Ever since she first started listening to the sounds of Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, Anne Murray, and Wynonna Judd, singer Laura Bryna has been enamored with country music. “I’ve always loved what country music stands for; simple, beautiful melodies and strong lyrics about life – it’s so relatable.”

Today, Bryna has emerged as one of the new, young sensations coming out of Nashville, with a voice and personality that draw from her inspirations growing up but is distinctly her own.

A native of Mount Airy, Maryland, Bryna spent hours listening to the sweet, melancholy sounds of Cline and others on country radio as she drove with her mother to visit her older brother in a Washington, D.C. hospital after he suffered a brain aneurism that left him in a coma for six months at the age of 13. “Country music really got us through some very tough times,” says Bryna. “They were songs about real life experiences, similar to what my family was going through.”

Bryna’s talent was evident early on when she was tapped to join the Kennedy Center’s Summer Drama Workshop while still in high school. She traveled to other schools in Maryland, Virginia and Washington along with the renowned African a cappella singing group Ladysmith Black Mambazo teaching inner-city kids about life experiences. Bryna went on to attend Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, studying acting, singing and dance.

It was during this time when family friend Ted Neeley, star of the Broadway hit Jesus Christ Superstar, came to hear her senior recital that Bryna received an invitation to perform in the ensemble cast of a recording of “Rasputin”, a Broadway-bound musical by Michael Rapp. She appeared on the CD performing alto, soprano and tenor parts alongside such renowned artists as Amanda McBroom, John Hurt and Ted Neeley. The experience further solidified Bryna’s desire and passion for music and, following graduation, she packed up her car and headed for Nashville.

Bryna found her second home in Nashville and immediately enrolled in music classes at Belmont College while landing an internship at Sony Tree Publishing and later DreamWorks Publishing. She also continued her involvement with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a cause she’d become familiar with as a youngster when her brother lay ill. The experience exposed Bryna to Make-A-Wish and various celebrities who came to see young kids in the hospital. She continues to work with the organization in Nashville.“I’ve stuffed envelopes, taken artists on visits to meet the kids, granted wishes, done whatever I could to help.”

So involved emotionally with the Make-A-Wish Foundation was Bryna that she co-wrote an inspirational single aptly titled “Make A Wish” that appears on her debut CD released in January of 2008.

Bryna’s energetic and sincere personality is highlighted by a passion for clothing that knows no limits. She’s found a kindred spirit in fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, known for his colorfully sophisticated designs and evening attire. Another love is her three birds, also colorful and each with a very unique personality. “They are my kids,” says Bryna, of her Congo African Grey, ‘Tyler’, her Senegal parrot, ‘Harmony’, and her Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, ‘Snuggle.’

An accomplished vocalist, Bryna is also fluent in French, having studied it for 12 years in school. She also dabbles in anthropology and archeology. “When I’m not all decked out in makeup and hair and singing, I think it’s fun to just go research and dig in the mud and see what you can find.”

As more and more people are exposed to the sensational singing, dancing and acting talents of Laura Bryna, they are uncovering a very special gem – the one that lies within her voice as well as her heart.