Brittney Grabill

Local singer-songwriter Brittney Grabill wants to give back to the place that changed her life.



Last January, she decided to donate all the funds garnered on iTunes from her track Autumn Song, to the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

She estimates this sum to be around $1,000, and is looking for a company or group to provide an in-kind donation to give an extra boost.

When she was 11, Gabrill was diagnosed with scoliosis, a curvature in her spine. When she was 13, she was happy to see that the Stollery had the necessary equipment for surgery. The next closest facility was in Toronto.

“I know that I would physically look very, very different today if it wasn’t for that machine that was there.

“So I know all the money that I raise will go toward upgrading machines at Stollery, which I think is incredible,” she said.

Prior to the surgery, she was a sporty kid, not much into the arts.

However, the procedure changed her life when it left her unable to hit the field. She picked up the guitar, one of the artistic tools she used to get through that tough time.

“At the time, I was kind of thinking ‘aw man, why me? Why me?’ And my mom always told me that, at the time, it might not be the best case scenario, something great will come of it,” she said.

Grabill has a new album, titled Candy, coming out next year before the summer.

The tracks are all recorded, and it mixes modern pop sensibilities with the music of the 1950s and ’60s, two periods which also influence Grabill’s image.

Her first EP was made with funding from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Her new release is backed by a Rawlco Radio grant.

“I do a lot of grant writing, just as an artist,” she says, laughing.

Autumn Song is named for her friend’s daughter, who also suffered health complications and found help at the Stollery.

Grabill sung the tune at Autumn’s baby shower.

For more information on the musician, visit brittneygrabill.com

For more information about the Stollery Children’s hospital, visit stollerykids.com - Edmonton Examiner

With an opportunity to produce a full-length album and aspirations to go on tour in 2014, Brittney Grabill is trying to make the most of her big break.

Along with a grant from Rawlco Radio helping to move the project forward, the singer-songwriter from Sherwood Park is setting her sights on getting her first full-length album, Candy, ready for sale early next year.

“It’s been incredible,” she said. “It’s been an intense amount of time in the studio.”

Some of the instruments — trombone and trumpet — are new to Grabill’s music, but she said they helped give the album the feeling she was looking for.

“The whole album has a ’50s and ’60s vibe to it, but (it’s still) very much modern pop music,” she explained. “I’m definitely finding the influences that I’ve had when it comes to some of the greats in different music genres back in the ’50s and ’60s have influenced this full-length album.”

Even with the grant, Grabill is still short of the final cost, so she has started to get creative.

To raise the rest of the money she has taken to selling personalized postcards, providing lessons for singing, song writing, playing guitar or goal setting, writing custom songs and even offering to perform live at events, including house concerts.

“Oh man, has that ever been a blast,” Grabill said. “I’m loving the campaign. I wanted to put my money that I have more so towards the art and creating the album and the vinyl and also (to go towards) touring, because that gets very expensive. That’s where, to finish the rest of the album, (I thought) ‘Why don’t I get some people to help me so they have an investment, but they get that return?’ ”

She said the fundraising ideas reflect the theme of her music.

“I just wanted to make it fun, because that is what the album is,” Grabill said.

“It’s kind of showing where I am in my life, having a lot of fun and being inspired and learning so much.”

As of Friday, Aug. 2, she has raised $1,787 of the $5,350 she needs with 25 days left to go in the campaign.

In addition to the album, Grabill has another reason to look forward to 2014.

She is planning to go on tour along the west coast of Canada and the United States, in hopes of inspiring others to live their dreams as well.

“When it comes to my music and when I’m performing, I feel like that is one of the best ways that I’m able to serve people in this lifetime for me,” Grabill said.

“I really like to inspire people to think about how they can really serve people in this lifetime and really give back.”

She is still finalizing details on which cities she will visit on the tour, but said she expects it will start in “the first couple months of 2014.”

More information on Grabill’s work can be found online at brittneygrabill.com and contributions to her album can be made by clicking the campaign link. - Sherwood Park News

"Upcoming events... Brittney Grabill and Mitch Smith, A young indie rock-duo." - Jeffrey's Cafe

"Brittney... a snger from Alberta. her love of music comes through in her wonderful voice." - Irma MacPherson

"Britney Grabill performed at the Prairie Rose Centre on Friday... Through tough auditions [She] made it through to play an act at the Big Valley Jamboree, Capital Ex and Cooking Lake Music Festival to name a few." - Ashton Clemmer, Writer fr Wainwright's Edge News

Sister musicians Kami Van Halst and Brittney Grabill both admit they are on the opposite ends of the proverbial spectrum when it comes to their music.

“My music has been a lot more in-your-face, rock and roll,” Van Halst, 24, said. “While hers has always been really soft, sweet and angelic.”

Even though the two remain polar opposites when it comes to song choice and style, they will be joining forces for a Folk VS Rock CD release party on Jan. 5, 2013 to promote Van Halst’s first ever solo album Death Toll Rising and Grabill’s debut CD, Dreams Are All You Know.

“I am beyond excited,” Grabill said. “My mind is going crazy just thinking about my first album coming out.”

With support from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, 18-year-old Grabill will be releasing her first album and said listeners should expect to hear an eclectic mix of tunes.

“I would say it is definitely a good (mix) of pop and folk. The cool thing is the songs that I chose, having a full band has really brought them to life. Some of them have a western vibe and some have a little rockabilly.”

While Grabill’s music represents the folk side of the battle, Van Halst’s latest album is pure rock ’n roll and a true reflection of her passion for ’80s glamour metal.

“I take a lot of influence from groups like Evanescence and The Pretty Reckless would be the most current influences I use,” she said.

“Then I try and blend that with music from the ’80s.”

Van Halst continued: “I am obsessed with glam metal from the ’80s. The best way to describe it is a mix of Amy Lee with Mötley Crüe.”

After an early attempt to define her music persona, Van Halst admitted she had to work hard to fine-tune her musical style.

“It is kind of a complicated story. I released (an album) when I was a teenager and it was in more of a pop music, dance music genre, which I wasn’t really passionate about, but (it was) what my management company at the time thought was right.

“This is my first rock ’n roll CD as a solo performer,” she added. “It’s just me.”

Call it a battle between siblings, but the CD release party means more than just a music style genre face-off for both sisters. Money collected from the sale of one of Grabill’s songs and other donations raised at the event will be donated to the Stollery Children’s Hospital, which has an important significance for both musicians.

“There is this song on (my) album, it is kind of like the new single,” Grabill explained.

“ ‘Autumn’s Song’ was a song I wrote a little while ago with the thought in mind if I were to record the song, I would want to donate all the money to charity and give back to the Stollery Children’s Hospital. When I turned 13 years old, I had major back surgery because I had scoliosis.

“Now I have two rods down my spine to correct it and I am very thankful to the Stollery because they took care of me there. I wouldn’t be standing as straight as I am and rocking it on stage if it wasn’t for (their help).”

The song will be released Jan. 1, 2013 on iTunes and all money raised will be matched by he World Financial Group’s Charitable Foundation.

The CD release party will be hosted at Avenue Theatre, 9030-118 Ave, at 8 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2013.

More information for both musicians can be found on their websites, www.brittneygrabill.com and www.kamimusik.com. - Sherwood Park News

What’s art? How do we motivate ourselves to pursue this? It’s a question that I can’t answer, and most likely never will be able to answer fully. In a city brimming with talent and hardworking individuals, a few tend to stand out because they have even more courage and dedication than the rest, and they don’t let other people’s opinions or social constraints hold them back in the slightest.

One of these artist is singer/songwriter Brittney Grabill. She is a young up and coming musician hailing from Edmonton, Alberta. Her work is the result of what seems to me like an ingrained happiness and courage to fight past all odds. Her sound: An eclectic mix of pop, folk and soul with a bit of a country flair.

A life lived for art is not a life wasted. Brittney teaches us by example how to pursue passion not just as a fulfilling hobby but also a business. A career. We met up on Kits Beach during a big volleyball tournament, and she was kind enough to take a few minutes from her day to sit down with me underneath a tree and talk about life, music and why she does what she does.

She told me about her workflow and how she copes with the load. Music takes an enormous amount of effort and patience. Growing up in a family that is very business-oriented, she received much of her work ethic and ability to negotiate difficult situations from her father.

It’s true, Brittney Grabill writes every day if she can help it. Even if she won’t use that verse ever again, at least she knows she tried it out and grew just that much more from finding out.

Her last album, Dreams Are All You Know, is a 5-song EP that is a great example of her work. (Daddy Says) You Better Run is the last track, and is a fully fledged morning song, at least for me. One of those good light tracks to put on while the coffee is brewing and the sung starts descending upon your living room

Autumn Song is a real heart warming track in which Brittney opens up a small window to her soul, but the real beauty of this track isn’t just in the notes; It’s in the fact that all proceeds from are donated to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, where Brittney spent some time as a child. She was stricken with scoliosis and had to undergo major back surgery. This life-altering situation forced her to reconsider her love of sports and pursue music instead; a decision that is now benefiting many, including children who are in similar positions as she was at the age of 11.

The second track, Live or Die, comes complete with a professionally produced music video. This is my favourite from her album, since it fundamentally encompasses her entire motive in making music. This is illustrated in a part of the chorus:

“I got this thing called pride, a promise to live before I die, and I want you by my side, live or die.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE5R9GenokM

Boom Betty Betty is a track about a woman that is Brittney’s virtual doppleganger; Betty Grabill. The song has a very rock-inspired flair, and is quite motivating. Finally, I Like You is a great closer for the album and would be fantastic to drive to.

I myself would rather not die without attempting my dream, and Brittney Grabill has reminded me of that, even with a brief meeting on the park-side of Kits Beach underneath a tree. I felt like her sense of accomplishment and strength to pursue a goal rubbed off on me, as attested by the wonderful week I had since.

At this point, Brittney’s career can go nowhere but up. Like the other artists I’ve had the pleasure of of interviewing thus far, she’s in a good position to cast off. Right now she is in the process of promoting her Indie GoGo Campaign to raise money for her next full length album. Her goal: $5,350, about 30% of the total amount it will cost to create it.

The album is being produced Scott Greene at PowerSound Studios.

It’s her 5-year plan: To become an international artist, and that means touring, a lot of it.

“How far do you want to take it? What’s your story going to be? That’s what I think every artist, musician or otherwise, must be willing to ask themselves.” said Brittney when I asked her about motivation. “Just do it every single day, even when you feel like it’s the last thing you want to or can do.”

As we concluded our meeting, Brittney said she wanted to leave me with a quote that is close to her heart.

“When you’re happy for no reason, you bring happiness to your outer experiences rather than trying to extract happiness from them. You don’t need to manipulate the world around you to try to make yourself happy. You live from happiness, rather than for happiness.” - Marci Shimoff, author of Happy for No Good Reason - vanmusic.ca

Local singer Brittney Grabill is well on her way to the music industry big leagues

Grabill, 17, recently released her single "I Like You" on iTunes, with the hopes of expanding her fan base.

The up-tempo, pop-folk track was written based off of experiences happening in her own life, and Grabill said that's where the inspiration for all of her music stems from.

"The way I write all my songs just has to do with the emotion that I'm feeling. Music is free therapy for me,"

she said.

Grabill worked with Scott Greene, who she has known her entire life, at PowerSound Studios in Edmonton to

produce the single.

"It was really cool to be able to share that with him and just be able to get it out there," she added.

"I Like You" received rave reviews when Grabill debuted it on a short tour through California and Arizona.

"I had really great feedback, which was cool because especially out in Venice Beach and Pasadena and Little Tokyo, which are the places I was performing at in the Los Angeles area. They see the singers and the actors and the talent all the time. To have great reviews. even out there, is really exciting," she said. "It's a whole new experience for me."

This year, Grabill was able to perform at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Capital Ex and Big Valley Jamboree, to name a few. Next summer, she hopes to perform at more festivals with her original material.

"The biggest thing is getting a fan base out there," she added.

A video for "I Like You" is currently in the pre-prodution stages, and Grabill also hopes to release an EP, or even a record, by this time next year.

She managed to cram two years of high school into one, in order to graduate early and pursue music full-time.

Despite hitting the books extra hard, Grabill was still able to book shows and work continue developing as an artist.

"I just want to be able to master the craft of writing some more and writing with others, and learning to play guitar better," she said. - Sherwood Park News

When Brittney Grabill turned 11 she was told she had Scoliosis – a curvature in the spine. After a year or trying many different options to correct her spine – including a full torso brace – she spent 16 hours on the surgery table getting two rods and 29 screws down her back. During the surgery, there were some major complications, and she knows her life would be much different if it wasn’t for the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

That’s why this 18-year-old singer/song-writing from Edmonton, Alberta is donating the funds from Autumn’s Song – a song on her new album, Dreams Are All You Know, to the Stollery Children’s Hospital. Autumn’s Song was written for a baby named Autumn, who was was born with many health issues and who spent more time in the hospital than you or I combined. The song was written for her baby shower, reflecting the new mother’s perspective.

Be sure to check out Brittney’s album, Dreams Are All You Know, now available on iTunes! - Flurt Magazine

Brittney Grabill is a singer/songwriter born in Edmonton, Alberta. She recently finished a campaign to fund her upcoming album that will be launching in January 2014.

“So I am recording my first original album and it is funded by, I have some help with a radio station in Edmonton, with the funding. And so, me being an independent solo artist – it’s just usually me and my guitar when it comes to performing. So when I go in to the recording studio, I pay all these professional musicians to come in and play, so that’s where the bills do add up.”

Grabill says she loves the aspect of both the modeling and having the artwork in regards to the images and the marketing.

“So that’s where I was like, you know what, if I could have a little bit more help financially, I believe that the overall product is going to be just that much better.Better marketed, better better look, better everything. Just being able to have that little bit of extra funds coming in.”

Grabill decided to use Indiegogo has her campaign to help fund her album.

“I looked at a couple of different campaigns and I loved this – the Indiegogos’ layout for an artist when it comes to crowd funding. And the fact is, is that when someone donates money to help make the album, they’re getting something in return; they’re the ones getting the first signed album. I’ll write a custom song for you or for a friend, and I’ve had some people give it to a gift for their sister for her birthday, me writing her a song. I try to be really creative with what I was able to offer people to find value in return, and only other thing I can add – just the importance of the campaign is for me to stay an independent artist because the money that I make, I reinvest in to my art.”

Grabill is trying to stay an independent artist so she won’t have to be “held down by a label” in regards to being loaned money. “I take pride in trying to be independent in that sense, so that’s why I’m trying to go these outlets.”

Grabill describes the campaign as “super successful.” Since starting the campaign, Grabill began to notice a trend of other artists and film makers starting their own as well.

“The crowd funding and if you ask for help, people as just human nature – they wanna help you. So I kinda had to get past the aspect of ‘Are people gonna be thinking I am begging them for money or will they think negative of me because of this,’ and I was like, ‘No, you know what,’ like people understand this is a product and they’re buying it. I’m just so excited about this new album.”

Despite feeling uncomfortable about the campaign at first, it has since been very beneficial for Grabill. The campaign is now half-way towards reaching its goal. “Having it where it is right now is going to be a huge help – such a huge help so I’m really happy about it and I thank my producer and my boyfriend as well for pushing me to do it. It’s been awesome.”

When Grabill was young, she was introduced to singing by her sister. Despite not becoming involved in music until years later, she still found a unique way to practice. “So my sister was a signer and I remember her coming home for hours and hours and practicing just signing, and so she’s seven years older than me so I would stand outside of her door for like hours while she was practicing, and there was a mirror there and I would just lip sync to her.”

Grabill was also in to sports when she was younger; however, a future in sports was derailed due to a medical procedure. “I had scoliosis; it’s a curvature of the spine, so I had a bad case that I had to get surgery for.”

Despite being unable to play sports, it allowed her to put her focus in to the entertainment industry. She first got started with modeling and acting, and then then music. “My grandpa bought me my first guitar so I started learning from there; I have such a supporting family and group of friends so that’s been a really, really huge help in this industry that’s for sure.”

Grabill says her influences growing up were her sister, her parents, and legendary musicians including Jon Bon Jovi and Ray Charles.

“I’ve had so many people, again when you ask for help, people are willing to help, and even with the campaign, if they don’t have the money to help me out – at least even them sharing it on their page – that’s a huge help too you know, getting that music out there. So I find the people on like social media – that’s awesome and I’ve had some of my dad’s friends or mom’s friends or just adults that I’ve met along the way that have helped a lot financially too, because I just have a vision of where I’m going and it’s just like any business, you do need a little bit of a capital to begin with and obviously I believe that my product is growing so I think it is a great thing to invest in which is why I’m okay with the campaign being there and being like, ‘Hey you guys, you know I just need this help right now,’ and keep building it; my mom and my dad though have been huge, huge supporters.”

Grabill has been a big supporter of The Stollery Childrens Hospital. All proceeds from her song, ‘Autumn’s Song’ are donated to the Hospital’s Foundation.

“That’s where I had surgery – at the Stollery Childrens Hospital when I was thirteen for scoliosis, and they had a specific machine actually that they used during my surgery that was only available in Edmonton at the Stollery and in a hospital in Toronto at the time. And it saved my quality of lifestyle in a huge way because I had some complications in the surgery. So because of that machine, the Stollery had – and that’s where like, because I know the people at the Stollery – all the money that’s donated there goes, well I’m not sure 100%, but from my understanding, the reason they do fundraisers is to fund new equipment, so that people can get the proper help they need, again the complications in my surgery, they found it because of that machine. And that has been a huge help, so just a way for me to give back.

All proceeds that are donated are matched by the World Financial Group Charitable Trust. “They’re gonna double what I raise,” says Grabill. “And they’ve always kept all their promises; I think that that’s an incredible company that gives back to communities. And they’ve always doubled everything we’ve raised for the Stollery – crazy.”

In 2011, Grabill and her dad went to the Winnipeg Folk Festival. She got to meet and learn from several musicians and bands. “So a guy from Ireland – Andy White, The David Wax Museum, that band I got to learn from. I got to learn from just incredible musicians. So that was just a young performers project that they had, and then you do that for the day and then the next day, you’re actually on one of the stages at the Winnipeg Folk Festival performing there. The whole weekend, I brought my dad, so me and my Dad had just an incredible time watching these artists and I remember being so inspired by watching k.d. lang – was one of the end performers – and unreal, it’s so cool.”

Grabill is heavily influences by female icons from the fifties and sixties such as: Ann Peebles, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, and Connie Francis. “I think the collaboration of, it’s just fun, I find that that the music at that time was was a revolutionary time with a lot of things going on, and people just wanted to have that escape and that fun. Even like the horns and stuff – like trumpet and trombone in to the new album too. Holy man, is it ever an experience. I really love listening to that music and how they recorded it back then is inspiring, and there’s just a texture to it like I don’t know how to explain the sound that I just really connect to. I just found that they were really fun and like really unique when it comes to the instruments and the harmonies. I love listening and I just love the harmonies too from the bunch of different ladies back in the fifties and sixties. So I think that the women had a lot of guts for what they were singing about in some cases in what they were doing. So I just found that it was pretty inspirational – the women back then in music.”

Earlier this year, Grabill released an EP titled Dreams are all you Know. The EP features original songs that she has written during the last couple years. “I found that recording it, instead of having like a goal for the end project, we kinda just recorded one song, one by one, so when we brought it all together, it’s five songs. When we brought it together, it was just like a huge genre mix which I thought was really fun but I was like, ‘Okay, I gotta think like a businesswoman too, like who am I targeting? And, ‘Who am I speaking to?’ Because of this, I could be like in this one song, I could be talking more so to country fans, and this song I’d be talking more to the pop, and this song I’d be talking to more of the rock fans. Like it was an interesting little mix. So, it was an incredible learning experience, so I think that for me right now, with this new album I have transitioned in to the folk/pop element that I see myself long-term, and what kind of music that I write that really speaks to me and vocally that I feel comfortable, but also still challenging myself the same. I’ve just had so much fun with this new album, I think that I’ve found the genre that right now fits for where I am in my life time. Like, this new album too, I’ve been doing so much personal development this year and finding out what speaks to me and so it’s always going to be changing – that’s if you’re not living, your dying. So that’s where this music is going to keep on evolving. I’m just kind of finding my niche, more so than anything.”

When Grabill was in the studio, she did some “wacky weird stuff” with the guys she recorded with. With her music, she wants to stand out by being “honest, really honest and not apologize.”
“We’re all comfortable together because we worked on the EP together and we worked on a single before that of mine. So we worked together quite a bit. So I found that like one of the songs for example, there was a guy – my drummer – he just like, is funny with the different accents, so he was like, ‘Hit that play button! Just hit that!’ And he just said it in this funny accent and we ended up taking that and keeping it so you’re hearing all these things in this new album of little intimacies that happened in the recording studio. And I want people to take the ride on with me.”

Grabill describes some songs has feeling like “you’re in a circus.” She wants to take listeners through an experience by not thinking about vocal technique, but by just telling a story. “I just want people to know the story and connect to it. Maybe I’m not on pitch every single little second but you know what, this is me, this is the truth. And hopefully if they can connect to that, if it helps them get through something they’re going through in their life right now, that makes a big difference.”

Grabill has aspirations of touring outside of Canada and getting her music aired on radio stations around the world.”I want to be in the U.S, and performing, and marketing the album through like the Western Canada and the States. So and then in three years from now, I would like to get another original album out as well, and also with this new album, I want to push some of the singles out on the radio throughout Canada and the U.S as well.

Grabill also plans on collaborating with others. ” I think right now, my biggest thing that I have to focus on is having a team of people, for example, working with yourself, like getting this out there, that’s part of my team – getting that out. I can only get so far on my own; having a team of people makes that so much more powerful. So I’m working on the team. Getting the team together, finding those people.”

As of right now, Grabill’s upcoming album is titled Candy. “That’s the single that will be coming out but the EP, Dreams are all you Know, I picked that album title because it was a lyric in one of my songs. So, it might change, but right now it is Candy because that’s the single.

Dreams are all you Know is currently available on iTunes.

All the proceeds from ‘Autumn’s Song’ will be donated to the Stollery Childrens Hospital and matched by the World Financial Group Charitable Fund. - MATTGREENCC

Edmonton’s Folk Music Festival has never gone better, according to organizers.

Festival producer Terry Wickham says the festival went off without a hitch.

“Can’t speak for everyone, but I think it went great. If you can’t have a good time here, there’s something wrong.”

Wikham says they opted to remove stage four from the lineup, ensuring that sounds from different stages didn’t overlap.

He imagines about 22,000 too 23,000 people passed through the gates each day of the four-day festival.

The only complaint he heard? Sometimes the line for the beer gardens got a bit long.

“It was such a nice day that there were lineups for the beer tent. But that’s O.K., we’re not trying to set any beer records,” said Wickham. “If people have to wait, maybe they could listen to music instead.”

The common theme that many said kept them coming back was the laid back atmosphere, where everyone was friendly and just there to enjoy the music.

Curtis Saulnier watched Mighty Popo perform, and said he enjoys the people as much as he likes the music.

“The atmosphere, the music, the whole vibe. Such good people here. It puts me in a good mood,” he said.

Young performer Brittney Grabill, was pulled up on stage to jam with Mighty Popo, and said she’s caught the folk music bug.

“This is my first time here, but I’m hooked now,” said Grabill. “I’ve been to five folk music festivals already this summer.”

Grabill is set to release her own music in the near future — a fusion of pop and soul. She said it was great being able to do a bit of performing, but loves the vibe in the audience too.

“This was probably the highlight,” she said. “But it’s the atmosphere too, the people are so awesome here. It’s great.” - Toronto Sun