Michael Bernard Fitzgerald and 10 Questions with TotalNtertainment. ‘Love Valley’, the fifth album from Canadian singer-songwriter Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, is a joyous exploration into a warm and intricate depiction of a place that exists somewhere for every one of us. For Fitzgerald that place is called ‘Love Valley’. We caught up with Michael for a quick chat.
1. Thanks for your time Michael, how have the past few challenging months been treating you?
Every interaction this year has been different – from seeing family to getting groceries. I’m thankful that this record was almost finished when this all set in. It has been so nice to have that to focus on during this time.
2. You’ve just put out your new single “I Love That Sound”, what has the reaction been like to it from fans ?
The reaction has been great so far. It has been nice to see new listeners follow along after hearing the song on playlists and radio.
3. It’s taken from your new album, “Love Valley”, what has it been like writing that album during lockdown ?
“Love Valley” is a 13 song record that I wrote from February 2019 to January 2020, when lockdown set in we were just beginning the mastering phase. I remember being so happy that we didn’t have to figure out how to get into the studio during that initial lockdown – the mastering all happened remotely with an engineer in Vancouver.
4. Love plays a big inspiration in your work, what is your definition of true love ?
I tried to describe love in this record as being about beautiful, everyday details – an early morning cup of coffee, undressing while retelling the day’s events. I think that simple, calm connection is where the good stuff lives.
5. Your future plans include “The Greenbriar”, tell us a bit about that, as I believe it’s come to the UK in 2021?
The Greenbriar is a tent venue that we build here at home, so far I’ve played 50 shows in it since June – The venue will grow in size for a tour across Canada this fall and then we’ll bring it to the UK in Apri
6. You’ve chosen private farms as your choice of location for the tour, is there a reason for that ?
Absolutely, I love how quiet those spaces are, and I think that setting accompanies the new record and the Greenbriar concept well.
7. Is that country lifestyle you grew up in as a child? What are your favourite childhood memories?
I grew up mostly in the city, here in Calgary. The first house we lived in when I was a kid was a farmhouse in Ontario, but this drive to write about a rural place and eventually live rurally is a new feeling for me. I loved when we would visit the family farms as a kid, my grandparents and a few aunts/uncles lived on farms.
8. What about the first thing you remember falling in love with?
peanut butter. ha
Actually I’m not sure what I fell in love with first
9. Just for fun: On the subject of sounds, which one sound really makes your skin crawl?
There are a few sounds that do that – they don’t necessarily make my skin crawl, but they definitely pull me from focus. Clicking fingernails come to mind.
10. Thanks for your time Michael, just to finish, do you have any message for fans ?
Thanks for listening – keep in touch at michaelbenardfitzgerald.com or on instagram
You can read more about the album here: https://www.totalntertainment.com/music/michael-bernard-fitzgerald-releases-stunning-track/
