Story & Lesson Highlights with Brittney Renee

We recently had the chance to connect with Brittney Renee and have shared our conversation below.

Brittney, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Pokemon. They just put a smile on my face and make me feel like the power of Pokemon is always with me. I recently hosted a burlesque festival and I had a Build-A-Bear Umbreon as my mascot to bring flare to the show. I was hosting a segment for coven theme acts and she was perfect for it!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I have a Tool/A Perefct Corcle tribute band called Aenima Femme with half being women and the other half men. We are playing the first ever Nightmare in Vegas horror convention and Fright Bash later in October. I am also getting back into burlesque as an emcee. I recently competed in the Golden Legends Golden Mic Challenge.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
My father taught me the most about work. He really said to me that realistic standards and determination were the right recipe for the tenacity I hold today. He taught me a lot about work ethic early on and I had my first job when I was fourteen working at his company. I saw that hard work can pay off while still respecting yourself.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, I almost gave up fairly recently. We had such a difficult time finding a drummer for this band. As any Tool fan knows this is really difficult material to execute. Luckily, our current drummer, April, saw my ad and told me she dreamed of playing Tool like me. I brought her in and she fit our mold better than we imagined the pieces would fit. I also stepped away from the burlesque scene for a while (twice). The first time when I started in New England and in Las Vegas. I’ve encountered some really vicious people in both burlesque and music that decided to carry childish behavior into adulthood. It’s hard to get back up but once you do it’s all worth it.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
We get told we have to be skinny, pretty, etc. I never thought I was ugly but I have been refused jobs solely due to my body size and weight. I know that I am worth more than based on what I look like. I work too hard to be judged like that. After 35 your body only maintains so much of what you are in your twenties.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop drinking completely, going to see bands I have already seen numerous times, and start using that money to travel to new countries. There’s so much of the world I still have to see. I have only been to three countries outside the USA (Canada, Bahamas, Dominican Republic).

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @aenimafemmetribute @brittneyreneet