Brianna Ruelas -- American Idol Contestant & Reality TV Coach

SPEAKER_00 0:04

This is the Beyond the Story Podcast, a show that goes way beyond the story. And now, the best yeah. Hello, friends. Welcome to the show. Thanks so much for taking some time out of your day to hang out with me as I sit down with some friends and some new friends. And while we go beyond the story, my guest this week is Brianna Ruelis. Her and I are buddies. I met her at a MC gig I had with our friends over at Self-Publishing School. She too wrote a book. She's a reality TV coach. She's a musician. She was on American Idol. She's a vocal coach. And now she coaches individuals that are trying to get on reality television, specifically within the music space. Total, absolute reality TV coach, prep badass in my book. Friends, please help me welcome to the show. Brianna Rales. What's up, rock star? Literally.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

What is up, Sebastian Rusk?

SPEAKER_00 1:19

You are. This is like I'm on your podcast. You're on my podcast. This is like podcast week here. Let's do it, buddy. Let's do it. Good to see you, man. Let's do it. It's good to see you too. You and I met virtually, met a lot of new friends virtually, a lot of mutual friends virtually uh during AAL Live. Or no, just AAL 2020.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Word on the street, they're doing it again this year. I haven't heard anything back yet. I haven't heard from my people there over there at SPS as of yet, but uh that was a good time. A little 2020 uh hybrid action where we were in a studio and the audience was virtual, but it really did work. It felt like you guys were there. You guys were just on televisions.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

No, yeah, it was incredible. Uh SPS did a really excellent job, and you were an incredible MC. You brought the you brought the heat, you brought the energy, and it was uh it was an amazing event, especially virtual. It's very difficult to pull off events like that uh in a in a way that keeps people engaged, and they managed to do that. It was great.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

Well, I found out about you because you spoke at AAL. Or you were a guest speaker, you gave it, I but pretty sure you gave a talk. I didn't introduce you, that's why it it's not as familiar, but I do remember seeing you um on the screen uh along with the other attendees, but you specifically spoke on here, um, which which brings me to my first, you know, our our first topic of conversation here, this whole world of reality television and um people that are looking to get on uh uh reality television, specifically musicians and how you're able to help them do that. So let's back up. What'd you write the book about?

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Okay, so my very first book was done in 2017, and it's called Performing Artist Pathway. And that's all about navigating the highs and lows of your music journey. Gives a lot of audition tips, but also just really practical advice on networking and um really speaking to kind of like that personal crap we feel as artists that a lot of people don't understand and a lot of people don't talk about it. I feel like now we're getting to a point where people are actually really hyping and putting a lot of focus on the importance of self-care and um and it's important. So that's actually what that first book was about. And the pandemic spurred the second book, which is the make reality TV your reality book. And that's all about crushing your reality singing show audition and igniting your music career. So I'm all about showing artists and musicians how you can leverage and maximize a reality singing show to create momentum in your music career. And that's it's simply just another opportunity for you to extend your brand, your message, your music, all of those things. So I see a lot of artists who go on these shows and they're not prepared and they miss out on a massive, massive opportunity to leverage the platform in a way that's gonna really propel them forward.

SPEAKER_00 4:11

So, how'd you start getting interested in this? Did you just watching reality shows and people just absolutely fall on their face with their audition?

SPEAKER_01 4:17

And it pissed me off. Yeah, no. So I was actually on American Idol back in season four when Carrie Underwood won. I've been singing and songwriting my whole life. I didn't, I grew up doing musical theater. That was my avenue of um of doing music and art growing up. There weren't artist development programs on every corner. And so musical theater was my path. I was a musical theater major at Pepperdine, graduated, lived in LA for 10 years, did music there. And um, when I did American Idol, I I had uh an experience. Um, I really, I royally blew my shot, like royally painfully messed up my opportunity. And um, I actually thought that that was like the end of my career. I actually believed that that was an ending and not a beginning. And so what I love to share with artists is like ultimately, if I can look back now and see, like that was actually a massive beginning for me because that led to so many different opportunities for me to continue doing music and brought me to today, where I went from vocal coaching and performance coaching artists and bands to speaking at music festivals when I wrote my first book to consulting. Now I'm a full-fledged strategy consultant for performing artists and musicians and creative entrepreneurs. And um, I'm a reality TV music coach. I literally coach artists how to go on a reality singing show, how to handle their audition, how to handle their interview, and most importantly, how to handle their business. Because I want to make sure that they get their ducks in a row so that before they go on the show, they'll know how to engage with the potential uh thousands, uh if not millions of eyeballs that can get on their message music through these um through these platforms if they make it on television.

SPEAKER_00 6:06

Love it. Okay, so hold on a second, let's back up here. So you were on American Idol, was this through the audition phase or was this actually made it on the show?

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Yes, I made it on the show. Okay, yeah, season four.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

Which is a very, which is a very difficult process because you go through auditions upon auditions before you actually are even chosen for the show, correct?

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Absolutely. So this is and this was back in the cattle call days. This is when literally season four was one of the it was the second highest um or most auditioned shows. I think season five is where it hit its peak. Season five had a hundred thousand people line up cattle call style around stadiums across the country. There was about six or seven locations that season. I auditioned in three of them. And I made it in San Francisco on my third audition. So I got no's all along the way, and it was the last audition spot. And I'm like, you know what? I'm packing up the the uh Ford Explorer, I'm heading up to San Francisco by myself, I'm doing this thing, let's go. And that's when I got my opportunity. So yeah, a hundred out of a hundred thousand people who auditioned, I was one of a hundred. That's amazing. Made it all the way down to Hollywood and all the things, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

So, important question Did you get to meet and chit-chat with Seacrest?

SPEAKER_01 7:22

You know what? I didn't. He was not in Hollywood, isn't that? So I was looking everywhere for him.

SPEAKER_00 7:27

He runs Hollywood for crying out loud.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

No, it was it was so strange. I remember seeing him because we were in the Orpheum Theater. I remember see him kind of in the like rafters up above a little bit, but um this was back in the day when Rand Randy, Paula, and Simon, the OGs, were judging. So I did meet them several times. And um, Brandy was a guest judge on that season as well. So yeah, it was pretty, it was pretty cool. I know how much you love Seacrest, so I'm sure I just let you down.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

Yeah, I was a I was. I was like so close. Wait a second, wait, so close, yet so far away. So uh is it has it ever or has it actually I let me rephrase that. Has there ever been an opportunity from the network to say, hey, listen, this this girl's got chops. We should bring her in to work with contestants, maybe like a Bobby Bones.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Well, so interesting enough, um, I hosted the first ever reality singing show summit this past February, and it was amazing. It was a huge hit. And I had casting producers, casting directors from um several of the shows present, in addition to vocal coaches, marketing strategists, um, you name it. I was basically trying to accomplish what my book is all about, which is the three phases. We have mindset and preparation going into the audition, song choice, and then we have the middle phase, which is like the performance phase, getting the chair turn, really having effective light performance. And then the third phase is the business phase, really understanding how to leverage and maximize the experience to create momentum in your music career. So I had speakers and representatives from all the, you know, the three phases, so to speak, of the process of my of the system that I create for my clients. And um two of them were casting producers for Idol and America's Got Talent. And I was told by the American Idol producer that um the big dogs had a meeting about me because they heard about me and the summit and wanted to know what it was all about and why the producers were coming to speak at my summit and what they were going to say. So I think they were checking in. So I'm just gonna open up to the universe the opportunity down the road to definitely do some sort of consulting for American Idol. I'm gonna just put it out there, but I'm on the radar. I think it's totally true. I'm on the radar.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

Right. They're they're talking about you. Number one. Number two, you you got the chops to deliver. Number three, past contestant. You know, I think there's I think there's a lot there. So what are you currently working on right now?

SPEAKER_01 9:58

So I'm actually re um revamping my online course, which is going to be called the Reality Singing Show Success Academy. Uh, I currently have a reality singing show online course out there, and I'm basically just creating version two, which is going to be bigger and better and all the things, um, because I am definitely on the path to create more opportunities for artists to really get confident in their audition process for reality singing shows. And um, I plan to do a boot camp this June as well for reality singing shows. So, really, I'm just on the trajectory of doing the boot camps, relaunching the online course, really creating it and making it available for more artists. Um, I've got clients across the world right now who are auditioning for the voice Spain, the voice Germany, American Idol America, you know, here, um, the voice here as well. Like, so it's been so interesting to impact musicians and artists and singers across the world, not just here in the United States. And um, there's no one out there doing what I do. So I'm kind of like channeling like this whole blue ocean strategy, you know. I'm doing all the things that I do uh as a coach, as a strategy consultant for art for performing artists, but I'm just niching down even further into the reality sphere.

SPEAKER_00 11:17

Good, good, good, good. So if somebody is getting ready, if somebody had the opportunity and they've gotten chosen to actually go and audition for the show, what are some tactical things they can do to prepare for that audition?

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Yeah, if they're getting ready to audition for it, um definitely just foot Yeah, right? Definitely focus in on the mindset piece. This is a game. You are going on a game show. Technically, they are five, they file as that. So there's a lot of rules involved. But you know, mentally, you need to prepare. So I always say spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, make sure you your top notch that you're getting with the vocal coach to make sure your voice can sustain the competition. Yeah, make sure that you're mentally prepared uh and and out of your head, like not comparing yourself, like just focused on your game and your game alone. And also be interesting. This show is so much more than just your voice. You have to remember that it's about your story, it's about your personality, it's about your talent and your voice, right? So it all kind of has to come together with a beautiful little bow. And if you need support, you need to either call me or um you need to find someone to help you because I'm telling you, you're gonna have a better shot at making on the show when you get the support and help you need. I see way too many artists trying to do this alone. And then years from now, they're like, well, I've auditioned like 10 times and I don't know. They I never get a chance. I'm like, well, what are you doing? Well, they don't know what they're doing. That's why they're not giving a shot. So yeah, so I just like to prepare them and get them rolling. And um, there's a lot, there's a lot involved. So I think that the story piece is really important. Um, and actually, I I give people an audition checklist on my website so people can head over to Brianna Rellismusic.com and pick up a free printable, which actually walks them through a four-step process of creating their core brand story. So if there's artists out there who are really looking to create something that's compelling, um, this will get this will get them started.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

Love it. And don't worry about trying to write that link down, especially if you're driving or running or at the gym or just sitting on the couch, because that link's gonna be available in the show notes. So you'll be able to check out Brianna and hit her up. If you've gotten chosen to audition for a show, you want to make sure that your game is tip top shape. If you think your game is in tip-top shape, then you definitely need to schedule a time to speak with Brianna because it probably isn't. People like people like you, Brianna, help help people see blind spots um in their own game and what they're going and doing there. Well, I absolutely love what you're doing. It's been a blast to to be on your show and share my reality show experience uh uh just a short time ago, and then finally be able to get you on the show here to tell my audience it what you've been up to and what you currently do. I love the niche that you've been able to carve out. Uh you're you're a practitioner, you've you've you've got the experience, you've been there, you've done that. Uh, and as a peer, essentially as a as a peer in the in the in the musician space, it's clear that you can coach people accordingly and get them to the finish line and prep them as much as possible uh to to to knock that audition out of the park as or as they say in the business, nail it, right?

SPEAKER_01 14:20

That's right. That's right. Get the chair turn, get the golden ticket, whatever you got to do. Make them make them feel something, make them get chills, and make make it memorable.

SPEAKER_00 14:29

That should be your tagline. I'll get you to Hollywood.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

Let's go.

SPEAKER_00 14:33

Let's do this. Yeah. Well, hey, Lizzie. Hey, thanks so much for for hanging out uh and and telling your story and what you're up to here. Everybody listening here, make sure you connect with Brianna. She's an amazing friend, and I love what she's up to. I truly believe in in in the work that she is doing here. And it's it's great to it's great to call you a friend and connect with you here.

SPEAKER_01 14:49

I know, I agree, and I thank you for having me, Sebastian.

SPEAKER_00 14:52

No, it's absolutely my pleasure. You have to come back sometime soon, all right?

SPEAKER_01 14:55

I would love that.

SPEAKER_00 14:56

All right, friends, until next time. Thanks so much for tuning into this episode of the Beyond the Story Podcast. Be sure to appreciate it. If you haven't done so already, make sure you're subscribed to the show. This way you'll get updates as new episodes become available. If you feel so inclined, please leave us a review. Be sure to appreciate it. Signing off from the podcast, launchlab.com studios. We'll talk to you next time.