SCM chat with Drew Smith June 16 2025
To say it has been a minute is an understatement when speaking with Drew. I hold him in high regard as a song writer and as a human being. In the chat we cover off on the reasons why it took Ten years to put out new music. From loved ones health reasons, obligations to family, Drew still always wrote music at home. Drew fills us in on learning to navigate the marketing aspect of this new album out called “Leaf by Leaf” , recording with Andy Magoffin , and the motivation to play live again.
Press Release
Drew Smith – Leaf by Leaf
Drew Smith, a singer-songwriter from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, has spent his career chasing melodies that linger long after the music ends. Now, more than a decade since his last release, Smith returns with a new album entitled Leaf by Leaf, slated for release in early 2025.
For Smith, songwriting was usually about preserving melodies and sharing them with the world; however, this album has emerged from a much deeper and more profound place. Smith credits his daughter as the driving force behind the creation of his new album. Smith’s second daughter was born with paralyzed vocal cords which resulted in a challenging, almost half-year stay in the intensive care unit. As a result of the vocal cord paralysis, Smith’s daughter also had to live the next five years of her life with a tracheostomy tube, which required 24-hour care. When your vocal cords are paralyzed, you lose your voice. Being able to breathe can be a matter of millimetres.
Since that moment, Smith has learned not to take communication for granted.
Smith explains, “She’s absolutely been my greatest mentor. Even without a voice, she teaches me volumes. One thing I learned immediately was that if you have a voice, you are probably taking it for granted. If you have a voice, you should use it, and if you want to say something you should. I was in my thirties, and I was starting to forget how important singing and songwriting were to me. They were always there for me as a creative outlet, and I was letting them slip away without even realizing it.”
Putting together this album wasn’t easy for Smith, but he saw it as necessary. An artist’s motives for creating art change throughout their life, and it’s often defining moments in their life that determine those changes. For Smith, it was these early moments with his daughter that were transformative in nature.
Leaf by Leaf is a collection of songs written by Smith over the last decade. The songs were produced to enshrine vocal melody front and centre, with the supporting production carefully crafted to bolster and adorn it.
Smith’s debut album, Fossils (2007), captured international attention, with several tracks finding homes in television and film. Notably, his song “Melee” was featured in the 2009 film The Stepfather and its accompanying soundtrack. His song “Clockwork” appeared in the 2011 thriller The Roommate and “The Trouble With Us” was showcased in CBS’s drama Shark. Smith’s follow-up album, The Secret Languages (2012), further cemented his international reputation, with the viral success of his song “Smoke and Mirrors” earning features in both The New York Times and The Times of India.
Leaf by Leaf was recorded by Smith’s longtime collaborator Andy Magoffin (Great Lake Swimmers, The Constantines, Raised by Swans). Smith also had the good fortune of having percussionist virtuoso Joshua Van Tassel handle the drums. Leaf by Leaf is set to remind listeners
Link To Drew Smith
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