Photo of namoli brennet

namoli brennet

General Info

  • Genre: Acoustic / Folk / Indie

    Location TUCSON, ARIZONA, US

    Profile Views: 105572

    Last Login: 1/10/2012

    Member Since 2/23/2005

    Website www.namolibrennet.com

    Record Label Flaming Dame Records

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    Webster’s defines anomaly as a deviation from the common rule, but look a little farther and you’ll find another definition: hard to classify. And that might be the best way to describe musician Namoli Brennet. Brennet was born male and transitioned to female, but like many gender-variant types, she simply identifies as “trans”. There’s something touching and achingly poignant about Brennet’s voice – maybe it’s the sound of transgender, the experience of knowing what it feels like to be unstable, on the edge, a little hard to define. In the wrong hands, that poignance could easily turn sentimental, but with Brennet’s deft touch the songs have an edge, a rawness and a gritty realness that steers clear of typical singer/songwriter territory. And just like you’d expect from an over-achieving multi-instrumentalist with a composition degree: she does play nearly everything. Listening to Brennet, you realize this is not just another acoustic singer/songwriter with a guitar. Her technique draws on a wide range of influences, everyone from Shawn Colvin and Jonatha Brooke to Patty Griffin and Joni Mitchell There’s also the fact that she’s equally at home on the piano or mandolin. But beyond the technical is something way more important: Brennet has an innate understanding of the language of music, and she skillfully uses it to communicate insights that are both poetic and powerful. As someone who both engineers and produces her own CDs, there isn’t much stopping Namoli from putting out records, and her prolific output is pretty remarkable: since 2002 she’s self-produced and engineered 6 CDs starting with Boy in a Dress; her 7th CD, Until From This Dream I Wake is due out in June 2009. In addition to her songwriting, Brennet has also written several commissions for Chorus & Piano as well as scoring 2 plays: Boy (2008), and an adaptation of The Odyssey written by Pulitzer-Prize winner Derek Walcott. Her music has also been featured in the upcoming documentary Out in the Silence. So yes, she’s hard to classify, but like all good things yet undiscovered she’s just waiting to be found. And you can find her at namolibrennet.com, itunes, cdbaby.com, amazon…. ........ .. ........
  • Members

    Namoli Brennet and possibly some nameless celestial forces that keep passing along the good ideas.
  • Influences

    Train noises, barking dogs, squeaky bicycles, etc.
  • Sounds Like

    All songwriters think they sound nothing like anyone else. This is for the most part patently false, but we say it anyway. Most of us are also very verbose, which explains the long preamble to explaining who I sound like. Also you should realize that I am the least qualified person to describe who I sound like, so no complaints when I come up with things like "a transgendered Ryan Adams", or "a slightly huskier Patty Griffin". I'm trying to do it all here, people. Oh, also, thanks for reading all the way to the end. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ......

Comments

Post a comment...
  • charity schwartz

    just wanted to show some love i love your music i saw you sing for the trans group in kalamazoo and bought a cd it had ghost and abc thanks for getting the message out there my husband and i broke up ftm trans but i was blessed to meet so many wonderful souls you made a difference in my life.

    3 years ago
  • thomas Marks

    Best to you for a Fantabulous 2010...


    3 years ago
  • Pacific Buffalo

    we love your live sound and CDs.  Great instrumentation and arrangements. 

    3 years ago
  • Pacific Buffalo

    been listening to Singer Shine Your Light lately; great music, love the instrumentation and arrangements

    3 years ago
  • Thadeus Project

    thx for the add namoli.  nice sound!!!  respect from chicago.   glenn

    3 years ago
  • Marc Pedraza

    Hey Namoli, Your new album is absolutely beautiful! The lyrics are so heartfelt, honest and moving. I also really love all of the musical textures you added with your background vocals and guitars. Can't wait to see you perform live again!

    3 years ago
  • Cognitive Caracal

    I really hope you'll come back to Oil City PA. It's been some time since I last saw you preform. Love your stuff. : )

    3 years ago
  • nexy

    it was great seeing you again in phoenix tonight. loved the new material from your new c.d. and you just keep getting better and better. i just have one complaint - you don't play here often enough :) and remember, it's a dry heat...

    3 years ago
  • Kreuziger Art Studio

    Hey there...........was so Kewl to see you at Tucson Folk Festivle! I love your new songs and soon I will make one of your shows..... I really like "Let Love In" Be safe on your travels and hopefully to c u soon.
    Peace and Love,
    Mare:)

    3 years ago
  • Miss Frankie Stein

    wow i miss you.
    just saying . . .

    3 years ago
10 of 831More

Bio:

Webster’s defines anomaly as a deviation from the common rule, but look a little farther and you’ll find another definition: hard to classify. And that might be the best way to describe musician Namoli Brennet. Brennet was born male and transitioned to female, but like many gender-variant types, she simply identifies as “trans”. There’s something touching and achingly poignant about Brennet’s voice – maybe it’s the sound of transgender, the experience of knowing what it feels like to be unstable, on the edge, a little hard to define. In the wrong hands, that poignance could easily turn sentimental, but with Brennet’s deft touch the songs have an edge, a rawness and a gritty realness that steers clear of typical singer/songwriter territory. And just like you’d expect from an over-achieving multi-instrumentalist with a composition degree: she does play nearly everything. Listening to Brennet, you realize this is not just another acoustic singer/songwriter with a guitar. Her technique draws on a wide range of influences, everyone from Shawn Colvin and Jonatha Brooke to Patty Griffin and Joni Mitchell There’s also the fact that she’s equally at home on the piano or mandolin. But beyond the technical is something way more important: Brennet has an innate understanding of the language of music, and she skillfully uses it to communicate insights that are both poetic and powerful. As someone who both engineers and produces her own CDs, there isn’t much stopping Namoli from putting out records, and her prolific output is pretty remarkable: since 2002 she’s self-produced and engineered 6 CDs starting with Boy in a Dress; her 7th CD, Until From This Dream I Wake is due out in June 2009. In addition to her songwriting, Brennet has also written several commissions for Chorus & Piano as well as scoring 2 plays: Boy (2008), and an adaptation of The Odyssey written by Pulitzer-Prize winner Derek Walcott. Her music has also been featured in the upcoming documentary Out in the Silence. So yes, she’s hard to classify, but like all good things yet undiscovered she’s just waiting to be found. And you can find her at namolibrennet.com, itunes, cdbaby.com, amazon…. ..

Member Since:

February 23, 2005

Members:

Namoli Brennet and possibly some nameless celestial forces that keep passing along the good ideas.

Influences:

Train noises, barking dogs, squeaky bicycles, etc.

Sounds Like:

All songwriters think they sound nothing like anyone else. This is for the most part patently false, but we say it anyway. Most of us are also very verbose, which explains the long preamble to explaining who I sound like. Also you should realize that I am the least qualified person to describe who I sound like, so no complaints when I come up with things like "a transgendered Ryan Adams", or "a slightly huskier Patty Griffin". I'm trying to do it all here, people. Oh, also, thanks for reading all the way to the end.

Record Label:

Flaming Dame Records

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