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, New Music Friday

Love at First Listen with Nice Horse

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Nice Horse 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.

Calling all country music fans: You may know Nice Horse but get ready to meet Nice Horse 2.0. Once a four-piece band, members and musical sisters Brandi Sidoryk and Katie Rox reintroduced themselves as a duo at the start of the year. Originally bonding over a shared love of live music and sushi, the pair’s sonic yin and yang translate beautifully to a mix of feisty country anthems and vulnerable love songs, including the seven songs that make up Nice Horse’s first project in seven years.

Ahead of their self-titled album’s one-month anniversary, Love at First Listen caught up with Nice Horse’s Brandi and Katie to chat more about which songs brought the record together, what it’s like to see your face on a giant billboard, and where you can see the duo live this summer.

Your new, self-titled album is your first as a duo. I assume there was multiple reasons for this to be self-titled, but can you talk more about the decision behind the name and what this body of music represents to you?

Brandi: We’re different artists than we were seven years ago recording our first record. So, this really did feel like a Nice Horse 2.0 to us, and the idea of titling it ‘Nice Horse’ felt really natural.

When an album is years in the making, you may have written something three or four years ago, and now that it’s out, it’s taken on a different meaning. Has that happened with any song on this album?

Katie: When I wrote “Unfinished,” it was coming from something really personal. I’m finding it’s taking on a new life right now because our band used to be four and we went to two and I remember the time when that changed. Of course I went through a moment of like, are we making the right decision? Is this the time to just end it? Somebody really close to me said, “Your story’s not done yet. It’s not finished.” And I was like, “Oh, that’s interesting because we have a song on the album called ‘Unfinished,’” so that’s how that song has continued to evolve for me.

Which song on the final track list was the first to make it on the album, and are there any that almost didn’t make the cut?

Katie: There’s hundreds that didn’t make it on the record! We recorded a few to begin with before we finally finished.

Brandi: We wrote “Til I Do” over six years ago, so that song is the matriarch of the record. It truly was a song that we felt was so special when we wrote it all those years ago, and the fact that we finally get to put it on this record feels like such a journey for that song in particular.

Amazon Music Canada commemorated the album’s release with a billboard in Yonge-Dundas Square. What did seeing it for the first time mean to each of you?

Katie: There’s hardly words. Like, to actually be larger than life on a giant billboard in the heart of Toronto… We have put years of work into this, and there’s so much more that goes into it than just the music. To get that recognition on such a giant level and for Amazon to see us and really believe in what we’re doing—so much so that they put us on that giant billboard—I mean, I was in tears.

Brandi: Yeah, it was so emotional. When I was moving to Toronto at 18, I lived on a farm and I had never been on public transit before. [The big city] was so new to me, and I still get butterflies in my stomach every time I’m flying into Toronto and I see the skyline. So, the fact that I got to be there in Toronto, which is a city that means so much to me, and see our faces up on that billboard with a record that I’m so proud that we’ve made and that we’ve really made through blood, sweat, and tears really means a lot.

You won a CCMA award for Video of the Year last year with your single “High School.” Can fans expect any music videos for their favourite songs from this album?

Katie: We are going to shoot a new music video so soon and we’re so excited about it. That’s all I can say!

Brandi: It is going to be an absolutely beautiful video. The only hint that I can give you is that Katie and I are both born and raised farm girls and there will be no public transit riding in this music video.

How involved are you both in the making of your music videos? Do you prefer to show up on set with everything ready to go or be involved from the beginning?

Katie: For our “Hot Mess” music video, we went to the director with a really strong vision of what it was going to be. Brandi also edited the whole “High School” music video. So, our music videos have always started with an idea that we then needed to find the person to help us bring to life. And because we got to luckily take home that [CCMA] award, I think it shows that we love to make music, but it turns out we also love to make music videos.

Brandi: I think the music videos are the extensions of the songs, and it’s just another way that we get to share with fans what we see the song as. Katie wrote the entire treatment for our next one!

Your single “Things I Wish I Didn’t Know” also hit Top 50 at Canadian country radio—an incredible feat for an independent act. Do you have any message for country audiences and stations who have supported Nice Horse over the years?

Katie: We hadn’t gone to radio in a very long time, and it’s scary because you want the songs to resonate, you want them to do well, and you want to feel like you’re really putting your heart out there and people are resonating with it. So, the stations that picked it up and featured us or made us regulars in their rotation and gave us a renewed sense of joy and energy, it’s a big thank you to them because that’s how people discover us. That song is a perfect example of something that we really believed in and I’m so glad that they did too.

Brandi: People gravitate to certain songs because they make them feel something or they relate to them, and that is incredibly special for us because this record is incredibly personal to us. It’s validating as an artist but also validating emotionally to have people come up to you or message you and say how much a song is impacting them because of something that’s going on in their lives. It then immediately feels relatable on a human level with stuff that we’ve been going through for the last four years.

The past couple of years have been quite a moment for women in country music, with the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Maddie & Tae, and our friends MacKenzie Porter and Teigen Gayse having great success. Can you share how you met and any advice you’d give to women trying to break into the industry?

Katie: Brandi had seen me playing a morning television show promoting one of my solo acoustic shows. She came out and walked over to the merch table at the end of the show and was like, “Hey, I’m Brandi. I think we should be friends! I’m a singer-songwriter too.” I loved her energy and vibe. She was just moving to Vancouver, and that’s where I live, so we stayed in touch and went for sushi at least once a week. Everything we were doing musically was so different that it never dawned on us that we should do something together. It was six years before we started Nice Horse. What’s funny is the thing that stuck—the thing that did well—was when we joined forces.

Brandi: I think that plays into the advice I would give young women who are looking to start this. I think there’s a lot of fear that you have to do something right away and it has to hit right away, but that’s not always the case. You’re going to have a lot of failures and that’s okay. Those failures are what brought Katie and I to this project. I think it’s just really sticking to it. People notice that.

Katie: I look at how Brandi and I were just in Nashville and we were hanging out with pretty much every other female solo artist or band that is down there. I find that Canadian country music is really good about that – everyone is really welcoming and encouraging of each other because there is room for everybody. I think it’s important for people to know that because I think TV sometimes shows it not to be that way, but that’s not true.

Now that the album is out, what do you have planned for the rest of the year?

Brandi: We just announced that we’re playing Sunfest on Vancouver Island. We’ve already announced that we’re playing Cavendish Beach Music Festival on the other side of Canada and that we’re playing CMA Fest in Nashville.

Katie: It’s going to be a busy summer, which is really exciting because it will be our first year playing live as a duo. So, to have this record and to be playing together, it’s a whole summer of a new side of Nice Horse that is an extension of the one that we were, and it’s going to be great.

Which songs are you most excited to perform live?

Brandi: A lot of our true-blue Nice Horse fans who have been with us for a long time have already heard some of the songs live because we test songs before we put them out. So, we’ll be playing all of the new songs on the record this summer. And who knows, maybe we’ll pull out some new ones to test as well for upcoming records!

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music

Love at First Listen with Teigen Gayse

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Teigen Gayse 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.

There’s simply no mistaking that Teigen Gayse has the “it” factor. The bubbly country singer-songwriter who hails from a small town in British Columbia recently made the move to Nashville, the city where country dreams come true. Within the first week, she cooked up a “banger” in the studio with Jenna Walker from The Reklaws (her words, not ours!) and debuted her brand new single, “Better Mistake,” at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row bar. While she’s now calling Nashville home, she’ll be bouncing from city to city all summer long, playing the Collingwood Summer Country Kickoff, Dauphin’s Countryfest in Manitoba, and many more festivals and shows soon to be announced.

Dive into our interview with Teigen as she reveals the single phrase that inspired “Better Mistake,” her on-stage persona, and what you can expect from her upcoming CMAOntario Awards hosting gig.

Welcome to Love at First Listen! We’re celebrating the release of your heartfelt new single “Better Mistake.” Can you tell us about how this song came to be and how you decided it had single potential?

“Better Mistake” was one of the first songs that I wrote when I came to Nashville two years ago. I wrote it with David Thompson and Phil Barton. I just had the title and I brought it into a couple of different rooms. When I brought it into this room [with David and Phil], they really liked the title and we ended up writing the song. Sometimes you go in and you’re experiencing something and you need to get it out—you need to write it. But this one, we were like, “Okay, how do we make a story out of this?” The song is about you falling for somebody [or] hitting it off with somebody that you never would have expected to hit it off with and it ended up working out in the long run. It’s a love song!

How often do you go into the studio with just a spark of an idea versus having a song mostly or fully fleshed out?

Let me tell you! I went through a breakup recently and I’m just feeling all of the feels. So, when I go into rooms right now, it’s like my diary. I’m like, “I’m feeling this today. Can we write this?” That has been lots of fun because I don’t really do that. Usually, I just kind of go in and ask the room, “What do we all want to write?” But lately I’ve been going in and I’m like, “I need to write this. These are all my feelings, and I need to let them out.”

You just moved to Nashville, so I am sure it feels full circle to be releasing “Better Mistake” considering you wrote it on your first trip there. What are you most excited for now that you will be living in Nashville full time?

It’s such a driven city. Everyone is here. Everyone is hungry. Everyone is just eager to succeed and work and get stuff done. And everyone down here is just so good at writing. I played my first Whiskey Jam [at Whiskey Row] on my single release night, which was really exciting because that’s something that I’ve been wanting to play since my first time coming to Nashville. It’s just nice to be down here with so many people that are chasing the same dream and you can all relate with each other. You kind of wake up and you live and breathe music, which is what I always wanted to do.

You’re already checking off some of your Nashville bucket list items. Was Whiskey Jam your first time performing “Better Mistake” for a crowd?

It was my first time performing it for a crowd and my first time playing in Nashville. I wish you could have been there because it was so much fun. It was such a pinch me moment.

People may know you as the songstress behind hit songs like “Sleeping With Her,” your highest charting radio single to date, and “If You Show Me Yours,” which you co-wrote with Chad Kroeger of Nickelback. Where do you think “Better Mistake” fits in your discography? Do you hope it shows fans another side of you or sets the stage for an upcoming EP or album…?

“If You Show Me Yours” was like a love ballad, and then “Sleeping With Her” was an upbeat song but also a breakup song. It was cool to me that it was a sad song, but you would never know because it was just so upbeat and fun. “Better Mistake” sits in the middle. It’s a love song but it’s got a good push to it. So, I like trying to change it up on each single and give the world something a little bit different.

You’re co-hosting this year’s CMAOntario Awards on June 2 in Mississauga. How are you preparing to be part of such a big night in Canadian country music in that capacity?

I just want to make people feel welcome and feel good about themselves, so I was really excited when they asked me to host. It meant a lot that they asked an artist from B.C. to come up and be part of the CMAO [Awards]. I’ve always wanted to host and thought it would be really cool. I hope I do a good job!

While you haven’t technically been announced as a CMAO Awards performer, can we expect a performance of “Better Mistake” snuck in there?

I can’t say anything right now, but… you never know! [WRITER’S NOTE: Infer from that what you will!]

You recently made your UK debut performing at C2C Festival in London. How was the fan and crowd reception compared to what you’ve seen in Canada and Nashville?

They are such big country music lovers over there. It felt so good to come offstage and have a big line of people wanting my autograph and wanting pictures, and it was just the most cool experience ever. I’m so grateful that I got to go and I’m manifesting going back next year to play on the main stage. We’re putting it out to the world!

For people who haven’t seen you yet and might be seeing you for the first time this summer, what impression do you hope to leave on each crowd?

I just want people to feel good. I want them to feel like they can relate to my music. That’s my biggest goal. And hopefully they leave feeling like, damn, I’m really glad we got to see her and found a new artist. Honestly, how I am right now, my personality, is how I am on stage. I’m kind of all over the place and crazy and fun and funny, and I just hope I can keep doing that on stage and make people feel welcome, related to, and relatable.

Can you tease any other projects you have in the works?

I’m down here writing, writing, writing. So, keep your eyes and ears peeled for new music and possibly an album in the near future. Grind and grind, baby!

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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, 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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