Project WILD would like you to know each of the 2019 Top 12 even better. We prepared five questions for each of the artists/bands to help us learn a little more.
- What brought you to country/roots music?
I was drawn to country/roots music when I became serious about songwriting. I wanted to become the best songwriter I possibly could, and there are no genres that revere the craft more than these ones. Even simple country songs are so well-crafted that you can’t help but feel something when you take in the story being told. The deeper I dive into these genres, the more I learn about what makes a great song.
- When did you write your first song – as an artist or with a band?
I wrote my first song when I was 15. I spent hours and hours alone in my room getting it just right and recorded it shortly after. It was a love song for my girlfriend at the time. While I was too embarrassed to play it for her, my mom had no such problem.
- If you could go on tour opening to any performing artist right now, who would it be?
If I could open for any performing artist right now it would have to be Devin Dawson. I have so much respect for the guy’s skill as a songwriter/performer and feel like we come from a similar place musically. I’d love the opportunity to learn from an artist like that on the road.
- What is the best trend in country/roots music right now?
The best country songs I’ve heard lately are the ones in which the artist is strikingly vulnerable in their writing. My favourite of these are songs that embrace that artist’s dark side and issues such as mental health, addiction, sexuality, and identity that typically aren’t addressed as much in popular country. Truly great songs are the ones that make people feel the most deeply, and I believe songs that accomplish this most effectively do so through shared pain. I absolutely love songs that are raw and vulnerable, and hope more of these become mainstream as time goes by.
- What part of Project WILD are you most looking forward to?
There are so many parts of Project WILD that I’m looking forward to, but bootcamp is absolutely at the top of my list. Getting to spend a week learning from industry experts, making music with friends, and hanging out in the BC wilderness sounds too good to be true. It’s going to be like summer camp for adults!
