Why is it called falling in love? Usually, the act of falling is associated with a negative feeling. Isn’t falling in love supposed to be something good and joyous? Becoming infatuated with someone new, someone who will most likely become the center of your universe, can feel like falling without a parachute, falling without knowing where you will land, but it is the rush, it is the crazy ride without a seat belt that people crave.
Preston Pablo, the JUNO-Award-winning artist, kicks off a new chapter with a new 5-track project, Almost Always, rooted in this golden rush of a new serious connection, falling in love, with the excitement of butterflies and wanting to capture the moment. The EP emerges after Pablo’s intentional time away from music and songwriting, during which he rediscovered who he is beyond creative expression.
“I had to spend some time asking myself important questions and setting boundaries,” the Canadian artist opens up about how he dealt with burnout. Things like fishing, camping, and photography helped him pause and find a healthy balance in operating his professional and personal life. Almost Always acts as a step up from previous projects, but also as a good launching pad for where he wants to go.
Opening with ‘Cause I Do,’ his comeback single, Pablo offers an instant demonstration of his new pop direction, inked with melodious, vulnerable songwriting. ‘Selfish’ reaffirms the inescapable spiral of wanting someone so badly, you can’t get them out of your head. The EP’s highlight is ‘Tidal Wave,’ a crashing song about fighting to stay afloat after letting a loved one go.
Pablo puts all his cards on the table, learning the only way is to be honest and upfront about your feelings. And there is no better way to encapsulate the stubborn headache of falling in love than through pop music. Almost Always suggests that Pablo is only scratching the surface with his talents and potential, and is in a phase open to experimenting with new sounds and concepts.
In a conversation with Noctis, Preston Pablo teases that Almost Always is a precursor to the second half, which may be coming out very soon, as he comments on the art of album-making and his desire to take his time with it. He shares items from his Summer bucket list, the reasons behind taking time off, and how leaving college changed his life forever.
What’s on your Summer bucket list for this year?
I recently got into backcountry camping and fishing. Been doing a lot of that with my brother and our friends, that’s one of them. Basically, just being outside as much as possible while the weather’s nice here in Canada. I have a trip planned to Greece at the end of the summer, that’s a bucket list item for sure. I also really want to become a better guitar player and producer. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while and this summer I’ve been dedicating more time to it
Can you list your top 5 ultimate Summer songs?
In no particular order:
Majid Jordan – Every Step Every Way
Mack Keane – Candycrush
Holly Humberstone – Red Chevy
Lana Del Rey – Love
PARTYNEXTDOOR – Break from Toronto
The core of your new EP Almost Always is rooted in love. What aspects of love were you most interested in capturing?
Definitely the rush, that initial feeling of falling. I think I was most interested in the excitement of love at the time of writing most of these songs. It felt the most accurate to me. I was in the midst of getting into a relationship and very much falling in love with someone while these songs were being created.
What story did you intend to tell with the EP title?
This EP was initially supposed to be a bigger project. It was supposed to be a ten-song project, but because an EP can’t be serviced to streaming platforms as more than five songs, we cut it in half. The title “Almost Always” is the precursor to the second half, which may or may not be coming out this year as well…
How would you describe the direction you took on Almost Always?
I’d say it’s a solid blend of sounds that feel fresh and unique but also have a nostalgic tone to them. I would call it pop music, at least that’s the intent. Genres are so fluid now, I feel like everything can be considered pop. I do think this project is heading in a direction where there’s room to further explore and push boundaries. I think it’s a good step up from where I was, and also a good launching point to where I want to be.
Can you share more about why you took some time away from music?
The honest answer is I was burnt out. I’m lucky and blessed enough to have found success as an artist early on in my career. But with all the amazing experiences and opportunities that came from that, there were also a lot of things that weren’t so amazing. None of it you can really plan for.
You throw yourself into the fire because it’s new and exciting, but you’re not always prepared for the after-effects of that. There was a lot of pressure, a lot of unknown, a lot of anxiety and self-doubt. Still is all that to this day, but I think without that initial step back it would be so much worse. I needed to figure out how to deal with it and manage it in a healthy way. I had to spend some time asking myself important questions and setting boundaries.
Did you get up to anything out of the ordinary?
Nothing out of the ordinary for me, mostly just getting back to a lot of the things I did growing up or before I got so caught up with music. Things like fishing, camping, being outdoors, photography, watching more movies, and focusing on my physical and mental health. Really just the essential things I need in order to operate in a healthy way.
What do you feel were the benefits of taking this time off?
Spending more time with my thoughts. I tried, and have still been trying, to incorporate certain days of the week where I don’t really use my phone or technology at all. I feel like it’s so hard to have your own thoughts and opinions now because there’s just so much of everything out there in the world and it’s accessible at all times. That’s scary to me. It doesn’t feel necessary, and I’ve been trying to get away from it as much as possible to be honest. I think it’s important to be bored sometimes.
The breakout single ‘Tidal Wave’ touches upon the aftermath of a tragic loss. How did you learn to be vulnerable in your songwriting?
I’d say probably from listening to other artists do it. I grew up listening to a wide variety of music, from early Tim McGraw to Adele. I’ve always gravitated towards heavy songs. Big heartfelt ballads, emotional and honest R&B/pop songs, songs that strike a feeling have always been my favourite and I think in order to do that well you have to be vulnerable.
What instruments or harmonies are the best medium to express heartbreak, regret, and letting go?
Piano, hands down.
Are you that vulnerable in your day-to-day conversations with friends and family?
Not always. I think it has to be the right time, the right environment, and the right people.
Being vulnerable in conversation is a lot more difficult for me than it is in the studio. When you’re in the studio writing, you’re supposed to be vulnerable. It’s an open invitation for emotions. In day-to-day life it’s not that easy.
What are your favourite songs that make you feel like you want to scream off rooftops?
I’d say anything by Justin Bieber. He’s definitely got my favourite songs to sing.
It’s been two years since your debut EP Anywhere But Here. How was it approaching the follow-up project?
It’s been pretty good. I feel so far from that EP and the place I was in while writing it. I think it’s a great project, but it just feels so far removed from where I’m at now, which makes me love “Almost Always” even more. This project feels fresh because it’s so different, it’s like a clean slate. I’m really excited to put all these songs out.
One thing I can say about this EP versus the last is I value a consistent release schedule. Last time around, the songs were so spaced out and so much life was lived in between them that it was sometimes hard to go back to the place where those songs were written. This time it’s quite different.
At this point in your career, how do you feel about working on a studio album?
I’m honestly in no rush. I value the art of an album so much that I won’t even consider making my own until I’m really ready to commit to a sound, direction, and overall world for the album to live in.
Can you recall a pivotal moment in your life that was crucial in you pursuing a music career?
Leaving school was a big one. I dropped out of college because I absolutely hated it and knew it was not for me, and when I got back to Timmins I felt like I had nothing else to lose at that point, so I just stopped caring and really committed to making great music.
What would that version of yourself think about where you are now?
I think he’d be pretty shocked. I never give myself as much credit as I probably should, so the older me would be surprised I got this far. He’d be so happy and excited and proud, I think. I hope he’d tell me to trust myself and to remember why I started this whole thing in the first place.
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Words: Karolina Kramplova