Suzie Brown just released her latest album, Some See the Flowers. We sat down with her to discuss her new music and her story.
The writing of the album serves as a timestamp, detailing everything Brown was feeling during the pandemic. “I was drowning and overwhelmed,” she admitted. With everything going on, Brown said it felt self-indulgent to even work on her music.
She began writing the songs for the album to have an outlet for what she was feeling. The stories within the songs, however, are timeless and will resonate with people even years from now.
Listen to Some See the Flowers
“Upside Down”
“Upside Down” was the first song written for the album. Brown thought of the lyrics while on a run and wrote the tune when she returned home. She’d become used to cowriting and this song was the first she’d written solo in a while. “It just started this flood of a bunch of songs, just helping me process life,” the artist said.
“Bulletproof”
People often look to music to heal their hearts when they’re hurting emotionally. There are songs on this album that accomplish that goal, especially “Bulletproof,” which many people will be able to relate to.
The tune is about wishing you could be strong and not deeply affected by certain emotions when they arise. Brown offers a unique perspective with “Bulletproof” because she inevitably deals with heightened emotions on a daily basis through her work. Not only does she heal hearts figuratively through music, but as a part time cardiologist, she heals literal hearts as well.
Brown explained how difficult it is to deal with delivering bad news and the emotional side of being a doctor that many of us don’t think about. Music is her outlet to deal with and process what she’s feeling.
When I asked her what it was like to enrich lives in two vastly different ways, she shared that as a doctor, the results are more immediate and palpable, whereas with music, it’s a goal to reach people who need to hear the songs, but it’s a longer process and less tangible. She said, “So many people have done that for me, with their music.”
“There’s nothing better than helping someone the way I’m sometimes able to do at work,” she shared. Brown’s patients come to her as they’re dying of heart failure and she’s literally able to give them a second chance through a transplant. “You really cannot put a price on the gratification that comes with that.”
Medicine and Music
Having dual careers as a doctor and an artist piqued my interest, so I had to ask about how that transpired. Brown shared that she had always gravitated toward a career in medicine because she loved working with people, excelled at math and science, and she saw how much her parents loved it, as they were also doctors. Music, throughout her life, was more of a private endeavor.
“I never even gave myself permission to think about a career in music – that was beyond my wildest dreams,” Brown said. “Being a doctor seemed much more achievable than being a musician.” Many artists have a “plan B” or a backup plan when it comes to their career if they didn’t make it as an artist. I’d say a career in medicine is one of the most solid “backup” plans I’ve heard of.
It wasn’t until the end of her medical training that she wrote her first song, performed it, and realized she needed to keep music in her life. “I never envisioned this, I didn’t plan it, it just kind of happened.”
Balancing Life
For many people, it’s difficult to balance work life, family life, friends, hobbies, etc. For artists, they often have an additional layer of complexity, balancing two careers. When I asked Brown how she does it, she responded with a really relatable answer. Her approach is to prioritize what needs her attention most and to be okay with some things not getting done (e.g. getting behind on laundry).
Connect With Suzie Brown
Suzie Brown is set to play multiple shows this year. For her up-to-date tour schedule and more information, visit https://www.suziebrownsongs.com/.
