Country music star Brett Kissel is anticipating a possible visit back home in the summer of 2020, where he hopes to bring his newly acquired 'Stanley Cup' to his hometown fans.
Kissel, 29, led the 2019 Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA) with five nods, and took home the Apple Music Fans’ Choice Award on Sept. 8, which took place in Calgary. Kissel was also in the running for Entertainer of the Year, Interactive Artist or Group of the Year, MNP Male Artist of the Year, and Anthem Entertainment Songwriter of the Year.
Everyone in his hometown community has played a big role in making him who he is, Kissel told the Journal in an email on Sept. 27, which is one of the reasons he hopes to tour with the award, much like an NHL hockey player would tour with the Stanley Cup after winning it.
The award, which he compares to winning the Stanley Cup, could very well be making its rounds in the St. Paul area next summer, Kissel confirmed. When asked when he would be bringing his 'Stanley Cup' to the area, he replied, "I think it'll be next summer, at a certain music festival, at a certain ball diamond, on a certain main street, in a certain community I love."
Kissel gives full credit to the community he was raised in for helping him achieve success.
“I am, in no-way-shape-or-form a self-made man. In fact, I believe I am a community-made-man,” he said. “The people who've rallied behind me, showed up at the Co-op mall, or the Bonnyville Opry, or the Boscombe Country Corral, or the LRA Rodeo Finals beerfest – to cheer me on all had a hand in this. And, I'm awfully proud of my roots in St. Paul and the Lakeland, and I love telling people, in interviews around the world that this is my hometown."
This Fans' Choice Award in particular is special to Kissel because it’s voted on by fans, and not the industry, he said.
“So, to get that type of recognition and acknowledgement from your fan base, and the general public who love country music, it's indescribable," he said.
Additionally, the country singer recently released his latest single, Drink About Me, after a two-year hiatus, on Sept. 10. After winning a JUNO Award for Country Album of the Year, Kissel said he felt there was a lot of pressure on what he was going to do next. But, with pressure comes opportunity and so the St. Paul native seized the chance to revamp his music, he explains of his two-year break.
“But, I have to be honest, I'm really glad I took that extra time to get the music right. Believe me, the older version of 'Drink About Me' wasn't what this version is. And, we did that with pretty much every song. We took the time to make great art,” he said.
'Drink About Me' is the first song off of his upcoming album, Now or Never, releasing Jan. 1, 2020. The music video for 'Drink About Me,' stars Bachelor and Bachelorette stars Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick.
When he responded to the Journal last week, Kissel was on a promo tour in New York and Los Angeles. Fans can follow Kissel on his Facebook, Instagram and Twitter handles for his latest updates.
