Sherif Fouad: “Brendan James is a Piano based singer songwriter from the north atlantic currently residing in Charleston SC.  Personally, his music has had a deep impact on me for more than a decade.   Growing up I was always inspired by Billy Joel, and Elton John and I was hard pressed to find more musicians with such skill and a message to match.  Brendan James is not just a brilliant musical talent, he is a storyteller carefully capturing the human experience in a way that has helped listeners to make sense of a messy world.

What set him apart for me was not just that he sang about very human issues like love, war, struggle, simplicity, self awareness, he did so from a place of positivity and hope.  In my darkest hours, I didn't want sad music that I could resonate with by having a pity party of self loathing, I needed songs of hope, inspiration, answers... a light at the end of the tunnel. And the music put out by most record labels is intentionally angry, sad, provocative, or evokes some other negative emotion since that's what sells.

Brendan James has been careful not to allow record labels to water down his music for pop culture acclaim and we get to be the beneficiaries of that commitment. 

After 12 years of leaning on Brendan James' music so much for hope and inspiration that I was no longer listening to much else, I felt compelled to write to him this year.  I was in Barcelona listening to his track "Barcelona" and I graciously thanked him for making music that has brought me closer to my partner, my siblings and helped me to forge a deeper connection with myself.   We had a good back and forth and separately, and unbeknownst to me, that same partner reached out to him requesting a booking for a private show for us here in Raleigh.   We all got on a video call mid December to work out the details, logistics, pricing and he obliged! We  landed on my birthday, Feb 17th at the Raleigh Raw Studio (1 Floor above the cafe).  Tiny desk style.  We will be selling tickets to include beverages before the show and a meet and greet after. 

At a time when the world is collectively reeling... and our efforts to improve things at times feel futile, we would like to invite you for an evening of fun, connection, hope, and inspiration with Brendan James.”