Bree Runway

Edition Two – Bree Runway – Order Now

Team EQUATE was privileged to get time in with the fun- sized powerhouse that is Bree Runway. The East London native, who can be dubbed as a fusion between Lil’ Kim, Lady Gaga and Madonna, took time out of her schedule, between international flights and studio sessions, to talk to us about colourism in the industry, the inspiration behind the music, and the identity that makes her who she is.

EQ: How did you come up with the name ‘Bree Runway’ and who is she?

BR:The name Bree Runway actually came from a very long Facebook name that I made when I was around 16, it was a naming ceremony that my really cool cousin, Pedro, gave to all the cousins – we were all gathered, it was like a family party and his name was ‘Runway Pedro’ and I used to think he was so cool, he always had the latest fashions and everything like that, and I always thought “I wish I could be him, I really wish I could be him” but that day that he passed the runway name to me I was like “[gasp] I’m keeping it!” so I made a Facebook name and added ‘runway’, ‘Tokyo’ and everything you can think of. So, when it came to choosing an artist name I think I just looked at my Facebook name and thought “I think I will just pick something from this which is personal to me”. Then I cut my name down, my real name down, and used Bree, and picked runway from the name that was passed down to me. And now Bree runway is just this very super confident, super face, unique, one of one, she’s like nobody else, she is very fearless, and she’s just this powerhouse, a really tiny girl who is a powerhouse and is just day by day taking over the world. I feel like she is des- tined for world domination, yeah! That’s Bree Runway!

EQ: What inspired you to start creating music and who is your biggest inspiration?

BR: I’ve always been into music because I come from a very musical background, my dad was a drummer, he used to drum for church and he’s the one that always used to put me on to music. I always used to love how my mum would always dance around to it too, she is also a very creative per- son as well, she used to make her own clothes – she is a DIY queen! She was also always playing new songs – well, old songs, and so through my parents I think is where my love for music came from. Even driving around to market with my mum always used to listen to Magic radio and I was just so mesmerised by the melodies. I feel like music from the ‘80s and ‘90s, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston – artists like that – inspired me to start creating music because the harmonies were just like “oh my God, this is so beautiful”. So, through that, and then artists like Lady Gaga, Freddie Mercury, David Bowie – seeing their artistry growing up really kicked me up the arse to be like “I want to do something like this. I feel like there’s something unique in me, as there is something unique in them”. I want to bring my piece of art and birth into the world.

EQ: Identity plays a big part in your artistry – we’ve seen from your last EP cover. Can you explain that a little to us and why it was important to portray?

BR: That [EP cover] was actually inspired by a lady who inspires me a lot; Grace Jones. Grace Jones did a cover for The Face Magazine, and I wanted to find a way, on my cover, to portray the fact that we live in a generation where everybody doesn’t want to be themselves. They don’t really want to be themselves, and that’s what inspired me to make music, I was specifically getting at how we, in the times we live, as black people, are the blueprint. And although in time we’ve been tortured, we’ve been embarrassed, we’ve been disgraced, we’ve been talked down upon – people don’t want to see us up, but in all that we continue to rise and evolve be- cause it’s what we’re great at doing. I feel as though through all of that the oppressor, whoever this may have been, just wants to be like us because we have everything. We have the rhythm, we have the sound, the style, we even had the resources, the land – everything. So, what’s happening on the cover is a Caucasian person who has used my “BE RUNWAY” spray, which I was selling in the ‘Two On’ music video, and has spread them- selves to be runway, and be me! So, it has two meanings, this is just one of the meanings, where although people want to put us down we actually are the blueprint, and here they are happy as hell to spray the spray to be Bree Runway, a black woman who is jazzy as fuck [laughs]. The other meaning behind the spraying yourself to be Bree Runway is it could be for anyone who presses play is actually using that spray to be Runway because being Run- way represents freedom, and represents a limitless way of thinking, there are no boundaries in my art, and in my lyrics.

I really don’t give a fuck, basically. So, you listening to me – I hope it inspires you to just free yourself, free your mind, and of any status quos, especially as a young black girl. I always told: “you can’t do this, you can’t do that” and we are always put into a box, but I hope I inspire you to carve your own lane and make your own print in the world. You don’t have to copy anyone else and that’s what Bree Runway is about.

EQ: As a young black female in the industry do you feel like you’ve faced any challenges making your way to the top? Do you ever feel need to compromise?

BR: In life, in general I feel like at some points I have had to compromise. Maybe when I first started I felt like, or at some point in my career, as I was crossing over to the sound that I have now I did feel like for me to actually chart, and fully make it as a pop star – because I’ve always wanted to be a pop star but my sound started of very urban at first – I felt like I needed to almost whitewash my music in order for me to make it and that’s really not the case – the key was and is to just be myself really. I did feel like that though at some point because I looked at the charts and I saw the kind of pop music that was charting and I thought “damn, I don’t sit in the same house as these sounds, this is not really me”. The key is that as a young black female in the industry, you just have to just stay true to what’s on your heart sound wise and it’s going to resonate with everyone. Also, it goes back to the ‘Big Racks’ cover – what I was trying to capture is that being a black female, there are a lot of challenges we face and comprises we have to make which aren’t necessarily true to our authentic selves. It boils down to having to speak in a certain way in workspaces – you’re thinking “is my name too African to get this job”, and doors can be closed to us just because of this. We always have to find a mask to put on to not offend or be “too black”, so yes, I did reach that place musically, and I’ve been there too in the normal working world, but I really did question whether I’d have to dilute my sound in order to make it, but I realised that’s not and should never be the case.

EQ: Your fashion is, again, a big part of your identity. What’s your favourite trend at the moment and what piece can’t you live without?

BR: I actually don’t follow any trends and I couldn’t tell you a fashion tend right now. But what I can’t live without is a big shoulder pad blazer – like an oversized blazer! Me and blazers go hand in hand like bread and butter [laughs], I just think it’s so powerful and I specifically like to shop ‘80s blazers because I’m obsessed with powerhouse fashion, and how the powerful women from the ‘80s look. So, I love an over- sized, structured shouldered blazer and that’s something I cannot live without.

EQ: What advice would you give to your younger self or anyone else trying to break into the industry?

BR: As cliché́ as it sounds – be yourself, you have to be yourself. Don’t look at what’s charting, don’t try to sound like anything that’s charting, do what’s natural to you and stay off Spotify plays and all of that. Don’t try and kill your- self with numbers and what’s popular right now, ‘cause not everything popular today will be here forever, so don’t try to jump on any kind of bandwagon for momentary success. Do what’s true to you ‘cause you want to be here for a long time, not just a good time – word to Drake.

EQ: And finally, what is next for you, music-wise?

BR: Music-wise, I’m wrapping up some great stuff right
now, and I’m really excited about the next moves be- cause the music videos are only going to get better and bigger, more choreography, more looks, more vibes – everything. Everything you love about me now – just times it by 10, because I have some great ideas in the works, and I’m going to be putting out some great shit. So just look out for it.

You can follow Bree Runway on social media:

Instagram: @breerunway
Twitter: @breerunway

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