A reality star is opening up about his jump to country music and finally getting recognized. The Real World: Los Angeles cast member Jon Brennan has found his big break in country music.
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His new single "Tell Me That There Ain't a God" has reached No. 15 on the independent charts and No. 48 on the mainstream country charts. This comes after years of making money as a rideshare driver.
"I did give up about 20 years ago, and I regretted that decision," he told People. "So now I UNgave up. I've been back at it full time for five years in Nashville and everything has changed, so I'm relearning the ever-changing music business. There is something in my soul that is very attached to music. I missed it. I missed making it and there was a void in my life."
Reality Star Talks Music
He also adds, "I wasn't sure I had the confidence to survive the possible rejections again, but my desire to create and perform music overshadowed those doubts, so here I am again," he says. "Also, my father passed away seven years ago and he loved country music and is the reason I learned to love it. So I won't quit, not ever again."
Despite his recent music success, he says that he still gets recognized mostly for being a reality star.
"I call myself the eighth reality star on the planet, because there were seven before me on Real World: New York," he said.
"The other day I was getting my tires rotated and the guy, around my age, behind the counter asked if we went to school together. Being from Kentucky and standing in Tennessee, I knew it was not school where he recognized me from. I asked if he ever watched the Real World on MTV and when he connected the dots he got super excited and starting quoting conversations and events I had on television 34 years ago."
He adds, "That happens a few times a week still. It's good because people know 'me' and not a character I was portraying as a role. That's the cool part about reality TV. People love nostalgia and it's fun to reminisce."
