Beane in Beantown
Image courtesy of Alissa Wyle
“Music is such a big part of my personality now, it’s weird to think about when it wasn’t.”
At just five years old, Brennan Helper — known onstage as Beane — began singing a Toby Keith song in the kitchen to capture his parents’ attention. 20 years later, he has competed on American Idol, and performed for crowds of hundreds of people on his first-ever tour. On opening for Boston-based band Tiny Habits, Beane says, “I continue to chase the feeling of holding people’s attention, which I love.” Beane also recognizes how his relationship to music and performing has evolved, proclaiming that his relationship to music started off more egocentric, then turning into something more personal and spiritual as he aged.
Since the release of his EP Human Beane in 2017, Beane has continued to release singles and grow his career as a vocalist and performer. Beane was involved in theater throughout his childhood, leading him to attend the Berklee School of Music here in Boston. “My time in Boston was very formative for me. I came out here and spent years on that journey of relearning myself. This is where I cut myself off from my family, financially, and became independent. I know Boston really well. Being back here, I am full of nostalgia and gratitude. I feel very at home.”
Image courtesy of Melody Hou
Beane talks about his recent live shows on tour with Tiny Habits: “In my live shows right now, I talk about my queerness very openly, and I don’t think my music is inherently queer, but it’s infused in the visuals I create.” Beane is inspired by icons Freddie Mercury, Jimmi Hendrix, Elton John and Prince. “I am inspired by how they chose to present themselves as artists. They weren’t acting queer, they just were queer.”
“I am inspired by how they chose to present themselves as artists. They weren’t acting queer, they just were queer.”
The plan for his very first tour formulated in the summer of 2023. Beane explains, “Maya, Cinya, Judah and I were acquaintances at Berklee, and last July they called me and asked me to go on tour with them. It’s been a joy. It feels like the three of them and their band and their team and me have become a family. It’s a match made in heaven. I’m devastated that it’s ending.”
Image courtesy of Nick Jackson
Prior to touring, Beane reflects on his time on American Idol in 2021: “Career-wise, it doesn’t lay a foundation like you would expect it to, and I'm grateful that I've been able to continue in this industry authentically.” Beane is transparent about the challenges that come with performing on Idol. “I was on Idol during [the pandemic], so I think it was challenging to capitalize on that opportunity. I loved the music part of Idol; it's my craft and that’s why I do what I do. There’s this expectation that Idol will make a career in music easier, and it doesn’t – the work remains the same. The work I'm doing on this tour with Habits is the same project I was doing eight years ago.” Despite the challenges, Beane also recognizes and appreciates the community that was built on the show.
“I did love the real world community of Idol. The judges and production of it all melted away, and there were performances that I felt present for, and the pride that my family felt were all highlights of Idol for me.”
Performance has been central to Beane’s career. He hasn’t always performed for crowds of hundreds of people, though. “I’ve performed so much. I’ve done the wedding band thing and the restaurant thing. I’ve gotten good at holding people’s attention in a way that I enjoy. If you afford me the kindness of your attention, then I will return the favor with something that makes you feel more whole than when you came.”
In addition to centralizing performance, Beane appreciates being a part of the concert-goer experience as well. He says, “I also love to be in the audience, and I like to think that I’m a respectful audience member because I love that exchange.”
In April, Beane’s single “My June” was released. “This song means so much to me – it’s about my relationship with my grandmother, whose name is June. So many of my peers who are openly gay men talk about their relationships with their grandmothers. That relationship between gay men and the older women in their lives is so meaningful.”
Beane offers details about the process of creating “My June,” saying he wrote it “really fast,” and rather loves the musicality behind it. He further explains that he struggled with the song’s production: “I was pushed up against the deadline for the tour, and I worked with a friend, John Mark Nelson, to produce this song – and he is brilliant. He said he would do an ‘Emily King route’ for production, and she’s my favorite artist of all time.” Beane shares some highlights of his experience creating this song alongside Nelson, recalling, “we recorded the song at his house in Los Angeles, and the vocal stacks were so much fun to record. He put so much of his time and energy into [that] production.”
If you’re hoping to see Beane live, you may not have to wait very long! “I don’t ever want to stop touring. I need to lock myself in my apartment with some friends and produce an album or something. I have some new music in the works for this summer, and I am excited to hit the ground running.”