J. Breckenridge Releases Third Single 'Home Is Where the Art Is'

RED CARD RECORDS has announced the worldwide release of the third single from J. BRECKENRIDGE, the singer/songwriter and recording artist persona of noted stage and screen performer Josh Breckenridge. The song "Home Is Where the Art Is" is available on all digital and streaming platforms today, Friday, April 9, with a special music video to drop on Friday, April 23. Breckenridge's music seamlessly blends old-school soul and contemporary pop with R&B and jazz influences. "Home Is Where the Art Is" is the next step in the rollout of his upcoming debut album of all-original music Monotony, expected to be released this summer. The music is produced by Grammy Award nominee James Frazee (Patti Smith, Esperanza Spalding, Bettye Lavette). Breckenridge is known for his standout roles on Broadway and appearances on hit TV shows "The Blacklist" (CBS), "Blue Bloods" (NBC), and "FBI" (CBS).

Listen to the single below!

Breckenridge's passionate original songs - with their taut, expressive arrangements, emotional delivery, and fresh yet familiar melodies - call to mind influences as wide-ranging as the classic R&B of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Smokey Robinson to the current sounds of Bruno Mars, Michael Bublé, and John Legend. Sometimes mellow, often rhythmic, Breckenridge's music is always intelligent, sophisticated, and personal.

"Home Is Where the Art Is" is a ballad with a haunting melody, bittersweet lyrics, and a lush string arrangement that ruefully reflects on the roads taken and not taken. What is the impact of reaching for your dream and seeking your destiny? Sometimes the cost is great.

"I left home at 18 to pursue my childhood artistic dreams," Breckenridge reflects. "I traded the strong, bedrock that was my West Coast family home for the constantly-moving, rarely-forgiving, rumble of the never-sleeping New York jungle. 'Home Is Where the Art Is' tackles that universal topic: the decision-making moments we all come to. Large or small, the distance we choose to dance towards our dreams, as we leave the warmth of our nest for another, can often feel vast. Did I make the right choice? Did I venture too far? Was this 'selfish' solo life worth the moments of family filled memories I'll never see? This song is my way of reckoning with that fork in the road."

Breckenridge is expertly supported by Brian Griffin on drums and percussion, Carl Carter on bass, Alec Berlin on guitars, Chris Ranney on keyboard, and Mazz Swift on violin. Swift also provided the string arrangement. Breckenridge supplies all lead and background vocals.

"Come to Me," Breckenridge's first single, which debuted in February, is an homage to his southern California roots, infused with an open-hearted, feel-good vibe and an irresistible hook. "Y.O.U." - the second single, released last month - is an introspective, lilting midtempo number that addresses complicated feelings

of self-responsibility and self-love with humor and finesse.

Breckenridge's time in a budding high school boy band gave him his first taste of songwriting. While the band itself didn't last, he has since honed his skills and is building a catalog of well-crafted lyrics and memorable melodies. Though he credits Lauryn Hill, Brian McKnight, and D'Angelo as inspirations, it was actually Mariah Carey that first brought out the emerging songwriter in him. "Mariah was my all-time favorite growing up, and she influenced me as a composer and lyricist. Her hits seemed endless, as well as endlessly hummable. It was the first time I thought 'I can do that!' I remember being a pre-pubescent boy belting out whistle tones to her music with a towel on my head and a toothbrush for a microphone!"

A Southern California native, Josh Breckenridge left the warmth of the west coast to earn a BFA from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, where he received the Laurie Beechman Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Vocal Performance." Upon graduation Josh traveled further east to New York City to pursue his passion for performing. After three short months, Breckenridge made his Broadway debut and has since enjoyed a colorfully consistent career as an actor-singer-dancer on Broadway, film and television. On Broadway, he appeared in the revival of Terrence McNally's play The Ritz at Studio 54, Kander & Ebb's Tony Award-nominated musical The Scottsboro Boys, and Come from Away. He was also featured in the San Francisco debut of the stage musical Tales of the City, based on Armistead Maupin's beloved series of novels, with a score co-written by Jake Shears of The Scissor Sisters. Throughout his career, Breckenridge has worked alongside legendary cultural talents like Trey Parker & Matt Stone, Huey Lewis, and David Bryan of Bon Jovi.

"My artist persona J. Breckenridge is a piece of my personality that has finally had time to surface," he explains. "During the pandemic, all the excuses dropped away. I've been lucky enough to have a busy Broadway and TV schedule. The one positive element of this temporary industry shutdown is that it allowed me the space to perfect these new songs. This time alone has been an important period of contemplation and I've been at my most emotionally available. It's been perfect for harnessing the multitude of feelings, the vastly different shades and colors of emotions this original material evokes."

"As a musical theater actor," Breckenridge continues, "I've been fortunate to perform someone else's music and someone else's lyrics on large stages, and I am grateful for those opportunities. But I have my own stories to tell. This music is just the beginning. I feel blessed and happy to have this chance to share it."

Listen to Breckenridge's music on Apple Music, Spotify or Amazon.