BREE RUNWAY: THE GENRE-BENDING BRITISH SENSATION TEAMS UP WITH CAPTAIN MORGAN ON A NEW GLOBAL CAMPAIGN
Drinking in moderation has never looked so sexy.
TEXT: LOLWETU PAKATI
IMAGES: PRESS, LUSHA ALIC, PIETER SNYMAN AND THE CAPTAIN MORGAN TEAM
Bree Runway, a rising star in the music industry, has been making waves with her unique blend of genres, dynamic vocals and bold fashion sense. Born and
raised in Hackney, London, Bree started her music career by sharing covers and mashups of original songs on YouTube. She quickly gained a following and caught the attention of producer Fred Again, who would go on to become her collaborator and mentor.
In 2019, Bree Runway released her debut mixtape, RNWY, which showcased her range as a singer, rapper and songwriter. The project featured a mix of styles, including pop, hip-hop and electronic music, and drew praise from critics for its innovative sound and Bree’s captivating performance. Since then, Bree has released a string of singles and collaborations, each one showcasing her versatility and creativity.
“I THINK MODERATION ISN’T AS BORING AS PEOPLE MAKE IT SEEM, AND IT’S ACTUALLY QUITE NICE TO BE PRESENT, BUZZING, ALIVE…”
One of Bree Runway’s defining features is her fashion sense, which has been described as bold, eclectic and futuristic. She often incorporates avant-garde elements into her outfits, such as oversized hats, statement jewellery and elaborate makeup. Her fashion choices have earned her a reputation as a trendsetter and a style icon and further cemented her status as an artist who refuses to be boxed in by traditional labels. Some of Bree Runway’s most popular songs include ‘APESH*T’, ‘ATM’ and ‘Little Nokia’, each of which has garnered millions of streams on platforms like Spotify and YouTube. Her music has been praised for its infectious hooks, clever wordplay and fearless attitude and has earned her comparisons to other genre-defying artists like Missy Elliott and M.I.A.
With her talent, vision and magnetic personality, Bree Runway is poised to become a major force in the music industry. Whether she’s singing, rapping or experimenting with new sounds, she is always pushing the boundaries and inspiring others to do the same.
COLLAB WITH THE CAPTAIN
This month, the British pop star has joined forces with Captain Morgan for their biggest-ever global responsible drinking campaign, ‘Enjoy Slow’. The campaign encourages people around the world to consider moderation and enjoy drinking in a responsible way. Bree expressed her excitement to be a part of the campaign, saying, “The campaign is called ‘Enjoy Slow’, and it’s just calling on everyone around the world, encouraging everyone to consider moderation and to consider ‘enjoying slow’, and to just not be afraid to say no to another drink or another round, to just enjoy the night at their own pace.”
Bree shared her personal philosophy on drinking in moderation, stating: “When I go out, I’m not a heavy drinker. I always say no to a second round because I just think, ‘Does it need to go that far’ sometimes. Especially with me, I’m someone who can have a drink, and I’m good for the night. That’s me, I’ll be buzzing and ready to go and dancing, and still present and aware.”
BREE RUNWAY ON HER EP
FOR ME, THIS YEAR IS ALL ABOUT COLLABORATIONS. THAT’S WHY I WAS EXCITED AT THE FACT THAT THIS IS LAUNCHING THIS YEAR. I WANT TO LINE MYSELF UP WITH THINGS THAT ARE TRUE TO ME, AND NEW TO ME, AND SHOWING NEW SIDES OF ME.
Bree Runway’s EP, Woah, What a Blur, has been highly anticipated by fans and critics alike. In our interview, Bree shared her excitement about the EP and the collaborations featured on it. She said, “The EP is leading up to the world of amazing collaborations. For me, this year is all about collaborations. That’s why I was excited at the fact that this [the ‘Enjoy Slow’ campaign] is launching this year. I want to line myself up with things that are true to me, and new to me, and showing new sides of me. So that’s why I was excited to be a part of this particular campaign. And this year, without saying too much, just feels very collaborative. Very Bree in a way that you haven’t seen her before. And a whole new world is about to be unlocked, I would say.”
She also mentioned that the EP is a reflection of her musical growth and experimentation, saying, “I have been experimenting more with different sounds, different vocal techniques and really finding my voice in a different way. And I think that is what you hear throughout the EP.” With her EP showcasing a new side of her artistry, Bree is definitely an artist to keep an eye on.
COLLABORATING WITH STORMZY
One of the most exciting collaborations on Bree Runway’s EP is her track with UK grime artist Stormzy, ‘Pick Your Poison’. Bree revealed how this collaboration came to be. She said, “So that collaboration is an interesting one. It just fell in my lap in the sense that I remember bumping into Stormzy at Coachella in April last year, and he saw me and was giving me all of my flowers, and he was like ‘Bree, you’re such a star. When I think of you, I think star’ and all that, and I was like ‘No, you are!’ You know, that thing that artists do; we hung out over a couple of days, watched a few of the acts and things like that, and we really got on, and we were both kinda based in the YouTube trailer, which is where a lot of the artists were.”
Bree went on to explain how they both felt that a collaboration between them would be amazing, sharing, “I remember, we were in the trailer and he was like, he has this really beautiful song that he feels I would sound good on. And I was like, ‘Ooh, what is it?’ I was so intrigued. I was like, I want to know what this is; I want to know what Bree and Stormzy would sound like.” After exchanging ideas and tweaking the track, Bree and Stormzy created a collaboration that showcases both of their unique styles.
SHOWING VULNERABILITY IS HER SUPERPOWER
Bree Runway values her relationship with her fans and understands the importance of being vulnerable with them. In an interview, she explained why it’s important for her to share her personal experiences and imperfections with her fans. She said, “I think it’s so important to give people that humane side of you because in this day and age, how else are they supposed to feel connected to you, you know? With this new social media era we are in, it’s almost like you are obliged to share so that people can connect.”
Bree went on to share a personal experience where she had to embrace vulnerability during a performance, saying, “I just came off tour with Lizzo, and normally with me everything goes perfect when I do performances. I get five-star reviews – never less than four stars. Perfect, perfect, perfect, perfect. And the second day of an arena tour, my pack falls and my costume is falling apart. I’m livid. I’m literally livid whilst I am doing this performance, and then, in the end, I had the whole arena in the palm of my hand because I turned the mistake into a song that they all just picked up on in the moment. And I put the video together and put it on TikTok, and it went super viral, with millions of views, and I was like, sometimes there is power in showing like, you know what… it’s not always perfect. The perfection that you are always used to seeing from Bree Runway. Here’s a moment when it didn’t go so perfectly, and it really resonated with everyone, and everyone respected me for how professional I am. So, I do think it’s important to show the ups and downs, the vulnerabilities.”
GOING FORWARD
Bree Runway is an incredibly talented artist whose trajectory in the music industry is without a doubt going to be a game changer. Her unique style and vibrant personality have captured the attention of fans all over the world.
As Bree herself said, “I’m here to take over the world, and I’m not going to stop until I do.” And with her upcoming collaboration with an artist whom she loves and admires, it’s clear that she is not slowing down anytime soon.
We can all look forward to hearing more from Bree in the future, and to experiencing the incredible energy and creativity that she brings to her music. So, stay tuned, because as Bree said herself, “soon” we’ll be hearing even more from this rising star!