Artist Glimpse - Mississauga's Andrew Wilson
/Presented in partnership with Mississauga Music and Modern Mississauga Media.
In conversation with Mississauga’s Andrew Wilson of two-time Mississauga Music Award nominated indie folk trio Wilson & The Cast Aways. Andrew and his bandmates bring a fresh take to traditional folk music; sharing stories that ring true through thoughtfully layered arrangements in original tunes and many well loved songs.
Rob Aguiar: Andrew, although we had collaborated on projects before the pandemic, I became a big fan of your work after absorbing all of your self produced video series, “Tunes From Our Rooms”. I’m super grateful to have the opportunity to chat with you today about songwriting and lyrics. Thank you for joining this journey.
Andrew Wilson: Thanks for inviting me Rob, always a pleasure to chat together!
RA: A recurring theme explored throughout this interview series has been the very personal nature of songwriting. As a trio, how do individual backgrounds and experiences influence the collective sound and themes of your music?
AW: I’m lucky to be surrounded by very talented songwriters in our group, who are also my good friends. So when we’re sharing personal or vulnerable song ideas, it’s a safe and comfortable space for that. Everyone brings something different to the table but the focus is on bringing the best out of the material and building something together.
“Usually I’ll play my songs a lot live before they ‘click’ into a more consistent form, so I love that evolution aspect.”
RA: The indie folk genre lends itself to exploring vulnerability and more reflective storytelling. As an individual songwriter, is there a particular approach or mindset you adopt when delving into personal experiences while also aiming to connect with a broader audience?
AW: I keep a notebook and use the notes app on my phone to jot down ideas or lines or full songs as they strike me. For me the approach is very much about letting the emotion or story I’m hoping to share filter out in the most natural way possible, whether it's quick or slow. It’s easy to ‘get in your own way’ if you worry too much about mass appeal or how an audience will connect, so I try to just trust my instincts and not overthink.
RA: As a daily consumer of music, live performances resonate with me as I connect with the evolution of a song from the studio to the stage. Do you find that your songs evolve over time? How do you approach revisiting and reinterpreting your own finished and/or unfinished material?
AW: Usually I’ll play my songs a lot live before they ‘click’ into a more consistent form, so I love that evolution aspect. From tweaking words because I’m stumbling over them while singing, to mistakes that become 'happy accidents’, this is another ‘don’t get in your own way’ space for me. I also love re-arranging songs, or finding new ways to perform them as it helps keep it fresh — as a band if we have a few different ways we perform the same songs, it keeps things fresh and exciting for us (and the audience) I find most often I enjoy the stage more than studio and the beauty of that is you’re never locked into a final version. Each performance is a new and unique version.
RA: I have often said that lyrics tend to find me exactly when I need them. They can empower me, help me realize something, allow me to see things differently, and at times they simply kick my ass cuz I deserved it! Haha! Can you share a specific lyric, either your own or from another artist, that holds special significance for you personally?
AW: As a big ‘lyrics guy’ myself this is a tough one to pick one specific response to haha. I’ve really enjoyed the lyrics on Katie Pruitt’s new record Mantras, as well as The Bygones self titled — but here’s a couple lines that keep coming back to my mind from Find Your People by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors’ (off their 2023 record Strangers No More):
“In a world full of strangers, you don’t know who to trust / All you see is danger, trying to find what you lost / You can’t go it alone, everybody needs help / You got to find your people, then you’ll find yourself”
“I have a voracious musical appetite and am always listening to something new, and it all feeds back into my own creativity.”
RA: Let’s shift our focus here towards inspiration. Are there any specific artists or songwriters who have inspired your approach to crafting lyrics or melodies?
AW: It’s hard to limit to just a few artists haha. I have a voracious musical appetite and am always listening to something new, and it all feeds back into my own creativity. Bruce Cockburn, Stan Rogers, Dallas Green, and Mumford & Sons would be some foundational influences for me.
RA: We’re getting pretty close to the midway point of the year. How do you see the rest of this year playing out for you and the rest of the band? What do you hope to accomplish!
AW: We’ve got some exciting shows lined up that I’m looking forward to and we’re planning on some more YouTube content, including some collaborations, over the summer — but my biggest goal is to get into the studio and finally tackle some singles and/or an EP that’s not self recorded/produced. That’s the next big step we’ve been working towards for years so I’m really hoping to check that one off the list in 2024.
RA: Andrew, as a big fan of your work, I’m proud to call you a friend. Thank you for adding your voice to this new Glimpse journey. You have surely given me, and everyone else checking out this interview, a glimpse into the heart of a singer songwriter.
AW: Thanks so much for having me Rob, your stalwart support of my music and our whole arts scene is so appreciated and I’m always moved and impressed by the Glimpse Projects, so I’m just honoured to be a part of this!
