The Singer

In our tenth instalment of "Stumbled Upon", we meet former Melbourne native now Montreal based, Mike O'Dowd, otherwise known as The Singer, and chat about recording his debut EP.

Musician:
The Singer

Website / Social Media:
Facebook / Soundcloud / Bandcamp

Genre:
Folk, Indie, Roots.
Members & their roles:
Mike O'Dowd- Acoustic and Vocals.
What music or artists inspired you?
I've spent most of my time living overseas during the last few years between NYC and Montréal, so I've been heavily influenced by those cities musically.

How did you get started?
I started writing and recording my own music as a side project a few years ago

How would you best describe your live show:
The live show can be solo acoustic or full band depending on the gig.

What shows do you have coming up?
I'll be playing band shows to launch the EP over summer. All dates will be announced on facebook soon!

Tell us about your latest release:
My debut EP was recorded in Brooklyn over winter. It was produced, engineered and mixed by Jeff Hill (Norah Jones and Rufus Wainwright) with the help of 2013 Grammy Nominee Jack Petruzzelli on guitar (Pattie Smith) and NY session man Dave Burnett on drums. - AU.

THE SINGER | NEW BLUE MOON
Melburnian-turned-Canadian Mike O’Dowd goes by the name The Singer. Under this pseudonym he has just released the debut EP New Blue Moon. The EP came together over a few winter nights and makes you feel so warm and cozy while listening.

My personal favourite song on the EP is title track New Blue Moon. This song features an opening of solitary guitar picking that instantly introduces the indie/folk theme of the album. The song takes you through a relaxing journey from start to finish accompanied by Mike O’Dowd’s voice seemingly impeccably suited to the folk style.

I did find that the remaining two songs on the album, Morning Train, and Annie Don’t Cry, did not vary an awful lot in beat or style. They followed the typical indie style and did not stand out as much as New Blue Moon, however, the songs are still incredibly well-written and mastered. They’re a pleasure to listen to.

I highly recommend checking out The Singer and giving the New Blue Moon a listen! - semplesize

The Singer, a.k.a. Mike O’Dowd, is an Australian singer-songwriter who has made his home in Montreal in recent years. We recently chatted via email. I certainly can’t blame him for escaping the winter here and going back home for summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Hope you’ll enjoy getting to know him, too. Stay tuned for a review of his EP New Blue Moon, coming soon.

Stephanie Weiner (SW): Where did you get your start in music?

The Singer (TS): I played bass in a few touring bands for many years, but I always wrote my own music on the side. I started playing solo gigs a few years back and left the other projects to put all of my time into my music.



SW: Tell me about your name, The Singer. Is there a story behind your choice?

TS: The name is just a blank canvass. It doesn’t conjour up anything to me. Also my name sounds like an Irish folk singer, so I couldn’t go with that!

SW: How does a musician from Down Under wind up on the other side of the world making music?

TS: After touring through the states and living in New York, I wanted to stay in North America for as long as I possibly could. Montreal has such a rich artistic culture and a great music scene too, so it was a natural progression. Also being part of the commonwealth comes in very handy when visas are involved!

SW: Which person/artist would you say has had the greatest influence on you and your music? Tell me about that.

TS: I’m influenced by the great Singer/Songwriters. People like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Mickey Newbury, Townes Van Zandt. They all have great lyrics and great songs that have stood the test of time. They’re the kind of artists that really appeal to me.

SW: Some artists talk about a flash of inspiration where they have to stop what they’re doing and write, others talk about making notes wherever they go and building a song in parts. Tell me about your process for songwriting.

TS: For me it varies with every song, but I try to make time to write every day. With modern technology there’s no excuse not to. You have the means to write and record at any moment. I read once that Leonard Cohen has lost multiple note books, so many lost masterpieces! I’ve lost a few phones, but icloud has always had my back.

SW: You’ve listed Sydney, New York, L.A., Toronto and Montreal as places you’ve performed. Where in the world has been your favourite, and why?

TS: I always dreamt of playing in New York growing up, so for me the first time I played there was very special. Sydney during the summer could almost win on the back of Bondi Beach alone.

SW: Someone from back home has come to visit you in Montreal, what is the first thing you want them to see/do/eat?

TS: I’ve had a few friends visit and I always make a stop to La Banquise. Not going there would be like not having a slice in NY! I usually send them home with a bag of St-Viateur Bagels too. I’ve lived off them exclusively for a year and have seen no side effects whatsoever. Also Big in Japan whisky bar is great late at night.

SW: You’ve recently released your debut EP, New Blue Moon, what’s next for The Singer?

TS: I’m playing launch shows in Australia over summer and will be playing North American shows throughout the year too. I recorded the EP a little while ago, so I have a lot of new songs ready to go and will be back in the studio as soon as time allows.

You can check out a few tracks from New Blue Moon here. - Montreal Rampage