Bryant Barnes' versatile vocal range and unfussy songcraft make him a perfect fit for young audiences glued to their social feeds for the latest catchy sound. His debut EP Vanity amassed millions of streams thanks to minimalist cuts like “Give Me a Sign” and “I’d Rather Pretend.”

Barnes, a native of Cypress, Texas (just outside of Houston), was drawn to music at an early age, studying piano and cello into his teens while building a reputation as a basketball player -- a dream that unfortunately ended after he tore his ACL. With his hoop dreams shattered before graduating high school in 2021, Barnes took the odd step of offering musical solace wherever he could find a public piano, and recording the results for social media. Soon, videos of him performing stripped-down versions of everything from cuts by Mac Miller and XXXTentacion to selections from Hans Zimmer's score to Interstellar, started going viral.

Before long, major labels started taking interest in his musical approach. Mercury issued his debut single “Adore You” in the fall of 2023, driven by an acoustic guitar, laid-back rhythm, and Barnes' unique voice, sliding between thick mid-ranges and fluttering falsetto. 2024 single “Don’t Want a Love Song” fared even better with audiences, and the piano-driven “I’d Rather Pretend” became his biggest single yet, pulling streams in the tens of millions and becoming an oft-shared tune on social video apps. These tracks helped his debut EP, Vanity, debut at number 13 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart.

- From Allmusic.com