DeAndre Brackensick
Dre Scot’s music moves like love itself does. His towering falsetto stretches to the highest heights of ecstatic romance only to dip back into the embrace of an acoustic guitar or ukulele during an exhale of solemn introspection. The Oakland-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist brings emotionally acute songcraft and uncontainable passion to R&B, giving the genre a jolt of energy in the process. After generating millions of streams independently, he chronicles life and love in a series of 2023 singles and his forthcoming debut project for Beauty Marks Entertainment.
“There’s so much beauty in simply being human,” he observes. “I’m a normal person who’s living every day—like you are. It just so happens I can sing too,” he laughs. “I see myself as a voice, a son, a husband, a brother, and a friend. Hopefully, it comes across in the music.”
Born in San Jose to a white father and black mother, he grew up in the home of Hawaiian family friends. Almost as soon as he could talk, he learned how to sing in church and school choir. Simultaneously, he listened to everyone from Patti Labelle and Smokey Robinson to The Stylistics, Prince, and “a lot of Hawaiian music.” At the age of twelve, he developed his stage presence by performing Hawaiian staples in bars throughout the Bay Area—in addition to shining in local hula competitions. Eventually, mom encouraged him to audition for American Idol. He notably placed in the Top 8 of Season 11 and toured across North America and The Philippines. Decamping to the islands, he attended University of Hawaii and split his time between nightly gigs and working at a café. Eventually, he made his way to Melbourne where he absorbed the old school R&B and jazz scene in addition to serving as a vocal coach on The Voice Australia.
During 2018, he unveiled his independent debut, Black Denim, under the name of DeAndre. He found supporters in the likes of Maxwell and Eric Benét, while the standout “Shoulda Known Better” clocked over 940K Spotify streams and counting. Despite living in his car, he managed to sell out headline shows on both sides of the pond in Oakland, New York, and London.
However, one DM changed everything…
He found himself on a FaceTime call with GRAMMY® Award-winning icon Ciara and Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson who proceeded to sign him to Beauty Marks Entertainment.
“I’ve learned a lot of grace from them,” he notes. “They’re empowering me to reach as many people as possible and elevate what I’ve already done. Over the past two years, I wrote and recorded constantly, and now I’m putting it all together.”
He introduces his next era with the single “Feelings.” On the track, a delicate bass thump tiptoes around a simmering beat as his hypnotic high register flutters on a hummable chorus.
“We wrote it at the start of my relationship and now engagement,” he reminisces. “At the time, it was long distance, but it still felt good. We were each feeling the same way. The song says, ‘We can’t deny what we’re feeling right now, so let’s acknowledge that what’s happening between us is something.’”
Keys glimmer on “Safe To Be,” tuning up a funky strut punctuated by handclaps as he uplifts the outliers.
“I always gravitated towards the weirdos and outcasts because I’m one of them,” he says. “Everyone has things going on in their life—whether it’s your job, people fucking with you, or not feeling comfortable in your own skin. You don’t have to worry about all of that. Make your own world and be safe in it.”
Then, there’s “Million Shades Of Grey” where his voice melts into organic instrumentation and airy production.
“I grew up not being black enough for the black communities and not white enough for the white communities,” he notes. “On top of it all, I lived in a Hawaiian household. I never fit into one category. This is my statement, ‘There are a million shades of grey, but we’re all the same shade’. I’m black, I’m white, I’m Dre, and I’m human.”
In the end, that’s all Dre needs to be in order to make an impact.
“When you listen to my music, I want you to be taken out of whatever reality they’re in for however long the song is,” he leaves off. “I hope you have an escape and feel grounded, because that’s what music does for me. If I can give you that for even three minutes, that would be amazing.”
