Having already established himself with a wealth of warm and riveting releases these last few years, Canadian singer-songwriter Fourth Born returns once again to deliver his vibrant new single 'About Happiness'.
Honing more of that warm and driven folk-pop aesthetic he is known for, 'About Happiness' makes for a rousing return to form for the artist at the helm. With its bold and electrifying energy perfectly set to his passionate vocals throughout, he is returning with one of his most captivating cuts to date here.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
-
What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument I fell in love with was definitely the guitar. I had a natural tendency to just be persistent when it came to playing the guitar. Playing the exact same rhythm over and over again was pure bliss to me. I remember learning the song 'Disarmed' by The Smashing Pumpkins when I was around 11 years old. I played that chord progression for like 6 straight hours - never getting bored and just 110% so into it.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I fell in love with sweet sad music when I was younger. Go figure. I've always been a bit of a hopeless romantic. There's something about sad music that just relaxes me so much.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The first album I remember owning was 'Take off your pants and jacket' by Blink 182. I had 3 siblings, two brothers and 1 sister. (Hence fourth born). My brothers and I had a solid group of friends which we'd play mini sticks with and super Nintendo video games. Blink 182 would always be blaring in the background just adding to the stoke energy. The music I would fall asleep to at night though was along the lines of 'The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' and 'Jimmy Eat World' on my little mp3 player. Lots of zeppelin as well and old blues-y stuff in my early days.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
I'd say one (of many) songs that I wish I could have written myself is 'The Good Times are Killing me' by Modest Mouse. I love the use and effect of contrasting elements in songwriting. Like the stark truth in the lyricism in this song - mixed with the uplifting musical arrangement. And that, almost nervous - yet innocent vocal timbre from Isaac Brock and ensuing camaraderie from the rest of the band. Captures the feeling so well.. the allure of the intoxicating poisons of the world which slowly eat away at people. In exchange for a short-lived 'Good time'. Excellent songwriting.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I'd say I definitely start on the guitar every single time. Sometimes a song will just pop into my head to start. But for the most part I pick up the guitar and decide to write a song. I've been writing since I was 14 pretty religiously so it's become a flexible muscle to me. I've always been pretty stubborn about trying to sound original. A tendency that has generally placed me outside of any commercial appeal. So I think I consciously Gear toward trying to hit the market more and more these days. Selling out sounds way cooler when you start facing real life bills and responsibilities I think haha.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
My favourite artists right now are Beirut, The Rural Alberta Advantage and probably Kota The Friend.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
If I could open for any one it would probably be Arcade Fire - obviously in a total dream world. But I saw them live once and they absolutely slammed it.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The most rewarding part of being a musician is definitely in the moments. The people you meet and the moments you create are quite great. Music brings people together and taps into our psyches in a pretty intimate way. It's also super rewarding to have personally journeyed through my own psyche as much as I have through music. I'm constantly learning about myself and growing and that all compounds. It truly is a benefit to have music be such a big part of my life.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The most frustrating part of music is probably the promoting part haha. It should be fun but I tend to just not be good at putting myself out there on social media. It's such a valuable skill in any area of business and life. And it's a skill I'm constantly trying to tap into. To be able to sell yourself is the pinnacle of success and there's really no way around that. I have huge respect for those who can do it all. Which is really what today's music industry requires. You need to be a jack of all trades regarding mixing, video editing, public speaking, brand creation etc.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
The best advice I've received as a musician is to not give up and to not do it for the money. It's so easy to get discouraged and to fall off the bandwagon. But at the end of the day being a musician is so rewarding in so many ways. Even if you can't sustain yourself financially with it. I have a goal to produce an album a year - and that is priceless. It's like creating my own memoriam of sounds throughout my life. Regardless of any success I see, or success I don't see - looking back on my life is going to be rewarding in of itself as long as I keep my priorities straight and keep creating just to create. The last thing I'd want is to tie music with finances too much - and to begin to harbour resentment toward it.
-
Fourth Born's new single 'About Happiness' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.