BET Awards 2022: Get To Know Bree Runway
Genre-bending British pop star Brenda Wireko Mensah, known professionally as Bree Runway, is proving herself to be an artist to look out for after having found success across the pond and over her in the states.
Shortly after scoring a record deal, Bree, who was last year's Amplified Artist and "Best New International Act" winner, released her first major-label EP title Be Runway and 2000AND4EVA, which features guest appearances from various female rappers, including Missy Elliott, Yung Baby Tate, Rico Nasty, and Maliibu Miitch.
The BET Awards 2022 are just around the corner, and it’s slated to be nothing less than a spectacular night of awards, hot performances, and guest appearances from some of the biggest names in the business. Check out five things you may not know about the rising star ahead of this year’s show.
She made her major-label debut with her EP Be Runway
The British rising pop star scored a recording deal with EMI Records in 2019. Shortly after, she released her EP Be Runway, marking her major-label debut. The five-track project feature hit single “Big Racks” and “2 On.”
She’s worked with some of the music industry’s most influential musicians
Bree hit a career achievement after she manifested the chance to work with the multitalented Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott before connecting for an energetic and bass-heavy track titled “ATM.” The iconic star also co-signed Bree’s “Apeshit” video.
“There’s a text from March 2020 where I told someone, ‘Just watch.’ They sent me a screenshot of it recently, like, ‘You literally said that you and Missy would collab!’” she told DIY Magazine.
Bree was initially interested in pursuing music technology
During an interview with NME, the 29-year-old revealed that although she always had an interest in music, she was more focused on the production aspect of the medium. “Music technology was the only subject I cared about: it taught me the basics of music production, and I started making beats and freestyling with my friends,” she told the outlet.
Her cousin gave her the stage name Bree Runway
Born Brenda Wireko Mensah, the pop star told BET, “A really cool cousin of mine Facebook’s name was Runway Pedro, and I just thought that was super cool.”
She continued, “Growing up, his style was and still is really amazing. I remember at one family party; I just wanted everything of his. I wanted his Louie V shades that were so stylish. Then, he sat me down one day and was like, ‘I'm going to give you something.’ I thought it was like clothes or something, and he was like, ‘No, the name. I'm just going to give you Runway.’ I was like, okay, but then nothing. Then, I added it to my Facebook name, and it just became really long. I chopped it down to Runway, and now it means that I'm completely picking up.”
She’s already a BET Awards winner
After releasing her debut mixtape 2000and4Eva in 2000, just one year after releasing her first major-label project, the genre-bending artist won the Best New International Act award at the BET Awards 2021.
