Kane Brown and ‘Closer,’ The Independently Released EP That Changed Everything

Before Kane Brown was topping charts, selling out arenas, and casually creating hits with a blend of country, pop, and R&B, he was just a guy with a mic, a big dream, and an EP called Closer. Independently released before he even had a major label deal, the EP was a hit. With fans rallying behind him online, Brown proved that you could make history via a different route.   

Brown faced financial challenges before the success of Closer. He struggled with poverty and homelessness, which led to his decision to pursue an independent path rather than traditional industry routes. Growing up in a single-parent household often brought frequent financial struggles, unstable housing situations, including living in a car with his mother, and after graduating high school, he was still unable to afford rent despite working.   

He also launched crowdfunding campaigns to finance the EP, like his GoFundMe campaign, which started on July 31st, 2014, that raised $5,096, and his subsequent Kickstarter campaign that began November 26th, 2014, which raised $5,633 from 144 backers, giving him over $10,000 total.  

Even before the release of Closer, Brown already harnessed the power of social media. Through direct fan engagement, he amassed quite a following. He started with approximately 3,000 friends on Facebook and posted iPhone videos of himself singing country music covers. Aside from Facebook, he also used YouTube and other platforms to share music and build his fanbase.  

One of his cover songs, George Strait's “Check Yes or No,” garnered 11 million views. In a short period, he managed to gain over 600,000 new followers, totaling approximately 984,158 followers at the time of reporting.  

Closer was released on June 2, 2015. Its initial commercial performance was not quite what Brown expected. The EP initially sold only around 1,000 units but then experienced significant growth, increasing to 4,000, then 8,100 units within three weeks. Sales took off, and the album eventually debuted at number 22 on the Top Country Albums chart, and peaked at No. 7 that November, hitting a weekly sales high of 8,000.   

The musical style and production of Closer established Brown's signature sound: a blend of country, pop, and R&B that ultimately helped him gain mainstream success. The production choices made the track distinctive, which also influenced his later major label work. Some traditional country fans struggled to accept his style, but his unique sound helped him stand out in the industry.  

The EP’s performance caught the attention of record labels and led to his major label deal and subsequent breakthrough. One of Brown’s earlier strategies was for labels to “come to him,” rather than pursuing them. Closer laid the groundwork for his transition from independent artist to RCA Nashville signee. The rest, as they say, is history. He released his self-titled album on December 2, 2016, via RCA Records Nashville, which debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top Country Albums chart.  

He also made history with his self-titled debut album, becoming the only country album released that achieved Platinum status since December 2016.  

Brown’s Closer demonstrated a new model for country music success. He might have experienced significant struggles in the beginning, but all of his hard work has now paid off, with his net worth now amounting to $6 million. Brown’s story also shone a spotlight on the broader impact on the independent music industry, with an explosion of opportunities for other independent artists like Jelly Roll and Shaboozey in the country genre.