How does touring affect your emotional and physical health during and post tour?

I find that for myself, touring affects my emotions and physical health because I feel like I always have to be “on.” I used to think I was a pretty extroverted person but I guess with age, time and also tour, I realised how introverted I am. It became important to have alone time during and post tour. Mentally, it was tricky for me to not only be on tour but also tour manage. Making sure we have a place to stay and we’re all getting enough sleep, eating well and having time off- it can be a lot to manage.I think by the end of the tour, I’m usually ready to go non verbal for a couple of days lol.

How do you deal with the sometimes intense transition from the stimulation of touring to come home to sometimes no commitments? 

I realised that I need to be on the tour in order to write music. I found that out after my first tour, which I kinda think is magical. I like being on the road and travelling alot, and when I’m not traveling, I miss it a lot. I do think after coming off a longer tour, I do love being home and getting in my own bed and getting to shower in my own bathroom, but ultimately the road rules.

What does daily life look like for you currently? Do you have a day job - or some sort of side hustle to supplement money for being a musician? What do you do for work?

I’m lucky to have a day job that pays me well and gives me a lot of flexibility. I also am a contributing writer for an editorial website which also keeps me afloat. Lastly, I think I’m quite lucky to come from a country (Canada) where we can submit grants and receive funding for our art- more or less stable but definitely depending on what kinda shows you play and such.

Have you experienced any breakthroughs that have made being a touring musician more sustainable for you?

Honestly saving as much money as I possibly can before tour and knowing that’s how I’m going to spend my money. I think my ethos with money and life has always been that money does come and go and I’d rather spend it on something I care about, of course wisely. 

Why do you choose this life? What do you get out of it?

It’s just important to me and I think important for me to gain the community that I always wanted. I know I am an artist but I’m also just a fan of music and I really need to be around it to feel fulfilled in life. I found my dearest friends through music. It’s just my first language. I’d be making music even if it wasn’t my job.

What is your stance on streaming and the “future” of how people consume music?

It’s incredibly hard to be a musician right now. There’s basically no money in it. I do think we need a change in the way music economics works. The amount that opening bands get paid ($250- the standard) has not changed in the last twenty years and we’re currently going through inflation. It’s really crazy. I think UMAW is currently doing great work in challenging all these financial factors and trying to move towards having a more ethical industry.

What do you want people to know about the life of a touring musician?

I think that it’s really fun. Getting to play and hang out with your friends for a chunk of time is really fun. It’s really exciting to be in a new city every night although you don’t get much time to hang out or check things out. I love meeting new people at shows and making friends, that’s the main reason I make music. It’s not always fun- there’s times where you haven’t gotten enough sleep, or you miss your friends or loved ones, or you miss soundcheck. I’m definitely on the side of my cup being half full about tour.

What’s your favorite city (other than your hometown) to play on tour and why?

I haven’t played there yet, technically. I did an Audiotree there, but I love Chicago. We had a day off , on the tour I did with Speedy Ortiz last fall, and we went to Chicago to shoot and play an Audiotree set. It was so fun and we drove around the city that night. I definitely felt really connected to it and I wanna spend more time there.

How do you replenish your creative energy?

I love walking around my neighbourhood. I’m a big walker. When I’m on tour, I love listening to my demos in different cities to get a different feel for them. Sometimes looking at a certain building or a certain side walk or people can change how I connect with the song, it’s weirdly chemically to me. I love connecting a song to a new place, sometimes you’ll write a song and you won’t look back until a certain moment hits. Usually, before I shelve a song, I try to listen to it in different places. The environment and space that I am in affects my mood and mental state as well, so it’s interesting to play around with that, creatively.

How do you deal with writer's block or creative slumps?

I’m grateful to be a writer for a site that allows me to interview other artists about this. I think talking about creative processes ultimately inspires me to write more or get excited about writing and creating. There’s something about someone talking about how excited they are, or how thrilled they are about their projects, the hours they spent on it and the vulnerability on how they got there that helps me alot, with my own creative process. I think as artists ,we are all connected and in a way we pass each other the torch when we create something, it doesn't end with you, it grows.