Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday, Reviews

Love at First Listen with Eli Smart

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Eli Smart 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.

Calling all music fans: It would be “smart” to get to know London-based, Kauaʻi-born artist Eli Smart. Currently on tour with Declan McKenna and set to open for The 1975 in Waikiki, HI later this summer, Eli is destined for big things—but don’t just take it from me. He was recently tapped as one of BBC’s Future Artists and has masterfully melded his surf-rock and Northern Soul influences into his own growing brand of Aloha Soul. Your next chance to hear that sound come to life is on Eli’s forthcoming summer single, “Fiesta 99.9FM,” out this Thursday (July 20), with more singles to follow ahead of his debut album in 2024.

SHOW REVIEW | Declan McKenna with Eli Smart, The Danforth Music Hall [July 11, 2023]

For English alt-indie singer-songwriter Declan McKenna, The Big Return Tour doesn’t just represent a long-awaited return to live music coming out of the pandemic, but also his first major North American tour since 2017. Performing songs from his 2020 album ‘Zeros’ and new singles “My House” and “Sympathy” for the first time, the latest run of dates kicked off with a sold-out show at The Danforth Music Hall in Toronto.

Declan’s loyal, high-energy fans are music fans before anything else, and they showed up in droves to fill the room as Eli Smart, the opener for the second leg of the tour, hit the stage early in the night. With Eli’s band unable to make it to the sole Canadian date on the tour, fans were treated to a captivating one-man show. “We’ll try some sh!t,” he joked, setting the tone for an intimate set that felt like the most polished dress rehearsal you had ever witnessed.

Eli performed songs from across his already-extensive repertoire, including his debut release “Come On, Come On, Come On” and his biggest single “Highschool Steady.” But no moment resonated more with the crowd than his final song—a cover of “Queen Bee” by Taj Mahal—when he invited his grandma, a former touring musician herself, to join him on stage playing harmonica. Together, they won over everyone’s hearts and left hundreds of new fans looking forward to a future headlining show in the city. 

Eli Smart (right) performs in Toronto with his grandma, Denise Kaufman (left). The crowd and Denise hold up their hands held in the shape of hearts.
Eli Smart with his grandma, Denise Kaufman, on stage in Toronto on July 11, 2023. (Photo by Angela McLean)

In Conversation with Eli Smart 

Learn more about Eli through our chat about paying homage to your roots, touring with your grandma, and living life “AM to PM” on the road.

Eli, welcome to Love at First Listen! How excited are you for a summer filled with shows?

It’s a really cool and new experience for me. Night one of Declan’s tour in Toronto was a total blast. It was definitely slightly out of my comfort zone to play solo because I haven’t done that much. I usually play with a band, which it’s going to be for the rest of the shows, but in that respect performing solo is a good challenge for me to feel like I’m getting this tour started on a strong personal level. And it was really wonderful for me to wrap up the set by playing a tune with my grandma. It created a lovely tone for the tour moving forward.

You first connected with Declan when he visited you in Kauaʻi to jam and collaborate on music. Has any of that music been released or should fans still be on the lookout?

Nothing’s come out yet, and I would love to get a chance to revisit what we’ve done and do more. When we met, we started a couple of tracks in a very casual way. We were doing what felt right and breaking the ice of knowing each other. So, I would love to approach music again now that we know each other more — especially after this tour!

How did growing up in Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi influence your artistry?

Hawaiʻi’s passion for music is so intertwined with community, which was a big theme in my own upbringing with my family. Calling my music Aloha Soul is me paying respect to and referencing that environment and those tones and sounds I admired growing up and then trying to synthesize them in my own way through my music.

Now based in London, I’m back and forth as much as I can. This all revolves around live music opportunities and just trying to do it in a manageable way. There are a bunch of new artists totally doing their thing in London and it’s an inspiring ecosystem to be around and observe.

You have your grandma on the road with you, not just for support but as part of your band. What does it mean to share an experience as monumental for an artist as touring America is with her?

It means everything to me. It also really worked out by chance that this happened and that she was available. I was looking for a bass player and it hit us that we should totally do this together. It’s total comfort, like you said, to be with family on the road, especially because this is the first time I’ve done a tour of this magnitude and feeling supported is huge. But in addition to that, getting the chance to spend this time together is the most important thing. It’s easy to lose track of what you have, so this is an act of grounding myself in what matters the most to me, which is family and community. I’m just so excited.

What’s your grandma’s favourite part of all this? Seeing new cities, meeting your fans (and her newest fans!), watching you from on stage…?

My grandma has been playing music her whole life. I think that as much as it’s a dream of mine to be able to play with her, she feels a similar way about getting this chance for us to play together. In addition to my grandma, we have really close friends of mine joining us for this tour, so we all go way back and it’s a communal, beautiful thing.

One of your songs (and my personal favourites) is called “AM to PM.” Can you run us through a typical morning to night schedule for an artist on the road?

I’ll have a much better answer after this tour! I start with getting as much sleep as possible. Then, starting the morning fresh, I try to get some breakfast to charge me for the day. Sometimes all you have around is a gas station, so a banana or croissant will do, but caffeine of some sort is a must. We’re going to be doing a lot of driving, so getting the proper soundtrack either for yourself in your headphones or on the stereo for everybody will be the vibe. I think AM to PM on tour will realistically be a combination of mealtime, alone time, group time, times of high adrenaline during the show, and then the logistical part of packing up, getting back to a motel on time, and setting an alarm for the next one.

Since this series is called Love at First Listen, please share some of the artists, albums, or songs you’ve recently loved at first listen!

I’m going to take a quick scan of my Spotify to give you an accurate answer — don’t mind me. So, I love Brazilian music from the ‘60s to ‘70s. David Byrne from the band Talking Heads did a compilation record of Brazilian music called ‘Beleza Tropicale.’ My family had the ‘Brazil Classics 1‘ record growing up, and I always go back to it as it helped introduce me to the whole world of Brazilian music. They’re the most timeless, beautiful songs.

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

Love at First Listen with Royal Wood

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Royal Wood Interview

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 singer Royal Wood may not know what tomorrow brings, but he’s perfectly happy living in the moment—especially after two years of not being able to release music or perform for his dedicated fans. Out today, his eighth studio album, ‘What Tomorrow Brings,’ is an open book that touches on themes relatable to every listener, from navigating the chaos of uncertainty to leaning on your loved ones and finding the fortune in misfortune.

If that wasn’t enough to celebrate, Royal Wood just wrapped a brief Canadian tour that concluded with a hometown show at Toronto’s iconic Massey Hall and released a mini documentary, What Tomorrow Brings: Behind The Album, that goes behind the scenes of one of his proudest projects to date. It seems like everything’s worked its way up to this point, yet it’s truly just the beginning.

For this edition of Love at First Listen, I sat down with Royal Wood hours before he stepped on stage at Massey Hall to talk about today’s album release, documenting the stories behind the songs, and what tomorrow really brings.

Between headlining Massey Hall and releasing ‘What Tomorrow Brings,’ how does it feel to have all these major milestones happening at once?

It feels like the right time—and about time. My wife and I had two children during the pandemic and we now live in the country, so our whole lives had this massive paradigm shift. Recently, there’s been a subtle voice in the back of my brain saying something’s missing. As much as I have everything, it’s not everything. To be back playing shows with the band, putting out new music, and scratching that itch, I’ve got all the pieces back!

What inspired you to have cameras document the stories behind the songs with What Tomorrow Brings: Behind The Album?

I wish I’d done that kind of stuff earlier. I’m very fortunate and blessed with the producers, musicians, and studios I’ve worked with over the years and, other than a couple of Polaroids and a few snapshots on a phone, we haven’t captured things because we were too busy doing them. I don’t know how many albums I have in me­—no one ever does—but I love this part of my life. So, even just to show our sons one day and say, “This is what daddy did when you guys were babies,” it felt like it was the right time.

In the documentary, you reveal the album was almost ready to go before the pandemic, but you waited to be able to tour and properly celebrate its release. How did that end goal impact the way you revisited the songs you wrote pre-pandemic?

I was in the UK finishing up the last couple songs as the pandemic was happening. My wife was texting me photos showing no groceries and no toilet paper in our grocery store, so I got on a plane, came home, and then all the chaos started. For the first time in my life, I didn’t have any shows coming up and I didn’t want to put out this record without a chance to perform it and celebrate all the pieces that come with it—even just sitting here with somebody to talk about it. I started listening back in a Leonard Cohen kind of way, examining every lyric, line, and melody. I emerged with an album I think is one of my best. There’s one song I completely dropped because I realized I’d done it so many times before, and then I ended up writing a new song called “Because of You.” So, I really got to wrap this album up in a perfect little bow.

Royal Wood Artist Toronto
Royal Wood photographed October 29, 2022 at Massey Hall in Toronto.

You also specifically call out the Massey Hall show in the documentary. What does this venue mean to you?

I remember my first show here at Massey Hall, my drummer, who was also my English teacher in high school (shout out Mr. Milner), took me to see Lou Reed. I’d been to little theatres and shows before with my dad, but I’d never seen a venue like this. At that moment, I said to myself, “I’m going to headline here.” I did it for the first time in 2018, and then I also recorded a live record, ‘Royal Wood (Live at Massey Hall).’ To be back, knowing that I got to be one of the last artists to perform here before the renovations and say goodbye to the old Massey, feels amazing. 

As the album title suggests, you may not know what tomorrow brings, but can you tease anything you have in the works for 2023?

I’m working on an instrumental record, a collection of B-Sides, and an alternate acoustic version of ‘What Tomorrow Brings.’ I’m also finally going to start chipping away at a Christmas record. So, there’s a lot of recording and then the doors are open to tour again. I have Western Canada, Eastern Canada, and a bunch of stuff in the States coming up, so it will be busy. But for anyone coming to the shows, I hope they come away having seen five musicians playing music together that not only love the music but love each other. We missed the camaraderie and the laughs and hanging backstage and offstage again is just as good as being onstage.

Do you want to shout out any of your Canadian peers whose music you’ve loved at first listen?

My current one to watch is Tim Baker. I’ve known him for years since we broke together and followed each other’s careers, but his new record is so stunning. Also, Mathew V, who just toured with us, is amazing. He so deserved his JUNO nomination and I’ve never had an opener before get standing ovations every night like he does. Him and his band members helped us set up and tear down each night and that shows he’s just a good Canadian kid.

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Love at First Listen with Olivia Lunny

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Olivia Lunny Interview

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.

On her new track “Wonderland,” Canadian pop songstress Olivia Lunny sings about chasing a moment and falling in love with your dreams—a philosophy that seems to have brought her to exactly where she’s meant to be today. After capturing the judges’ (and Canada’s) hearts on CTV’s music competition show The Launch in 2019, she’s continued her upward trajectory with a 2021 debut album and electrifying singles that boast expertly crafted lyrics and repeat-worthy beats.

For our latest Love at First Listen feature, I caught up with Olivia to get the inside scoop on “Wonderland” and her upcoming live shows with fellow Canuck Tyler Shaw during her whirlwind single release week, which took her to New York and LA after a headlining showcase at UMUSIC’s Toronto headquarters.

Olivia Lunny Toronto
Olivia Lunny photographed October 6, 2022 at her UMUSIC showcase in Toronto.

Welcome to Love at First Listen! Let’s talk about the song I most recently fell in love at first listen with—your new single, “Wonderland.” How has release week been?

It’s been busy and crazy, but so fun. I was just in New York shooting the “Wonderland” music video, which will be coming very soon. I actually just got the first draft and it was very whimsical and very much a wonderland. We shot in one big, white, blank studio space and created three different environments within it. It’s the most polished video I’ve done and I’m really excited for fans to see the different outfits and hair.

How long had you been sitting on “Wonderland” before it came out?

I wrote this song last winter, and it’s funny how things work. I feel like subconsciously, I write music and then by the time it comes out, somehow it resonates strongly in my life. So many amazing things have happened recently and I feel like I’m in my Wonderland era, so I’m happy that this song and this part of my life are coming together.

What does “wonderland” mean to you?

To me, “wonderland” is a state of being. It’s that feeling of you not being fully in touch with reality. You’re in a flow state because you’re just so happy, so many amazing things are happening, and you can’t even really dream of it. That’s why there are lyrics that say, “If you can imagine, you can really have it.” That’s the overarching theme for what “Wonderland” is.

So many people came to know and love you after you appeared on, and won, The Launch. What was your main takeaway from that experience?

I think it really did essentially launch—no pun intended—my career in the Canadian music scene. Being from Winnipeg, I had slowly started to build something there, but I think The Launch really got me to a point where I knew exactly what kind of music I wanted to make. From there, I connected with so many amazing people and gained great momentum. It really pushed me to a new level of where I wanted to go but wasn’t always sure how I would.

You released your debut album in July 2021. Are “Wonderland” and your summer collab with Bhad Bhabie, “VIBE CHECK,” a taste of your sophomore album or standalone tracks?

I’m in an interesting spot where I’m not necessarily heartbroken or sad, so I’ve been writing music that resembles that—and that’s new for me. Usually, it’s more break up bangers. So, it depends how we want to paint the picture. Right now, these songs are just little individual prints, but I might do a full thing. We’ll see!

You’ll be touring across western Canada with Tyler Shaw next month. What goes through your mind as you’re putting together the perfect live setlist?

My strategy is going on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and all these platforms, seeing what people enjoy and incorporating those into the set, and then obviously throwing “I Got You” (her single from The Launch) in there. I want to tell a story that shows where I’ve been, the kind of music I can make right now, and where I’m going. And I think it’s really important to have one or two songs in the middle that are a bit slower where I grab my guitar and show how this started.

Who are some of the live performers that have inspired you?

Early on, Ed Sheeran was a really big inspiration for me. Beyond our red hair, I love how he takes these ballads and can turn them into massive pop songs. I resonate with that because most of my songs start on the guitar or piano, and then with production it’s really fun to make them poppy. Post Malone puts on an amazing show too. He has a moment where it’s just him and then he picks up the guitar for two songs. His voice is incredible and he’s so likable and down to earth, and people love that.

Besides the tour, what do you have planned musically for the rest of the year?

I just came to Los Angeles, so I’ll probably be writing some tunes and seeing where this all takes me one step at a time. Right now, I’m really excited for the Tyler tour and meeting fans. I’ve never played Vancouver or anywhere in Alberta, so it’ll be really fun to keep connecting with people and seeing new places.

Since this series is called Love at First Listen, I’d love to know if there are any songs you’ve recently loved at first listen.

One is “The Dress” by an artist named Dijon, and then I would say Bob Moses and Kasblanca’s song “Afterglow.” Those two songs have definitely been on heavy rotation because when I like a song, I just play it over and over and over.

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Interviews, Love at First Listen, Music, Music Monday

Love at First Listen with Alex Porat

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Alex Porat Interview

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.

News flash: it’s Alex Porat’s world, we’re just living in it. With a fresh pop sound and highly-relatable (not to mention viral!) songs about love, life, and exploring your identity, it’s no surprise this 23-year-old, Toronto-based singer-songwriter has quickly attracted over 708,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alongside global critical acclaim.

Last month, Alex gave us exactly what we needed with her repeat-worthy debut album ‘MISS SICK WORLD.’ Songs like “dimension” perfectly capture the feeling of irresistible lust over someone you can’t have, while the sassy “never say ily again” serves as a final farewell to an ex you have no idea why you liked in the first place. 

With a new album comes a new tour and, luckily, fans don’t have to wait long — Alex is days away from heading out on the road with management-mate Ralph for a cross-Canada tour sure to be stopping in a city near you.

Get a behind the scenes look at Alex’s journey as we chat ‘MISS SICK WORLD,’ what you can expect from her live show, and her favourite music releases from 2021.

How does it feel to have ‘MISS SICK WORLD’ out for everyone to hear, and how did you know this was the right time to release your first full body of work?

It feels so great. I’m just about to head on tour with Ralph and I really wanted to perform a project that felt like it represented me as an artist first stepping into the world of live shows. I’m kind of treating it like a first impression or introduction to me as a musician.

What inspired the album title? Does it correlate with any overall narrative or themes the album explores?

The album title came from the track “miss sick world.” I left it last to release because I wanted it to set the overall tone of where I’m at now. The whole project is centred around my life and the story behind “miss sick world” is a commentary on how I’ve grown up navigating my identity. I’ve really struggled with my identity growing up, and it felt right to give such a heavy song it’s own moment on the project.

This era of your career has led to multiple milestones — booking a cross-country tour, landing a billboard in Yonge-Dundas Square, and, most recently, reaching one million subscribers on YouTube. What would young Alex Porat, who wrote music and recorded covers in her bedroom, say to the now 23-year-old Alex Porat?

I’m always in disbelief. It still never feels real to me and I always wonder if that feeling is going to stay. I can’t explain how appreciative I am to everyone. I think young Alex would probably ask me how this even all happened. When I was younger, I used to be able to picture myself on stage, singing, and recording music, but I could never picture what it took to get there. It really was just perseverance. Now, I’m realizing there’s still so much more left to accomplish and do. It makes me feel hopeful for the future because I feel like I can do so much more still.

One of your earliest endorsements was from Shawn Mendes, who loved your cover of his song “In My Blood.” Considering Shawn also rose to fame posting covers online, what does it mean to you to be part of the next wave of GTA artists making it big?

It’s an honour to be considered that, so thank you! I’m super proud to be from here and to be a part of the music community here has been so special. Despite there being so much talent, it’s a really tight community and very supportive. It was definitely a special moment for me getting that recognition from Shawn Mendes because it made me feel like a career in music was possible.

You recently said performing live was one of your biggest goals. Now that you’re about to go on tour and bring your songs to life for the first time on stage, which tracks are you most excited to perform?

I’m so excited! I’m definitely still in the process of adding more elements to my performances. I’m really excited for “dimension” because there’s a lot of choreography from the music video that I want to incorporate in some way at some point. I also really love singing “miss sick world,” even though it makes me want to cry.

It’s wild to think that we’re already approaching the end of 2021. Can you share some of the albums that you loved at first listen this year?

‘Happier Than Ever’ by Billie Eilish and ‘MONTERO’ by Lil Nas X. I’m also obsessed with everything Lisa from BLACKPINK does!

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Love at First Listen with QUIETLOVE

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Love at First Listen - QUIETLOVE

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 (virtually, for now) 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.

Welcome to the world of QUIETLOVE, a new project fronted by Canadian singer-songwriter Brendan DiStefano. You may recognize Brendan from his previous solo releases or as the lead singer of indie-pop trio Navigate the Sky. After four years of behind-the-scenes planning, QUIETLOVE represents a name and identity that he says “exactly conveys the right tone” for the alt-pop music he’s been writing.

Get ready to fall in love at first listen with “The Dream,” QUIETLOVE’s catchy, self written and produced debut single about battling through self-doubt and remembering why you started your journey. Take it from me that this is just the beginning of a very exciting journey ahead for QUIETLOVE!

While you play “The Dream” on repeat, check out my new interview with QUIETLOVE below for the inside scoop on defining ‘the dream,’ the songs he’s loved at first listen, and what’s next.

“The Dream” is your first single as QUIETLOVE. What does this song mean to you, and why did you think it was the perfect song to introduce your new project?

“The Dream” is a very honest song for me. It’s about chasing your dreams and the harsh realities that sometimes come along with doing so. I felt the message was relatable to my peers, and I knew it had to be the first single to establish who I am. I hope someone hears it and it helps them through their own battles.

Where were you the first time you heard the final track and what was your reaction?

I’ll never forget. I was on the TTC in Toronto and I received the first mix to my email from my mixing engineer, Jack. I remember riding around the city and listening for the first time with an ear-to-ear smile. It was definitely a memorable moment for me.

Inquiring minds want to know: What exactly is “the dream”?

I honestly think it varies for everyone. Whatever you define as success to yourself, is the truth to you. To me, ‘the dream’ would be making music for the rest of my life and living comfortably doing so.

For fans who have followed you throughout the years, how would you describe your sonic evolution?

It’s tough to describe. I’d say the songs lyrically have gotten more and more personal, closer to the heart. Sonically, a year or two ago now, the band and I started producing ourselves, which I think really helped find an authentic sound.

How do you plan to continue, or even integrate your releases as QUIETLOVE with and/or alongside the work you’re doing with your band, Navigate the Sky?

I think it’s a fun way to keep the creative energy flowing, whether I’m writing as QUIETLOVE or with the boys. I really look up to bands like The Maine and Alexisonfire where they’ve managed to steadily release songs over multiple projects or side projects. As a listener or fan, you’ll always have new content to consume.

Music has been a close friend to so many of us over the past year. Can you share some of the artists or “quarantine anthems” that you simply had no choice but to love at first listen?

Oh, too many to count. I recently discovered a local Toronto-based artist, Verzache, who produces himself and is very DIY as well. Check out his song called “Think About It.” He’s definitely one to watch blow up over the next year or so — mark my words. Also, “Listerine” by Dayglow has been on repeat the last month or so.

What’s next for QUIETLOVE?

More everything. Now that my debut single is out, I feel like I’ve finally established who I am to the world. I’ve still got so much more to say. I’m looking forward to the future of QUIETLOVE. Keep your eyes peeled to my socials for more!

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