Teri Bracken, better known by her stage name Brontë Fall, is an acclaimed songwriter whose road to songwriting began in childhood when she picked up piano at age 7. Classical violin lessons soon followed, and eventually she was tapped as the singer/violinist in a college rock band with a group of nineties rock loving frat boys. Bracken eventually made her way to Nashville—a dream come true considering it is a songwriter’s mecca. Though most of her instrumental focus is on guitar these days for pure convenience sake, Bracken still brings out her violin and even performs on piano during her shows—she never sings a note empty handed. (IV-PR, 2024)
After a family tragedy struck in 2022, Bracken rededicated herself to her craft, emerging with plenty of scar tissue and a batch of new songs that she considers her best yet. That lineup is highlighted by the new single Woman Like Me. The track is both a reminder of Fall’s skills as a songwriter and a significant leap forward in both sound and style. It’s a defining statement, the culmination of years grinding for a shot and, at the same time, a new beginning.
After years of grinding through music industry blockades on free-thinking, hard-working women, not to mention universal, unrealistic female expectations, Bracken decided it was time to set her record straight. “That we must ‘settle down’ at a specific time to start a family, give up our careers and lead a purely domestic existence; that we should be the apologetic, pleasing peacemakers; My song ‘Woman Like Me’ is a pushback on that entire narrative,” she says. After all, it was the Brontë sisters’ resistance to gender stereotypes in their industry that was a guiding light for Bracken at the beginning of her career, naming her whole persona in honor of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne’s resilience.
With Woman Like Me, while owning who she is but also lamenting the unease she feels, Brontë Fall poses the question “Am I lovable?” over minor blues chords and a rock groove, making the song feel edgy, rebellious, and intriguing. “I’ve also found, while performing this song, that it touches people regardless of gender because perhaps we all feel pressure to fit a certain box based on where we’re from—and through the lens of social media,” she says.
Recorded with a backing band of Matt Bubel, Robert Kearns, Jabe Beyer, Corey Congilio, Tim Craven (who also produced the track), and John Henry, the song signals a new era for Brontë Fall. Woman Like Me is the first of many new songs from the artist, all of which honor a new commitment to her most true self. “With this new era, I just wanted to be as authentic and raw as possible. In the past I was trying too hard or trying to be too different from who I actually am.” With Woman Like Me, Brontë Fall is beginning to unveil her unbridled vision.
Out everywhere, “Woman Like Me” is available right here and be sure to stay tuned for much more new music in the coming months. Brontë Fall will take the stage in Nashville for a hometown show on April 19. Tickets and more information can be found here.
SA Examiner 