So Bishop Briggs Thinks Her Dad Might Be A Spy...

We talk karaoke culture and keeping an eye on your parents as we get to know our next Brand New For 2017 nominee...

Friday, January 20, 2017 - 08:49

In her own words Bishop Briggs says she's "a little confused as to where I'm from, but I was born in London, my entire family is Scottish and I grew up in Asia." The next of our Brand New For 2017 nominees we're throwing a spotlight on, Briggs caught our eyes and ears with her confident and striking songs 'River' and 'The Way I Do'.

But as confident as she may sound, when she found out she was nominated as one of our artists to watch this year she told us in our exclusive interview: "I did not think it was the right person. I think MTV is so iconic that for them to notice me, little ol' me was very, very exciting."

Speaking of how her mutli-national childhood journey came about, Briggs explained: "Well my dad was this Jack-of-all-trades, entrepreneur type. I secretly think he may be a spy, when I really think about it and I kind of connect the pieces. That's what led us to moving to Japan when I was four."

And there, it was a typical Japanese karaoke bar experience which ignited her passion for performance. "The karaoke culture actually was a big influencer in Japan," she revealed, "because you saw time and time again, these people going up and telling their truth through someone else's truth.

"My dad used to go up and sing Frank Sinatra but I would just see this excitement and this light and this joy in his eyes."

WATCH OUR EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON BISHOP BRIGGS HERE:

But it wasn't just the sound of her father singing Sinatra that shaped her sound. "I think it's all about what is being played in your home growing up and for me it was all Motown music," she said.

"Aretha Franklin. Otis Reading. Just these classic iconic artists and then thrown in the mix, Janis Joplin and these people that had this power, Queen...and that was hugely influential for me. I think it also helps growing up in those places because there is this vibrancy but I think it also starts with what is being played in your home."

WATCH BISHOP BRIGGS' 'RIVER' HERE:

View the lyrics

Like a river, like a river
Like a river, like a river
Like a river, like a river
Shut your mouth and run me like a river

How do we fall in love
Harder than a bullet could hit ya?
How do we fall apart
Faster than a hair pin trigger?

Don't you say, don't you say it
Don't say, don't you say it
One breath, it'll just break it
So shut your mouth and run me like a river

Shut your mouth, baby stand and deliver
Holy hands, will they make me a sinner?
Like a river, like a river
Shut your mouth and run me like a river
Choke this love till the veins start to shiver
One last breath till the tears start to wither
Like a river, like a river
Shut your mouth and run me like a river

Tales of an endless heart
Cursed is the fool who's willing
Can't change the way we are
One kiss away from killing

Don't you say, don't you say it
Don't say, don't you say it
One breath it'll just break it
So shut your mouth and run me like a river

Shut your mouth, baby stand and deliver
Holy hands, will they make me a sinner?
Like a river, like a river
Shut your mouth and run me like a river
Choke this love till the veins start to shiver
One last breath till the tears start to wither
Like a river, like a river
Shut your mouth and run me like a river

Like a river, like a river
Like a river, like a river
Like a river, like a river
Shut your mouth and run me like a river
(Like a river)
(Like a river)
Like a river

Shut your mouth baby stand and deliver
Holy hands, will they make me a sinner?
Like a river, like a river (like a river)
Shut your mouth and run me like a river
Choke this love till the veins start to shiver
One last breath till the tears start to wither
Like a river, like a river
Shut your mouth and run me like a river

Writer(s): Ian Brendon Scott, Mark Andress Jackson, Sarah Grace Mclaughlin Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com

What should we expect from Briggs in the future? "Always know I have something up my sleeve," she teased, "So for [the] future and for things that are coming up I guess I would say just expect more honesty, more music and I hope that we can find out more about each other as we go."

To vote for Bishop Briggs to win MTV Brand New For 2017, like/heart the Instagram image below: