Review Fix Exclusive: Dylan Perkons Talks ‘Love Like Mine’

Review Fix chats with singer/songwriter Dylan Perkons, who discusses the creative process behind his new single, “Love Like Mine.”

Review Fix: How did you get involved in music?

Dylan Perkons: I was lucky to have music around me from a young age.  So, I guess it was my family that made it accessible while growing up.  There was no real scene where I grew up though so it wasn’t until I was a bit older and moved to Montreal in my 20’s that I got more involved with people that were trying to make a life out of it.

Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?

Perkons: It’s a constantly evolving thing that I spend a lot of time thinking about cause I’m always trying to improve upon my creative practice. But I have found one of the most important things is being able to take a step back and accept that I wont always feel creative.  I used to get really terrified of writers block and make myself write out of fear that it would go away.  I still make myself write on a regular basis but I find my best work seems to come when I’m least expecting it. It’s just a constant search of how to keep that door open. 

Review Fix: What inspires you?

Perkons: People that are not afraid to have a unique voice in this world.  There is so much amazing music and art coming out every day right now but for me personally if  something is not in anyway vulnerable I often fail to understand the point of it.  This is how I often feel about human interaction in general though too.

Review Fix: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you?

Perkons: I feel like this is every musicians least favorite question but I just try and write timeless songs and find new ways to record and deliver them.  Nothing I’m doing is trying to rewrite the book.  I just find that writing a song that moves people emotionally and searching for the best and most interesting way to deliver it is something I will never tire of.  It’s become like a high for me at this point.  

Review Fix: How are your live shows different from your studio work?

Perkons: I would consider myself to be more of a recording artist first and a performer second to be honest.  I love getting to play in front of great crowds and sharing all those intense moments emotionally with friends and strangers.  It’s a really unique experience that I’m grateful for all the time.  But, when I’m in the studio working on new songs it’s like my happy place you know.  But to actually answer your question, the biggest difference is that the studio is essentially unlimited.  The idea is never finished until you say it is and the quest for finding that unexplainable magic of a great recording is what drives me.  The beauty of the live show is that I often find new inspiration within those limitations and it can lead to come really cool moments on stage.  Like they say, sometimes less is more.

Review Fix: What inspired your latest single?

Perkons: A conversation with a friend about the emotional risks we all take to make relationships work  

Review Fix: What are your goals for the rest of 2019?

Perkons: Right now seeing this new record through to release and getting out on the road to play these songs will pretty much cover the rest of the year for me.

Review Fix: What’s next?

Perkons: Putting together a full band show for a west coast tour in January.  I’d like to tour this record outside Canada a bit as well.  Hoping to get to the States and Europe.  I’ve got a bunch of new songs I’ll start slowly tracking as well but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself right now.