BRELAND went to Selma to find himself. His ‘Project 2024′ is music based on what he saw and felt

AP Music Writer

For BRELAND, the last few years have been a whirlwind. He released his debut album, 2022’s “Cross Country,” a fluid approach to country music that now feels prescient because it’s the direction the genre continues to move in. He toured endlessly, won awards and collaborated with the biggest names in country. On Friday, he released a new EP under the provocative title, “Project 2024.” It is inspired by a trip he took to Selma, Alabama. He tells The Associated Press it’s not meant to be explicitly political. But he says his existence in country, as a young Black man who introduces new genres into the music, always has been.