Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

Love at First Listen with Chevy Beaulieu

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Chevy Beaulieu 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.

With the release of his 604 Records label debut (home to Canadian mainstays like Marianas Trench and Carly Rae Jepsen), breakout Indigenous artist Chevy Beaulieu poses a lighthearted but equally aspirational question: “Where’s the fun in life without a little adventure?” For Chevy, life, and his artistic evolution, have been exactly that. Based in Airdrie, AB, he comes to the Canadian country scene with deep musical roots from his father—a three-time Canadian fiddle champion—and their family band. But as he tells Love at First Listen, he took his time (close to 15 years, in fact) cutting his teeth, broadening his influences, and refining his craft. The result: “If We Want To,” a high-energy, feel-good, country festival-ready anthem about embracing spontaneity and living life to its fullest.

To celebrate the single’s success, we caught up with Chevy to talk about achieving bucket list dreams, “aha!” moments, and becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable.

You recently returned from all the JUNO celebrations out in Vancouver. How was it getting to perform at the JUNO Block Party and mingle with the Canadian music community?

It was my first JUNOs weekend and it was wild. I knew all the other artists that were on the block party; they are all labelmates. So, for that day, it was nice to perform and show people what I can do, and not a lot of them have seen me play live. It was also nice to play some of my newer songs that are not out yet.

“If We Want To” is receiving major fan love, it’s the trending track at Stingray New Country, and it’s on top of all the Breakthrough Country playlists—not to mention it cracked top 40 at Canadian country radio. What has been the best part of all this great reception to the song?

It’s nice to see. I put a lot of hard work into this. The music is rewarding on its own—like it makes me feel happy—but just to get a little bit of recognition, I don’t care what anybody says, it’s a really good feeling. I was really stoked when I first broke top 50. When I was in Vancouver [for the JUNOs], someone from my team was like, “You’re about to check something off your bucket list.” Now [I’ve] broke top 40, which is pretty wild to think about because there [are] so many great artists in this country, and I’m just really grateful.

And it’s still going up and up! We’re expecting top 30, top 20… it’s fantastic. With “If We Want To” being your label debut, how did you decide that this song was the right one to kick off a new era in your musical journey?

We had a handful of my songs that I was already recording, and then I had a handful of songs that were pitched to me, and this was one of the pitches. Not very many artists admit that [their music] was written by somebody else, but I like to give recognition to the songwriters because a good song is not good without good songwriters. Big shout out to my producer, Bart McKay. He’s helped me out a lot with finding my sound.

You’ve said this song is different from what you’ve released before, but still “you.” Can you elaborate on that? What about this song when you were pitched it resonated with you?

I like the whole premise of the story—you can do whatever you want, we can do whatever we want, if we want to. … [I]f it doesn’t work out, you can always go home. That’s what my parents always told me; my dad said, “I bought this house so my kids will always have a place to be, and if you want to go off and do your own thing, you can always come home.” I’m very grateful for my immediate family. They are my biggest supporters and I miss them every day, but I can’t quit now—not until I get bigger. It’s kind of a pipe dream, but I would really like to retire my mom one day.

How would you describe your sound?

I call myself and my music Heinz 57, so like 57 varieties. I’m a little Scottish, a little French, a little Cree, a little Chippewa, and my last name is huge. It’s all the way from the east to the west, and I have a lot of stories, lots of family and history. But going back to the music part, my music is a mixture of everything; almost every sub-genre of country besides rap. I take lots from rock and roll, Honky Tonk music, and outlaw. I grew up on Merle Haggard and Keith Whitley, and I listened to a lot of bands like Default when Dallas Smith was still doing his rock band and Nickelback. Now, I’ve been listening to a lot of Dwight Yoakam, Koe Wetzel, and pop artists as well. It’s just all over the place. So, I have one or two poppier songs on this record that I’m working on, rock and roll tunes, outlaw tunes, Honky Tonk tunes, and I can go on and on about it.

Given all the music in your life, did you always know you wanted to be a musician or did it take some time to lock in?

It took a while. I started picking up guitar when I was younger, played bass on my dad’s first record when I was 12 or 13, and then didn’t do anything with it. Around 15 years old, I got my first guitar, a Heart Attack Mini G series, which was the most indestructible guitar I’ve ever seen. I dropped that thing like crazy, and around then I started writing poetry and learning covers. I was about 18 years old in the summer of 2012 when I got to open for Shane Yellowbird, and that was kind of my “aha!” moment. It was really sad when he left this earth, but he showed us that we can compete, we can play, and we can put music out at the same level as everybody else. There are not very many role models for young Indigenous boys that had the same impact as that guy, and it showed they gave a lot of kids hope, and I was one of them. Shane got on stage after me and I told him, and I told myself, “I can do that.” Ever since then, I’ve been pushing towards it.

You talk about how an artist like that can impact your life. What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve received that you could pass along to the next generation of country artists?

Don’t give up. You may sound like crap now, which I did in the early years. … I was listening to some of my old videos I put out. My voice was weak, I was out of key, but you eventually find your sound. It took me until about 2016 to first start finding my voice. And even then, I’m still finding my voice. I love country music; I’m a country artist. I grew up on this stuff, but … [m]aybe down the road I want to do a rock record, maybe down the road I want to do a pop record or go sing the hook on some rap song. I don’t know. Who knows? … You don’t have to put a label on most music anymore.

You mentioned that you’re working on an upcoming project, so what can you tease for the year ahead? Are we looking at an EP, an album…?

I have 12 songs on the go. Like I said, just like myself, [there’s] a little bit for everyone, and different subgenres of music, but somehow it all fits together. I was really happy with that because, honestly, nobody’s harder on yourself than yourself. I was worried that it wasn’t going to meld, and then I was listening to it and it moves, it’s cohesive, and I was pleasantly surprised. I have a new song coming out here in the next couple months and a music video to follow for it that I shot last time I was in Van. That’s about as much as I can talk about. But I have 12 songs on the go—lots of party tunes, lots of two-stepping songs, and a couple of crying songs.

We’re heading into the summer concert season, and the first time we heard “If We Want To,” we thought, “Get us into the field at a festival immediately!” Do you have any performances coming up that you can highlight?

I have a couple acoustic shows. I do a few parties during [Calgary] Stampede, but I’m just focusing on the single right now and getting all my interviews done—all the stuff that I was very uncomfortable with before, but I’m slowly getting better at.

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

Love at First Listen with Riley Taylor

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Riley Taylor 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.

Whether headlining a show or touring with the likes of Kip Moore, Sacha, and Owen Riegling, Riley Taylor and his band approach every performance with the same attitude: be loud, proud, and always jam. With a 30-track debut album released earlier this month (April 18) fusing multiple influences and narratives, that’s an easy—and extremely fun—task. ‘Story to Tell,’ out now on Honky Tonk Record Co, is primed to fill every country playlist with its blend of bar songs, country storytelling, and celebrations of life, love, and everything in between. Soon, you will catch Riley on his Small Town Hometowns acoustic tour across Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Ontario or opening for Cooper Alan. Don’t see your city? More dates are already in the works (details on that below!).

Just before hitting the stage at his packed album release show at Rivoli in Toronto, Riley dished on making his album as relatable as possible, calming down to the sounds of Matchbox Twenty, and returning to play his favourite festivals.

With 30 tracks and an hour and 44-minute runtime, there are certainly multiple stories to be told on ‘Story to Tell.’ Can you describe the process of pulling these 30 tracks and stories together?

Especially with it being a debut album, [I] kind of have my whole life to choose from as far as what we want to focus on [with life] moments [and] certain things. I think we chose pretty well a lot of things that would encompass what has made me who I am today. And I think as far as what I would be curious to know from the fans’ perspective is, which one of these songs relate[s] to your story? I think we wanted to make a lot of it as relatable as possible.

With this album release show being your first big headlining performance and celebration of the project, are there any tracks you’re especially excited to share with fans live?

The first one that always comes to mind is “Fucked Up.” My grandmother wasn’t very happy with that title, but that one really stands out to me because I’m proud of it as a songwriter. It comes from a dark place, but there is a sense of optimism about it. And I think it translates well because I also think everybody’s felt at least some of what’s in there at one point or another. Outside of that, I adore “Off the Liquor.” It’s just a big, loud, fun energy song. I also like a lot of the old, more traditional sounding stuff that we recorded too. That was all done in an old school way with live recordings off the floor and it was a cool process.

Boots and Hearts Music Festival plays a big part in your story, with you winning their Emerging Artist Showcase in 2021. How did it propel you to go all in on music, ultimately bringing us here today?

Yeah, that was a really crazy, validating point where I wasn’t sure I could do this or if it was worth pursuing because I didn’t feel good enough. So, it meant a lot to me, and it was very eye-opening in the fact that these people know [the industry] and they thought there was something there. So, I’m still trying to find “it,” and I kind of hope I never do. I hope I’m always kind of chasing whatever that is.

When you talk about sources of validation like that, what is one of the best pieces of advice that you’ve received along your musical journey that you can pass along to the next gen of artists?

Just keep your head up and be kind. It doesn’t cost anything, and in this business, there are not a lot of things that don’t cost anything. And ironically, that tends to lead to more opportunities than not. Some people will throw you a bone just based on the fact they like you. So, I think that’s really important, along with just caring about the craft of it—putting your time into your songs and making sure that you know your stuff. And try to have fun along the way.

An artist, Riley Taylor, stands centre stage singing into the microphone on stage at Rivoli in Toronto.
Riley Taylor performing on stage at his ‘Story to Tell’ album release party held at Rivoli in Toronto on April 22, 2025: “I never thought I’d have an album—let alone a release party.” (Photo credit: Angela McLean/Love at First Listen)

You first released one of the tracks on ‘Story to Tell,’ “Good Things,” as part of the Boots and Hearts contest, but have since reimagined it with more drawl and personality. What inspired you to revisit and revamp it?

I’m glad you asked that. I don’t want to be misunderstood—I didn’t redo it because I hated the original. I still love the original, and it will always be special to me. I just always wondered [how it would sound] if we had a different style of production that was more twangy and rootsy. The first time we tackled it, the song had more of a pop production. I’ll always love the original, but the way we redid it made it easier to deliver live as well. It almost sounds like it’s live in the recording. That’s what I wanted to re-imagine, while keeping it true to the original.

On the album, you also cover three songs: The Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers,” Matchbox Twenty’s “3AM,” and Live’s “Lightning Crashes.” What about each of those songs resonates with you and led to them needing to be part of this project?

All three of those songs were just clear [studio] cuts. We played around with a few, but “3AM” was probably the one that’s nearest and dearest to me. Growing up in Alberta, my mom had this Matchbox Twenty CD, and I was a colicky baby. So, I don’t remember, but allegedly whenever “3AM” would come on, no matter if I was in a fit or if I was being bad or a little brat, I’d go right to sleep. When I got older and I started playing [music], I was looking at easy three-chord songs to play on guitar and that one came up, and I knew all the words. I was pumped up because it was the first one that I could play and sing at the same time, so I was like, “Mom, you’ve got to check this out!” She was blown away because I didn’t know that story about when I was a baby.

The other two, to be honest with you, are songs that I just love inexplicably. Something about them is so cool, and they just make me feel a certain way. So, when we were looking at songs that would be cool to cover, they stood out. They’re also songs that I think are undervalued nowadays. It’s a fun way to recirculate them.

With this series being about the music we love at first listen, who are some of your Canadian country peers whose songs you’ve loved at first listen?

Love at first listen for me… there are so many, but “Do It Anyway” by Jade Eagleson, “Home Less” by Owen Riegling, and “Pillow Talkin’” by Tyler Joe Miller.


Riley’s newest single “Hometowns” is quickly rising on the country radio charts with airplay across Canada and major looks on streaming services.

As the summer concert and festival season fast approaches, do you have any live shows or festival performances that you can tease?

We were just looking into getting the festival season booked up. This May, I’m going to be doing an acoustic tour across Alberta. We’re calling it the Small Town Hometowns tour and it’s going to be more of a stripped back, almost singer-songwritery atmosphere where I’ll get the chance to explain how each song came to be. The goal is to get introduced to those fans and say, “If you like this, maybe I’ll be back with a big band.” There’s one festival back home that I’m doing—FundyFest in Sussex, New Brunswick—and that’s always been one of my favourite places to play. It’s always been the most responsive crowd. Then, I’m heading back to Cavendish Beach Music Festival in Prince Edward Island for the kickoff party the night before the festival starts. There are a couple others that we’re in the middle of booking right now. My message is if you like what’s going on, you like the sound, and you want me to come to your town, reach out. We’re always looking to see where the fans are and gauge where we should go to next.

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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, Music Monday

Love at First Listen with Elyse Saunders

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Elyse Saunders 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.

Meet Elyse Saunders, the next big name in Canadian country music. Since the start of the year, Elyse has climbed up the country charts at home and abroad, signed her first publishing deal, and earned the title of iHeartRadio Future Star. Now, days after we first spoke with Elyse, she’s been named Female Artist of the Year at the 2024 CMAOntario Awards and debuted her new summer single “Dirt” on the show’s main stage. On the playful song, Elyse shuts down the rumour mill and officially declares gossip dead—a message we can surely get behind.

Love at First Listen caught up with Elyse to chat about “Dirt” and get the inside scoop on the Canadian country music community and her newfound Australian audience.

You’re dishing all the dirt on your new single, “Dirt.” How did you get the idea and inspiration for this song, and what message do you want people to take from it?

I wrote this song with my friends Sam Davs and David Madras, and I felt that no matter who you are, where you come from, and whether you’re on the good side or the bad side of the gossip train, we’ve all experienced this situation. If we look in our own backyards, we all have our own dirt to deal with before we judge other people’s dirt. So, I wanted to try to take this topic and make it a bit humorous and share it in a way that was super relatable but not too serious. Coming from a small town, rumours get around pretty quick. If you say something, your neighbour 10 doors down will somehow hear about it. So, it’s based around the small-town feel, but it’s definitely something that happens worldwide. This was so much fun to write—actually very therapeutic in a way.

Do you have any fun behind the scenes stories from filming the music video?

I made it with another friend, Nick Marinac. We did it on this land that is open to the public, so we had to find this window of when people wouldn’t be there and it ended up being a freezing cold, windy day. There was sunshine, but the whole time I’m trying not to look cold, and we were getting kicked out at the end. We went to find another random field and finish up. It was all very random and sporadic, but I feel like the energy of the song really shines through because it was a bit on the whim. Watch for a lot of dirt and overalls in the countryside.

You released this single at the start of CMAOntario Awards weekend where fans were able to get up close and personal with all of their favourite country artists and discover several up-and-comers. How important do you think it is to have celebrations like this for homegrown country artists?

I think it’s so important because it does shed light on what’s going on here in Ontario, and we have so much talent it’s crazy. I’ve been on the other side of the audience as an artist growing in my journey for many years, and the industry really got to see that journey. To now help bring a light to that to country music lovers out there is super cool — and sometimes it’s like the stars of today and the stars of tomorrow. I think it’s really important just to keep building that community and building the country music that we have here in Canada in general because we all know our big U.S. country stars, but we definitely have our own stars here in Canada and Ontario and I think it’s important that we bring those artists out to the audience.

In the spirit of celebrating Canadian country music, can you shout out some of your Canadian country pals who you have loved at first listen?

My friends River Town Saints, Owen Riegling, Robyn Ottolini, Graham Scott Fleming, Kelly Prescott, Andrew Hyatt, and Jason Blaine, who co-wrote my song “Never Have I Ever”… my list could go on. Award shows are always a big reunion.

Events like the CMAOntario Awards are a celebration but they’re also a place where dreams come true. When you think about the dreams you have for yourself, what are the biggest pinch-me moments you’ve had in your career so far and what’s still on your bucket list?

That’s a very good question. Winning Video of the Year last year at the CMAOntario Awards was definitely one of those pinch-me moments because my journey has not been the overnight success. It has been more like 10 years plus in the making. I always kind of envisioned myself being at this place in my career one day, so having these things happen, it’s like, okay, yeah, I’m where I’ve always wanted to be. My younger self is super excited when these moments come together.

Having “Never Have I Ever” become my first single to be supported at Canadian country radio was also amazing. It was No. 27 on the charts, and to be top 30 was always a goal of mine. We then went top 10 in Australia, and I had no idea that was going to happen. It’s cool how these things sometimes happen organically and as a surprise; it feels more like a gift that way. I think that I still have so much more to do and more to come, and I’m going to keep having those pinch-me moments. All artists start at ground zero and then you kind of build your way to this point. So, these moments are good reminders of how far you’ve come.

What does your breakout single “Never Have I Ever” mean or represent to you now, especially as it’s taken on a global life of its own?

It means a lot. I knew it was special the day I wrote it with Jason Blaine in his family home. We wrote it in a couple of hours and it kind of felt like it wrote itself. We did a demo that day and I sent it off to my producer, Dan Swinimer, who knocked the production out of the park. I was so excited, but I had no idea how it was going to resonate with everybody else. So, to know that it’s done what it needs to do as a singer-songwriter and it’s making an impact, it’s connecting to people, and they love it just as much as me is really the goal and the job of what I’m supposed to do as an artist. I hope to continue to be able to do more with my music and more singles.

Have you had a chance to visit your new international friends?

That’s on my bucket list too. I’ve always wanted to see Australia. I’ve done press and calls over Zoom and I keep saying I can’t wait to visit. We’re looking at the top of the new year to hopefully get there and do some shows. I’ll also get to do a radio tour and see people face to face for the first time.

Now that “Dirt” is out in the world, what do you have in store musically for the rest of the year?

I have a bunch of new music in the pipeline ready to go and a bunch of shows as well. If people want to find out where I will be, it’s all on my website. The band and I have been working hard on putting a bunch of new material together with these new songs. I also just signed to my first publishing deal with Arts & Crafts Publishing as a songwriter, so I’ll continue to write for other artists as well and hopefully get my music into the TV and film world too. I’m just doing whatever I can to just keep this thing on the rails, doing what it needs to do, and seeing how far I can take it.

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