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

Love at First Listen with Alli Walker

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Alli Walker Interview Music 2023

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 new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Canadian country singer Alli Walker is inviting fans to come along the journey of growing up, healing, and thriving with the release of her sophomore album, aptly titled ‘Growing Up.’ The eight-track project boasts catchy, weekend-ready jams like “Red Wine or Whiskey” and “Maybe I’m Still Drunk” and leans into more vulnerable moments on songs like the album’s title track.

In the past few months leading up to its release, Alli has hit multiple milestones in her career, including being named Spotify’s Radar Artist on the Horizon and being nominated for the second time at the CMAOntario Awards in the Rising Star category. This summer, you can catch Alli dominating the stage at Boots and Hearts and her hometown Cavendish Beach Music Festival with artists like Chris Stapleton, Madeline Merlo, and Tim McGraw (who she’s also manifesting to meet!).

In this edition of Love at First Listen, Alli talks all things growing up, trusting her TikTok followers, and living in the moment.

It’s New Music Friday and we’re celebrating your new album and single of the same name, ‘Growing Up.’ How are you feeling?

It’s very exciting. This is my first full project since 2019. I’m on my phone 24/7 looking at what’s going on, all these Instagram story tags, and everything like that. It’s nice to see the growth of me as an artist and the music, and it’s really cool to see my face on the cover of different playlists that I only ever dreamt of being on. I’m very grateful.

Your first album was called ‘The Basement Sessions: What I’ve Learned So Far,’ and ‘Growing Up’ represents another set of lessons learned. How have you grown personally and professionally since 2019, and how is it reflected in this album?

My first album was very much what I was going through in my 20s ­— navigating my mental health, comparing myself to everybody on social media, wondering if I should be doing this music thing because it’s really hard, and learning to love myself. I was very mindful about writing what’s going on in my life and in my head in the moment. ‘Growing Up’ is a continuation of that. I added a few fun songs because I’m enjoying life more now and I’m not so in my head. But there are also songs like “Growing Up” about the aspect of growing up where I didn’t realize it was going to be this way ­— where I’ve been away from my parents, and my parents are getting older, and I just realize how much time I’ve missed while I’ve been away chasing this crazy dream. No matter what, I’m always going to be writing about what’s actually going on in my life, and I’m glad I stuck with that for this album.

Each song on the album was released separately as a single, starting with “Country Music” in 2021. How did you select the final tracklist?

I find a lot of people don’t listen to full albums anymore unless you’re a massive artist. So, as an independent artist, I wanted to make sure each song had its own life because each song has its own meaning. I’m also very visual, so I wanted to have a music video for every single. I was so glad to have something where people can watch and wonder and see how the song comes to life. I wanted to put it all together in album form at the end, and when I was deciding the order I just did what felt right.

Your TikTok followers helped you decide which songs to record for the album. Was there a song you teased where the response from fans really caught you by surprise?

I feel like as an artist you think, “This one’s going to do really well,” or the music industry tells you, “This is your hit,” and it’s always the opposite! Although I loved “Red Wine or Whiskey” and I thought people would love it, I didn’t realize it would pop off. TikTok is so great for music fans because people listen with sound and they actually click the link in your bio and go stream your songs, so with that one I saw it did well on TikTok and then on Spotify and Apple Music too.

On “Country Music,” you reference several country classics, including Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine” and “What Hurts the Most” by Rascal Flatts. Were you keeping track of the different songs you wanted to tie in or did they all come to you at once?

When I was able to get back to in-person sessions, I had my two co-writers and friends, Brian John Harwood and Dustin Bird, come over for a few weekends to work on the album. I really wanted to write a song about country music and how I grew up on it and how much I love it, but I didn’t want it to just say, “I love country music.” So, I thought we could make it really difficult on ourselves and weave together all of the songs that we grew up on. We pulled up Spotify, sorted through almost 90 playlists, and picked songs that meant something special to us. It really was just an in the moment thing and we pulled it all together really well.

“Sand in My Boots” is the female perspective of a Morgan Wallen track. What inspired you to respond to Morgan’s song and story?

The same day Morgan put his out, my husband and I wrote the female version, did a demo recording, and popped it up on TikTok. I don’t think I really had any followers at that time, but it blew up because people love Morgan but they were also so invested in the storyline. There was so much chatter in the comments where it was like, well, you know, she left him! I had messages from people for an entire year telling me to record this song and put it out. I didn’t own any rights to the song, so there was a whole process of getting the legal side of things sorted. I’m glad fans stayed invested and finally have it because it’s one of my favourites.

You’ve described ‘Growing Up’ as your autobiography. Can you share some of the country artists you’ve loved at first listen who inspire you with their own autobiographical songwriting?

There are so many. I really love Megan Moroney. She’s so honest and brutal, and she gives me Kacey Musgraves or Maren Morris vibes. Ashley Cooke, love her. Her voice is just so soft and easy to listen to. I also just want to be friends with her. Bailey Zimmerman, too. These are all TikTok people! I feel like I spend all my time on there.

How are you celebrating the release of ‘Growing Up’?

I never spend time celebrating and always just move on to the next thing, so this time I wanted to actually live in the moment and enjoy it. I woke up on release day and my parents and my husband had big “congratulations” balloons on the wall. I also love champagne and I’ve been waiting for years to have it when I had a big moment to celebrate. So, we got champagne and then went to The Keg for dinner, which is my favourite restaurant. In a week, I’ll be going right back to Nashville to record new music and see people on the road soon.

Do you have a favourite song from the album that you’re looking forward to performing?

I think “Country Music” because even if you have never heard the song before, the tag of it ­— “I grew up on country music” ­— is so easy to remember. I usually teach it to people beforehand and then we all sing it together at the end of each chorus, so that’s always my favourite one to play.

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

[Artists to Watch] Love at First Listen with Madeline Merlo

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Madeline Merlo Interview 2023

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 new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

Country songstress Madeline Merlo is striking all the right chords with country listeners. The Canadian Country Music Award–winner is the mastermind behind Lady A’s hit single “Champagne Night,” which the band recorded after Madeline won their episode of NBC’s Songland in 2020. Last summer, she contributed background vocals to Cole Swindell’s smash single, “She Had Me At Heads Carolina.” Now, Madeline is ready to “slide” right to the top of every country fan’s playlist with her recently released EP ‘Slide’ and its catchy title track. It’s no surprise she is one of Amazon Music’s featured Artists to Watch in 2023—and she should be one of yours too.

For this edition of Love at First Listen, Madeline and I caught up to talk about the story behind Sam Hunt’s involvement in “Slide,” her fans’ tattoos, and the song she wrote for her upcoming wedding.

Your newest single “Slide” is bubbly, flirty, and everything pop-country should be. Tell us about its incredible origin story!

I feel like the music industry is just these random strokes of luck and a lot of hard work interweaving with each other. I had met my producer, Zach Crowell, really randomly. One day, he called me and said, “Hey, I have this song that Sam Hunt and I started a while ago, and we feel like it’s really cool but something about the melody feels a little feminine. Would you want to finish it with us?” They sent me the track and there was no real lyric or hook, but there was something about it that was really fresh and nostalgic at the same time.

I don’t know why the word “slide” popped in my head, but I spent four days trying to come up with the coolest way to use that title in the song. Finally, I said to myself, “Let’s watch tonight slide into yesterday.” I suddenly had all these ways you could use “slide” and ran into the writing room saying, “Yo, I feel like I’ve got a cool idea.” They liked it, so we tweaked it together and I’m really proud of the result.

“Slide” is the lead track from your EP of the same name, which is a collection of four incredibly infectious country jams. What vibe were you going for while in the studio?

“Slide” was the first one we finished and the catalyst for everything else. “Girl Where He Grew Up,” for example, was a song I was so proud of as a songwriter, and “YOUNG-ish” felt like it had an old Shania Twain/Keith Urban vibe to it. I was inspired to make this EP really joyful, fun, and high energy and something that made people feel good.

As you wrote on Instagram, the ‘Slide’ EP was your first project in “2 years, 5 months, and 24 days.” Can you reassure your fans they won’t have to wait that long for more music?

I promise! That was a very transitional period for me moving to a mostly American team and making a lot of changes, which was a really scary and hard thing to do. It took time to get my feet back on the ground and figure out what I wanted to do, what I wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it. So, I took a little hiatus, but I was dying to get music out the entire time. We’re dropping more music in the next couple of months and it’s really energetic and unique.

Speaking of your fans, some of them have tattoos inspired by your songs. When you see those in person for the first time, what goes through your mind, especially being such a deeply passionate music fan yourself?

It means so much. It’s wild knowing that a song can impact somebody and that they would want it on their body. I also think meeting people is my favourite thing about this job. It’s just so cool to hear from a fans’ mouth what songs they like and why they like them. It’s what we’re doing it for, and I’m so grateful people are listening. It’s truly that simple. When I write, I hope people get it or have felt that way. Then, if people go, “I feel that way,” there’s this really sweet connection, and I have friendships with a lot of them.

We can’t talk about your accomplishments without mentioning you were a season two winner of NBC’s Songland and had your song, “Champagne Night,” recorded and released by Lady A. What was your main takeaway from the experience?

It’s still one of those things I look back on and I’m like, did that really happen? It was such a special moment in 2020, which was such a terrible year, and it was the most validating thing as a songwriter. It gave me so much confidence, so whenever I feel down on myself, I remember I have a big gold record for that song and it inspires me to keep going. I feel very grateful and lucky.

You had a jam-packed last few months, signing a deal with Sony Music Publishing Nashville and releasing your first EP under your new U.S. label Broken Bow Records. How do you plan to continue that momentum in 2023?

I’ve booked some shows in the States as well as back in Canada, which is really cool, and I’m working on more music. We have some in the chamber and some ready to record, but I always try to put my blinders on and keep being as creative, different, and as inspired as I can to just create music. I feel like it’s why I’m here on this earth, and this Sony deal has been great as a songwriter to feel like I’m stepping into a role where I’m writing for myself, for other people, and for TV and film. I just feel so lucky that I get to do this job.

You’re also getting married this year! Are there any advantages to prepping for a wedding being a musician, in terms of picking the first dance song or writing something to play?

Originally, I didn’t want to sit down and be like, I have to write a wedding song, but one came naturally. I haven’t decided if I’m going to play it at the wedding or make it a gift, but my bass player’s band will be performing at the wedding, so that’s exciting. I feel like the music is the best part. We’re going to Costa Rica for our honeymoon, and I imagine I’ll also have a fresh load of song ideas after that.

We’re always looking to update our playlists with more new artists to watch in 2023. Is there anyone in your country music circle whose songs you always love at first listen?

Oh my gosh, so many! I’m loving Robyn Ottolini. She’s a super honest songwriter. I also love my James Barker Band friends; they’re so great. Definitely check them out if you haven’t already.

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

[Artists to Watch] Love at First Listen with Griffen Palmer

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Griffen Palmer Interview 2023

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 new series introducing you to the emerging, and established, artists with new music guaranteed to upgrade your playlist.

There’s no “second guessing” that 2023 is about to be Griffen Palmer’s year. The 27-year-old rising country star from Pickering got his start in early 2020, appearing on NBC’s Songland and wowing the likes of judge Ryan Tedder and Florida Georgia Line, who ended up recording and releasing their cut of his song “Second Guessing.” Three years and more than 23 million Spotify streams later, Griffen is giving the song new life and re-releasing it as his debut single on Big Loud Records — the label also home to Lauren Alaina and HARDY. If that wasn’t enough to celebrate, it was also Canadian country radio’s most added song in its first week, and this is all just the beginning.

If you want to hear “Second Guessing” live, you don’t have to wait long. Having just played three Canadian shows with The Reklaws, Griffen is now gearing up to tour the United States with another Big Loud labelmate, Lily Rose, starting Feb. 9 in Massachusetts. But first, he will be appearing on a TV screen near you, performing “Second Guessing” on tonight’s episode of The Bachelor (yes, he’s from *that* Palmer family).

In this edition of Love at First Listen, get the inside scoop from Griffen himself on the song that continues to open new doors, what it’s like being a Keith Urban fan and co-writer, and when you can expect to hear his debut album.

If “Second Guessing” sounds familiar to anybody, that’s because Florida Georgia Line put out their own version after Songland and featured it on their album ‘Life Rolls On.’ What goes through your head whenever you hear their version?

Florida Georgia Line was a band I listened to for years before I ever even conceived that they would cut one of my songs. So, hearing their voices on it still to this day is crazy, and it never really gets old when you hear other artists that you admire singing your songs.

With your ‘songwriter’s version’ out now, “Second Guessing” is having its second coming. As it comes full circle, how has its meaning evolved?

It’s just such a big part of my story. It’s been the one song that, after hundreds of songs I’ve written, has opened all these doors and acted as this launchpad for my career. So, any time I get to share it with someone and it unlocks another door, I’m reminded of how special it is to me.

When you appeared on Songland, did you have “Second Guessing” already written with Florida Georgia Line in mind?

I wrote the song about a year beforehand without even knowing about the show and then submitted it myself and went through all the interviews and steps to get it there. When we remade the song on the show, Shane [McAnally] and I thought, ‘OK, how can we make this better?’ So, it was really legit in terms of taking it from where it was originally—a song I wrote in a room with my friend Geoff [Warburton] and Ben Simonetti—and getting it to the finish line with FGL.

Is there an artist that you would love to have do a third version of “Second Guessing”?

Oh man, I would love for Chris Stapleton to sing it. Even if he could sing a line. His voice is wicked.

In addition to writing for Florida Georgia Line through Songland, you have writing credits for artists like fellow Canuck MacKenzie Porter and Keith Urban (no big deal!). Who’s left on your bucket list of artists to write for?

As many people as I have worked with, there’s 100 times more I haven’t. I just want to keep meeting all these awesome creatives and help them with their work. I admire so many artists. Someone like Sam Hunt would be amazing. Maren Morris and other amazing female artists would be super cool to get in touch with. But who knows what’s going to happen. I never expected to be working with Keith, FGL, or anyone like that.

For fans who will be seeing you on tour soon, how would you describe your set?

I’m coming out of this newfound artistry as a songwriter first. So, I feel like I’m playing all these songs for people like it sounded when I wrote them — just me and a guitar without the big band and lights. I’m really trying to get across the stories and messages of the songs and keep it super intimate.

In fact, I remember seeing Keith Urban three different times at Budweiser Stage [in Toronto], and I thought he was like the master. Between the instrumental guitar playing and the stripped-down songs, I’ve always imagined what my set would be like based off Keith and his energy.

A little birdie told me that you’re working on an album due out later this year. Can you tease anything about that for your fans and when they will be able to hear it?

We first have another song coming out in a couple of weeks called “25 to Life.” Then, we’ll try to get this whole eight-song project out in the spring, start touring, and try to meet everyone that wants to hear this music.

Any collaborations in the mix there?

Nothing on this project, but I’ve been collaborating a lot with other writers in town and have more songs written for other artists coming out soon. There’s always some collaborating going on in Nashville; that’s the whole experience of the Music City.

With so many amazing announcements happening at once, is it even possible to sum up how you’re feeling?

It’s just really exciting to finally be in the process of sharing all this music with everyone because we’ve put a lot of hard work in the past couple of years to get everything ready. It’s a cool moment that it’s all finally getting out in the world.

Country artist Griffen Palmer in Toronto
Griffen Palmer photographed January 27, 2023 at Harriet’s Rooftop at 1 Hotel in Toronto.

This series is called Love at First Listen, so I would love to know if there’s any fellow Canadian country artists that you’ve had on your playlist recently!

I know Brett Kissel just put out his new record as an independent artist, so I’ve heard a couple of those songs. He’s doing this Compass Project combining multiple albums, and it’s cool to see all the thought that goes into a release where the artist is thinking beyond just putting out a song but also the bigger picture. I think that’s inspiring.

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