Briston Maroney plays on with socially-distant success

0
336
Briston Maroney performed live via the Internet for fans on Tuesday, April 15. (Photo courtesy of Facebook)

Story by Alyssa Poston

Photo courtesy of Facebook

With a constant smile and an acoustic guitar in hand, Briston Maroney held an hour-long live stream on Tuesday, April 14, where he was able to interact with his fans worldwide.

Maroney is a songwriter, guitarist and Knoxville, Tennessee native that gained popularity after auditioning for American Idol in 2013 and independently releasing an EP in 2015. Since then, he has released two EPs and has signed with Canvasback Music and Atlantic Records.

The live stream was held through the Instagram account of Consequence of Sound (@consequence), a Chicago-based online magazine that often hosts artist livestreams.

About 200 fans were present throughout the broadcast, which meant that there was a constant stream of comments. The Garden, Virginia and Freakin’ Out on the Interstate were just a few of his songs that were frequently being requested. Despite the requests for fan favorites, Maroney managed to sneak in a few unreleased songs.

When he wasn’t playing guitar, Maroney liked answering questions and holding little conversations with fans participating in the comment section.

From explaining his love for American History to laughing over a consistent song request for ‘Jody,’ which isn’t a song he’s written, there wasn’t a dull moment.

“This is the happiest I’ve felt in a while,” Maroney admitted to the stream while deciding which song to play next. As he picked at his guitar strings, he added a quick, “…and thank you so much for all the sweet words… sweet, I’ll keep going,” before beginning a new song.

Although there is uncertainty when he will be able to go on tour again, this heartwarming stream was a nice break for both Maroney and his viewers. And, despite the cancellation of many music festivals, he’s still set to perform at the postponed Bonnaroo later this year.

To contact Lifestyles Editor Brandon Black, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.

For more updates, follow us at www.mtsusidelines.com, on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines and on Twitter at @Sidelines_Life.