KANE BROWN: AMERICA'S HOTTEST COUNTRY STAR OPENS UP

Summary

Great Company Podcast with Jamie Lang – Episode Summary

Episode Title: KANE BROWN: AMERICA'S HOTTEST COUNTRY STAR OPENS UP
Host: Jamie Lang
Producer: Jemima
Guest: Kane Brown
Release Date: April 15, 2025

---

Introduction

In this captivating episode of Great Company, host Jamie Lang welcomes Kane Brown, one of the most prominent figures in country and western music today. Jamie and producer Jemima set the stage for an in-depth conversation, highlighting Kane's remarkable journey from a challenging childhood to global stardom.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (05:49): "Hey, guys. I'm Kane Brown, and I'm in great company, and I am great company. I think."

---

Early Life and Challenges

Kane Brown opens up about his tumultuous upbringing in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, marked by frequent moves and instability. He attended six different elementary schools, two middle schools, and six high schools, facing bullying, racism, and physical abuse from stepparents.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (13:07): "Yeah, it was a tough childhood in lots of ways, but I had fun because I played sports."

Sports became Kane's sanctuary, helping him build friendships quickly and providing an outlet for his energy amidst the chaos. He shares the profound impact of his father's incarceration since 1996, which forced him to mature rapidly and take on a protective role for his younger brother.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (26:59): "My dad's been in prison since '96."

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Music Career and Rise to Fame

Transitioning from sports to music, Kane began posting cover songs on Facebook at the age of 19. His dedication paid off when his cover of "I Don't Dance" by Lee Bryce went viral, attracting over 60,000 views and followers. This surge in popularity led to a record deal and further propelled his career.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (51:35): "You can't fail until you stop."

Kane attributes his success to his understanding of social media algorithms, noting that he was "six years in advance" compared to current trends on platforms like TikTok. His strategic approach to promoting his music on Facebook resulted in his song "Found" amassing 42.2 million views and significant shares, earning him platinum and diamond records.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (48:35): "I'm six years in advance, really, like how everybody's doing on TikTok right now with their songs."

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Emotional Challenges and Coping Mechanisms

Despite his outward success, Kane struggles with emotional expression. He describes himself as emotionally numb, finding it difficult to show vulnerability or sadness—a likely protective mechanism from his harsh upbringing.

Notable Quote:
Jamie Lang (12:22): "Because emotion is like. An emotion is like. I like. You sort of feel emotion every single day. So to not kind of feel the emotion feels like it must be a protective mechanism."

Kane admits that he does feel emotions but has difficulty expressing them, especially in professional settings. He finds solace in activities like gaming and spending quality time with his children, which help him reconnect with his emotions.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (20:25): "I keep. I have to tell my Kids all the time. Like, man, you are so damn blessed."

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Family Life

Kane discusses his deep appreciation for his family, contrasting his current life with his solitary childhood experiences. Married to Kate, they have three children, and Kane emphasizes the joy and fulfillment his family brings him.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (33:07): "Definitely. And I would say the big success is because I never really had that family thing."

He shares heartfelt stories about family traditions, like celebrating Christmas with his extended family, and the challenges of balancing fame with personal life. Kane expresses gratitude for the supportive environment his wife and children provide, highlighting the stark difference from his upbringing.

---

Dealing with Fame and Maintaining Authenticity

Fame brings its own set of challenges for Kane, particularly in maintaining genuine relationships and trust. He speaks candidly about the difficulties of distinguishing between genuine connections and those driven by ulterior motives.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (10:14): "You can't compete like that. Like, it's just not how it works."

Instead of comparing himself to other artists, Kane focuses on "outdoing himself," emphasizing personal growth and continuous improvement as the keys to his sustained success.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (45:14): "Stay true to you and just, just grind."

---

Advice for Aspiring Artists

Kane imparts valuable advice to aspiring musicians, stressing the importance of authenticity and perseverance. He highlights the significance of understanding social media platforms to effectively promote one's music.

Notable Quote:
Kane Brown (45:14): "I'd say stay, stay true to you. I used to kind of try and be what I felt like fans wanted me to be. And yeah, I just say stay true to you and just, just grind."

He encourages artists to consistently create and share content, leveraging algorithms to reach broader audiences, much like his successful strategy on Facebook.

---

Quick Fire Questions

In a lighter segment, Kane answers a series of personal questions, revealing his softer side and personal preferences:

1. What makes you smile?
   Kane Brown (53:11): "My kid's laughing."

2. Best compliment you've ever received?
   Kane Brown (53:18): "When my wife says, 'I look good,' that's the best. Tell her you look great all the time."

3. What scares you most about yourself?
   Kane Brown (53:34): "Probably the down times, like the depression."

4. When was the last time you cried?
   Kane Brown (53:41): "When I watched the movie Whale."

5. What's something you can't let go of?
   Kane Brown (54:07): "Gaming."

6. What’s your guilty pleasure?
   Kane Brown (54:16): "Listening to Screamo music."

7. What turns you off?
   Kane Brown (54:25): "Bad drivers."

8. What turns you on?
   Kane Brown (54:31): "My wife."

9. What do you like most about yourself?
   Kane Brown (54:38): "Being straightforward and genuine."

Bonus Question:
Favorite swear word?
Kane Brown (54:59): "Fuck."

---

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Jamie and Jemima expressing their admiration for Kane's openness and the depth of the conversation. They commend Kane for his ability to swiftly open up, providing listeners with an authentic glimpse into his life.

Notable Quote:
Jamie Lang (55:05): "Kane, thank you so much for coming on."

Listeners are encouraged to subscribe to "Great Company" for more engaging and insightful conversations every Wednesday.

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Key Takeaways

• Resilience: Kane's ability to overcome a challenging childhood through sports and music showcases his resilience and determination.

• Authenticity: Emphasizing staying true to oneself is pivotal for sustained success, as demonstrated by Kane's career choices.

• Emotional Awareness: Despite struggling with emotional expression, Kane finds ways to reconnect through family and personal interests.

• Family First: Kane places immense value on his family, striving to provide a loving and supportive environment contrary to his own upbringing.

• Social Media Savvy: Leveraging social media effectively was crucial in Kane's rise to fame, highlighting the importance of understanding digital platforms for modern artists.

---

This detailed summary captures the essence of Kane Brown's candid discussion on the Great Company podcast, providing listeners with valuable insights into his personal and professional life.

Transcript

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[Jamie Lang]

Hello everyone, my name is Jamie Lang and this is great company.

[Jemima]

Howdy.

[Jamie Lang]

Jemima said howdy because our guest today is a country and western singer. Is that why?

[Jemima]

Yeah. Are you excited?

[Jamie Lang]

I'm beyond excited.

[Jemima]

Let me just describe what Jamie's wearing. Full double denim. He's got big high cowboy boots with the little things on the back which clink, clank. And a cowboy hat. And he's got a scarf around his neck.

[Jamie Lang]

And you're holding a pistol.

[Jemima]

I'm holding a pistol. And a lasso. I don't know if you can see it.

[Jamie Lang]

See, make the noise of the lasso.

[Jemima]

A lasso.

[Jamie Lang]

What's that? Oh, I think of a whip. Oh, that's a lasso. Very good. I'm gonna let you into a little secret. I'm not wearing denim or those boots, but I. Ready for this episode.

[Jemima]

Go on, describe what you're wearing.

[Jamie Lang]

I'm just. I'm actually just seeing naked.

[Jemima]

He's wearing normal clothes.

[Jamie Lang]

I'm wearing normal clothes.

[Jemima]

Head to the YouTube if you want to see.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah. And listen. A lot of people who are listening to this episode may not know who we are. My name is Jamie. I'm the host of the show. And you are?

[Jemima]

I'm Jemima, the producer.

[Jamie Lang]

You are Jemima, the producer of the show. And anyone who has listened to the podcast for a while, welcome back. And to all you new listeners. Hey, we're very excited to have you here.

[Jemima]

Hey.

[Jamie Lang]

Hey. Because today we have a very, very interesting person, Mr. Kane Brown.

[Jemima]

Tell me, Jamie, who is Kane Brown?

[Jamie Lang]

Kane Brown is probably the biggest country and western singer in the world right now. He's broken all the records. If you are a country and western fan, you know exactly who he is. But also, country and western is an interesting niche where not it's listened by millions and millions and millions of people, but also lots of people don't know lots of these singers. Kane is from America. He's over here and he has a really interesting story. He grew up really, really hard times.

[Jemima]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

He experienced lots of things, from bullying to racism to beatings to lots of different things. He's had a tough life. And I would say that Cain leans more towards the darker side of things than the lighter side of things. And I think he'll probably admit that himself, and I wonder if we're going to get into that space. His music is incredible. He writes from the heart, so I'm really excited to have him on. Yeah.

[Jemima]

I think he might also be someone who takes a while to open up as well, but that's your your real jam. That's the charm.

[Jamie Lang]

Jam over here. So hopefully he gets to trust me and we the jam. Jam, pot. Hopefully he gets to trust me and hopefully we open up like a pot of jam.

[Jemima]

Got you. That metaphor took a while to get to it did.

[Jamie Lang]

Okay, guys, listen. We're very excited for this episode, as always. If you haven't subscribed already, please do. We release episodes every Wednesday. We're on YouTube. TikTok Instagra @ Great Company Podcast. If you want to send us an email, great companyamproducts.co.uk. you can. Everything is in the show description and let us know what you think of the show, what guests we should have on next. Are you ready for this?

[Jemima]

I am really ready.

[Jamie Lang]

Please welcome to the podcast on Great company, Mr. Kane Brown.

[Kane Brown]

Hey, guys. I'm Kane Brown, and I'm in great company, and I am great company. I think.

[Jamie Lang]

The reason why you and I relate a lot is I heard you like horror movies.

[Kane Brown]

Love them, man.

[Jamie Lang]

That is my jam. And I don't know what, I don't know what it's about. Horror movies. Well, I heard you love horror movies and I heard you're afraid of the dark.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, both. That's why I love horror movies. Yeah. You get creeped out. Especially my house. Like, before I came here, my kids just left and my wife and usually, oh, my God, I love being alone. But there's something about walking in my house when nobody's there that it's just, like, it's eerie and I love it. I walk around and, like, turn lights off behind me. There's something about it. And then I'll be playing. I'll be playing the game.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

And I'm in a, you know, dark room, and I swear I see something all the time. So I'll be playing a bit. You got to look over real quick. It's the best.

[Jamie Lang]

You're like, why do we like freaking ourselves out? Why? What is it about that? Is it because. The reason why I like it for some reason is I love feeling emotion. And that sounds. That sounds strange, right? But I, I really like. I, I. When, when a movie's sad, I like it when it's sad. I like feeling that emotion. When something's funny, I like. And so when something's scary, it, like, feeds me.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I'm kind of like that, too. Which. I'm an emotionless person normally.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. Like, I can't really express my emotion. So there's something about, like, me going upstairs in the dark and Just feeling like somebody's gonna grab me, you know what I'm saying? I love it. Just take off real quick. I want to learn yalls language. Like I just found out what a bloke was a couple days ago. And then what did you say? I wanted the loogs. That the bathroom?

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah, that's the bathroom.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I want to learn that.

[Jamie Lang]

Wait, what? What other words? Like, do you know what? Maybe you don't.

[Kane Brown]

Well, I'll tell you this. I went to Australia. This is the funniest thing, and I hope y'all don't get upse offended. I went to Australia and I was playing Xbox. I was playing 2K, and I was playing with all these like 17 year olds.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

And they were like, bro, when you get on stage, you have to call everybody a. So there was. I did a festival with 24,000 people up there.

[Jamie Lang]

Listen to 17.

[Kane Brown]

And I said, what's up, gun dude, they lost their mind. They loved it. My publicist was there and she was like, oh my God, they lost their minds. It's just different languages and you don't know it until you go, so anybody that's going to Australia, make sure you do that.

[Jamie Lang]

They like that in Scotland as well.

[Kane Brown]

Really?

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

Like if you come to the States and said that to somebody, you're getting smacked.

[Jamie Lang]

I'm gonna pass some words that you do know. Chinwag.

[Kane Brown]

A chin wag. Okay, I'm gonna remember this one. What is that?

[Jamie Lang]

Means a chat. This is a chin wag.

[Kane Brown]

Chin wag.

[Jamie Lang]

Okay.

[Kane Brown]

Having a little chin wag.

[Jamie Lang]

A chin wag.

[Kane Brown]

All right.

[Jamie Lang]

And the last one is chuffed.

[Kane Brown]

Chuffed.

[Jamie Lang]

Chuffed. So I will leave this interview chuffed because it went so well.

[Kane Brown]

Happy.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah, happy.

[Kane Brown]

Chuffed means happy. I gotta come up with another word.

[Jamie Lang]

So you should get on stage and say, I'm chuffed to be here. I'm chuffed to be here.

[Kane Brown]

We're gonna have a little chin wag.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah, that's it. When I found out you were coming on, I just became obsessed with you in like a non stalker way. Following you wherever you've been. Dude, it's. Your success is just mind blowing. Do you ever sit back sometimes and just like realize what you've achieved and what you've done? Does that ever sink in?

[Kane Brown]

Random times.

[Jamie Lang]

Okay.

[Kane Brown]

I'll be out sitting out by like the fire pit in my backyard and just be by myself. And I'll be like, where am I? But other than that, a lot of times I don't. I don't take the time and really, I'm always just focused on the next thing or trying to, you know, outdo myself, which I think is the key to success for anybody.

[Jamie Lang]

Explain that, because this is what I'm learning at the moment. Right. I used to. I used to be so competitive with other people.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, you can't do that.

[Jamie Lang]

It's the worst. Yeah, but how do you. So give me your mindset on that.

[Kane Brown]

So I played sports my whole career, and when I. When I came into music and, you know, started doing the whole. Which everybody can break a record. I just was talking about that yesterday. Just. You come up with something, you can break a record, right? So when I come in, when I came into music, it was all just, oh, came broke this record. Came broke this record. And then other artists started coming in and then breaking those records that I already broke. So then I was like, well, I don't know what to do now. Like, do I compete with them? And at the end of the day, you can't. You can't compete like that. Like, it's just not how it works. So then I was like, okay, screw it. All I gotta do is outdo myself. And if I outdo myself, then that means I'm just gonna keep growing because you're just. You're just doing better every day. That's just facts.

[Jamie Lang]

So you never compare yourself to anyone now?

[Kane Brown]

Not now. And I'm in my. I'm in my own lane, which is. Which I will say. Well, in country music, everything's starting to blur. But that's also what's cool about country music is there's so many different sounds that, you know, there's somebody for everybody.

[Jamie Lang]

So take me back to this idea of this emotion thing. So you said you don't really feel emotions that much?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, it's mainly, like. I mean, I feel emotion. But I would say when it comes to the music world, like, if I won an award or something like that, it's hard for me to, like, show my emotion, make sense. Or if something's really sad and somebody be like, oh, I did this today. I'm like, suck it up. You know, like, just. Just move on. You know, It's. It's really. It's really sad at the end of the day, like, I wish I could feel emotion. Like, when my wife tries to be vulnerable with me sometimes, like, I just. Anybody, really, it's. It's really hard.

[Jamie Lang]

What, you don't feel it or you don't understand it?

[Kane Brown]

I don't feel it. I mean, I used to feel it as A kid. And that's when you said, like, when you watch sad movies. Yeah. Like, I'll sit there like, you know, normal guys, they'll be like, I'm not crying. Me. I'm like, I want you to see me crying, because you. You're never gonna see me cry. So I just let the tears roll if it's a sad movie.

[Jamie Lang]

Wow.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Is that a protective mechanism, do you think?

[Kane Brown]

Maybe. I have no idea. I wish I'd figure it out.

[Jamie Lang]

Because that's an interesting thing, right? Because emotion is like. A emotion is like. I like. You sort of feel emotion every single day. So then to not kind of feel the emotion feels like it must be a protective mechanism.

[Kane Brown]

Well, I mean, the only emotion that I feel is and will show is mad, which I don't want to be that guy, but that's the only one that'll ever come out.

[Jamie Lang]

Does it come out when you play Call of Duty?

[Kane Brown]

Not really. Because I'm. That's. That's when you'll see me happy.

[Jamie Lang]

Only thing I say is because, you know, Ken, I've been going through, like, you know, your whole life, and I've been looking at it, and your childhood feels like a. It feels pretty tough.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, it was a tough childhood in lots of ways, but I had. But I had fun because I played sports. You know, I was out doing stuff, and, you know, it was a good time.

[Jamie Lang]

So explain. So where did you grow up?

[Kane Brown]

Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. And then I moved around a lot, bouncing back cities, moving high schools. I went to six different elementary schools, two different middle schools, and I moved high school six times, but it was five different high schools. Wow. Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

That's hard as a kid because you never really settle in.

[Kane Brown]

Well, the good thing is I played sports, so I was, you know, like a captain or a co captain of every team that I went to. So I made friends quick, and that was good for me to get my music started, because when I was just posting covers on Facebook, I had all these friends from these different schools. I was like, what the hell is Kane doing? But I got my likes up a little bit, and, yeah, everybody knew what I was trying to do.

[Jamie Lang]

What kind of sport were you playing in?

[Kane Brown]

Football, basketball, baseball. And I ran track.

[Jamie Lang]

Wow. So you. So you were the total rounder.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

You ever wanted to go pro or. No?

[Kane Brown]

No, I wasn't good enough to go pro. I wish I. Now. I wish I would have played golf over anything, but. Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

So if you're traveling around a lot and you. You're playing Sport. Then how do you. How do you kind of keep friends? Because you must be.

[Kane Brown]

They were just all athletes. It was who was on my team.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, I didn't. Yeah, I mean, I wasn't really a talker. I'm not really a talker now. I mean, you're getting the most out of me right now. Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

The more I do this show. Right. This show is like about connecting with like different people around the world. And I just find people so fascinating and I think it's interesting how people want to connect or don't want to connect or open or not open, like. And the more I sort of speak to people, the more I realize that a lot of people are quite introverted and actually they don't really want to speak and want to share things. And this show, I. I always try and sort of open that up with people. Why do you think that you are a kind of introverted person? Why do you think you are shy in that space?

[Kane Brown]

Oh, I mean, when it comes to talking to stuff, I feel like I'm the most. What's the other word? Out, out, out.

[Jamie Lang]

Outspoken, outgoing, extroverted.

[Kane Brown]

When it comes to talking about stuff. Yeah. But when it comes to just having normal conversation, like if I don't know you, if I don't know like what you like or. I think that is more of a me protecting myself because that's what I've done my whole life is just have to kind of watch out for people and watch out for who you are so I don't get in trouble, especially where I grew up. And so that's why I kind of just don't talk.

[Jamie Lang]

Do you trust people?

[Kane Brown]

No, I trust like my small circle. I mean, I. Technically I'll trust anybody until you do me wrong.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. But going like starting through my career that nobody ever knows about, like what the stuff at the beginning made me not trust like hardly anybody.

[Jamie Lang]

Why tell me what happened?

[Kane Brown]

Or just shitty signs, contracts, stuff like that. It's terrible.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

It's crazy that with the music industry where I find that like so many people get kind of screwed over at the beginning because they don't even know what they're signing.

[Kane Brown]

Oh, yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

And it's basically like you are finding a record label, finding an individual, finding someone and they're saying, hey, I can open this door for you. Come on side. And I'm going to make all your dreams come true.

[Kane Brown]

Well, the worst thing is at the beginning. Well, the worst thing is for Internet stars, which for everybody that's getting started on Social media right now and tick tock and stuff. That's how I got started. And you don't know how big you're going to be. So for me, I signed my deal with not a record label, just a guy. And the next day went viral.

[Jamie Lang]

What?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, the next day he thought it was fake. And I was like, bro, I swear, I was like, I just went viral. It was like. And then started doing all these shows. Everything was selling out immediately. And then after, like, my eighth show, I was opening for Florida Georgia Line. And then I had my record deal, but this guy was already tied in and he was getting 50. 50 with me.

[Jamie Lang]

No ways, man. Are you kidding me?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. So then I had to go back and talk to my label and do all this stuff, and it's been with me for years.

[Jamie Lang]

Who is this guy?

[Kane Brown]

I'm not gonna say his name.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah, we don't talk about it.

[Kane Brown]

I should say his name. We don't talk about it. I should blare it, but I ain't going to. I don't want him to get any. I get that popularity.

[Jamie Lang]

It's what I love about your music. Dude, is that you. You use your music to discuss difficult things. And I've got some lyrics here. You know. You wrote a song, when youn Forget, which is written about your grandpa's battle with Alzheimer's.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, my great granddad is your great grandfather.

[Jamie Lang]

And the lyrics are amazing. And then you write another one, which is called Haunted.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Which is about depression. And the lyrics are waking up in cold sweats. California king beds got the diamond ring set shoes that ain't released yet. Cause I'm haunted by the voice in my head. I'm haunted by the taste of that lead. I wanted too many times to jump off the edge thinking I was better off dead. Those are pretty heavy lyrics right there.

[Kane Brown]

Bars, though. But. Yeah, but that's. That's easy writing. But I don't want everybody. Like, that stuff is the. Then that's the other thing that's hard about music. Like, I could write stuff like that all day.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

What do you mean? So what do you mean by that? Explain that to me. Like, I don't get it.

[Kane Brown]

I mean, that's the headspace I live in. So it's like, that's. But I'm. I try to write happy stuff for, you know, my fans that are happy.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

Like, why would I just write sad songs all day? Like, that's not my fan base. That's. That's other people's fan bases. I. I Didn't get started off that. That's. That's what's hard about music. You gotta, you know. I mean, my fans love that song, but I'm also, you know, with other fans, so I can't do that every.

[Jamie Lang]

You can't do it every time?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

So for you, it's much easier to write sad than it is to write happy.

[Kane Brown]

Oh, yeah. I mean, that's technically how I got started. They used to love you sober and stuff like that, but.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

So talk to me about depression, anxiety. You felt that for a long time.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. Not really anxiety. My wife goes through anxiety, so I can't explain it.

[Jamie Lang]

I get anxiety.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. She'd be able to talk to you for days. Depression's just kind of feeling like you're alone. Like you're like a gum on the bottom of a shoe. Like it's crap and. Yeah. I don't know.

[Jamie Lang]

How do you get through it?

[Kane Brown]

Well, the good thing is it doesn't. It's not every day. You know what I mean? It's like, for me, at least, just random times. So my family helps me a lot if I'm feeling bad. Kate easily understands it now. So I'll be like, I need a minute, and I'll go, you know, play a video game. Used to try to smoke, but I feel like that would make it even worse.

[Jamie Lang]

Not a good idea.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. Because then your thoughts go everywhere and then you're like.

[Jamie Lang]

And then the paranoia kicks in.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. You're like, you know, I am a piece of, but now I'm really a piece of. So. Yeah, I. I basically say my kids, like, you know, just playing with them, if I hear their laugh, it usually changes and then just takes my mind. But, yeah, video games and my kids.

[Jamie Lang]

Did you ever go through that shame of feeling what you were feeling?

[Kane Brown]

No.

[Jamie Lang]

That's amazing. I love that you didn't do that. You're just. You're so open with it, which is great. Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

I mean, it's. At the end of the day, like, I'm competing with myself. I'm also battling with myself. I mean, once you. Once you realize that you have full control over your life, I mean, even down to your dreams, once, you just gotta figure it out. I mean, it's about everything. And that's kind of why I feel like I don't feel emotions because, like, why would I cry? You know what I mean? It's like I'm battling with myself now. It does suck, like, if something happens to somebody else. But at the end of the day, you have control of that. All right? You have control of how you feel, basically.

[Jamie Lang]

But do you. Sometimes I feel like you're. The brain can just take over, and then you don't have control over it.

[Kane Brown]

Well, you're controlling your brain, but you're.

[Jamie Lang]

Saying that you still feel sad, but you can't control that sadness, Right?

[Kane Brown]

That's. That's what me battling with myself. I can't get mad at myself just because I. I mean, I just got to learn to try to control it. And that's what I'm battling with, is I want to feel emotion. So, like, a lot of times I see. And that's the. That's the hardest part about this, is, like, it's hard for me to explain things. Like, I can think it all the time, and then in my head, it makes sense.

[Jamie Lang]

I know exactly what. It's like trying to explain a dream.

[Kane Brown]

Yes. But I can't do it. But that's just. I don't know. Like. Like, okay, a lot of times I just want to be happy, right? But, like, it's hard for me just to be happy. So I'm just sit there and I'll tell myself, bro, look at life. Look around you. You're breathing. Like, be happy, bro. Be happy. So I'll try to pick my energy up, but then sometimes I feel like I'm faking it. So then I'm like, you're just a fraud, and I start talking. You know what I mean?

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah, I know. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. But I don't know. I feel like just life is just controlled. It's your life. You can do it. You can do what you want to do. And I genuinely believe that.

[Jamie Lang]

When you say you can't feel in the emotion, is it like a numbness? Is that what you feel?

[Kane Brown]

Kind of, yeah. It's like, just no way of expressing. Like, we have a person that works with us. Nicky Boone.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

She's like a Chihuahua, bro. Like, everything's just so exciting and happy, and I'm like, I wish I had that. Or my friend Kenny. He's just always super happy. But that's why I surround myself with those people, because, like, my emotion goes through them. They get. They do get me excited about things.

[Jamie Lang]

It's amazing because. Because what's. It's like a juxtaposition, right? In sort of. A really. A really sort of sad way. In a way, is like, you make so many people so happy in this world. Like, you make millions and millions of people happy.

[Kane Brown]

See, like, you telling Me that right now, I'm just like, yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Oh, man, you've got to realize this. Can you kidding me?

[Kane Brown]

It's just. I don't know. This is hard. I guess it's just where I came from, you know? I just. I almost kind of feel like it's fake. So weird.

[Jamie Lang]

I. There's a. There's a great analogy, which someone told me once, which is where there was a guy working at. Like, he was a. He's a big banker, right? Making a lot of money, and he wasn't very happy. And he went to Thailand, and he got on a bus in Thailand, and this stranger came on the bus and walked over to him and sat next to him, and they just started talking. And the guy said, what are you doing? He said, I'm a banker. And he says, oh, you must earn a lot of money. And he said, yeah, I do. He goes, oh, you must be so happy earning a lot of money. He went, I'm not very happy. And he went, okay. When you're in a rocking chair, sitting on your porch, are you going to look back at your life and be happy with what you achieved? And he went, I don't think I am. So the guy came back to the uk, quit his job straight away. He set up a coffee company called Change Please, and now he helps homeless people, like, get into life. It's amazing, right?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

And I swear to God with you, I think you're gonna look back at your life when you're sitting on your porch and be like, I killed it.

[Kane Brown]

I hope so.

[Jamie Lang]

I think you will, man, because you've made. You've made these. So many people around the world, so happy. Your music is just like, the. The greatest. And you sell these arenas and everything. That is such an amazing thing to do. And I think you will look back and be like, damn, it's sick.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. That's also another scary thing. I don't want to. I don't want to live this life because life's short, you know? So I don't want to live in this life like this and then have to look back and be like, damn, man. Like, my life was so fun.

[Jamie Lang]

I want to go back to your childhood just really quickly, because I'm fascinated by childhood, and your childhood seems, like, pretty terminal in lots of ways. I was listening to you on the.

[Kane Brown]

Theo Vaughn podcast, dude, by the way, I love Theo. I thought he was trying to set me up.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

I told him that, too. He's like, I thought you hated me. Well, because he was just. I didn't know of him. And then my team was like, you're gonna do an interview. I love this guy. I knew. I didn't. I didn't know he was like a. You know, he did comedy or anything.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

And so he just kept bringing up race. Just kept bringing it. So I was like, bro. Like. And then country music, especially at that time, was a sensitive subject, really. So I was, like, just trying to avoid it the whole time. So. Yeah, you killed it in that thing.

[Jamie Lang]

I thought you did.

[Kane Brown]

It was great, bro. I was shut down. I didn't think you shut down now. I told him we got to redo it, because I love him. He's so funny. But I thought you were great in it, man.

[Jamie Lang]

I think that he. He threw some questions and stuff that. But I thought it was really good. I thought it was interesting. But in it, you basically talk about when you were a kid, and it was pretty tough growing up, and you. You said that you got. Your stepdad caught you smoking once, and he made you eat a packet of cigarettes.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Explain this to me what happened.

[Kane Brown]

It was my cousin. I ended up. We were smoking behind the trailer, and then they caught us, and then they just made us eat it. But he always made. He made me eat, like, bars of soap, shave my head and. And these are different stepdads, by the way. Shave my head and, like, put aftershave on it. I remember just rubbing my head on the carpet like a dog's ass, you know? You know how dogs when they got an itchy butt. Yeah. I was doing the same thing, but with my head.

[Jamie Lang]

Do you find it easy to talk about it?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

You do?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I mean, it made me who I am today. Made me stronger.

[Jamie Lang]

Because. Because one would like you. That's sort of abuse, right? That is, yeah. Total abuse.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Right. Making you eat bars of soap and maybe cigarettes and.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, but I mean, back then. Well, the cigarette thing. Yeah, but I mean, there's so many people that have done the soap thing. Like, when you say a bad word, wash your mouth out with soap. Like, everybody's done that.

[Jamie Lang]

Where. Where was your dad at this point?

[Kane Brown]

My dad's been in prison since 96.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

It's hard, I think, growing up, right, when maybe you. Because I think for. For young kids, right. Dad is the role model.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Right. That is the person who, like, shows you life. It shows you how to shave, shows you how to talk about sex, girls, whatever it is. Right? Everything. And if you kind of miss that because your. Your dad's incarcerated, that's probably quite a tough thing.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I grew up quick. I was in sixth grade. Basically, when I say I grew up, because I remember my mom getting onto me, and it's gonna sound so bad. Love you, mom. But I remember she tried to whip me with a belt. And I remember I just. I caught it. I just took it out of her hand. I said, you're not whipping me. And which. You gotta think I've had all these guys beat the. Out of me. So when my mom, she's looking up to me, she tries to spank me, I'm like, nah, you're not doing it. So I just took it out of her hand. I remember I had toast in the toaster. I'm in sixth grade, by the way. Took my toast out of the toaster. I didn't pack a bag. I just left and walked down the street, and I was gone for two days. I ended up staying at my friend Taylor's house, went back home, apologized to my mom, and then never got in trouble since the rest of the time. But it wasn't because I took the belt out of her hand. It's just because we came to a realization that I know what I did wrong was wrong, and I won't do it again. You don't have to spank me. You don't have to hit me.

[Jamie Lang]

Wow.

[Kane Brown]

So I just. I never got in trouble. My little brother was a troublemaker. He. He did everything, and I just. So I'd watch him. What he did, I wouldn't do. And then I basically became like, the. Don't do this. Don't do this to him.

[Jamie Lang]

Like, wow, that's insane. Because that. That's such a pivotal moment. Right. Where you just suddenly grow up and you realize, okay, now I got to be an adult, and I got to control the things around me.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

And I understand what is right and wrong, and we got to have that mutual thing. I get it. I've done wrong. But we can have this conversation to be adults about it.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

That's a big moment.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

But that's also. That's also a young age to kind of get that sort of realization that, you know, that you can be in control of your life. How many stepdads did you have before that in your life?

[Kane Brown]

Technically, everybody that was in my life was my stepdad, because my dad has been in prison, so had a stepdad for, you know, every year since I was three. Not every year. My mom's not a hoe. But so let's see. There's one, and then two, three, Four. And two of them were good.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. One's passed away now, but four of them were good.

[Jamie Lang]

What do you mean by good?

[Kane Brown]

Didn't hurt me.

[Jamie Lang]

Okay. And I'm sorry, man.

[Kane Brown]

Oh, that's so good.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah. But I, I, I don't know why. I'm, like, it feels like you're. That's, that's, like, a lot to handle as a kid. You just. If you're being beat up by these, like, men who are coming into your life.

[Kane Brown]

I remember my pop, like, he made me. Like, I played baseball my whole life, so I had, like, all Stars and select games and stuff like that. And I remember we had the championship game, and he came and said I wasn't playing in it. And then I remember my pop showing up and was like, which is my mom's dad. He was like, he's going to this damn game. And when he showed up, just seeing my granddad stand up, stand up to him. I was like, hell yeah, man. And then we went and won the state championship. But it was cool just seeing him stand up, stand up for me.

[Jamie Lang]

Wow. Was that the first time that someone stood up for you?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. Yeah. And my mom, I mean, my mom kind of like she would, but, like, at the end of the day, it's like, I think she just wanted to find love or something. I don't know. But.

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[Jamie Lang]

Hello, I'm Jamie Lang.

[Jemima]

And I'm Sophie Habee.

[Jamie Lang]

And we have been married for a year.

[Kane Brown]

One whole year.

[Jamie Lang]

Join us as we navig married life, hear wild stories from our listeners, and meet some of our favorite celebrity couples.

[Aura Ad]

That's right.

[Kane Brown]

Each week, we dive into the world of newlywed bliss.

[Jamie Lang]

Is. Is that what it is? Bliss?

[Jemima]

Jamie, Just pretend that we're newlyweds.

[Jamie Lang]

One year down and a lifetime to go. Love you, honey. Listen, every Monday, just search Newlyweds wherever you get your podcast. You've done all these records, right? And you've broken loads of things, and you've just achieved so much, but you also have your family.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

You know, you got your wife and your kids. Would you say that's your biggest success?

[Kane Brown]

Definitely. And I would say the. The big success is because I never really had that family thing. So it's. I'm still learning as a dad. Like, for me, at first, you know, being a dad was just being there for my kids, because I never had that. And now it's like. Like, Kate came in, she had a big family. She got two brothers, her mom and dad. So they, like, had a normal Christmas, and, you know, the full family. And I used to, you know, have Christmas, and then what I remember of Christmas, I would have Christmas, and then I'd go to my room and play with what I had in my room by myself.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. And she's like, let's have breakfast and open the toys, but it takes hours. And then we, you know, just have a big Christmas. And that's the stuff that I'm like, at the end of the day, you know, I'm happy for.

[Jamie Lang]

Where did you guys meet?

[Kane Brown]

We met in Florida. Yeah, I was supposed to originally. She was an artist. She's. She was and is an artist. She was doing a solo thing. I was supposed to be in her music video, and that was the time that I was supposed to have my first show. I was on her music video and then never met. And then we ended up meeting a year later. And that's another good thing about the shitty deal that I signed with that dude, because he introduced us. So without me signing that shitty deal, I would have never met my wife.

[Jamie Lang]

There you go.

[Kane Brown]

See, you always gotta look at the pop.

[Jamie Lang]

There you go, man.

[Kane Brown]

So, yeah, we ended up meeting at a Florida show, and then she was driving home. I messaged her, and then she came to Nashville and just never left.

[Jamie Lang]

Was it Love at first sight, I thought.

[Kane Brown]

I mean, she was beautiful. You know, for me, it's. It takes me time to let people in.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

But her. She did message her friend and say that I'm marrying this guy.

[Jamie Lang]

No ways.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. The first time she flew in and we went to lunch and I thought she was beautiful, and I thought she was a sweetheart, but I thought it was. It was like, almost like it was like, too good to be true. And. But she had no idea who I was. And I. At first, you don't know that. Like, I just, like, kind of.

[Jamie Lang]

She didn't know who you were.

[Kane Brown]

Viral. Yeah. I mean, she was an artist. She was doing her own thing. And then I wasn't. Like, I was on the radio or had a record deal or anything like that. And she got drugged to my show. She didn't want to come to my show. The guy. The guy that I signed with was like, no, you're. You're coming to the show. And so they literally drove six hours. He just put her in the car and they drove six hours and came to see me because I was signed to him. And. Yeah. Turns out she's literally the sweetest human being on earth.

[Jamie Lang]

When I. I'm going to tell you a personal story about. I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I'm going to. When I, I. When I first, my wife and I, like, we were like, really good friends. And, like. And I used to always, like, feel awkward around her for whatever reason. I didn't know why, but I just thought we were friends. I thought she was the awkward one, but obviously it was. Cause I had these feelings. And then there was this one time we went on holiday and she walked out and she was wearing a. Like a bikini, and I was like, oh, my God, she's hot. Like, I hadn't seen it before. And then the first time we ever, like, hooked up, it was like such an electric feeling that I said to her, did you feel that?

[Kane Brown]

Nice. Nice.

[Jamie Lang]

Because it was like this. Like, I never experienced anything like that. I couldn't believe. It was like this, like worlds coming together. She was like. I didn't feel that.

[Kane Brown]

I was about to say what. She was like, no.

[Jamie Lang]

She's like, no, I don't feel that.

[Kane Brown]

Oh.

[Jamie Lang]

And then. What does kid becoming a father give this thing? Because I'm in this process at the moment thinking about kids. What is.

[Kane Brown]

Oh, dude, kids are the best.

[Jamie Lang]

Really?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Were you scared to have them?

[Kane Brown]

No, because it was with her and, you know, we were married and I mean, it was just like. It was just like it was supposed to happen. And then I did want a boy. I will say there's nothing like, you know, like, what do you want? Do you want a boy or a girl?

[Jamie Lang]

I would love. I would love. I would love one of each.

[Kane Brown]

Everybody wants one of each. But if you, like, had to say, you're only gonna have one kid in your life, what do you want?

[Jamie Lang]

Oh, man. I think I would go for a girl.

[Kane Brown]

A girl?

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah. Because. Okay. I don't know why. There's something about holding your little girl.

[Kane Brown]

It's a protection thing.

[Jamie Lang]

Mad. I would eat people's jugulars to, like, protect that little girl.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. So I had Kingsley, my oldest, and when I had her, it was a. You know, it was a different thing. Like, I have videos of me and her just sitting in a room for hours together, just chilling. And then I had my middle child, which was Cody and was also a girl. I wanted the girl boy scenario, but then I was done with two girls, and I was like, you know, this is awesome. But my. My. I just had my third. He's eight months old now, or about to be eight months old. And when I tell you there's not a different. Like, the feeling of having a boy really is just completely different because my. Your girl, it's like, oh, I want to protect you.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

You know, fight for my life. But my boy, I'm like, damn, boy, your back's big as hell. Like, I can't wait to get in the gym or, you know, you're the next football player or something like that. Like, I just. I'm excited with him. Like, I want to. I want to be rough with him, but also, you know, want him to have the best life he can.

[Jamie Lang]

I heard when you said you.

[Kane Brown]

You.

[Jamie Lang]

You go out because you have a ranch, right, In Tennessee. Is that right?

[Kane Brown]

No, no, no. I live on. Everybody thinks I'm on a ranch, but I'm on a. I'm on a mountain, so I just have. Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Beautiful.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, it's sick. The. The trees. Just. The landscape. It's all terrain. It's. Yeah, it's just a lot different.

[Jamie Lang]

And I say that you. You have a pool there, right, as well.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

And you see your kids swimming in the pool, and you're just like, I never had that growing up.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

And to watch your kids doing that is, like, wild.

[Kane Brown]

I had a. I had a plastic pool, like a puddle, but, yeah, just them swimming and all that. I keep. I have to tell. I have to tell my Kids all the time. Like, man, you are so damn blessed. Like my favorite story. And it's kind of sad, but it's the innocence, man. They don't. They have no idea, because me and Kate have songs together. So they see us on tv. They see us singing. And we were trying to tell Kingsley because for her birthday, she's my oldest, we were taking her to Disney World. We were like, so you're not getting many presents this year. She's still got a lot. We're like, you're not getting many presents this year. This is your present. Not everybody gets to go to Disney World. And she's like, why? And we're like, because, baby, not everybody, you know, can afford it. They have to pay bills and, you know, yada, yada, yada. I was like, I grew up. Try to explain how I grew up. And she hit us back with, why don't they just sing? And we didn't have anything else. We didn't know what to say because we didn't want to be, like, not every. You know, it's not a thing. But, yeah, just innocence.

[Jamie Lang]

I have a creepy tattoo of Peter Pan on my arm because. Because I honor. Like, growing up is a trap. Like, the reason why Peter Pan is so great is because he wanted to stay young and innocent, and he would. That's what he wanted to do. And there's something so beautiful about not being learned about the world. Just staying young and just. And having these dreams and these desires and these aspir. And your parents being these superheroes. It's just the best.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I didn't have any superheroes.

[Jamie Lang]

You didn't have any?

[Kane Brown]

I had one. My Nano is a superhero to me. In my eyes, I'd say my pop was definitely when I was a kid, and then once I grew up, I kind of, you know, stuff kind of changed.

[Jamie Lang]

In what way?

[Kane Brown]

Well, I mean, like, everything changed for me. Like, I used to go back for holidays and stuff like that, and now it's just like. I feel like it's just like a picture thing. Everybody's like, let's take a picture. Yada, yada, yada. I'm like, I just want to chill. I just want to come back and see my family, but y'all won't allow me to do that, so.

[Jamie Lang]

That's annoying.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

You don't say anything to them. You just said, I just want to chill. Come on, guys.

[Kane Brown]

Well, no, because it's. It's just weird saying it, but, like, my nana and. And my aunt and, you know, a couple Other people in my family, they. They come up, really, but they also see it. So they're like, we don't blame you for not coming back. So I'm like, okay. At least y'all see that.

[Jamie Lang]

Is that what happens when you get to the. To the level that you're at, which is superstardom. Does that. What you sort of said, it. It changes the dynamics of family. That must mean.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

People are always asking for things. People always want favors. They always want tickets, whatever it is.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I mean, I'll tell you this. So I lived. I'm kind of in that spot right now. I'm not gonna name anybody, but. So I didn't meet my. My dad's been prison since 96. I didn't meet my brothers and sisters till I was 16.

[Jamie Lang]

Wow.

[Kane Brown]

I met my brother Mikey when I was 24, and he's my. He was my DJ on tour with us and stuff. And so just telling you that there's other people that I also met, of course, whenever I turned 16. And so I. I just tell you this short. I don't want to. Like I said, I don't want to throw anybody on the bus, but one of those people, they did something for me, So I got to go to school. So I got. I lived with them and got to go to school, where I wanted to go at Red bank for, like, six months. And so then they got the audacity because they helped me that they need a car. So I bought them a car. And then another person was like, I need help getting a house. Known you for maybe seven years. So I helped him get a house, and then somebody else needed rent paid, so I helped them pay rent, and then they needed rent paid, so I helped them pay rent. And then another person hit me up for rent, so I paid them for rent. And then they want to tell me I haven't done anything for them or I don't care for my family and stuff like that. I'm like, I've known you for this. This amount of time.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

I. You were still a stranger to me. It's like, I've known people that work for me longer that I've known you, and you're telling me that you're more family than them and they can't hang out or, like, they get mad because they hang out all the time, but I've known these people longer than I've known you. And then they'll go to social media about it, and then they'll start posting on social media about it that I don't like my family, and you're not my family.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. It's like, I'm. I want you to be my family. I'm trying to learn, but y'all are making it where I don't want to know. I wish I never met y'all, man.

[Jamie Lang]

I'm so. That sucks.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

I don't know, because you're only. You're trying to help, and people are just. It's. It's the. It's the dark side of fame.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

So how do you counter that? You just then have to push away.

[Kane Brown]

Turned. I just. Well, that's what sucks about it, because then I look at them like they're just haters because then they. They technically make their self haters because they go to social media and start posting it, and then I can't even text you. I mean, can't even text you because you're just going to post it on social media and make me look like the bad guy. So then it just turns into. There's this cute little block button that the social media iPhone has created. So you just hit that button, and then.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah, it's a good little button that.

[Kane Brown]

Right? Yeah. Love that button.

[Jamie Lang]

What is the most important thing you want to instill in your kids? Would you say?

[Kane Brown]

I want to be sweet. I want them to care for other people.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

But. And that's. And that's also the dangerous thing, too, is I want them to, you know, watch out for snakes, which is, you know, the hard fine line. But at the end of the day, if you let a snake bite you once, it's okay, as long as it's not a, you know, rattlesnake or something. But just don't let it happen twice.

[Jamie Lang]

It's hard. Right. Because when you've. When you've experienced so much in your life, which you have, it's hard to. It's hard to unlearn it.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

And it's hard to forget and actually see the good in people. You almost see the bad because you've been bitten so many times.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. But when you do find the good, I feel like it outweighs the bad. Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

If someone's listening now.

[Kane Brown]

Right.

[Jamie Lang]

You have a huge fan base. Right. And also with this show, there's a lot of, like, young listeners who are listening who probably want to follow in your footsteps.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't follow Rabb behind me.

[Jamie Lang]

You wouldn't?

[Kane Brown]

Well, technically, I already broke down the wall, so. Come on.

[Jamie Lang]

I love that. But what advice would you give to that person who's listening now.

[Kane Brown]

I'd say stay, stay true to you. I used to kind of try and be what I felt like fans wanted me to be. And yeah, I just say stay true to you and just, just grind. I remember the, my favorite part of my career was at the beginning, you know, I was so hungry and so like, just wanted to be the biggest thing ever. And, you know, I'd wake up and just do nine videos. Just make sure I had a video every day. And then I just really learned Facebook. I wish I could learn TikTok. Like, I know Facebook, but I just really knew the algorithm and knew what to do, knew when to post. And it's really just all about learning. So you got to study, you're playing lots of sports.

[Jamie Lang]

Right. You're moving schools, you're a young kid to start posting on Facebook, which you did, especially singing and performing. Yeah, that's like a nerve wracking thing to do. That is putting yourself out there for like criticism.

[Kane Brown]

And I didn't think of any. I didn't think you didn't even care.

[Jamie Lang]

About any of that.

[Kane Brown]

No.

[Jamie Lang]

Wow, that is headstrong.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I mean, I just did it and it's my Facebook. You ain't got it if you don't like it. Just don't follow me. But honestly, if you, if you. At the end of the day, and I know it's hard to look at, you want people to post. I don't care if they talk crap on you, if they're commenting on it, it's gonna go farther. You know what I'm saying?

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

Even if it's bad, like you're still gonna get noticed the more people that comment or like on your things.

[Jamie Lang]

So what was the first song that you posted? What was it? Because you, you were doing covers, weren't you?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I mean, I couldn't tell you the first song I posted. I can tell you the first song that made me go viral was I Don't Dance by Lee Bryce. And I remember going to sleep and I had my phone on my charger and I woke up and my phone was dead. And I put on the charger and it came on. And then the whole. I mean, I could scroll for days. What? But that's when, that's when I thought I went viral. But I got, I ended up getting 60, 000 viewers on the video or 60, 000 followers. And then like a couple weeks passed. When was it. Because I put a. I put an EP out.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

And it went like number five on iTunes. And I was like, this is so sick. And it was like. I think it was like a month to two months later, I put a song out called or from George Strait. Check yes or no. Then that's when I actually went viral, and it was in the millions. And then my EP that I put out months ago, shots number one on iTunes. And then I went to Nashville, wrote my first song. We put it out. I had a dream that it was number one, and Die Happy man by Thomas Rhett was out. And it was like the biggest song of that year. And it was battling with that song when I woke up. And then I caught a call from a record company that morning. So it was. It was wild.

[Jamie Lang]

Kane, you kidding me?

[Kane Brown]

It was crazy.

[Jamie Lang]

That is crazy.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, but I mean, it didn't. It didn't happen that quick. Like, I mean, I put up like, you know, 60, 70 videos, but then it was. It was also just the way I was promoting them. Like, I was promoting them how. How Tick Tocks I was. I was six years in advance. Really, like how everybody's doing on Tick Tock right now with their songs. You just keep hearing the same song over and over. I was doing that on Facebook. Can I pull up my Facebook real quick?

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah, I would love that, man. You kidding me?

[Kane Brown]

All right, I wanna.

[Jamie Lang]

I want you to tell me, like, I want to feel and hear and get everything.

[Kane Brown]

There's one video that I'm gonna try and find. It wasn't about likes or anything like that. It was all about shares. So I would get on my Facebook and I would say, go share my video if you liked it. So then I would be on all these other people's Facebooks. And then all these other people's facebooks would have 500 to. You know, Max is 5,000 friends that you can have on Facebook. I don't know if they up that or not, but so then all those 5,000 people of your friends would be also seeing the video so that you.

[Jamie Lang]

Would share it like that the whole way across.

[Kane Brown]

So this is Facebook. Okay.

[Jamie Lang]

Okay.

[Kane Brown]

How many views does that say?

[Jamie Lang]

42.2 million. 3.2 million. 42.2 million.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. And then the shares.

[Jamie Lang]

What are the shares on that?

[Kane Brown]

688,000.

[Jamie Lang]

What is the song?

[Kane Brown]

It's called Found.

[Jamie Lang]

You'd.

[Kane Brown]

But. Okay, and this is a perfect example as well. This song, I never did anything with it. I mean, I released it and it was. You know, we performed it at shows and everything, but it never went to radio or any. Anything like that. And it's probably Platinum now, but it was gold at the time, and I have a plaque for it, and I'm like, I. You know, it never went to radio or anything. So that Facebook basically made that song gold.

[Jamie Lang]

So for anyone who doesn't understand what is. If it goes platinum and gold, what does that mean?

[Kane Brown]

So gold record is 500, 000 units sold, and a platinum record is a million, but it varies for different countries. We just got our diamond record, second diamond record for the first time.

[Jamie Lang]

How much is diamond?

[Kane Brown]

10 million. So in country music, there's 12, and we have two of them, so that's sick.

[Jamie Lang]

Let's go, man.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, I just got so. And. And then so over here. So I got my first diamond last time I was here, which was heaven.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

And then so now I got a little. We got two last night, so I put a little.

[Jamie Lang]

Are you kidding me?

[Kane Brown]

Asterisk. But that's the only thing I get excited about.

[Jamie Lang]

How many records do you think you've sold in total?

[Kane Brown]

I have no idea. If you had with those. With those two songs, it's 20 million.

[Jamie Lang]

Kane. Like, that is. Like, that is so many people listening and loving your music, all because you had this amazing talent, and you decided to start posting on Facebook and you wanted to get there. Like, when did you realize that singing was what you wanted to do? What age were you?

[Kane Brown]

You 19.

[Jamie Lang]

You were 19 years old?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

But you must have known you could sing before that.

[Kane Brown]

I was that kid on. I was so. I had a real high voice. I used to be able to scream and, like, hurt your ears. And then randomly this happened, and it went low. But I used to be the guy on MySpace, you know, dancing in. In the Mirror to Soulja Boy and all that stuff. And I've always kind of just been like, that. That guy. And it's kind of funny that that's how I went viral. Was doing the same thing.

[Jamie Lang]

When you were putting your videos up, did you dream. Did you know this was gonna happen?

[Kane Brown]

No. No. But I felt like if I kept doing it, that you can't fail until you stop.

[Jamie Lang]

Well, explain that, someone who's listening now. What do you mean by that?

[Kane Brown]

You just can't fail until you quit about anything.

[Jamie Lang]

I kind of know what you mean. I always think that the people who. It's. It's. The people who fail in life are the ones who stop too early. They go, oh, this is too hard. I can't do this anymore.

[Kane Brown]

Exactly.

[Jamie Lang]

But yours came quickly. A little bit quicker than most, right?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah, but still, I mean, it was Me waking up every day and doing it, and I was working three jobs at the time.

[Jamie Lang]

Were you?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Dude. Before we get into our last eight questions, which, a Quick Fire. Who is someone that you haven't collaborated with, that you would love to collaborate with? And you can pick Dead Alive? Actually.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. Okay. There's a branch. There's a. There's a genre I haven't broken into, which is screamo, which I can't really scream or, you know, scream it. You know what screamo is versus, like.

[Jamie Lang]

Okay, yeah, okay, yeah, yeah.

[Kane Brown]

I would love to do something like that. And then, honestly, I just feel like it would have to make sense, but Shakur would make no sense for me. But.

[Jamie Lang]

But you like the idea of that challenge.

[Kane Brown]

It'd just be cool. Yeah. I listen to it while I work out, so even if I didn't release it just for me, it is to have it just. Yeah. And it's almost like a raid. You just get to, you know, relieve some rage.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah. Which is good, right?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

I want to say before we go in this, I've loved every second this, man.

[Kane Brown]

Oh, I do.

[Jamie Lang]

I really appreciate it. And look, I know that you, you know, you like podcasts, maybe you don't, but for me, this has just been. I'm chuffed that we've done this, man.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I'm very tough.

[Jamie Lang]

Okay, good. I got eight questions for you. It's Quick Fire. You can answer them as honestly as quickly as you want. You ready for this?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

What's a saying or phrase that makes you smile or cheers you up?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I'll say, my. My kid's laughing.

[Jamie Lang]

Best compliment anyone's ever given you.

[Kane Brown]

Randomly, when my wife says, I look good, that's the best. Tell her she looks great all the time. She randomly gives it back.

[Jamie Lang]

That's when my wife says, I like what you're wearing today. I'm like, I've killed it. I've killed it. What scares you most about yourself?

[Kane Brown]

Probably the down times, like the depression.

[Jamie Lang]

Big one for you. When was the last time you cried?

[Kane Brown]

Weirdly, when I watched the movie Whale, which was, like, almost a year ago now.

[Jamie Lang]

Wait, which? The whale?

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Oh, man. That ending.

[Kane Brown]

Yes.

[Jamie Lang]

It's when he cries.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

Dude, it's crazy.

[Kane Brown]

Yeah. I broke down. My wife's like, why are you crying? I said, I don't know. I think it's a dad thing. Yeah. Yeah.

[Jamie Lang]

What's something you can't let go of?

[Kane Brown]

I would say gaming.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

As weird as it is, this is a tricky one.

[Jamie Lang]

What's your Guilty pleasure. What do you like that you that people sometimes don't like, but you like your guilty pleasure.

[Kane Brown]

I'll go back to Screamo.

[Jamie Lang]

Yeah.

[Kane Brown]

Not a lot of people love it and you feel weird listening to people listening to it with people that don't like it.

[Jamie Lang]

What turns you off?

[Kane Brown]

Say bad drivers.

[Jamie Lang]

Okay, thanks. Okay, here's another. What turns you on?

[Kane Brown]

My wife.

[Jamie Lang]

There we go, baby. What do you like most about yourself?

[Kane Brown]

What I like most about myself is I feel like I am just straightforward. I am who I am. Yeah. I'll tell you how it is. I'll tell you, like, if I don't want to have a conversation, like, you're gonna know that I don't want to have a conversation. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna fake anything.

[Jamie Lang]

I love that last one. Bonus. Your favorite swear word.

[Kane Brown]

Favorite swear words, probably fuck.

[Jamie Lang]

I appreciate that. This has been brilliant. Thank you.

[Kane Brown]

Great Company. Thanks for having me.

[Jemima]

Well done. That was great.

[Jamie Lang]

Hey, did you enjoy it? Yeah. And he really opened up.

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He did.

[Jemima]

That's what your well done was for.

[Jamie Lang]

I think with Kane, he's one of these people. He has to trust you, and then once he trusts you, he opens up and it becomes sort of this magical world of his life.

[Jemima]

Yeah. And also for the listener. I think in those types of instances, you often need quite a lot of. It takes quite a time to open someone up, but we only usually have about 90 minutes with someone, so that's like. It's actually what Jamie's doing to open someone up is actually, like really impressive to get someone to open up that quickly.

[Jamie Lang]

Well, thank you very much, pj. I appreciate that.

[Jemima]

You are welcome, pj.

[Jamie Lang]

I hope you enjoyed that. And Kane, thank you so much for coming on. And guys, also remember, if you haven't subscribed already, please do to the show. It does us wonders. And also let us know in the comments which guests we should have a next. Who you'd like to see. We check them all. You can slide into our DMS at Great Company podcast or on YouTube and you can send us an email. Great companyproductions.co.uk Everything is in the show description. And of course, we'll see you next Wednesday for another episode of Great Company.

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