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Bryan, this will be your first-ever headline tour in Australia — what does finally stepping out front on your own stages here mean to you?
It’s a big deal for me. I’ve been over there once and felt the support, so getting to come back and play my own shows is something I’ve looked forward to since we got back from our first trip over there.
You’ve spoken about being blown away by the 20,000+ fans at CMC Rocks. What stuck with you most from that first Australian experience?
It was how familiar it felt. You’re a long way from home, but then you look out and people know the songs, they’re singing along, and they’re paying attention to the words. They were loud and engaged. It caught me a little off guard and really stuck with me. I knew then that I had to come back.
You’re hitting Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and also appearing at Meatstock Australia. How does playing a festival crowd differ from your own headline shows?
At a festival, you’re trying to grab people that might not know you, so the set’s tighter and a little more direct. Headline shows are where you can open it up, play the deeper cuts, talk a little more. It’s more of a full picture of who you are. Both are equally special, but at the end of the day, it’s about the songs. I’m just hoping that people connect with the songs and see themselves in them.
Your music carries a raw honesty shaped by the life you’ve lived. How does your Cherokee Indigenous American heritage influence the way you write and tell stories?
It’s a part of who I am. There’s a respect for truth, for where you come from, for the struggle and the pride in it. I try to write songs that mean something. Not just for me, but for anybody who’s lived through hard things and kept going.
You’ve built a global audience with over 1.4 billion streams. What do you think it is about your sound that resonates so deeply with listeners worldwide?
I think it’s just real life stuff. I’ve lived the songs. People hear something they recognize as real, and it resonates with them.
‘We Ride’ became a Platinum-certified anthem and a career-defining moment. Did you feel the shift in your career when that song took off?
Yeah, you could feel it building. More people at shows, more messages coming in, more opportunities. It didn’t feel overnight, but it was steady. That song definitely helped put things on a different level and opened up some doors.
You’ve shared stages with Jason Aldean, toured stadiums with Morgan Wallen, and debuted at Stagecoach Festival. How have those experiences shaped the artist you are today?
You learn a lot just watching how those guys carry themselves, how they command a stage, how they take care of fans. You pick up a lot from just being around it. At the same time, it pushes you to just keep doing what you do. To stick to who you are.
Being nominated for MusicRow’s Breakthrough Artist-Writer of the Year is a major recognition. What did that milestone mean for you personally?
It meant a lot because it’s coming from the writing side too. I’m a songwriter first. I’ve spent a lot of time working on songs, long before anything really took off. So for that to get recognized, it felt like the thousands of songs I’ve written really held some weight.
Your latest album Years In The Making and the new single ‘Tug O’ War’ mark a powerful new chapter. What themes or emotions were you exploring on this record?
A lot of it’s about that push and pull of trying to move forward but still dealing with your past. There’s growth in there through all the miles, but it’s not clean or easy. It’s about being honest about where you’re at.
When Australian fans see you this April, what kind of show or live energy should they expect from Bryan Martin in 2026?
It’s gonna be real, it’s gonna be loud, and it’s gonna come from the heart. Giving all we got each night. I hope people leave feeling like they were part of something. Like I said, I’ve been excited about coming back ever since the first trip to Australia. Looking forward to just being with the fans again.
