Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

Love at First Listen with MacKenzie Porter

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MacKenzie Porter Interview Love at First Listen 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 queen MacKenzie Porter is the definition of booked and busy. If it feels like she’s been racking up a new set of career milestones every few months, it’s because she has—she was named to the CMT Women of Country Class of 2021, earned Academy of Country Music Award and American Music Award nominations for her duet with Dustin Lynch, “Thinking ‘Bout You,” which also marked her first U.S. Country #1, and landed a sixth #1 at Canadian country radio with her latest single “Chasing Tornadoes.”

Shockingly, despite years of homegrown and international success, MacKenzie has yet to have a moment to celebrate with Canadian audiences. That will all change when she embarks on her first nationwide headlining tour this week, starting Friday (November 3) in Toronto. Soon after, fans will gain a whole new set of songs to memorize and play on repeat when MacKenzie releases her long-awaited debut album in the first quarter of 2024. So, it’s safe to say the MacKenzie Porter country reign is just getting started.

In this edition of Love at First Listen, MacKenzie reflects on her whirlwind journey and shares a first look at her new tour setlist (read to the end to find out how you can meet her at the shows!).

“Chasing Tornadoes” is the lead single off your upcoming debut album. Amongst all the material you had written to date, how did you decide this song was the one to officially kick off a new era?

The new record is way more country than some of the other stuff I’ve been putting out before. We still have my pop influenced parts of it, but I think the overall sound is more like wooden instrumental—like there’s fiddle on almost every song. So, “Chasing Tornadoes” is a good bridge between “Pickup,” which is a lot more poppy, to this record.

For anyone who hasn’t heard “Chasing Tornadoes,” can you describe the story behind the song?

It’s about being in a relationship or a situation that you know is probably not good for you. It’s chaotic and messy and might not end amazingly, but there’s something that’s fun about that. I think we’ve all been in situations where you’re like, oh well, I’ll deal with the consequences later. So, that’s what the song is about and it’s actually kind of cool because I did not write this song. There’s going to be 20 songs on the record, and I’ve written probably 12, but this is one Lainey Wilson wrote. I love Lainey and her record was finished, so this song of hers worked perfectly on mine.

Given all you’ve accomplished in a few short years, is it even possible to take a moment and let everything sink in, or is life just a constant string of pinch-me moments?

It sounds sad because obviously I should be enjoying those moments, but by the time something like a #1 is announced, I’d put the song out months ago, so we are already working ahead on the next project. But of course, we’ll always have a glass of wine or do something to celebrate.

Let’s talk tour! Aside from the fan favourites, how much new music can concertgoers expect to be amongst the first to hear?

I’m definitely going to play new songs. I want to make sure I play all the ones that people want to hear and that they know because when I go to a concert, I want to hear the hits. But I also really want to bring people into this new record, and that’s what you’ll get when you come to the show. I’m going to do some old, old songs that I first put out, and then this era of the last three years, and then the new era, including my favourites off the record. So, it’ll take us through the whole thing.

On Instagram, you’ve been asking what songs fans want on the setlist. Was there anything they were requesting early on that made you stop and go, ooh, maybe I actually should add that?

A lot of people were saying early, OG songs like “I Wish I’d Known,” which was the first song I put out in like 2013. I was not planning to play that song, but now I’ve got to go back and listen to it and relearn it. I also want to have moments where if somebody’s yelling from the crowd, you’ve got to play this song, I want to make sure that I can play it as well.

Performance outfits are half the fun of touring, and you’ve shared some try-on videos online. Talk to us about your on-stage style! How does it differ from your day-to-day fashion?

It differs quite a bit. I wouldn’t wear a sparkly dress—I’d actually probably be in sweatpants most of the time. But I always think that my stage style has the exaggerated outfits of my life. I love unique pieces. That process of shopping is so fun for me.

Opening these shows is our friend at Love at First Listen, Griffen Palmer. How did you connect, and how excited are you to have a fellow Canadian and labelmate on the road with you?

I actually cut a song that Griffen wrote called “Drinkin’ Songs,” so hopefully we’ll get to write some songs on the road too. But I’m really excited. His music’s incredible, and Canada has been the place that I have really been able to build a career. So, I always want to bring other Canadian acts out and support that industry because it does mean a lot to me and it is really the reason I get to do this for a living.

You’re also hosting your inaugural Country vs. Cancer benefit on November 20, where you’ll be joined in Nashville by Dustin Lynch, Walker Hayes, Lily Rose, and Nate Smith in support of the American Cancer Society. Why is it important for you to use your voice to amplify causes close to your heart?

What’s the point of having an audience if you can’t try to do some good with it too? I mean, making music and having people relate to your songs and being able to help get them through a hard time is incredible. But I do feel the responsibility to try to do more, and that cause is really close to my heart because my mom had breast cancer. So, this is raising money for all different types of cancers, but October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We had help in those times from family and friends and I want to be able to pay that forward as well.

Event poster announcing MacKenzie Porter's inaugural Country vs. Cancer benefit concert in Nashville on November 20, 2023.
After wrapping her debut Canadian headlining tour, MacKenzie Porter will head to Nashville to host her inaugural Country vs. Cancer benefit concert with former collaborators, labelmates, and other peers.

Spending so much time on the road, have you picked up any self-care secrets that help keep your mind, body, and voice healthy and ready for the next gig?

I definitely warm up for every show. I actually used to do a shot of vodka or something, but I’ve stopped doing that because I do feel like rest and keeping your body healthy when you’re going that much is so important. We do grueling days where it’s a 5 a.m. start, you travel all day and you play the show, and then you do it again the next day. So, I’m really trying to be healthy and clean to keep up with the schedule and not get rundown.

Do you have a message to send to your fans who will be seeing you at an upcoming show or to anyone who needs a final push to buy a ticket?

This Canadian tour is a first for me, so it’s a really special moment for me to get out and really thank people for the last five years or more of my career. They’ve shown up for me, and I hope we really show up for them on this tour. And after the show, I’m just going to be hanging out and meeting people and thanking people and taking pictures and all that until literally the last person leaves the venue. So, it will be a more intimate experience than just a regular show.

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

Love at First Listen (Round Two) with Griffen Palmer

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Griffen Palmer Interview Unlearn 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.

In February, I spotlighted rising country artist Griffen Palmer, who quickly established himself as an Artist to Watch in 2023 with his still-trending introductory release “Second Guessing.” There was certainly no “second guessing” his star talent and he is showcasing it again on his debut album, ‘Unlearn,’ out today (Apr. 28). Boasting some of the most vulnerable tracks of his songwriting career, ‘Unlearn’ is a musical journey covering life, love, family, relationships, and all the moments in between. The album also has several jam-out moments, perfectly suited for the upcoming summer festival season.

To celebrate album release day, I caught up with Griffen for a Love at First Listen (Round Two) to reflect on his whirlwind year to date (a single, two music videos, and this album — and it’s only April!), hear his message for teenage Griffen, and reveal where he will be performing this summer.

It feels like just weeks ago you were making your introduction to the world as an artist with “Second Guessing.” What was going through your mind when you pressed publish on that first social media post announcing today’s album release?

It’s crazy how last time we talked was before the first song came out and now here we are again with so much going on. At the time, I just felt like, ‘We’re here!’ This whole project has been four years in the making, so it’s fun now that all the hard work is behind me—for the most part—and I can share it all with people. It’s a really awesome feeling.

Rising country artist Griffen Palmer in the studio with a producer from his debut album, 'Unlearn.'
Griffen Palmer in the studio working on his debut album, ‘Unlearn,’ out today (Apr. 28). (via Griffen Palmer/Instagram)

Let’s talk about the title — ‘Unlearn.’ What does that word mean to you in the context of this album?

The title track is the most personal song on the record, by far. My parents split up when I was eight years old, so relationships looked a little confusing to me when I was a kid. The song is about growing up, learning to make the decision of what that looks like for yourself, and unlearning some of the bad habits or things you thought were true but aren’t necessarily true. It was one of the last songs we added to the record because it was one that I felt pretty overwhelmed about sharing, but the more I started playing it for people, the more I realized it was a universal feeling. It felt like if I was going to put out one song for people to get to know me and a bit of my story, this seemed like the one.

This album is the culmination of four years spent writing hundreds of songs. How did you narrow that all down to eight songs, and were there any that called out to you first?

“Second Guessing” was such a big part of my story. “Came Here to Leave” was a song I really loved and had a fresh take for the record. “Bottles on the Table” was also always a frontrunner in my mind. A lot of them just felt like they needed to be a part of this. They felt different, they felt like me, and they were ones I was most excited for people to hear.

I’m a big fan of weaving song titles into questions, so was there a song you were “second guessing” putting on the final tracklist but are ultimately glad made the cut?

“Unlearn” is that one for me. I’d never released a very personal song as an artist before, so I just wasn’t sure how vulnerable I really wanted to be. I’m so glad in the end I decided to do it.

You mentioned on Instagram that you’ve been “dreaming of putting out [your] own album for as long as [you] can remember.” What message do you have for young Griffen now that the big day is finally here?

This is actually funny. My dad just found a letter I’d written in seventh or eighth grade that was supposed to be written to myself in college. In it, I’m asking myself, ‘Are you still playing guitar and writing songs? What’s going on with that? I hope you haven’t given it up yet.’ So, this really has been something I’ve been doing for a long time. I would write a letter back saying, ‘All those times you are regretting or nervous about if it’s going to work out, just try to keep having fun and you’ll get there eventually.’ I would save myself some sleepless nights worrying if it’ll ever work out for me.

You just wrapped a run of tour dates opening for your Big Loud labelmate, Lily Rose. What does the rest of this spring and summer have in store for you? (Last time we spoke, you mentioned more opportunities for fans to see you live!)

Our festival dates are just getting announced now. We’ll have the whole band out playing in British Columbia, Lasso in Montreal, and a bunch of shows in Ontario, along with some U.S. stuff including CMA Fest. I can’t wait to just sweat in the streets of Nashville with everybody. It’ll be great, and it’s all fun stuff on the horizon.

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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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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

[Artists to Watch] Love at First Listen with Ashley Cooke

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Ashley Cooke 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.

Ask country artist Ashley Cooke how the last 12 months have been and she’ll tell you “it’s been a year.” Not only is that the title of her latest smash single, it’s also an accurate reflection of a non-stop year filled with a whole career’s worth of music milestones. Playing more than 100 shows across venues like Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry, signing a record deal, amassing more than 20 million streams of her hit song “Never Til Now” with Brett Young (not to mention performing it on The Bachelorette!), and joining CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2023, it’s no wonder Ashley has built such a fast-growing and fiercely loyal following.

Ashley has joined her friends The Reklaws and Griffen Palmer for a string of Canadian tour stops, including a show at Toronto’s HISTORY. Backstage just hours before her set, I sat down with the rising country star to break down her whirlwind year, preview what’s ahead (including a just-announced tour with Luke Bryan this summer) and steal her self-care secrets while on the road.

Last year marked a return to touring for a lot of artists, yourself included. How has it felt being back on the road with Cole Swindell, The Reklaws, and soon Brett Young and Luke Bryan?

It’s so much fun. I’m working on my debut album and we’re teasing some songs for the first time, so it’s been fun to see people’s reactions. These are my first shows ever outside of the States and I thought there was no way anyone would know who I am, but people are singing along to every single word. It’s great to get to see a whole new fan base, and I’m excited for what’s to come.

Do you have any tour bus must-haves that help you protect your peace—and your voice—while on the road?

Throat coat tea is my saviour, but a weird thing I love is essential oils. My voice coach gave me this blend that I describe as Icy Hot for your throat. You rub some in your palm, breathe it deep into your chest, and it really opens your throat. I can’t play a show without it because it makes me feel so awake mentally but also really makes my throat feel relaxed and ready to sing.

At what point did Brett hop on “Never Til Now” and what unique vibe do you think he brings to the single?

I wrote the song as a manifestation for the kind of love that I want to have at some point down the road. I put it out as a solo version still independent, posted it on social media, and it went viral. My producer and I were then talking about how to bring some new life to it. I’ve always heard this song as a potential duet because it tells a story so deeply and of course there’s two people in a relationship. So, my producer called Brett and he said, I love this song, please let me do it. I think he was the perfect voice for the song, and he has been the best mentor too having been in the industry for so long.

Like many creatives, you grew your audience over the pandemic with incredible covers and original music on TikTok. What advice would you give to aspiring artists in this age of social media?

I’ll find myself sitting after I make a video and overthinking it like, oh, that one note sounds weird, or my face looks weird. I have to remind myself nobody gives a sh-t. For example, with that first “Never Til Now” video that went viral, I had no expectations. It was a random Monday in my kitchen and I decided to do a “maintenance video” as I call it—like just post a video to post a video kind of thing. Two-point-something million views later, you just never know what can happen. I think I had to get rid of the word “maintenance” in my head. Every video is important, and every video is cool. Don’t think too much about it; just post it.

My manager actually found me and reached out to me on TikTok. The two videos she watched were two cover songs that I debated even posting, and they got sent to her because it was artists that she worked with. So, because of that, my entire team is now my team.

For fans who will be seeing you for the first time this year, how would you describe your live show?

In 25 minutes, I hope people can really get to know me and the full scope of what I do and my sounds and influences without me having to blatantly say it. I’ve been told a lot of times that people who watch my show feel like they know me or like they’re my friend, and I just hope people can continue to feel that way regardless of what happens and where I go in my career.

Country artist Ashley Cooke in Toronto
Ashley Cooke photographed January 27, 2023 at HISTORY in Toronto.

Do you have a favourite song to bring to life on stage?

We just added “it’s been a year” into the set. I put it out right before New Year’s and it was one of the top 10 most used songs on Instagram, which is wild. I’m used to running around the stage and this is the first time that I’m on a mic stand without a guitar, so it’s a really empowering, cool moment.

This series is called Love at First Listen, so please shout out any of your country peers who you’ve loved at first listen!

One of my labelmates and friends, MacKenzie Porter, is unreal. Josh Ross is another one of my best friends. He has some really good songs. “First Taste of Gone” — big fan of that one. So many great people come to mind… The Reklaws (obviously) and Shania Twain were the first Canadian artists I was obsessed with!

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