choirs, orchestras, and marching bands to national anthem performances to rock, pop, folk, hip hop, and electronic groups (Feral Kizzy, Centuries, La Chilanga Banda) and solo projects (Lazy Daze, Brenda Carsey & the Awe, Side Show, eminent.ruth).” Obviously, this is a girl who loves puns and word play, and with a voice that is “in a word, uninhibited,” the quirky metaphors and ideas she lays down sound pretty damn good. And such is the case with her latest release - SATYA.
Honestly, two things struck me in such a way as to reel me in and hook me on this album almost instantly. First: the complete metamorphosis that takes place on the opening track, “Talk Like”. As if the grooving, fuzzy synthesizers and bouncy melodies weren’t enough to win us over, Carsey takes things just a step or two further as things progress into a beautifully simple downtempo expression, complete with some awesome arpeggio work. This is the kind of “weirdness” that makes her more than just a cookie-cutter singer songwriter, and moves like this are what serious listeners are looking for these days.
Oh, and second: the swing on “Push Pull”. There are a lot of poppy elements at play in this tune, but what sets it apart from the rest is the swagger that is implied by the slightly off-time key work. Subtle but worth more than a passing mention, this is just another example of Carsey’s genius at work. Plus, she flat out kills it on the vocals and the combination of the trembling organ and ridiculously funky bass synth is just perfect. Carsey has upped the ante with SATYA with regards to the fun factor of these songs.
The fun continues, with the appropriately-titled “FUN”, which features a curious combination of soulful guitar riffs, claps and 808-style percussion. Still, anyone who claims this beat isn’t insanely catchy is a liar, and the same could be said of the following track, “Coulda Shoulda”. Carsey’s carefully constructed lyrics are almost lost due to the attention-stealing production and instrumentation on these numbers, but she manages to steal the spotlight back (from herself?), courtesy of her characteristically powerful vocals.
Carsey closes things with perhaps the two tracks that ultimately have the most staying power. “Someone Like You” is in your face, crashing alt-rock — that is, until it makes another Carsey pit stop along the way, punctuating the strutting, raucous nature of the song with a quiet stirring set to piano. Conversely, “Lesson on Letting Go” is set to piano, and goes from there. Carsey’s raspy voice is at its best on this piece, a perfect match for the delicate piano and string work. And when the beat comes in, there is kind of a Bittersweet Symphony moment for a second. Nice stuff, and a fitting ending to this album.
Another strong release from this songbird. Funky, soulful and undeniably catchy, SATYA is proof that though Carsey’s talents continue to evolve, the intrigue and ingenuity she brings to each release is certainly one of her unchangeable qualities. I seriously doubt that this young lady will ever have an issue with staying true to herself. That being said, SATYA fills the gap left by pop/r&b/soul artists afraid to leave what they know behind. "
"Brenda Carsey has made a name for herself with a unique blend of raw vocal talent and “weirdness” that somehow come together to shine in her music. Per her bio: “she has been performing since the age of five, from choirs, orchestras, and marching bands to national anthem performances to rock, pop, folk, hip hop, and electronic groups (Feral Kizzy, Centuries, La Chilanga Banda) and solo projects (Lazy Daze, Brenda Carsey & the Awe, Side Show, eminent.ruth).” Obviously, this is a girl who loves puns and word play, and with a voice that is “in a word, uninhibited,” the quirky metaphors and ideas she lays down sound pretty damn good. And such is the case with her latest release - SATYA.
Honestly, two things struck me in such a way as to reel me in and hook me on this album almost instantly. First: the complete metamorphosis that takes place on the opening track, “Talk Like”. As if the grooving, fuzzy synthesizers and bouncy melodies weren’t enough to win us over, Carsey takes things just a step or two further as things progress into a beautifully simple downtempo expression, complete with some awesome arpeggio work. This is the kind of “weirdness” that makes her more than just a cookie-cutter singer songwriter, and moves like this are what serious listeners are looking for these days.
Oh, and second: the swing on “Push Pull”. There are a lot of poppy elements at play in this tune, but what sets it apart from the rest is the swagger that is implied by the slightly off-time key work. Subtle but worth more than a passing mention, this is just another example of Carsey’s genius at work. Plus, she flat out kills it on the vocals and the combination of the trembling organ and ridiculously funky bass synth is just perfect. Carsey has upped the ante with SATYA with regards to the fun factor of these songs.
The fun continues, with the appropriately-titled “FUN”, which features a curious combination of soulful guitar riffs, claps and 808-style percussion. Still, anyone who claims this beat isn’t insanely catchy is a liar, and the same could be said of the following track, “Coulda Shoulda”. Carsey’s carefully constructed lyrics are almost lost due to the attention-stealing production and instrumentation on these numbers, but she manages to steal the spotlight back (from herself?), courtesy of her characteristically powerful vocals.
Carsey closes things with perhaps the two tracks that ultimately have the most staying power. “Someone Like You” is in your face, crashing alt-rock — that is, until it makes another Carsey pit stop along the way, punctuating the strutting, raucous nature of the song with a quiet stirring set to piano. Conversely, “Lesson on Letting Go” is set to piano, and goes from there. Carsey’s raspy voice is at its best on this piece, a perfect match for the delicate piano and string work. And when the beat comes in, there is kind of a Bittersweet Symphony moment for a second. Nice stuff, and a fitting ending to this album.
Another strong release from this songbird. Funky, soulful and undeniably catchy, SATYA is proof that though Carsey’s talents continue to evolve, the intrigue and ingenuity she brings to each release is certainly one of her unchangeable qualities. I seriously doubt that this young lady will ever have an issue with staying true to herself. That being said, SATYA fills the gap left by pop/r&b/soul artists afraid to leave what they know behind. "
Live Performance Write Up by Jesse La Tour
September 2013
I walked in, and there was a girl alone on stage, playing a keyboard and singing. I've seen a lot of things here, but solo keyboard is not one of them. The musician, Brenda Carsey, was really good. Her songs were soulful, epic, ballads."
Write-Up by Joe Lapin of OC Weekly
November 2012
"For a musician to emerge out of the assembly line of singer/songwriters, they need to possess something more than talent. They need passion—a certain wonderful strangeness to stand out amongst the Adele imitators. And it’s safe to say that Long Beach native, Brenda Carsey, has enough passion, drive, and, well, weirdness to ensure that one day soon, we’ll all say, “Oh yeah, I knew her when.” This Tuesday at the equally unique and amazing Prospector, Carsey releases her new album, Lazy Daze. What's remarkable about the new record is that her songs are not necessarily original, but they have a unique blend of styles, mixing a syrupy sweet sound (Colbie Caillat) with a beautiful darkness (Regina Spektor and Feist) and a vocal range with a potential of virtuosity."
Live Performance Write-Up by Chantel Donnan of Music In Press
May 2012
"...as Brenda opened her mouth to sing “Alone,” the room was drawn in by her vocal chops and enigmatic presence. The song was a jazzy lament to a single-girl’s life, something I’d expect from Fiona Apple, but upbeat and infectious; I’ve never had so much fun hearing the words “woe is me” and “I’m alone...The room sat entranced as she sang...Brenda’s voice is, in a word, uninhibited. She plays with soulful low notes, a raspy, rock belt and playful, even childish high notes, sometimes all in the same song. She confidently tackled different genres, too...it was freaking awesome. A line formed almost immediately to pick up Brenda’s EP, which is available fromiTunes for those of you who missed this unforgettable performance."
Write-Up by Brandon Ferguson of OC Weekly
May 2012
"Brenda Carsey is an indie songstress whose style brims with rhythm and blues flavor. Her synthetic beats are overlaid with Carsey's sweet coo, which twists eloquently into silky melodies."
Post by Jay Mixon of Fencewalk
May 2012
"I'm big fan of your sound. Starting with the songs you bring an interesting blend of unique material. Your production is flawless. It's a very flavorful mixture of styles. Now when I listen to your vocals, I hear a truly stylish delivery with a smooth tone and spot-on lyrical phrasing. Really great work! You are an impressive artist with solid musicianship, Brenda Carsey. -- Jay"
Interview by Cory Campbell of Long Beach Independent
March 2012
"Chances are likely that frequenters of the Long Beach live music scene have encountered Brenda Carsey in some incarnation over the past couple years or so...“restless” might be the best descriptor for Carsey’s approach and attitude towards her music. In a relatively short window of time, she has performed at a rate that would tap your average musician into submission...True to this determined pace, she shows no signs of slowing down; if anything, a more demanding path lies ahead..."
Review by Erik Negash (Renasonce)
February 2012
"Incredibly EPIC and BREATHTAKINGLY AMAZING live music performances this past weekend @ a word of mouth, invite only house party that was nonetheless packed, wall to wall with music lovers there to have a good time. Having performed at major venues all over So Cal- including Hollywood, on Sunset, no less- she is truly an inspiration and will DEFINITELY go UP in history as one of the "greats" of this legendary time for music in Long Beach- along the lines of Sublime, even (yes I said it, darn it! This is OUR time, now...=}). A player of multiple instruments and a frontwoman for multiple literally blockbusting bands, this young innovator did a roughly [50] minute set that featured masterfully arranged and composed multi-genre music and and production that is entirely fresh and original! With a crowd made up of people from pretty much every scene in Long Beach, from north, to south, to east, by the end, I McShizzle you NOT, homies- we were ALL crying out for an encore, from and it wasn't just out of politeness, or a sense of obligation! From the "g"s, to the hipsters, to the punks, to the sk8ters, to the thugz, to the artists, to us, her fellow music kids. Ish was RE- MARK- A-BLE...no bull. No it wasn't my house, no I am not a journalist (per se), and no Brenda didn't ask or pay me to write this- her performance was just THAT wonderful, so I wrote this because I want to say I knew her since back when, and that she is someone I can point to as handling her career as an artist, and a business woman, in a way, that I respect and admire!!! *If you were there on Saturday night, or if you have seen Brenda perform and just haven't made the time to click "like" on her page, please join me in doing so, now. She has music for sale, so please join me in taking the time to support her in that way, as well. peace and LB ♥ ~Renasonce #peaceandLB♥"