Bree Runway

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Bree Runway
Birth nameBrenda Wireko Mensah
Born (1992-11-18) 18 November 1992 (age 28)
London Borough of Hackney, England
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active2015–present
LabelsEMI Records
Associated acts
Websitebreerunwaymusic.com

Brenda Wireko Mensah[1] (born 18 November 1992),[2][3] known professionally as Bree Runway, is an English singer, rapper and songwriter of Ghanaian descent. She signed to EMI Records in 2018 and subsequently released her first commercial EP Be Runway in August 2019, followed by her debut mixtape, 2000and4Eva, in November 2020. In 2021, she won the award for Best New International Act at the BET Awards.[4]

Early life[]

Mensah was born on 18 November 1992 in Hackney, where she was raised.[5] She is of Ghanaian descent. She resided on a street given the nickname "Murder mile" due to high rates of crime and conflict.[5][6] Runway views her upbringing and experiences as her having to have "thick skin", resilience and "having instilled a fight in me" which she is thankful for.[6] At the age of 9, Runway experienced bullying and colourism which caused her to bleach her skin and have a negative chemical reaction to the product.[7] Runway credits those moments as shaping her both as a person and an artist.[5] Runway discussed the positive shift in attitude regarding her skin when she went to a college in south London where she met model Leomie Anderson who encouraged Runway to take pictures of herself and "take charge of our situations".[7]

Runway disclosed that she was only interested in music at school but never thought of herself as a musician. She enrolled in a Music technology subject which taught her the basics of music production. As a result, Runway started making beats and freestyling with her friends. Runway discussed that she purchased a "DIY home studio" setup with her first pay cheque which was where she was singing over self-produced beats and writing her own songs. Earlier material such as RNWY 01 was recorded with her DIY setup and explained that the self-sufficiency taught her what musical sound she wanted to pursue.[8] Runway revealed that Former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, once visited her school where she performed for her and was told to keep pursuing a musical career and that she wanted to see her performing at the White House to which Runway responded "Invite me then!".[7]

Career[]

2015–2019: Career beginnings and Be Runway[]

Bree Runway made her solo debut with the self-released EPs titled RNWY 01 and Bouji being released in November 2015 and May 2016 respectively.[9][10][11] Runway commercially released her debut single "Butterfly" in November 2016. A music video was released alongside the song, which was shot in Dubai, by model Leomie Anderson and directed by Runway herself.[11]

On 21 September 2017, Bree Runway released "What Do I Tell My Friends?" which debuted alongside a music video.[12] The video would gather major attention, being her first to pass over one hundred thousand views, and praise due to its serious message of exploitation of young females in the fashion industry.[13] Bree Runway was featured on British electronic duo Metroplane's single "Word of Mouth" which was released in February 2018.[14]

Bree Runway signed to Virgin EMI Records in 2018.[citation needed] In May 2019, she released the single "2ON" as her major-label debut.[15] The track would later be included on Paper's critics list of the Top 50 Songs of 2019.[16] Car company Toyota would also use the track in an advertisement for their C-HR Leave Ordinary Behind campaign.[17][18] In July 2019, the single "Big Racks" featuring Brooke Candy was released.[19] Both "2ON" and "Big Racks" had debuted with accompanying music videos. Bree Runway released her major-label debut EP Be Runway on 16 August 2019 which was preceded by singles "2ON" and "Big Racks" featuring Brooke Candy.[20][6] A video for the track "All Night" was released 5 days later, making it the third and final single from the record.

2020–present: 2000and4Eva[]

On 5 March 2020, Bree Runway released the single "Apeshit" which was met with critical acclaim and drew immediate comparisons to Missy Elliott who would later co-sign the track on Twitter.[8] A censored version of the song titled, "Ain't It", was included on the FIFA 21 VOLTA Football soundtrack.[21] During April 2020, Bree Runway was featured on the cover of Issue 87 of British magazine Notion.[22] On 28 April 2020, Runway announced that her next single would be titled "Damn Daniel" and would be a collaboration with American singer and rapper Yung Baby Tate.[23] The single was released on 30 April, alongside a "quarantine edition" music video.[24] The song was featured on Annie Mac's Future Sounds show on BBC Radio 1 as the "Hottest Record in the World" on 30 April.[25]

On 10 July 2020, Bree Runway was featured on a remix of Rina Sawayama’s single "XS".[26] In July 2020, Bree Runway released the single "Gucci" with American rapper Maliibu Miitch. She also released the single "Little Nokia" in September 2020, which would later go onto be ranked the fourth best song of 2020 by Time magazine.[27][28] In October 2020, Bree Runway was the cover star for the DIY issue of British magazine Hunger.[29] In October 2020, Runway announced the release of her debut mixtape, 2000and4Eva, which was released on 6 November 2020 via Virgin EMI Records.[30] The mixtape's release was preceded and supported by the singles; "Apeshit", "Damn Daniel", "Gucci", "Little Nokia" and "ATM". A music video for the mixtape's fifth single, "ATM" featuring Missy Elliott, was released on 11 January 2021.[31] A solo version of the song entitled the "Breemix" was released on 25 January 2021.[32]

On 28 March 2021, Bree Runway announced the release of the single, "Hot Hot", which was released on 31 March 2021.[33] On 20 May 2021, "Space Ghost Coast to Coast", a collaboration with English rock band Glass Animals was released.[34] In the beginning of September 2021, she was featured on the Jimmy Edgar remix of "Babylon" by Lady Gaga off her remix album Dawn of Chromatica,[35] as well as in the music video for "Have Mercy" by Chlöe.[36]

Personal Life[]

Runway identifies as black and queer. She is currently in a relationship with fellow rapper, Doja Cat.[37][38][39]

Artistry[]

I always feel the need to correct people anytime they call me an R&B sensation. I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it. I’m not R&B. I need to keep reinforcing this because the world is so obsessed with labelling people and putting them in boxes that sometimes people lose who they are, and then they start obsessing and put themselves in a box. Then people don’t feel comfortable stepping out and being who they are because this is what they are being told is how they should be, and it’s so wrong.

—Bree Runway on genre categorization[40]

Bree Runway has expressed her sound as "genre-bending" as well as "genre fluid" with her material experimenting with a multitude of genres including; pop, trap, dance, R&B, rock, and hyperpop. Despite being signed to a major label, Runway revealed that she is entirely in charge of her creative process.[7] Runway explains that she tries to study genres that she doesn't listen to on a daily basis quoting that there is "inspiration everywhere". When discussing Runway's sound, she emphasizes her disapproval with genre labelling, rejecting the labels of a rapper or an "R&B sensation" and claiming that―if she weren't Black―she wouldn't be labelled as such, while insisting on being dubbed a "popstar".[41]

She cites Lil' Kim, Britney Spears, Madonna, Missy Elliott, Pharrell, Kelis, Lil Baby, Lady Gaga, Bhad Bhabie and The Neptunes as her biggest influences.[8]

Discography[]

Awards and nominations[]

Organization Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
MOBO Awards 2020 Video of the Year "Apeshit" Nominated [42]
BBC 2020 Sound of 2021 Herself Nominated [43]
BET Awards 2021 Best New International Act Won [4]
Rated Awards 2021 Female Artist of the Year Pending [44]

References[]

  1. ^ "BBC Music's Sound of 2021: The longlist". BBC. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Brenda Wireko Mensah (England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008)". FamilySearch. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  3. ^ Runway, Bree (18 November 2016). "Happy Birthday