Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

Love at First Listen with Delta Sweet

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Delta Sweet Interview Love at First Listen 2024

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Life has been extra sweet to Patrick Kordyback this year—make that Delta Sweet. Known and loved by fans as the frontman of Canadian pop-punk group Stereos, Pat recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of the release of his band’s debut record while reintroducing himself to the music world as a sharply defined, solo country act. His official debut single “Outta Money, Outta Mind” is a fun, catchy record celebrating the underdog and gives fans old and new more to look forward to in 2025.

Speaking of what’s ahead… Love at First Listen caught up with Pat to talk about the power of timing, which Stereos songs belong on your country playlist, and why he doesn’t care if you call him “the nostalgia act.”

For fans who are just getting into “Outta Money, Outta Mind,” when did your love for country music start, and how did Delta Sweet come about?

I grew up around country music like a lot of Albertans, and it’s been the anthem of every summer since I was a kid. I’ve been trying to do this as a separate project since 2011 with two of the guys from Stereos. We recorded songs, had them produced, and everything, but the timing was never right. I tried it again around 2019 and same thing — recorded songs, had them ready to go, and it just wasn’t the right timing. I think I’m an old man in the music industry in a lot of ways now and one thing I’ve learned is that the timing you [expect] is rarely how it works out, so I’m happy that stuff didn’t come out. I don’t think the songs were necessarily there yet, but now … the third time’s the charm for me.

What does the name Delta Sweet represent to you?

It’s a play on this old album by an artist named Bobbie Gentry. She was one of the first women to write and produce her own music in the ‘60s, and she did this Southern Gothic style, bluegrass, country-influenced album called ‘The Delta Sweete.’ I loved that word combo when I found it, and I think every artist knows this process — you have an idea, then you start Googling [and] start looking on Spotify to see if it’s taken. To record under a moniker as opposed to my own name was a decision I made because this is my first time ever going solo when I wanted to look and feel exactly like I wanted to. And it was something that I felt was a lot cooler than Pat Kordyback, to be honest.

Your girlfriend Hayley, who’s also an artist, is featured in the music video. What was it like working with her and spending the day on set together?

Her character in the video is intentionally not nice to me and very demanding. It was two takes in where Travis, the director, said, “She’s way too good at acting mean to you.” She was character acting, and she was flawless, but there’s some takes where I was like, “You need to relax!” But she killed it and is the star of the video in many ways.

You first introduced Delta Sweet to the world back in April with “Pour A Little My Way,” a collaboration with your friend Ashton Adams. How long have you been working behind the scenes to bring Delta Sweet to life, and what did the reception to that song mean to you?

That song was in the top 40 on the Spotify Canadian country charts very quickly after release, and it blew me away seeing my name on there. We were very lucky to get some really good playlisting support on straightforward country U.S. playlists, which was sort of unexpected because it is an EDM country song, and so I was not expecting it to get buy in necessarily from those top-tier editorials that focus strictly on country. But it spent months on some of them, and it was really helpful, especially out of the gate as a new artist.

As people start adding your new music to their playlists alongside some of their nostalgic Stereos favourites, what would you consider your most country-inspired throwbacks?

If you go back to our album ‘Cheap Thrills’ in 2022, one of my favourites is “Glory Days,” and I wrote that with Aaron [Verdonk], our drummer, and Dan Davidson, who’s a great songwriter that I look up to in Canadian country music. For our first ever album ‘Stereos,’ we did a deluxe version where, if you bought it, you would get a song a month, and one of the songs we did there called “Back Home” was definitely country-influenced. So, it’s definitely been something that I’ve been honing for a long time. With Stereos, if we were to do more new music, my eyes have been opened to a completely new world of the session players that you can get to play on your stuff. They’re so good.

More recent Stereos music really focused on capturing the vibes of your live shows. Thinking about country music, which is also big on how songs translate to the stage, are you approaching Delta Sweet performances in a different way?

I would love to hear from fans on this because some industry people are like, “Listen, man, no one’s going to take you seriously in country if you’re still doing the Stereos thing.” Fair enough. But I just went to the CCMAs here in Edmonton, and for so many people, once they found out about the Stereos thing, they were immediately interested in what I was doing. Then, it was suggested when I’m doing Delta Sweet, I should play “Summer Girl,” or a country version of that, live. I think it would be a lot of fun to do some of the old songs. I’m definitely not someone who’s like, “Don’t talk about Stereos! This is Delta Sweet only.” Stereos is something I’m proud of. It’s part of my story, so I’m down to incorporate it.

Speaking of Stereos, you and the guys reunited to perform at All Your Friends Fest this year alongside Fall Out Boy and Plain White T’s. What was it like getting back on a festival stage and seeing people still singing every word 15 years later?

It’s one of the most special things you can ask for as a musician. You hear the term one hit wonder, or like, “What happened to these guys? I forgot about them.” You know, there’s people who will make those comments, but if you think about what the term one hit wonder means, it means that you got a song so big that anything else subsequent didn’t quite live up to the same hype. That’s objectively true. But then you work backwards to how that band started, and who those kids were that started that band. When I wrote that one hit wonder, [I was] working terrible retail jobs, quitting each of them so I could go play one show in Winnipeg, then one day coming back and getting another terrible retail job so I could play another show in Vancouver. We were such massive dreamers, and we saw our dream get so big to a point that we never even imagined.

[All of this] has had that long lasting ability where I’m meeting fans who, like you, are showing me photos from years ago, [or] who I remember coming out to shows as super fans in junior high and now they come and have kids. So, one of the most amazing things for me to have learned is that being a throwback and being the nostalgia act is not in any way a bad thing. It is one of the most beautiful things we’ve been able to experience. I made the joke on stage that I’m getting gray hair, and I’m playing with Fall Out Boy, which is one of the bands that inspired me to even start playing music. Like, I’m one of the lucky ones.

As you embark on this new chapter and reflect on everything you’ve achieved so far—from making music in Alberta when you were 13 to going multi-platinum, winning a JUNO, and so much more—what’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned along the way about making music or managing stardom that you could pass along to up-and-coming artists?

I always give the “it’s like trying to win the lottery” analogy to people. The best way to win, or the best chance you have at winning the lottery, is to have as many tickets as possible. With music, a ticket can be being nice to everyone you meet. It can be taking care of yourself. It can be writing the best songs possible, making connections, know[ing] the right people. Everything you do [helps give] you the best chance. Now, you’re still probably going to lose. Do you want to do it? If [you] answer yes to that, then this is meant for you. But if you’re like, I have to try and do all that, and the chances are [I’m] still going to lose? It feels like that many days for many of us. It’s 30 rough, tough days wondering if anything’s going to happen for every one day where it’s like, oh, I got a break today. But those breaks are what keep you going.

To sum it all up, I also say no one knows what they’re talking about. The most intelligent people you’ll meet in music will say, “Here’s what’s worked for me,” but also this industry changes one day to the next. If anyone approaches you being like, “I know everything,” the best, most talented A&Rs [and] managers miss on things, and so at the end of the day, you have to make your own gut decision. Talk to as many people as you can but listen to your gut because there’s just way too much that is up in the air for you to fail — and fail just listening to everyone else the whole time, because that’s tough to swallow. But if you, for lack of better term, fail but it was your call, you can live with that. You can learn from it, adjust, and keep going. It’s very hard, but it’s amazing too.

What can you tease for fans to look forward to in 2025?

It’s going to be a lot of me starting to be consistent with my release schedule. So, a lot of singles, and then I’m going to be working towards an EP in the fall or early 2026. But I am sitting on music now that I can’t wait to release already. It’s some of my favourite stuff I’ve ever done, for sure. I would say in the early New Year, expect new music.

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, New Music Friday

Love at First Listen with Devin Cooper

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Devin Cooper Interview Love at First Listen 2024

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Country artist Devin Cooper and his fans might know better than anyone right now that ‘good things take time.’ Since releasing his debut ‘Good Things’ EP in 2022, Devin has been hard at work writing and recording new music, perfecting his sound, playing shows, growing his audience, and living and enjoying life on the side (the musical inspiration has to come from somewhere!). His fans, meanwhile, have ate up a successful string of standalone singles, including this year’s “She’s My Religion” and “Wanted Man.”

Devin is now expanding his ‘Good Things’ sonic universe with ‘Good Things: Deluxe Edition,’ which features those standalone singles and two brand-new tracks — “Leave It To Chance” and “Dying To Be Seen.” Like the EP, the full album also includes live acoustic recordings that elevate each song’s raw emotions and country-rock vocals to a whole new level.

Join in the ‘Good Things: Deluxe Edition’ release day celebrations and read our new chat with Devin where he spills the tea on the “little lessons” he’s learned throughout life, the ideal album listening experience, and your next chance to see him live.

You recently played several summer festivals including NXNE, Cavendish Beach Music Festival, and Calgary Stampede. How else has 2024 been treating you?

This year has been chaotic in the best way possible. It’s been a lot of running around literally all over the country, like you said, and there’s been a ton of shows, a lot of fun, and getting ready for this album to come out.

Why did you decide to continue the ‘Good Things’ era versus releasing an entirely new album or EP?

As I started writing new songs that were supposed to be set for my sophomore record, I realized that I hadn’t really said everything I wanted to say on that first EP. The new stories were still a continuation of this ‘Good Things’ story. I wanted to put everything together to finish the story before I moved on to the next thing.

You released “Underdog” at the end of 2022, “The Other Guy” and “What You Don’t Know” in 2023, and “She’s My Religion” and “Wanted Man” this year. How has the response been to those songs, and did any of that feedback impact the way you went into finishing this album?

I feel very fortunate to have a lot of great support from the local Alberta radio stations, as well as from all the fans showing up to all the shows. It’s cool to see this growing a little bit at a time and see more people coming on board with that steady trajectory that you always want to have. I was able to look again at the whole story and the whole picture that was unfolding with these songs and how they all kind of integrated and work together, and how they really were a part of that ‘good things take time’ story. It’s basically all the little lessons that I’ve learned at this point in my life.

Were any of these new songs ready or in progress when you were putting together the initial EP? How long has this full-length, double-album concept been in your back pocket?

I’d always wanted to do a double album, but I wasn’t sure if it was going to be a continuation of the ‘Good Things’ project at first. I wrote “Dying To Be Seen” back in early 2019 – actually the same weekend writing retreat that we wrote “Wanted Man.” I’d been trying to figure out the best place to put it because I felt like it wasn’t necessarily a single but it was a really great song to wrap up an album. As we were going through all of the context of what we’d had in this record and the lessons I had touched on throughout the album, that song in particular was one that I went back on and was like, I think we have to add this one. I’m excited for it to come out and for everybody to hear it.

You recorded the live acoustic tracks in Calgary with 40 of your biggest supporters in the studio. Why was it important for you to include those on the initial EP and then again on the full album, and did you approach the acoustic recordings any differently than the studio recordings?

It was an experience that I had never done before. We were in the studio where we recorded all of the full band stuff, except we were just set up in a row with 40 seats in front of us. Everyone in the room had their own set of headphones so they could listen to the producers talk to us from the control room. We did two takes of every song, so the first take, the whole audience was completely quiet, and then the second take, we had them clap at the end. It was cool to see the excitement on their faces and watch them be able to listen to the producers tell us what to adjust for the next take. They really got to see behind the scenes of how songs are recorded and how they come to life.

There is always so much magic in those intimate shows where fans want to record every song, but in this case they wouldn’t have to do that. It’s right here on the album for them.

That was really cool. No one was allowed to bring any of their cell phones, but we had disposable cameras that we put under a few different seats for people to take pictures throughout the night. We were able to develop those and get some really cool photos from the night through the audience’s perspective of what they were seeing. And yeah, it’s really cool because no one had to film it, no one had to record it. We did all that for them. So, we could give that copy to everybody who attended that night and then release it to the world.

You’ve already shared your excitement on Instagram that this album is your first vinyl release. As an artist who is also a music lover, what does that mean to you, and can you share some of the vinyl releases you’ve loved at first listen over the years?

Vinyl is something I’ve always wanted to do, and with this deluxe edition project, it was something I knew we had to do. Just taking it over the top and having it made right here in Calgary was really cool as well. So, getting that first vinyl and being able to open it and really see it in my hands was an unbelievable experience. Growing up, I listened to a lot of my parents’ records, which were like old Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and then big hair metal and hard rock bands like AC/DC and Judas Priest and Mötley Crüe. It’s cool to be able to add this to the collection amongst all those names that I listened to.

The vinyl is split into a side A and side B, plus sides C and D for the respective acoustic recordings. When you were putting the final track list together, was that a consideration at all?

Absolutely. When I first put the track listing together, it was a collaborative effort between me and my producers, and we kind of went back and forth and built this story as one complete story. It was interesting when I then got the vinyl and was able to actually listen to side A and then stop and flip it over and listen to side B. It is almost two separate stories the way that they’ve been split up, and it’s cool because that actually wasn’t even an intentional thought. It gives it another perspective because if you’re listening digitally, you’re going to listen to all 11 in order, but with the vinyl, you have that break you can’t really avoid.

I feel like we now have to go back and listen to the album again! So, what ultimately is the message that you hope to leave fans with once they get to the end of these 11, or technically 22, tracks (including the live acoustic recordings!)?

It’s basically just that good things take time and enjoy the process because we only get to do this once. I know for me, a lot of the growth and learning that I did was learning to enjoy the moment and enjoy what’s happening right in front of me, rather than looking at the destination of where I’m trying to go. We can get so caught up in trying to get to where we’re going, sometimes we forget about the things that are happening around us in the middle of it.

If someone is just discovering you for the first time, what three songs would you recommend they play to get the best representation of Devin Cooper the artist?

Man, that’s a tough question. I would say… the title track “Good Things,” “Underdog,” and if I have to pick only one more, I think “Dying To Be Seen.” It has a little more of the Southern rock, swampy edge to it and pays tribute to some of the stuff I listened to growing up.

How do you plan to celebrate the release of the ‘Good Things: Deluxe Edition,’ and should fans be on the lookout for any new tour dates so they can further join in the festivities?

We had a very small, exclusive listening party with a bunch of my closest fans and supporters and some family. As the record comes out, we’re also going to be announcing a bunch of shows that will be happening throughout September, October, and November. People can stay tuned for lots of exciting stuff coming.

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music

Love at First Listen with JESSIA

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JESSIA Interview Love at First Listen 2024

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Throughout the pandemic, many people struggled to find new outlets of creative expression. Jessika Harling, who you may know best as Canadian singer-songwriter JESSIA, turned to music—and the rest was history. Releasing her first single “Tell Me” in April 2020 and the viral self-love smash “I’m Not Pretty” (134M+ streams to date!) a few months later, JESSIA quickly built a reputation for catchy pop headbangers with lyrics that read like they’re ripped from every listener’s diary. If she’s not on your playlist yet, there’s plenty more where those hits came from—starting now.

Earlier this summer, JESSIA shared the news that she is now an independent artist. Luckily, she has thousands of day one fans willing and ready to support her and her brand new body of work, ‘Okay With Every Part’—a title that resonates deeper now more than ever. In this edition of Love at First Listen, JESSIA takes us behind the scenes on finding herself again after being dropped from her first major label, planning her first-ever headlining tour, and why you might spot her holding a camcorder at your next concert.

You’ve always been very open and vulnerable through your music and you’re continuing that tradition with ‘Okay With Every Part.’ What has all the support meant to you, and how do you relate that title to your journey as an independent artist over the last year?

The response has been absolutely incredible. Everybody’s showing up. Even going into the comment section on [the original] post, I’m like, stop, I’m going to cry. It took a lot to come out and really say it because it happened a year ago, but I felt like I needed to process it on my own and wasn’t ready to go completely public with it. And I didn’t want any anger or anything like that to come out—I’m very thankful that it wasn’t one of those horror story breakups that you hear about. ‘Okay With Every Part’ is about being able to come out of the storm and talk about it and be like, this happened, [but] I got through it. I’m able to look back and be like, I’m okay with every single part of it. I wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t be this happy and I wouldn’t be creating this music had I not gone through that.

Each of the six songs represent a pivotal point in your life. When did you officially start the EP and when did you know it was done?

I mean, I was putting out singles all of last year trying to figure out my sound. It was when “Care About Me” came out that I was like, okay, this is definitely what I want to say and this is my sound. That was the changing point where I was like, we’re going to start working on a project and not just throw singles out to the wind. Now, we’re so locked in on the sound and I’m writing like crazy, and I feel more inspired than I’ve ever felt.

You’ve written about feeling like you lost your identity as an artist after getting dropped. How did you navigate finding yourself again?

I think that I just needed to overcome the shame and the guilt of being dropped. It’s like being dumped but realizing that you can get up and still go and the only thing that’s going to stop you from releasing music is yourself. I refuse to stop releasing music. I refuse to shut down. I did kind of shut down in not really touring as much and not being as public facing, but I think therapy, friends, family, and writing all of this really got me through. I think that this is just in my blood, so it’s like nothing is ever going to stop me.

You also said there was a point that you thought lost your dream—meanwhile, this is only the beginning! You just announced eight shows in the U.S. and Canada this October. Where are you in the planning stages?

I’m actually wanting to go live and have the fans choose the setlist. It’s a weird balance where I want to play my old stuff that everybody knows, but I also am so, so excited about the new stuff that I’ve just released and that I’m continuing to release. So, I’m just finding the perfect balance of that. But if you have any favourites, let me know. I’ll add them to the queue.

How long can we make the show?

Oh, it’ll just be like a three-hour performance.

Bring on JESSIA: The Eras Tour! You’ve played festivals like Austin City Limits and opened for Maroon 5 and Dean Lewis, but this is your first official headlining tour. How are you approaching it differently?

It’s crazy the amount of control that I have because as an opener, you’re in, you’re out, and you kind of do what you’re told. Now, I’ve really gone into the energy, the vibe, and what I want people to leave my show feeling. I’m also thinking about what special moments I can make for other artists to be able to come to my show and be like, oh, this was really cool. I think the show that’s freaking me out the most is probably my LA show because so many artists are there. I want to be like, here, look what we can do.

You’ve used social media throughout your career, developing a strong community that’s lasted through the years. Have you started thinking of ways to build a social strategy around the tour, such as daily vlogs on the road?

I would love that. I’m wanting to buy a little camcorder because I find it really interesting that I’m able to talk to cameras other than my phone a lot more. Like, as soon as I pull out my phone, I feel like an instant influencer. But having a camcorder in my hand, it’s like I’m making a home video. I can be myself and be less pristine. I feel like everything just needs to be perfect, and I try really hard to fight that.

You’ve had a lot of pinch-me moments, from winning Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2022 JUNO Awards to having your song play on a season of summer’s “it” show Love Island. What was the first pinch-me moment you had where you felt you had truly made it, and what’s next on your bucket list?

Good question. Playing Lollapalooza [in Chicago] was absolutely incredible. It was my first show because I blew up in a pandemic, and for that being my first show right out of it, I was like, what is going on? So, that was definitely a pinch-me moment of stepping on stage and also hearing all of my tracks for the first time and just the show actually happening. It was crazy that a show that size was the first time we were working out all the kinks! Next up, I think there’s going to be moments all through this first headlining tour that are going to be pinch-me moments of people showing up for me and not just showing up for the next person.

A lot of these songs, especially “He’s A 10,” will be on repeat for the rest of the summer. What are some of the summer songs you’ve loved at first listen this year?

It’s a ‘brat’ Girl Summer, 100%. That Charli XCX record has been on repeat. Also, Sabrina Carpenter—her whole trajectory and the way that she’s navigated her career is absolutely incredible. August 23 cannot come fast enough!

On the theme of being ‘Okay With Every Part,’ what advice would you have either for a young you or a new artist wanting to follow in your footsteps given everything you’ve learned about the industry to date?

Less is more. I think that when you first step on the scene and you see a whole bunch of people you know, you want to have those relationships. But I would say that your team can just be a small, mighty little team. The more cooks in the kitchen, the more things can get diluted and you lose sight of yourself. Trust your gut, trust what you want to sound like, and only really listen to the people who truly have your best intentions in mind.

Also, with social media, I still have to remind myself of this, but you may post a video and want it to go viral and it doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad song or a bad piece of content. It’s crazy that it is lowkey your job to fight against a computer and its algorithms. Remind yourself that if you think it’s a good song, somebody else is probably going to think it’s a good song too.

Aside from tour planning, do you have anything else in the works for your fans?

The music video for “Happy Without You” is here and I am so stoked for it, and then I’m shooting content as we speak for the next single. It’s crazy how it’s like, drop this, on to the next, here we go. But get ready—we’re back!

Where can fans, day one and new, connect with you online?

@jessiamusic. I respond to my Instagram DMs way more than I respond to my TikTok DMs, but if you want to actually send me a message, it’s me behind everything.

I can vouch for that because you responded to my message and helped me set this up, so thanks!

You see—customer testimonial right here.

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, New Music Friday

Love at First Listen with Shantaia

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Shantaia Interview Love at First Listen 2024

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

If you know Canadian country singer Shantaia from her 2020 debut single “I Wish You Would” or her 2023 album ‘Exes and Friends,’ make room on your playlist for Shantaia 2.0. Her recently-released summer smash—and guaranteed love at first listen track—“What I Wouldn’t Do” blends the best of her familiar country twang, catchy melodies, and cool girl vibe with a sultry yet soulful new aura. There’s only one thing to wonder: What we wouldn’t do for more like this!

In the thick of festival season, Shantaia has stayed hard at work on a sophomore project, tentatively scheduled for early 2025. But when we recently chatted with her, she teased that fans won’t have to wait that long for a taste of what she’s been cooking up. Read below to see what else Shantaia had to share about her whirlwind rise, the move that changed her life, and the things she actually wouldn’t do for love.

Welcome to Love at First Listen! How are you feeling about all the buzz “What I Wouldn’t Do” has received to date, and for those who haven’t heard the song, what is it about?

It’s a new sound for me, so I think that there was this shock factor in a good way. It’s been really cool to see people react to it. I wrote the song from a perspective of desperate love — something that you just can’t get enough of, and you would do anything for this person. I think people can relate to it in two different ways. It can be somebody who’s maybe not that good for you and it’s that toxic love, or it can be just true, deep, desperate love for somebody you’ve been with for a long time.

This is your first release in over a year, and I understand you really wanted to take the time to figure out exactly what you wanted to say and how. What pushed you to take new risks with your lyrics and sound?

I released a full album last February, so after dropping that project and trickling the last single off of it to radio, I asked myself, sonically and musically, am I saying what I want to? I think lyrically, I’ve always been a true songwriter and saying what I want to say in the moment. But I was sort of questioning like, is my sound authentic? Is this really who I am, or am I confining myself inside a box? I’ve been in Nashville for four years now, and there’s a lot of people in this town who aren’t afraid to challenge themselves, which is really inspiring. So, why should I be afraid to also push those boundaries and put out the music that I want to make, not what other people expect from me?

How has your sound ultimately evolved over time, and are there any specific songs or artists that have helped craft it?

If you listen to my previous stuff, it’s a lot more in that pop country vein, but I grew up on so many different kinds of music. For years, I’ve had so many mentors and fellow artists and producers tell me I have such a soulful voice and that I should utilize that more. I kind of shrugged it off like, oh, nobody wants to hear that. I’ve always been a huge Chris Stapleton and Maren Morris fan, and they really fuse the soulful blues and R&B genres into country. Country music now veers in all these different paths so that it’s acceptable to cross those lines a little bit. If you’ve listened to “What I Wouldn’t Do,” it’s a lot more in that bluesy, groovy, kind of vibey pocket you wouldn’t typically hear on the radio.

You describe your artistic aesthetic as a combination of Daisy Jones fashion, Teddy Swims swag, and Chris Stapleton country soul. How do those three influences shape the way you bring your music and energy to life on stage?

I love makeup and sunglasses and jewelry and all the things, so branding and marketing are really fun for me to figure out whether the fashion is making sense with the sound. I feel like now more than ever, I’ve been able to really play with some ‘70s inspiration. I’ve always been a bell bottom girl, and sunglasses have been an obsession of mine since I was 15 buying random sunglasses that I thought were cool all over the country. So, I think being able to play with fashion on the performance side of things is really fun to then connect it to the music.

This song is about addicting, all-encompassing love and doing things you normally wouldn’t do when you are in a relationship. In reality, is there anything you truly wouldn’t do for love? What are your non-negotiables?

It’s funny you bring this up because on release night, my friends and I were at the bar celebrating the release of the song and we started this TikTok of ‘what I actually wouldn’t do for somebody.’ A bunch of my friends were like, share a toothbrush with that person, or share my last chicken nugget. I don’t even think I ended up doing one, but there’s a lot — like I actually would never share a toothbrush. That grosses me out so much. I would not get a tattoo. I love my fiancé Kenan, but we will never get matching tattoos because that scares the heck out of me. I mean, I love tattoos. I have a couple tattoos. But I just feel like you’re cursing the relationship a little. There’s just something with putting it inked on your body where I know it’s removable, but it’s also expensive. It’s unnecessary!

@shantaia.music I feel like there are some confessions in here… some were unexpected hahaha! What I Wouldnt Do is OUT NOW!! #friends #reddoor #confessions #whatiwouldntdo #newmusic #friendchallenge @Andrew Scholz @Teigen Gayse @Keenan Sjodin @Brandy Neelly @bergerboo @Dylan Gerard @Alee @Jordan Honsinger @Baker Grissom @Mallory Johnson ♬ What I Wouldn’t Do – Shantaia

You won the Boots & Hearts 2024 Emerging Artists Showcase and, more recently, the SCMA Award for Country Album of the Year. How validating is that industry praise, coupled with the unwavering love and support of your fans?

I feel like as artists, we are so busy grinding, and I know I don’t think about the awards when I’m in the thick of writing the songs. It’s just when it comes around and you’re like, oh yeah, I guess I’m eligible for this, and then it comes to final ballot and you win the award. It’s really cool to see the support from all your friends and even artists across the country that notice and say how well deserved it is.

I also feel like Canadian country music is so special. The last time I flew into Nashville, my friend Teigen Gayse picked me up from the airport and we went straight to a bar here in Nashville to watch the final Oilers game with a ton of Canadians and we had so much fun. I think we trauma bond a little bit because it’s hard to move to Nashville and there’s a lot of hoops to jump through. We really latch onto each other like, how did you do this, and how did you apply for that visa? It’s all these questions where I think that you can feel really alone unless you have your fellow Canadians to help you through it. We definitely don’t just run into each other – we make a point of sticking together.

You talked there about the journey of moving to Nashville. Is there one piece of advice that you would offer to young musicians looking to make that jump themselves?

I think every single artist should experience Nashville in a way that actually embodies moving here. Like, I think it’s one thing to come here and write songs and see Nashville in all its glory for a week, but I think there’s so much progress and so many connections that you can make in this town that can just be life changing. The only way you can do that is if you’re here feet on the ground and actually living here.

I spent a lot of years coming to Nashville back and forth, but I feel like those connections didn’t fully turn into friendships or opportunities until I moved here. It’s like people didn’t fully take me seriously, and I’ve had a lot of producers and songwriters admit that to me. They said, yeah, we always wait and see if you actually make the leap. So, I think you can let Nashville intimidate you by all the talent that is here, or you can let it inspire you and light a fire. I think that if you go in with that mindset, you’re going to be golden, you’re going to get a publishing deal, or you’re going to start writing with people who are number one hit songwriters. I could go on for days about this. I think that me moving to Nashville was one of the best decisions.

For what you’ve written since “What I Wouldn’t Do,” would you say the music shares a similar sound or are you still evolving the vibe over time?

I think I’ve definitely found the creative confidence. I even co-produced “What I Wouldn’t Do” and I think it has let where my brain naturally goes just evolve and be at its best capacity. Expressing myself with this sound is coming really easily. It’s definitely a little edgy and there’s also some poppy stuff. I’m really excited to just start sneak peeking some more of it and hope everybody loves it as much as I do.

“What I Wouldn’t Do” will be on all our summer playlists. Do you have any early predictions for your personal song of the summer?

Honestly, as much as I want to fight it, the Post Malone / Morgan Wallen song “I Had Some Help.” I think that’s just everybody’s song this summer. Especially with Morgan’s bar opening in Nashville, it’s on constant rotation there and in everybody’s vehicles driving down the street. I really like Post Malone. I think he’s unique and not afraid to cross the boundaries. I’m also obsessed with Sabrina Carpenter. She is putting out some really cool stuff.

Do you have any live shows booked that fans should mark on their calendars?

I’m a little bit all over. I was just in Saskatchewan for the Living Skies Music Festival in Humboldt. It was their first year and we played with James Barker Band, Jason McCoy, and a few other great Canadian artists. I also played a show in Toronto at Junction Underground with Tae Lewis, who was a Top Nine finalist on The Voice and has Dan + Shay in his back pocket. I’ve been friends with Tae for years and seeing his journey has been really sweet. I’m heading to Cold Lake, Alberta for a show with Blackjack Billy at Full Throttle Music Festival on July 19, and then we do Boots and Hearts. When I talk about my summer, it’s like it’s come and gone already because it’s just going to be so busy, but I’m really excited to be out playing shows and playing some of the new music. A little birdie told me there might be a pre-kickoff party in Toronto for Boots and Hearts!

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

Love at First Listen with Madisyn Gifford

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Madisyn Gifford Interview Love at First Listen 2024

We all have those artists and songs we hear that strike the right chord and make us fall in love at first listen. They’re the reason we refresh social media pages, tour schedules, and Spotify profiles — because we can’t miss a single release. This is Love at First Listen — a series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

We all know the giddy, giggly, swinging-my-feet feelings associated with a new crush. Get ready to reminisce on being seventeen again: Vancouver pop darling Madisyn Gifford captures all of the fear, excitement, and embarrassment associated with new love, this time experienced as an adult on her new summer single “Seventeen,” which dropped on a pretty significant day—her 24th birthday.

Love at First Listen caught up with Madisyn to chat about how the song came together in personal record time, why her next album will be her happiest yet, and which tracks fans might be most excited to claim.

First of all, happy belated birthday! How excited were you to celebrate the release of “Seventeen” on such a big day for yourself both personally and professionally?

I love birthdays so much. I love any excuse to celebrate. So, getting to have two things on that day was fun. I’ve also been out of the release cycle rhythm for a while. For three years I was putting out music pretty much every six to 12 weeks almost like clockwork, but I haven’t done it in almost a year now. It’s been a nice break and I’m excited to get back into it.

Can you take us behind the scenes of your creative process? You worked with Jared Manierka, who has worked extensively with artists like Carly Rae Jepsen. How long had you been sitting on this song and how much of it did you have in mind when you first went into the studio?

It’s funny because this is actually one of the most recent songs we’ve written for the record that we’re working on right now. I brought it to Jared two and a half months ago, which in record release time is not a very long time ago. We just had so much fun making it and it came together really quickly, which doesn’t always happen. I have a song on this record that we’ve been trying to make for almost three years. I wrote this myself on my guitar in like 10 minutes and then we made it into this fun little folky, sort of country-esque song, which is the music I’ve always wanted to make.

Your music is very fresh but nostalgic at the same time. It’s folk-tinged pop but you can also hear some country influences, especially on “Seventeen.” Who are some artists that you’ve loved at first listen as you shaped your sound?

My go-to answer is always Ani DiFranco. She was my songwriting icon my whole life. I literally think I learned songwriting from just listening to her discography on loop as a kid. The Chicks, love them so much. Taylor Swift… I’m a girl in her 20s, so she has been a crazy influence for me my whole life. “Mr. Jones” was my favorite song while growing up and Counting Crows is one of my favorite bands. The list could go on forever… Stevie Nicks, obviously. Come on!

This is the first single off a forthcoming album. How is it going, and where does “Seventeen” fit in its sonic world?

We chose “Seventeen” as the lead single because I feel like it is a decent representation of the entire record. This record is going to be my happiest album I’ve ever made. Don’t worry, there will still be sad songs, but it’s definitely the happiest one I’ve made thus far in my career. It’s going to be called ‘A Quiet Contemplation of Sunshine.’ It’s very summery and folky, but poppy still and very fun. It has lots of live instrumentation and not a lot of pop synth sort of production, which is new for me. So, I’m really excited.

You mentioned embracing a summer vibe. Can fans expect to hear more of the album soon?

We fought to try and get it done earlier this summer, but we’re still chipping away at it. It should hopefully be coming out in October, but there will be more singles and stuff to come throughout the summer for sure.

Ahead of your last record ‘Sleeping on the Ceiling,’ you said your only goal was to write songs that scare you. When you’re writing bits of lyrics in your Notes app and bringing those lyrics to life in the studio, how do you push yourself to be vulnerable and pour everything out on paper?           

It’s interesting because with this record, I almost had the exact opposite mindset as I did on my last one. I’ve never been very good at writing happy music, but especially on this record because I’m in such a different phase of my life, I feel like I’ve kind of figured things out a little bit. In my mind, I’m not a teenager anymore. I’m a generally happy person now, which is cool—I worked hard to get there! I wanted to write an album that represented that, so I think my mindset going into this one was like, how can I truly represent what’s going on in my brain in my day-to-day life and not just delve into past things that I’ve already kind of sorted through? I don’t need to keep digging up that old stuff, you know. Whereas on ‘Sleeping on the Ceiling,’ I was still really trying to sift through things and figure out my stuff and it shows on the record. I was trying to figure out my brain and my trauma and what was going on up in there, but now I’m like, okay, I did that. Let’s move on!

Do you feel that writing and recording this music and putting it out helped you get through those emotions so that you are now in the position where the next record can be happier and more upbeat and all those things naturally?

100%. For new friends I meet, I’m always like, if you listen to my music in order, you’re going to be able to find out an absurd amount of things about me because [everything] is so autobiographical. When you go back through every record, they all feed into each other. Every single outro leads into the next intro, and they all tell a really clear story of my life from like, 20 years old and onward.

Have you started building the tracklist for this next record, and are there any song titles that might catch our eye?

Oh, that’s a really good question because I’m the same way. I love a good tracklist. I do have the tracklist pretty much done—not in order but done. The title track, “A Quiet Contemplation of Sunshine,” is going to be the first track. There’s also going to be a song on there called “Father’s Day.” That is the song we’ve been working on for like three years and just trying to make it work, but I think it finally works on this record. There’s another one called “Fast One” and one called “Overpriced” that I’m excited to share.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received about making music that you can pass along to anyone reading this who may want to follow in your footsteps?

Something I tell literally every single person I know is if you have kids or you know anyone who is thinking about going into the music industry and making music, please encourage them to write their own music. Write your stuff and get credits for what you’re writing because it’s everything. I don’t think people realize when they’re first starting out how much it matters. Pretty much one of the only ways that you can make money in this industry is through publishing, and it’s just such a special ability to have to be able to write not only for yourself but for others. Someone told me that when I was around 17 and I decided I wanted to do this. He sat me down and was like, the only thing I can tell you is just write as much as you possibly can. It just takes one song, if you get one song that does well, it’s all it takes. So, just keep writing.

To wrap up, where can people find and follow you online?

Everything is just madisyngifford with a Y instead of an O because my parents wanted to make things difficult for me. And my TikTok is maddyg.raps because that’s what people called me in high school!

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