BRELAND, king of collabs, invents the sound of cross country

By KRISTIN M. HALL
AP Entertainment Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — BRELAND, a 27-year-old Jersey native, has taken over as the king of country collabs in Nashville, building his brand of cross country. His debut full-length album “Cross Country” showcases the melting pot sound, interpolating and sampling older songs and bringing in his background in gospel, R&B and hip hop under an expansive musical umbrella. Since his breakout viral hit, “My Truck,” BRELAND has been releasing a ton of collabs with country artists like Keith Urban, Sam Hunt, Thomas Rhett, Dierks Bentley and more. BRELAND says cross country is a unifying movement to bring together people from different backgrounds.