INTERVIEW: Scott Helman on current US run, his music making process and much more

Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest Linkedin Reddit
INTERVIEW: Scott Helman on current US run, his music making process and much more

Theres nothing better then an artist who walks on stage and truly connects to the audience in a super honest way. Without the bells and whistles that we see so often these days. And one of those new favorites for this? Scott Helman. We caught Helman’s live show earlier this year when he was touring his latest EP and it made us definitely want to jump on the opportunity to chat with him on his reutn to Boston.

In his own words, it was the perfect pairing of him and Dean Lewis on tour, and we and those in attendance couldn’t agree more. Helman’s likeability and way with words will easily pull you in and you shouldn’t fight it. Find our chat below and keep your eyes on this sure to be sensation! 

 You only really just started this tour with Dean Lewis.

Well, it was weird becaus bye I did a couple of weeks with him solo acoustic.  Because it was so last minute. I honestly had a week. I couldn’t book my band because they already were doing other things. So I was like, you know, fuck it. I’ll take it back to what I’ve always done which is play the songs. That was great then we had a month off. Which usually is not my thing, because once I’m on the road I like to just do the thing, then go home and have time to make stuff. But it worked out so well. I had to release the song and do all this shit.

Had some things to do.

Oh my God, so much, but it was good. It was a good time. Coming off the road is weird. It’s always hard. It’s especially hard when it’s like two days.  But it was enough time that I felt like I had a break.

It must be pretty hard to reissimalate back to normal life. I can’t imagine being like a parent. You have to go back full force.

I don’t think I want to have children until I can afford to bring them with me on the road, or not tour. Because I just don’t know how the hell you do that. I mean I guess people make it work, it’s just crazy. I mean, I know at least I miss the people in my life and they’re not even tiny. I can’t believe I’m thinking about children in an interview.

Just got weird, just kidding. But talking about the song, you just released “Everything Sucks”. You released “Hangups” after the record, which was in 2017. “Hotel d’Ville”. That must feel crazy to you, since the record was a big one for you.

It was. I think it really solidified things for me in the Canadian music scene and it was definitely a statement that I make records. Which is so funny, because now I’m not doing that. I’m going to put out a bunch of singles. Because that’s just what I’m interested in right now. I love bands that are doing that. I think it gives you the creative freedom to have the statements you make diverse and they can have so many different multitudes. When you put out a record, it often kind of falls under one moniker. But I love bands like Brockhampton, they’re releasing records where everytime they put one out, it’s something different. But it kind of isn’t. It’s just cool, it’s exciting.

Maybe how has it been changing the approach? Obviously with the record, it was a big undertaking. How has the transition been?

Well, I feel like I’m at a point where I know my craft is great, I know that I can write great songs. I know that I can produce music. I produced “Everything Sucks”, well I co-produced it, but now I just feel like I’m at a point where I want to get everything together. It’s weird, it feels like this big organization time for me. Where I think I really have a shot to make an effect culturally. Specifically in the States. Canada’s great to me and I have tons of fans there. We play headlining tours which is awesome. But I’m at a point now where I just want to make moves down here and I want people to start recognizing the music. Which is great, and it’s exciting. It’s so funny, I was talking to someone recently about this, I feel like I’d rather fail at being myself then succeed at being someone else. Which I know is cheesy, but I feel like it pays off. People know when it’s a management company tweeting. They can tell. I remember the first three weeks of people having me on Twitter, like fans on Twitter, in my mind, I was like, “Cool I’m going to tweet stuff and when you guys tweet stuff, make it sound like me” to my management. And all the people were like, “This isn’t you.” It’s just funny. People want authenticity.

So anyways, things are going really well down here. I just got the attention of Warner Records which is really great. They’re super stoked for the project.

How long ago did that signing come about?

What happened was I was going to do “Hangups”, I would have released music a lot sooner. I probably would have put out an EP again. But because I got the attention of Warner Records, I was like, “Oh, okay. Let’s take the foot off the gas for a second.” I wanted to re-assess the whole thing. And now I think I’m just at a point where I really know what I want. What I want aesthetically, and I know the quality of music I want to make. So now it’s just kind of game time for me. Which is great, but that’s why there was such a long period of time between records..

It’s not even that long though.

I know, it feels like it’s not, but it is. It was like eight months. There were only like three songs on the “Hangups” EP. If it was an album, it would be something else. “Hangups” did really well and it made a huge dent for me streaming wise. I was just getting on a lot of playlists. “New Music Friday” in like fucking Denmark shit. It was really cool. Warmer took notice. I think, not only is the music working but it’s also versatile enough to put in a bunch of different places which I think they thought was exciting. It’s so weird dude. It’s literally just one person. If just one person goes, “I’m going to champion this”, it’s all you can really hope for. And this really wicked lady, Kate Craig, is really taking up the project. She’s A&R’ing, hooking me up, it’s really good. So I feel really good. I’m super stoked for all these releases.

Then maybe to end it off, from social media, I can see this tour is going really well.

It’s been great. I mean, it’s such a perfect pairing. He is just a wicked dude and I feel we interact with fans in the same way. He’s just a great dude and I’m stoked to be on the tour.

Then you’ve talked about it, but things are going really well. Obviously Canada has always been really good to you for these past few years, but you’ve started to come here more and it’s picking up. But coming into 2020, focuses or hopes for these next few months?

Well, I think a real honing in on things aesthetically and just organization. I know that sounds not heartfelt but I mean just getting things  all together and streamlining. And just being creative. I’m going to be releasing probably a ton of music in the next little while. I think it will probably come in the form of singles but maybe small EP’s. I want it to all feel like one cohesive experience and then hopefully at some point, I can compile it into a full album. Which will be it’s own kind of statement. I definitely have a vision and a plan for how that’s all going to pan out. Which I’ve never really done before. I never really thought that I could and now I’m like why not? Why not have a plan. A year plan and just execute it. I’m sure there will be bumps along the way. But it just feels fun. You’ll see what I mean. When you see the next artwork for the next single, and you’ll be like “Oh, okay I know what he’s saying now.” It’s really going to be a right one though sort of situation.

 

About Author

Colleen

Colleen has been writing about music since 2009. Interviewing bands since the glory days of Warped and has continued to do so for now over fourteen years. As well as doing freelance for other publications, the love for everything rock continues today.