Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

Love at First Listen with Alex Runions

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Alex Runions Interview Love at First Listen 2025

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.

Canadian singer-songwriter Alex Runions isn’t just entering a new era of music with his latest album. On ‘Above the Clouds and On the Ground,’ the Saskatoon-based artist complements a refreshed folk-pop rock sound with a wide range of new influences gleaned from life outside the industry—from sobriety to marriage and fatherhood. The result: personal triumph, along with a rekindled love for making music. Personally and sonically, this is Alex Runions 2.0. As Alex shares with us, “All that personal growth and self-reflection and change really gave me the opportunity to look back, write a little bit more, write a little deeper, and it was a form of healing for me writing this album as well.”

In this edition of Love at First Listen, Alex shares more about the stories behind the songs, finding balance somewhere between the clouds and the ground, and why this might be his last album ever.

As we celebrate the one-month anniversary of your new album ‘Above the Clouds and On the Ground,’ what have been some of the most surreal moments since release day?

It’s been great feedback. Overall, it’s a bit of a different album from my previous pop country music. This is just a little bit more eclectic, a little more Americana. The idea was to really move people, make people feel those emotions good or bad, and I’m excited that it’s getting that type of response. Some of the best things with it are releasing my first music video in close to 10 years and just getting the music out to the world. It’s also been 10 years since my last album, so I think being really proud of my new work and releasing it exactly the way I hoped has been special and surreal.

Do you think that extended break between albums gave you a chance to fully live life and sprinkle those experiences into your music?

Absolutely, 100%. Some of these songs are 10 years old or more and are so special, but I’ve had so much personal growth, especially in the last five years. I got married. I became a father. This month, it’ll be five years sober. You know, life is sure great, and there was a lot of dismal and dark times leading up to there, but that’s a lot of times where the inspiration comes from.

How did you land on the album title and what does it mean to you today?

The idea popped in my head of being up in the clouds, being in love, and being optimistic, but knowing there are also those harsh realities of the real world that we all have to live in and be a part of. That’s the darker things in life, with drinking and tough relationships. Those are the kind of things that keep you grounded, and the self-reflection part, that’s all being grounded. This album is the dichotomy between the two, and kind of living in both worlds.

You touched on it there, but there’s beauty to being above the clouds sometimes and on the ground at others. Where do you find your happy medium?

I’m a big guy on routine. I love mornings. I love simple things. I look forward to my morning coffee the night before and love working out, being active, and spending time with my daughter, family, and friends. That’s really a big thing for me—to really give myself some time and be with people I love at the same time.

Your music touches on these personal milestones, but it has also inspired a lot of professional milestones, including a top 50 Canadian radio hit and multiple Canadian Country Music Week showcases. Do any of those milestones particularly stick out to you?

One of my biggest milestones was the CCMA Songwriters’ Series Showcase in London, Ontario in 2016. It was something I aspired to get to, and I was able to live in the moment and really enjoy it for what it is. It felt like I was accepted as well. That’s one thing along the way that I think I really longed for—just some acceptance. And to be accepted into a songwriters’ community like that was a great honour for me. Another milestone would be the year that I won the Saskatchewan Country Music Association Fan’s Choice Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year. The year leading up to it was my second album, and I put so much work into booking shows and playing shows and the album itself, so that was probably the most I worked through those years. Just to get the recognition, it was a long time coming, and I’m still so grateful for that.

What’s next on your professional milestone bucket list?

Just to keep playing, to keep writing more. I was kind of scared that I never would after this album was done, but I’ve already started coming up with ideas and follow-up songs and reaching out to songwriters and getting back into it. It’s a little different having a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter at home; it’s a little tougher to rehearse, and even sometimes having the mental energy, [but] I wouldn’t change it for the world.

On that note, in your Instagram post announcing the release of this album, you mentioned this might be your last full-length release. Is that still where your head’s at, or are you coming around to more new music?

I think it would be a matter of singles; maybe a three-song EP here and there. We’ll see, depending on if there’s enough songs that I’m writing in that time. But I think looking at it realistically, right now, it feels like it might be the last one.

We’ll be tuned in to your socials to see what’s planned! With this now being three albums under your belt, what three songs from your full discography best represent your sound and story right now?

I can pick one off each album and say it’s the genesis of it. My first album, I’d say “Rollercoaster.” It was a love song I wrote that was very well responded to. That got me into songwriters’ circles and into writing in Nashville. It got me linked up with the producer that I did this album with, but we did it 10 years later. The second album, I’d have to say “South of the City,” only because that was the signature track. It was a slow one where people weren’t really into it and then all of a sudden they were, and so it sort of solidified things. I had a few singles along the way that did well, but then if I’m looking at this latest album, I’d have to say “Missing Piece” is my favourite song—maybe one of my favourite songs I’ve ever written.

Great picks. As people read this interview and listen to the album, what thoughts, feelings, and emotions do you hope they’re left with? Should there be a few tears shed and some hope inspired?

I hope people see that I’m genuine in the music [and] that inspires them to go and listen to it. I encourage people to listen to the album front to back, only because then they can understand what I’ve been through, and hopefully as they’re listening to it, it touches them in a way that, when it comes to the sad songs, it gives them permission to have an ugly cry, be sad, [and] connect with those emotions. I will say, predominantly, the songs on the album are kind of sad, and one is about my dog passing away. But for me, it was a big part of my life … and I know other people are going through it as well. I’m hoping people connect with these songs in whatever way they need to.

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

Love at First Listen with Gavin McLeod

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Gavin McLeod Interview Love at First Listen 2025

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.

Blending classic and modern rock à la The Strokes, Inhaler, and Sam Fender with the blues music he grew up playing, emerging Canadian artist Gavin McLeod is one to watch. With an EP and several infectious live performances under his belt, Gavin has found his musical footing with ‘The Constant Astonishment,’ his debut album released last month and written over four years, including several pandemic-era writing stints with his bandmates. Songs like “Marigold” (which almost didn’t make the final tracklist!) and lead single “Things We Used To Do” shine with their folk-leaning, intimate-sounding production, but are perhaps most memorable for being pure, timeless head bobbers that will find a home on any playlist.

In this edition of Love at First Listen, scroll through Gavin’s thoughts on maintaining a healthy balance with social media, finding support in the music industry, and the behind-the-scenes scoop on auditioning for America’s Got Talent.

You released your debut album, ‘The Constant Astonishment,’ on Valentine’s Day. Let’s start there: when and how did you come to fall in love with music and songwriting? Who were some of the first artists that you loved at first listen?

I was around seven or eight when my dad put me on a drum kit. He always played drums growing up, so it was a natural thing. There was also just a lot of music in the house. My grandfather introduced me to Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, and all that early ‘70s stuff on vinyl and then some ‘90s alternative grunge, and that is still the basis of what I listen to. I started playing guitar, singing, and met my guitar player when we were 11. We loved playing blues music early on, and then shifted to playing at bars covering Jimmy Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. We’ve had some lineup changes throughout the years but the two of us have been playing in a band since then, so it’s just been non-stop.

What inspired the album name, aside from your career being a fast-growing success and probably a constant astonishment in and of itself?

The title track came from looking outward and seeing how people are so addicted to their phones nowadays and constantly needing stimulation or anything to keep them occupied and me kind of feeling disenfranchised with all that stuff. I liked the name; it fit in with a bunch of themes that I was writing about at the time, and it rolled off the tongue, so it just became the record name.

As an artist today, that’s an interesting position to find yourself in with so much growth happening on TikTok and YouTube, and then having this feeling of it all being a little too much.

Yeah, it’s scary. I feel like most artists go through this, but you could be really hot on it one day and be like, this is great. The next day, you might feel real down on it. You have to find a way to work with it and be creative. It’s not easy, but back in the day there was nothing like this to be able to self-publish or do anything yourself. So, there’s probably more positives than negatives, but it can be a lot when most of your day is working off of screens. It becomes much less about the music.

Your album release was supported by FACTOR Canada. As an emerging Canadian artist, what does it mean to you to have their financial backing, and what advice would you give to future cohorts of breakthrough Canadian talent?

For people doing this moving forward, there’s a lot of support out there, but it doesn’t mean much unless you’ve got your foundation and your plan and you know what you want to do. That said, the support being there really does help. The fact that you can get this kind of support from FACTOR, and that the government supports that, is crucial because it’s obviously a very hard industry to breakthrough in. I don’t think there would have been a chance that we would have been able to record the way that we did if we didn’t have them. We were able to go in and do a live off the floor thing at this beautiful studio for a couple weeks, and it was all because of FACTOR. So, definitely a lot of love there.

Although your America’s Got Talent audition didn’t air, what experience and exposure did that time bring you?

It was a couple years in the making where they had reached out on Instagram and asked if I wanted to do the show. What you see on TV — the audition in front of 2,000 people — they’ve curated those people to get to that point, even though they make it seem like that’s the first audition. I was able to go and perform in front of the judges and a big audience down in Pasadena, and I met some cool people from Brazil, Poland, and all over the world. The scale of the show is crazy, so I’m glad I got the experience and the opportunity. I’ve never felt that weird and nervous for anything I’ve done.

You’ve played some of Toronto’s favourite venues, including Horseshoe Tavern, Rivoli, Drake Underground, and Velvet Underground. Do you have any other venues on your wish list?

I’ve always [said] if there’s any way we could play at Massey Hall, that would be insane. That would be number one bucket list. But I don’t know if that’s going to happen.

We need to have positive energy here. You’ve played TD Music Hall, which is in the building.

Yeah, that’s in the building. We’re almost there. [We] got to go in the elevators and stuff. I was like, this is close enough. (Editor’s note: For now!)

Singer Gavin McLeod photographed performing live on stage in Toronto. (Photo courtesy of Gavin McLeod)
Singer Gavin McLeod photographed on stage in Toronto. (Photo courtesy of Gavin McLeod)

Spill the tea: which of these venues has the best green room?

The El Mocambo green room is amazing since the renovation. They’ve done some something really nice there, although I also like a crusty, sh!tty looking green room as well. But yeah, it feels like a five-star hotel. It’s very nice.

Speaking of Velvet Underground, that’s where we were introduced — when you opened for Winnetka Bowling League earlier this month. For those who aren’t familiar with the behind-the-scenes intricacies, where are you and what are you doing when you get that invite?

We were meeting with one of our guys from Dine Alone [Records] and he had an email come through. He was like, “Do you guys want this gig?” There’s a song that they came out with a couple months ago called “This Is Life,” and my guitar player Patrick and I [have] played that song a million times. It’s with Medium Build and Dawes, and we love those guys. Sometimes you open for someone, you don’t really know their music, and you get to know it. But we were big fans of their stuff beforehand, so it was quite cool.

Now that ‘The Constant Astonishment’ is out, I’m sure you’re still riding that high and living in the moment, but can you tease where you’re hoping to take this music next?

Everything we’re writing and recording right now is very UK indie rock inspired. We’re hoping to start putting new stuff out in the next couple months — some singles, maybe leading up to an EP. We don’t really have a concrete plan yet, but there’s a lot of new stuff in the tank, and we want to get it out there. We’ve got some festivals and shows in the summer and a couple other slots coming up. Everything will be shared on Instagram.

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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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