Project to Watch - Justin Branam, iPhone Sessions

First of all, I’d just like to say that I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to update! My initial intent had been to update a couple times a month, or once a month at the VERY least! Apparently launching a blog right before I closed on a house was a horrible idea, but I’m back, and I’ve got quite a lot of ground to cover. Let’s start off with an interesting new project by an independent artist in Nashville, TN.

Justin Branam
Twitter: @justin_branam
MySpace: Justin Branam
Facebook: Justin Branam

Justin Branam is an independent artist based out of Nashville, Tennessee, who originally hails from Indiana. Branam has been in the music business for a while now, dubbed “Best New Pop” by AOL in 2008, he later released a 3 song EP titled Introducing Justin Branam, which I highly recommend downloading off iTunes if you haven’t already. He’s opened for fellow Nashville artists Dave Barnes, Matt Wertz, and Mat Kearny, as well as the likes of Blessid Union of Souls, John Butler Trio, and Mute Math. Now Branam is looking to fund his latest record and has taken a unique approach to do so.

I sat down with Justin in Nashville back in March to catch up and see what he’d been up to, and he began explaining his latest endeavor of the iPhone Sessions to me – at the time an idea still beginning to take shape. Basically he wanted to create an EP completely on an iPhone – record the tracks, promotional videos, create album artwork, everything, using only an iPhone. Four months later, Branam has been able to bring this project to fruition. With the string of bad publicity Apple’s been getting lately with the release of the iPhone 4, Steve Jobs should be using this project in a new marketing campaign if you ask me…


As I mentioned, there is a larger purpose behind the creation of this unique and inspiring project that is sure to be duplicated by many an independent artist in the near future. Branam is using his iPhone Sessions EP to fund a more substantial project – the creation of a new full-length album. Having written over 40 new songs since last fall, Branam is ready to get back in the studio and get to work. The world of independent music, however, can be brutal, and studio time is not cheap. So how exactly does the iPhone Sessions EP help fund Branam's latest project? Go to the iPhone Sessions to find out more, but the idea is fairly simple. The website Kickstarter.com allows people to fund larger projects. Basically you can create a project and have other people become “backers” by donating a small or large amount to the project at hand. Depending on how much is donated, Branam has created a lengthy list of incentives for backers. The smallest donation ($5) gets you a download of the iPhone Sessions, and the larger the donation, the more creative incentives he tacks on – signed picks, handwritten lyrics, being thanked in the liner notes of his next album, video chats, YouTube videos, and on and on.

Here’s a glimpse at the iPhone Sessions. This is a promotional video Justin did of “Dial Tone.” Once again, using only an iPhone.
"Dial Tone"

So, to sum up as briefly as possible, Justin Branam is trying to create a new full-length album and needs help in raising $3000 to do so. He’s found a unique way to accomplish this task; at least take a moment to surf on over to the iPhone Sessions and see what he’s put together. It’s definitely worth your time.