Brian Kelley is opening up about his journey as a songwriter. During day three of CMA Fest in Nashville, Kelley joined American Songwriter’s Editor-in-Chief Lisa Konicki for an in-depth Q&A session about his songwriting process and becoming a solo artist following his decade-long tenure as part of the superstar duo, Florida Georgia Line. Brian Kelley and Friends saw the hit singer joined by three of his most trusted collaborators and hit songwriters Matt McGinn, Blake Pendergrass, and Katlin Owen to talk songwriting and perform some of their biggest hits. Here are some of the standout takeaways from the event.
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1. Kelley got into songwriting during college
Though Kelley graduated from Belmont University in Nashville where he met his FGL bandmate Tyler Hubbard, he started cutting his teeth as a songwriter when he was a student at Florida State University where he was also a member of the baseball team. Kelley started writing poems in high school that acted as his gateway into songwriting. When the baseball team traveled for away games, the Ormond Beach native would stay behind and play music and write songs in his dorm room. He soon started playing in a college band and at church and became fully immersed in the process of studying music. He encouraged aspiring songwriters to “dissect” the songs that they enjoy listening to, from studying the rhyme scheme and hooks to repetitively reading the lyrics. “Listen to as much music as you can,” he advised. “There’s a lot of ways to get into it.”
2. He premiered a new song, “How We’re Livin’”
Kelley took fans inside his mind when it comes to his songwriting process. “I don’t like to write blindly,” he said, explaining how he often likes to go into sessions with the title and idea for a song. But he’s also open to switching gears when called for. He offered the example of a recent session where he and his co-writers were writing a song called “Still at the Bar.” But when Kelley realized he wasn’t really identifying with the track, they instead started writing what would become “How We’re Livin,’” a new song on his upcoming debut solo album. The song is defined by the final lines in the chorus, ‘Round here it’s a family tradition / It’s a long long line of lovin’ how we’re livin.’ “I think there’s magic in continuing to show up as a songwriter and seeing what can happen,” Kelley observed.
3. He’s following the example of Garth Brooks and Kenny Chesney
As Kelley preps his first album as a solo artist, he’s being intentional about what songs he picks. Though he’s actively writing for the project, he’s also open to recording songs written by his fellow songwriters. “There’s no ego here, it’s best song wins,” he described what he calls the “Garth and Kenny model” about writing as much as possible, but also being open to the best outside cuts. He cites his new single “See You Next Summer” as a prime example. Co-written by major league songwriters Hardy, Hillary Lindsey, and David Garcia, the breezy tune is all about a summer romance that’s burning out as the season ends. But to Kelley, it’s a love song about his wife Brittney Kelley, and how he wants to spend the rest of his summers with her. “I am living that song,” he professed. “It’s that forever kind of love song and I think that’s why it resonated with me…I couldn’t find a reason not to record it.”
4. He’s “forever grateful” for the foundation he got from FGL
In 2022, Kelley and Hubbard announced that FGL was going on hiatus so they could pursue solo projects. During the Q&A, Kelley had nothing but positive remarks about his time in the duo, saying that it was “extra special” and was “humbled” by the work they did together, which included scoring two diamond-certified singles with “Cruise” and “Meant to Be,” featuring Bebe Rexha. He notes that being part of the duo built a “foundation” for his solo career and he learned a valuable lesson from every moment, from fan “happiness” to live performance. “It’s a really special time in my life,” he said of being solo.
Photo by Tyler Ahearn / Sweet Talk Publicity
