Releasing his latest EP, Anywhere but Here, Canadian R&B and Pop artist Preston Pablo lets his sound shine with the help of producers Banx & Ranx (Dua Lipa), Euro (Karan Aujila) and Sammy Soso (Tyla) to name a few on this six-track EP. A collaboration that creates a seamless musical journey and helps Preston tell the tumultuous story of what being in love can be like, especially on his track, One Last Song.

The JUNO Award winner, shares with us what it felt like to feature on a Punjabi hit for the first time, why an Afrobeats’ fuss-free production leaves the perfect space for an emotional song and what he loves to do when he’s back home in Ontario. 

What did it feel like when you got asked to feature on Punjabi hitmaker Karan Aujila’s song, Admirin’ You,  and have it reach the success it did, especially in a new market for you?

It was a great feeling. When I was first introduced to Punjabi culture and music through Ikky (Canadian producer and composer) I was immediately fascinated. The music was so fresh and wasn’t like anything I had ever heard before. It was really exciting to me. The song with Karan is one my proudest moments as an artist, Karan is a massive artist so for him to be open minded enough to let me on a song of his really shows that he's invested in great music over anything which is hard to find these days. What Ikky is doing for his culture and for music is something very special and I'm honoured to have played a small part in it. 

You have a number of striking songs on your EP and Convince Me has to be my favourite. You can feel the Afrobeat influence throughout it. Why do you think this style is so effective at capturing the layers of emotions, specifically heartbreak. 

I feel like there's a lot of space in a lot of Afrobeats music. The production style is not usually busy and if the chords are right, it opens up the perfect door to be emotional. I always find it way more impactful when an emotional song sounds more stripped back and relies more on vocal delivery and melody convey emotions. 

You’ve mentioned that it took you a while to fall back in love with music again. What did that experience feel like? 

It was frustrating for sure. For a while, I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I was definitely more lost than I thought. I really just had to let go of a lot of stuff, like unrealistic expectations and worrying about things that are out of my control. It's that simple enough really. It's the things you'd think are a no brainer but for me it's always been a challenge. I had to figure out a way to connect back to the energy and space I was in when I first started making music. That's when I was the most free. I think it's a normal part of being an artist, I just didn't realise how important it is to really love what you're doing. Especially when it comes to creating art. It feels good to be back. 

What’s the biggest misconception when it comes to creating a song?

That every song is going to turn out [good]. There are so many ideas that never go anywhere or never get finished, that's just kinda how it is. It's good to see things through but it's just not possible for every song to be a great one. 

 A lot of your songs are about the journey of love. When was the first time you heard a love song you felt like you related to?

One that comes to mind is Lego House by Ed Sheeran. I don't think I had ever been in love when I first heard that song but I think the way the song is written just aligned with my idea of what I thought love was like. 

Who were your biggest influences growing up? 

Drake was probably the biggest, along with Justin Bieber, Partynextdoor, The Weeknd, Bryson Tiller & Majid Jordan. 

What’s your favourite way to unwind in your hometown of Ontario? 

Being at my camp with family and friends is probably my number one and being on the water has always been so relaxing for me, I grew up at camps and on lakes so it's extremely comforting for me. Also, riding my bike around the city on a summer evening is a top tier Timmins activity for me. 

If there’s one thing in the world you could revamp, what would it be?

I'd want everyone to have access to clean water and food; if I could snap my fingers and change one thing, it would be that.