Many of your older songs—like Hayloft—blew up on TikTok years after their release. Did that change your relationship with those songs?
Ryan Guldemond: Yeah, it kind of reinvigorated our relationship with them. You sort of let old songs go to sleep, and then the world wakes them up. You get to celebrate them being alive again. That’s probably the best way to put it.
Let’s talk about Hayloft, from the first one to the sequel—was that always part of a bigger plan, or did something trigger the idea?
We actually wrote Hayloft II in 2021. After Hayloft went viral, we thought it would be cool to do a sequel. It wasn’t planned originally—it just felt like the right time.
Your new album, Nostalgia, just dropped. Did your approach to making music change over the years? With time and new tools, did your creative process evolve?
Yeah, we probably started more lo-fi. As we matured, we began experimenting more with production, electronics, and sonic density. But now I think we’re craving some of that spacious lo-fi feel again. So I’d say it’s been an arc. We’re returning a bit to our roots and those early sensibilities.
Has the recent success put any pressure on you to change your style, to cater more to a younger audience, for example?
No, I don’t feel that at all. I think any songwriter who really means business will tell you: the hardest thing is to pry magic out of thin air. You’re just trying to write a good song. You have to shut the world out, look up at the sky, and almost prostrate yourself, begging the universe to throw you a scrap—just something to go off. You don’t have time to worry about what other people think or want, because that kind of pressure only gets in the way of creating something real.
If you had to—what’s your favourite song from each of your albums?
- Neighbour from Touch Up
- Sleep Awake from O My Heart
- Chasing It Down from Eureka
- Happy from The Sticks
- Monkey Tree from Very Good Bad Thing
- Mouth of the Devil from No Culture
- Keep from Dance and Cry
- Stay Behind from Inside
- Head Shrink from Grief Chapter
- Better of Me from Nostalgia
And overall—regardless of success—what would you say are your top three favourite songs?
I’d say Happy, which I already mentioned. I really like Alone and Sublime. And Neighbour.
So, who or what inspires you when you make music?
Honestly, just the magic of life. The awe-inspiring nature of being human. To be here, to have this consciousness that receives experiences and feels all the colours of the emotional rainbow… I guess, the human experience itself.
You’re on tour in Europe right now. How’s it going? Any stops you’re especially excited about or that surprised you?
It’s going great. Honestly, getting gigs in Istanbul and Budapest was a real surprise. We’ve never been there, so we’re always excited to visit new places. Those two really stood out—they’re putting their hands up, for sure.
And finally, what can fans expect from you in the future?
More music. Music that represents us trying our best, digging deep, and not taking any shortcuts.
