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

Love at First Listen with Mariya Stokes

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Mariya Stokes 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.

Mood rings can reveal a lot about a person and their emotions. For Calgary-based singer-songwriter Mariya Stokes, her candid country storytelling is where she wholly embraces introspective reflection and outward vulnerability. For her debut album, she knew she had a lot to say—not to mention she had more than five years’ worth of music to sort through. All of those songs and stories and their respective emotions couldn’t fit neatly in one box. Going through the process of trying to convey one narrative, she tells us, “It’s like radical self-acceptance and being aware that we all have moods, they pass, some of them stick around, but it’s this universal human experience, this spectrum of emotion.” As it turns out, ‘Mood Ring’ is the perfect representation—and title—for a record (out today, May 23) introducing a powerful artist to the world in her most authentic, fully-fledged form.

In this edition of Love at First Listen, Mariya fills us in on the deeper story behind her debut album title, what her personal mood ring says about her release day emotions, and where you can shop her effortlessly cool retro aesthetic.

How do you think ‘Mood Ring’ as a title encapsulates your debut album?

This record is rooted in country music; all the songs were written basically with three chords and the truth. When we went into the studio and started to record them, I really wanted to serve each song for what it was, and that meant sometimes bending outside the country genre a little bit. So, there’s a little bit of jazz influence and a little bit of pop influence, and even a few little rocky moments. [The album is] about just diving into who you are as a person. … So, to capture the colour changes on the music side as well as the emotional side, ‘Mood Ring’ just seemed like the perfect title. It was actually my manager who came up with it. We were throwing around ideas to capture what this whole project was and she popped out, “Mood ring.” I was like, “That’s what it is.”

If we look at your real-life mood ring right now, what colour and mood is it showing heading into release day?

Okay, I don’t know if this is a good thing. Right now, it’s dark blue, which could be either deeply calm or a little bit emotionally unsettled and anxious. I think that I am simultaneously both these things about the record because I’m just so excited for it to come out and also a little nervous, but nervous excitement. [The album is] about accepting [everything], so I accept the state that I’m in.

Earlier this year, around the announcement of the album, you shared the singles “Fuck Pretty” and “Biggest Fan.” How do you balance teasing such a monumental body of work with not giving too much away about the music?

The record is 14 songs, so seven of those songs have been released and there’s going to be seven new ones. We actually decided to include some of my earlier single releases as well; “Hands On My Body,” which was my very first single, is on it, along with “Christmas, Arizona.” We decided to include them because they laid the foundation for where we are now in this record and who I am as an artist, and they fit the moods.

For the seven new songs that people will hear for the first time, how would you compare and contrast the sound of those against what fans have already heard?

I worked with two different teams on the music side, but Justin Kudding, who’s one of the producers, played bass on every single song on the record, and Spencer Cheyne, who was also one of the producers, mixed every single song. Also, they were all mastered by Brock McFarlane [at] CPS Mastering. So, sonically, while the instrumentation and some of the colours are a little bit different, it’s going to be a surprise, but it’s going to make sense.

In terms of live shows, a hometown Calgary crowd will have a chance to celebrate ‘Mood Ring’ with you on May 30. Are there any tracks you’re particularly excited to bring to life on stage, perhaps for the first time?

There’s a new song on the record called “Taken” that’s very bass heavy and, it’s going to sound so silly, but it almost has a sonic quality like “Pony” by Ginuwine! It’s fun because when we arranged it, it’s quite bass heavy, and we put a ton of electric guitar on it for the live version. It’s freaking rock, man. It feels really good.

You joke about writing (mostly) country songs and unapologetically stealing grandmas’ clothes. How do you think your retro style complements your sound and helps transport you into the worlds of these tracks as you perform them live?

I think a big part of the experience … is the music but also the visual experience as well, and so I lean really heavily into that nostalgic 1970s thing. I also just love bell bottoms. And let’s be honest, some of our grandmas had really incredible style—I know mine did. So, I find it really exciting and inspiring to put together an outfit that almost lets me get outside of myself a little bit and put on the songs, if that makes sense. It allows me to let go of me personally and go into … that space that I need to be in to be super vulnerable or excited or fun and create a space for the audience to have an experience. The clothes are a big part of that transformation.

We’re not about gatekeeping here, so indulge us: What are some of your go-to stores for building and maintaining your retro aesthetic? (We’ll shop them for ‘Mood Ring’ concert ‘fits!)

Roadrunner Vintage in Calgary, Alberta is really awesome. I also work with a stylist; her name is Lorelle Holmes. I’m from a tiny town about an hour south of Calgary called Stavely, Alberta, and [we] went to junior high together. She ended up going down to the States to get her degree and then came back and messaged me. I was like, this is wild that this girl that I went to school with is kicking butt as a designer and stylist, so a lot of the pieces she makes for me as well. She has an online store, L House Atelier, and a lot of her pieces are also on her online store. Indi City is another fantastic [one]. They make earrings that are shiny and huge and beautiful. I’m [currently] wearing Coal Camp Collective [jewelry]. They’re based out of Sundre, Alberta, and they’re all handmade.

I try to shop local as much as I can and from small boutiques but I’m sure, regardless of whoever is listening or reading, wherever their city is, just go to the vintage stores. There’s always a scene.

Coming up this summer, you’ll be returning to the Nashville North stage at the Calgary Stampede. How excited are you to be back there, and can you tease anywhere else fans might be able to hear their new favourite tracks live?

I actually was just going through some video content that was taken from the first year that I did Nashville North … in 2021. It was right after everything had been locked down, and it was the biggest crowd I’d ever performed in front of. There’s a moment after I got off stage, after our second show, where I literally lost it. I just started to cry because it was so overwhelming being in front of people and being able to share space with people and share music again. So, that one’s always really special. It’s a big crowd, the energy is wild, and I’m really excited to be back.

We’re doing some other stuff too. I’m playing Folk on the Rocks in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories for the first time this year. It’s funny – we just announced that one and a bunch of my artist friends reached out and said the catering is incredible and it’s such a cool time of year to visit up north. So, I’m really looking forward to that. Then, we’re going to Better than Fred’s in Grand Prairie, which is going to be a blast, [and] going out to Kelowna and doing a show with an artist named Ben Klick out there. Regardless of where you are in Western Canada, we’re trying to hit as much as we can and visit as many people as possible. Stay tuned on my website, mariyastokes.com, because announcements are coming and I can’t wait.

Considering that you’ve been writing, recording, and releasing music for more than five years ahead of this debut album, do you have any message to send to fans who have been following you since day one and anyone joining the family now?

To the fans that have been around for a while, thanks for sticking around. Thanks for being here, thanks for making this album possible. I can’t wait to see you at all the shows this summer. And for anybody new who’s joining, welcome. It’s going to get weird. We like to feel all our feelings, and I hope that you show up exactly as who you are. Don’t be a dick—that’s the only rule—and just be kind to everybody, and it’s going to be a blast.

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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

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 Rachael Ransom

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Rachael Ransom 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.

Canadian singer-songwriter Rachael Ransom’s debut album ‘sixty seven ten’ is an autobiography in stunning sonic form—the album is named after the address of her childhood home after all. Each song represents a piece of her life, from navigating a disability while growing up in the suburbs of Vancouver, British Columbia to learning to control what you can and embracing the beauty in the rest.

On ‘sixty seven ten,’ Rachael takes listeners along a journey of finding new perspectives despite life’s struggles. As you listen, read our new interview with the emerging artist below where she shares how she gained the confidence to record and release the record and why she’s truly an OG Noah Kahan fan.

When did you know ‘sixty seven ten’ was complete?

Is anything ever done?! I’m a writer by trade, so there’s always going to be something where I feel like I could have done this or I could have done that. Me and my two music producers, Bryden Veinot and Noah Stolte, agreed to have 10 songs. We then went through the songs that I had deciding which ones felt like they go well together. So, we actually did it a little unconventionally deciding on the number before we chose which ones made the cut.

How many songs do you think you wrote before finalizing the track list?

Let’s just say there’s lots of room for a second album!

You’ve said that you hope listeners can apply something from each song to their own lives. What are some of the key themes and life lessons you tried to weave throughout the album?

I like that question. There’s a lot of things in there that I think are relatable to people. There’s a little bit of talk around family and the unconditional love that you have for the people in your life. Every good album has got to have a couple of breakup songs in there, and there are also some songs that I feel are commentary on where we’re at in society right now and where we’re going. Songs like “Fly” are more like anthems of positivity — like keep going if you have a dream, don’t let it die. And I’ve got some stuff in there about living with a disability.

Your single “Red” is an inspirational anthem about you living with cerebral palsy and reclaiming your inner power. Can you share how you got involved with the Vancouver Adapted Music Society and how they have supported you?

I met the wonderful people at Vancouver Adapted Music Society (VAMS) through my friend Dave Symington (co-founder), who has since passed. I was at a gig in 2018 playing a couple of songs and he said, “You’ve got to get connected with Graham over at VAMS.” So, I started with them, and they would phone me up when there was a show and they needed to fill a slot. As the years went on, I got to know Bryden and he started harassing me for years about how we had to record. I was always like, “Yeah, but not yet.” I was thinking, who’s going to listen to this stuff? Like, come on, this is just me plunking on a piano. Finally, after doing a show one day, he was like, “Are you ready yet?” And I was like, “Yeah, okay, let’s do it.” So, we came together, and Noah joined our little group. The two of them built this album out to be something so much more than just me sitting at a piano plunking out chords.

It’s great to hear that you had such encouraging people in your corner. Is there any advice you’d offer to people in a similar position, wanting to take that leap into music or dealing with a disability and trying to make sure they can still follow their dreams as you’ve done?

My main bread and butter income is in film, so music was always the thing I just loved to do. I’d get home from work, have some ideas, sit down at the piano, and see what happens. I never thought an album was going to be something I actually did. I would say if you’re nervous about it, that means it’s worth trying because usually we get nervous when we’re about to step out of our comfort zone, and you can’t grow without that “Oh my God, I don’t know if I can do this” feeling. Like, if you feel like you’re going to throw up, it’s probably a good thing.

For example, I made my first leap into producing last year and I had to go field produce on set. In the film world, it’s not very common to have people who are disabled doing on-set work — at least I haven’t met a lot of people in that realm. So, I didn’t know if I could do it, but you just have to take the leap. I think people with disabilities, myself included, have a bad habit of minimizing their achievements and minimizing what they have done because it’s like, well, anyone else could do that. But it’s like, well no, you did it. That feeling of accomplishing something and making it to the finish line is worth the stress at the beginning.

When you reflect on ‘sixty seven ten,’ do you think it changed your outlook on any situations in your life and inspired you as much as it will hopefully inspire others?

I look back at songs like “Loving You,” which is about a breakup and feeling like my life was over and I was never going to fall in love again. But then you meet someone else, and you move on, and you realize what true love is. Having those big feelings from my youth captured in these three-to-four-minute songs is kind of interesting because I listen to them now and I’m like, oh wow, that was so dramatic. But at the same time, that was raw, and that’s how it feels.

If I want anybody to take anything away, it’s that as we grow and change, we see old photos of ourselves or we hear stories from friends from different periods of our lives, and we should appreciate those moments and laugh about them. In the disabled community, our lives are often shorter than others. So, it’s important to remember every stage of life is really, truly precious. As much as we think our lives are cringy and go, “Oh God, I can’t believe I said that” or “I can’t believe my hair was like that,” it’s like, you’ve lived a decade since then. It’s pretty amazing to think about.

Are there any artists or albums that you gravitated towards as you put together your album?

‘Blood on the Tracks’ by Bob Dylan. The whole record is basically a love letter—or I guess not—to his divorce from one of his wives. In terms of modern influences, I hate to say this because it sounds so pretentious, but I did listen to Noah Kahan before he was famous. He reminds me of Bob in the folk realm and I just love his honesty and storytelling capabilities. I also listened to lots of Adele and Amy Winehouse. I was really trying to keep it as honest as possible on the album, so I pushed myself to listen to similar music so I could get in that headspace.

Now that your album is out in the world, what do you have in store musically for the rest of the year?

We’ve started rehearsing already hoping to play this summer, which is a great time for live shows. I’ve got myself, Bryden and Noah, my fiancé, and possibly another person joining. I’m also going into the studio today to do a writing session, so it really, truly never stops.

Do you have anything on your mind that may end up sparking new music in these next sessions?

Every writer is different with how they process things. If you look at my notebooks and my phone, it’s like graveyard lyrics — just little bits and pieces of things. I’m on a bus, I see something, I write a lyric. That’s just how it goes. So, when I go into the studio, I usually have a roster of stuff where I’m like, “Okay, this is good. Let’s try this.” That’s how “Ballad Queen” happened. Bryden was playing guitar and goofing around and it sounded really good and I was like, “Please hold, I have words that could go with this!”

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