New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Following the success of his breakout single "I'd Rather Pretend" and the release of his debut EP, VANITY, rising singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and alternative outlier Bryant Barnes, collaborates with fellow Houston, TX native, 19-year-old visionary artist, d4vd, for a new version of his breakthrough hit "I'd Rather Pretend." The song is out now via Mercury Records/Universal Music.
"I'd Rather Pretend" quickly became one of Bryant Barnes' most popular songs with a tidal wave of viral engagement. Upon release it crashed the Top 20 of Billboard's RnB Songs Chart peaking at #13. Simultaneously it gained nearly 40 million global streams as the debut ep VANITY, charted at #13 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums Chart and #10 Apple Music R&B Albums Chart.
Now, Barnes delivers an incredible new version of "I'd Rather Pretend," with d4vd who brings a new energy to the emotive ballad as his higher register floats over the melancholy cello strums. Bryant's vocals flutter over a piano driven track as he wrestles with mixed feelings as he exhales, "I want to love you but I'm scared, so I'd rather pretend." It makes a huge statement as the two Houston natives trailblaze momentum for the region's impact in Alt-Pop.
Bryant Barnes shared about the collaboration, "I'm really grateful for how "I'd Rather Pretend" is going. I hit the Billboard charts. I'm just really grateful that it's been going up and I have the remix with d4vd. I've been wanting to work with d4vd for a while, even when he first began music because growing up he lived like 10 minutes away from me in my hometown. So it really just made a lot of sense to collaborate and I'm glad that we're able to get on "I'd Rather Pretend" together."
"I loved working with Bryant," d4vd added. "This was a collab for the fans. Our fans were both spamming us to work with each other, so we knew we had to get it done. Hopefully we do some more together in the future too."
Bryant Barnes paved the way for his 7-track debut written and produced by himself and others with "Give Me A Sign," a genre-blending alternative pop track that has amassed over 9 million global streams. Praised for its unique fusion of lo-fi pop and alternative R&B, OnesToWatch predicted it would define the summer, calling Barnes a rising force in R&B. Preceding this success, "Don't Want A Love Song" exploded with 16 million global streams and 3 million video views, with outlets like Rated R&B commending its melancholic, acoustic-driven exploration of unrequited love. Closing out 2023, Barnes released "Adore You - Acoustic," showcasing his raw vocal talent, while his first song ever "Adore You" continues to gain momentum across streaming platforms. Acclaimed by critics such as Music & Fashion Blog and Banger of the Day, Barnes is recognized for his standout vocal tone, songwriting, and undeniable "IT" factor.
Check out the full tracklisting below. Experience VANITY now!
VANITY EP Tracklisting:
1. Give Me A Sign
2. Want You All The Time
3. Don't Let it Be U
4. I'd Rather Pretend
5. Don't Want A Love Song
6. Adore You
7. Universe
As soon as his fingers connect to an instrument, soul and spirit fill the room. Music freely flows through Bryant Barnes the Houston-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist everywhere he goes. Born in Cypress, TX, he moved back and forth between Tacoma, WA and the Houston area as a kid. At six-years-old, mom and dad placed him in classical piano lessons, which he continued through freshman year of high school. During middle school, he learned cello and joined the orchestra. His basketball ambitions would be derailed by a torn ACL, so he rapped for fun. Throughout COVID, Bryant gained traction on TikTok with viral piano covers of XXXTENTACION, Joji, Mac Miller, Brent Faiyaz, and more in addition to the Interstellar score. Viral videos captured him behind the public pianos at LAX and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Along the way, he grabbed a microphone and guitar. Between building an audience of 1.7 million on TikTok, he quietly crafted a signature style of his own. His cover of "Carry On" by XXXTENTACION and Shiloh Dynasty caught the attention of Mercury Records who promptly signed him in 2023. After generating hundreds of millions of views online, earning co-signs from the likes of Trippie Redd and Kodak Black, and landing a deal with Mercury Records, he merges grainy lo-fi pop and emotionally-electrified R&B through a deliberate handcrafted approach on his debut EP VANITY featuring his viral song "I'd Rather Pretend" which landed on the Top 20 of Billboard's Heatseekers Album and Hot R&B Songs Charts.
d4vd, born David Burke, emerged as a visionary artist only one year after he began writing and recording heart-piercing tracks alone in his sister's closet in Houston, Texas. d4vd developed his eclectic taste in rap and indie music from internet wormholes and fan-made Fortnite videos on YouTube, which he also started creating as a homeschooled teenager. As an avid player who has amassed over fifty thousand subscribers on his gaming channel, he noticed that the songs in his game montages were getting copyright strikes, and his mother suggested that he write original music as a solution. This motivated d4vd to start recording his own tracks after discovering an easy-to-use music-making app called BandLab. He's released a smattering of singles touching everything from indie-alternative to pop to R&B, and the 18-year-old scored a breakout hit in the
summer of 2022 with the now RIAA Multi-Platinum certified melancholic indie rock song"Romantic Homicide." Recorded entirely on an iPhone, the track reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and led to d4vd signing to Darkroom/Interscope before graduating high school. His slow-building beachy ballad, "Here With Me" followed, breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2023 and now RIAA Platinum Certified. d4vd's debut EP Petals To Thorns established him as a genre-defying newcomer and one of the best new emerging acts, corroborated by his recent Billboard 21 Under 21 and Variety Young Hollywood honors. His intuitive command of lyricism stems from his years of scribbling raps and poems in his journal since childhood and his versatile interests shine in his music, drawing primarily from manga and anime. Following on the heels of his spring headline 'The Root of it All' debut tour, which sold out immediately upon going on sale, and a successful run of sold-out European tour dates, d4vd brought his 'Petals To Thorns' tour to larger stages in the US than ever before. Amid his European run, d4vd put on a show-stopping performance at the Valentino Men's SS24 Fashion Week show in Milan. He recently followed up his debut EP with The Lost Petals EP - a collection of five songs that fit into the world of Petals To Thorns and serve as a continuation of that project before d4vd moves into his next phase of music. Since then, d4vd joined R&B powerhouse SZA on the second leg of her North American S.O.S tour and sold-out his 'My House is Not A Home' Tour in entirety before its kickoff, where he played the largest venues to date.
