Will Brown Talks Debut EP, Single And More

Pop soul newcomer Will Brown has released his debut EP ‘Welcome To Brownsville’ and very kindly chatted to us all about it:

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

My earliest memory of music is my dad building our family group from the ground up. He would bring all of us down into the basement and start teaching us harmonies, breaking songs down piece by piece He’s a singer himself, so we would actually open for him before he went out to preach in different cities. That was my first understanding of performance and connection.

What really stayed with me was how natural music was to him. He could turn anything into a song. A billboard, a random phrase, a moment on a family trip, he’d just start singing and we would all join in. That taught me early on that music isn’t just something you perform, it’s something you live in.

 

When did you begin songwriting?

I started trying to write at a really young age, but I didn’t have the confidence to fully step into it, so I put it down for a while. It wasn’t until around 2008, when the BrownsVille idea first came to me, that I wrote my first three full songs. I shared them with a songwriter who had written for Mary J Blige and Beyoncé, and I told her I didn’t consider myself a songwriter. After hearing my songs, she told me I was a songwriter. That moment shifted everything for me. Back then I was writing more life driven music with a gospel influence, but after moving to London I stepped into pop and began shaping records like Phoenix Rise and Better Man

This EP has taken that even further. It gave me the confidence to fully own my voice as a writer

 

You have your new EP Welcome To BrownsVille released on 17th April 2026. How did you want to approach the making of the EP?

I wanted this EP to feel like a journey, not just sonically but emotionally. Welcome To BrownsVille is about giving sound to different chapters of growth. The highs, the setbacks, the healing, the moments where you feel lost, and the moments where you find your way back to yourself. The approach was very intentional. Each song represents a different stop along that journey. Sonically I wanted to blend that timeless soul influence I grew up on with a modern pop edge so it feels both familiar and new.

More than anything I wanted people to feel like they’ve stepped into a place where their story belongs too

 

Where did you record the EP and who produced it?

I recorded the EP in Winchester with Ash Howes who produced the entire project. For me Winchester was the perfect environment. It’s quiet, peaceful and completely removed from the pace of London. That space allowed me to really sit with the music and be present with the emotions behind each song. There’s actually a moment in one of the records where you can hear a bird chirping in the background. We could have taken it out but I chose to keep it in. It felt honest to the moment and that’s what this project is about.

 

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

One moment that stands out to me is writing a line from Golden, “They say don’t call when you’re drunk in love but I don’t think that I’m drunk enough”. That line just landed instantly. It felt playful but real at the same time. Another special moment was my first session with Steve Garrigan from Kodaline and Cian MacSweeney. We wrote Welcome To Brownsville, I Found You and another record at Steve’s home. Writing the title track gave me goosebumps. There’s a line “There’s a hope and a heart and a fight if you’re ready to dive in, raise your glass to the ceiling, to the town I believe in, where the streets come alive to sounds of the beautiful people”, and I remember feeling it hit me in real time. I had to hold it together in the room but the second I got back to the hotel I let myself fully feel it.

 

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones or recording equipment to get a certain sound?

I’ve always loved using reverb on vocals, but with this project we wanted to balance that with something that still felt live and warm. On Scars and Glory in particular I leaned into a bit of distortion on the vocal. I wanted it to feel slightly raw and imperfect because that matched the message of the song. Across the EP we blended live instrumentation with modern production so you get that organic soul feeling but still within a contemporary pop space.

 

Which tracks show you at your happiest angriest and most reflective?

Happiest would be Welcome To Brownsville because it feels like arriving somewhere you’ve been searching for where you finally feel seen and accepted.

Angriest is Scars and Glory. Not angry in a destructive way but that moment where something shifts in you when you realise the things someone tried to use against you are actually your strength.

Most reflective is Mr Turner’s Song. That one feels like sitting with a memory and finally understanding it.

 

Who were the musicians on the album?

It was a really intentional group of collaborators. I wanted to work with people who understood the emotional direction of the project. That included George Glew, Dane Etteridge, Ash Howes and I also had the opportunity to work with Steve Garrigan and Cian MacSweeney over in Ireland. I then had 3 singers from the Ascension Choir (Bim, Adenike and Sarah) on background vocals on the title track.  Each person brought something unique but all of it served the same purpose which was telling this story honestly.

 

Does the EP title have a specific meaning?

Brownsville is a symbolic place. It’s where you arrive after you’ve walked through some of the hardest moments in your life. It represents healing, growth and belonging. Everyone has their own version of Brownsville. It’s that moment where you realise you’ve been through something, but you didn’t break, you became stronger because of it.

 

Was it a difficult EP to write?

Yes and no

It was difficult because the songs come from very real and honest places. I had to revisit moments I was still processing and that takes a level of vulnerability that isn’t always easy. But at the same time I had a clear vision for the EP. I knew the story I wanted to tell. The challenge was more about trusting myself and choosing the right collaborators because I tend to second guess at times. Once I got into the process it actually became freeing. It felt like I was finally giving those experiences somewhere to live and breathe.

 

Who designed the EP artwork?

The artwork was created by my creative director Laurie TB. What I love about working with her is that I don’t over direct. I gave her the concept of Brownsville and trusted her to interpret it. When she came back with the visuals it honestly felt like she had been inside my head. She took something that was just an idea and turned it into a fully realised world.

 

Where is your hometown and describe it in five words?

Kansas

Quiet, grounded, faith, family, soul

 

How do you look after your voice?

I try to stay disciplined with rest and hydration although I can always improve on that. I steam regularly especially in the mornings and make sure to warm up properly before performing. I’ve also been focusing more on transitioning my voice from studio to live because that’s a completely different muscle.

 

Do you have any live dates planned in 2026?

I recently performed on the French TV show Taratata which was an incredible moment. I’ve got a show at the Half Moon in Putney on April 13th, a showcase in Paris in June and we’re currently planning more dates across the UK and Europe this summer. The live show is a huge part of BrownsVille. That’s where people really step into the world not just hear it.

 

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

First, I want someone in that audience to feel seen in a way they didn’t before the show started.

Second, I want them to leave feeling stronger than when they walked in.

 

Do you have any favoured stage instruments or microphones?

I tend to keep things quite natural on stage. For me the voice and the band carry the emotion. A great microphone and a strong band can do more than any effect ever could.

 

One of the tracks is the single Scars and Glory. What was the story behind the song?

The song came from a moment where someone tried to use my insecurities against me, things I had already recognised and was actively working on. At first it hurt but over time I realised something important. The things people see as flaws are often the very things that shape who you become. That shift in perspective became the heart of the song.

 

Who are some of your musical influences?

Whitney Houston, Brandy, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Adele and Sam Smith. They all have the ability to make a song feel like a conversation. It’s not just about vocals it’s about honesty and connection.

 

What makes Will Brown happy and what makes you unhappy?

What makes me happy is connection. Family, close friends and meeting people who are evolving and growing. I also find a lot of joy in seeing people rediscover their strength after going through something difficult. What makes me unhappy is when people lose faith in themselves or when there’s a lack of empathy. Sometimes all it takes is one moment, one song or one conversation to remind someone they’re not alone and I think that matters more than anything.

Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By Edge Entertainment

Will Brown’s debut EP ‘Welcome To Brownsville’ is released on 17th April 2026.

Pre-Save Here: https://lnk.to/PCLr5R

His latest single ‘Scars and Glory’ is out now. 

Stream Here: https://lnk.to/5ujOkB

Tickets to the 13th April 2026 live show at The Half Moon, Putney, London, United Kingdom are onsale here: https://tickets.halfmoon.co.uk/events/2026-04-13-new-moon-a-night-of-new-music-half-moon-putney