Erica Bryan has pursued her artistry through theatre and music since childhood. From an early age, she realized that she’s not afraid of failing, she’s “only afraid of never trying.” This principle has guided her craft and her career around the country from her hometown outside of Atlanta to New York City, and finally to her current home base in Nashville, TN. Erica believes her theatre experience has enhanced her new journey as a singer, which springs from her realization that her goals for theatre and songwriting are one in the same: to make people feel something.

I can say first hand that Erica is making people feel something through her artistry. She gave me an exclusive preview of her debut single, This House is Haunted, and encouraged me to draw inspiration from the song to compose the wardrobe for her upcoming performance in Atlanta at Smith’s Olde Bar.

Erica’s debut single has a beautiful balance of light and dark. When you first hear the title of single, the word “haunted” elicits that feeling of darkness and possibly a place that is plagued by something or someone. As you listen to the verses, a lightness trickles in, revealing a sense of nostalgia and fondness. While it’s evident that the speaker is in fact haunted by a person or memory, there is a warmth and deep connection, possibly even love, with the “ghost.” It’s this sensation that is truly “haunting” the speaker and illustrates the dichotomy between light and dark in the song. This duality instantly became the inspiration for her look.

While styling Erica for her performance in Atlanta, I focused on the balance of light and dark, the juxtaposition of softness and strength, and the harmony of femininity and edginess. As I proposed concepts, we both felt inspired by Kristen Stewart’s upcoming Chanel Pre-Fall campaign, Paris-Dallas, which plays with opposing styles from the cities and blurs the line between the two cultures.

We built her ensemble around a key piece featuring one of spring’s top trends, fringe. In addition to the cropped fringe faux leather jacket, Erica purchased a pair of statement studded black booties. The rest of the outfit evolved from staple pieces in Erica’s closet: faux leather pants, a flowy silk and lace tank, and vibrant turquoise jewelry. The finished look stayed true to Erica’s Country/Folk vibe and illustrated the play between light and dark in This House is Haunted.

For more information on Erica, please visit her website and listen to her music on Reverbnation. Her debut single, This House is Haunted will be available for purchase on iTunes May 13. Until then you can listen to this exclusive preview on Erica’s YouTube page. Erica is also active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, so connect with her on these platforms to follow along with her journey!

Photographed by Angie Webb of Suburbanite Photography