Transcending Cultural Boundaries with Just Prince

RFU25 - Just Prince

[00:00:00] Rosalyn: Hello, and welcome to season two of ReFolkUs, where we talk to artists and music industry professionals about building sustainable careers as creative workers - with a focus on folk. I'm your host, Rosalyn Dennett

[00:00:28] Rosalyn: Toronto based singer-songwriter, Just Prince is known for seamlessly blending Western and Eastern sounds into a harmonious tapestry with a captivating style that defies genre constraints. His music weaves elements of folk, rock, blues, and Hindustani classical music into a mesmerizing experience. Just Prince's evocative compositions take listeners on a sonic journey, transcending cultural boundaries and resonating with the soul. At the 2023 Ontario Folk Music Awards, Just Prince was awarded the prestigious Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award by the Ontario Arts Council for his song [00:01:00] Calmly. Just Prince had a jury selected showcase at this year's Folk Music Ontario Conference and is such a delightful person to be around. I'm excited for everyone in our ReFolkUs community to get to know him a little better.

[00:01:10] Rosalyn: Please enjoy our conversation with Just Prince.

[00:01:13] Rosalyn: Hi, Prince. How are you doing?

[00:01:21] Just Prince: Good Rosalyn. How are you?

[00:01:23] Rosalyn: I'm doing very well. I'm, So excited to speak with you. I haven't seen you since, since the Ontario Folk Music [00:01:30] Awards. How have you been since then?

[00:01:32] Just Prince: Pretty good. Just working on new music and writing new stuff and yeah, working with my band and my own music, looking forward to some gigs. How about you?

[00:01:43] Rosalyn: You know, it's been good. It's been a busy time for sure. As, uh, we're kind of deep into conference and tour and gigging season. It's, busy time for a lot of folks. I'm wondering if you can just introduce for folks who don't know you, give us a little [00:02:00] background on your musical journey, how you got into it.

[00:02:03] Rosalyn: What are some of your influences?

[00:02:05] Just Prince: I grew up in India, in Punjab, but I've also lived in different places. I've also lived in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and mostly grew up in Punjab. So, fortunately, I was surrounded by people who listened to a bunch of different things, from like Pink Floyd to Zeppelin to grunge music mostly, or rock music because it was just what was around in my friend [00:02:30] group and as well as like the, Indian music, I guess the, the classical stuff, I always grew up listening to it because the devotional songs that my mom listens and like my dad, it's always in the house, the devotional songs are constantly going and then you don't even realize that, you know, yeah you grew up with it so that's it. And then in Chandigarh, which is like close to Punjab, I started taking vocal lessons. Western vocal lessons, cause that's what I was more interested in, so I studied Western vocals - did the Trinity exams and all those things, like grade exams.

[00:03:04] Just Prince: So that was nice. And then I stumbled upon Indian classical music and I was like, remember in my first class, my teacher was asking me to sing like a major scale. And I sang a major scale, but I was singing it with like, making expressions, like, then I was, my face was looking weird.

[00:03:26] Just Prince: And, and he was like, now do the same thing [00:03:30] without making those weird expressions. That's when I knew this teacher is who I want to keep learning with. So his name's Humble Shine and I studied in, A. R. Rahman is like one of the musical legends in India. And I studied in Chennai in his music conservatory for almost a year.

[00:03:53] Just Prince: And then I'm still taking classes from the same teacher, still learning vocals. I remember once again, one other moment in class where I was like, what is all this? Like, I don't get it. But then you keep doing it and then you understand the mathematics behind it, like the distances between notes and like how to touch a certain note and come back to the other.

[00:04:15] Just Prince: And to me, it's still so interesting. Like it's like an ocean, like people say, of possibilities and places that you can just transcend to.

[00:04:26] Rosalyn: Because it's very micro tonal, right? Like there's, there's [00:04:30] not just, whole tone, half tone. There's a whole bunch of possibilities within those, right?

[00:04:34] Just Prince: tthere is. But, I think for me, I am still sticking to the 12 notes, but the way you express it is like, sometimes I think in Western music where you play a certain note and then you express that note. In Indian classical music, sometimes you'll just, you'll just use it as a passing note, but the color that it creates is so interesting.

[00:04:56] Just Prince: That's why there's so many rags and stuff. Rags are basically [00:05:00] scales. They have similar notations for the whole, for the whole thing. But it'll sound so different and just because of what note you stress on and what note you touch and go to the other, the stress on the other note. And it's like really, it still excites me all these little things.

[00:05:16] Rosalyn: Can you give us an example?

[00:05:17] JustPrince: Thodi and Bhairavi, I feel like they have similar notes, but when you listen to them, the expression is so different in both the rags, but some people when they sing, they'll, they'll mix those rags and it works, but it's okay.

[00:05:33] Rosalyn: So then, how did you go from studying in this kind of conservatory, somewhat like a classical setting to then writing your own music?

[00:05:41] Just Prince: So, even in India, I wrote a song. I've always wanted to be a musician or an artist. I've always wanted to be an independent artist that to me is freedom of expression or just doing my thing that appeals to me. That's like, okay, [00:06:00] I'm free. When I do this thing that's the reason why I guess, because, I started writing songs back in India. I released one song and then I deleted that song because my parents, they're still a little weird about me doing music, but now they're better than before.

[00:06:18] Rosalyn: Well, your song, Kamli, which won the Colleen Peterson Award, that was written from your mom's perspective, right? Does she know that? Has she heard the song?

[00:06:28] Just Prince: No. I would never tell her that.

[00:06:32] Rosalyn: Really? How come?

[00:06:34] Just Prince: I don't know. It's just, I was thinking about this a few days ago where it's like, it's so normal in the Western culture when you say, I love you. My mother or my dad, you say, I love you to like everyone, but in India, I think most of the people grow up not saying I love you to anyone, but there's. There’s that feeling that there's also this Sufi saying where it's like, if you did say, I love you, then, you know, the weight of it is, it's just [00:07:00] the feeling, I don't know how to explain this, but like, sometimes it's not even said. But I love my mother so much, but I never said that I love her.

[00:07:07] Just Prince: That's what I'm trying to say is like, but I can't, I can't, yeah, I can't explain that song to her.

[00:07:13] Rosalyn: Has she heard the song?

[00:07:14] Just Prince: Oh yeah. Yeah. I went to India last year and then we played the song, the whole album in the car and they were all enjoying it. They were listening to it. Yeah.

[00:07:22] Rosalyn: Oh, wonderful. Yeah. So she might know without saying it out loud that she knows, you know,

[00:07:27] Just Prince: Yeah.

[00:07:28] Rosalyn: That's neat. And then, so you know, I've listened to a lot of your music and gone back into some of your catalog and it's, it's really interesting to hear, the way that your, kind of sound has progressed.

[00:07:39] Rosalyn: And I hear some stuff that's more leaning towards, the style of the Indian classical music and then some stuff that's really Western sounding and more towards there. And then you have some stuff that's just like that perfect fusion.

[00:07:52] Rosalyn: Is that like a conscious choice or you feel, just still kind of feel like you're feeling it out?

[00:07:58] Just Prince: I think that's [00:08:00] the musician side of me that can play around with all those notes and just like, just have fun with it. And the artistic side of it is like expression. So I feel like when those two are on the same page, the musicianship and the artistry, but then I come up with those ideas where it's like, okay, this is how I want.

[00:08:18] Just Prince: Okay. This is what I released before. I don't want anything to sound similar to what I've already done. So I'm going to try something new. That's the idea behind it. Basically.

[00:08:27] Rosalyn: That's cool. And then this was your [00:08:30] first, Folk Music Ontario conference. Do you consider yourself folk music or is that kind of how you think of your music?

[00:08:37] Just Prince: Yes, yes, yes, yes, because, I also sang a Punjabi folk song, uh, Challa at, at one of my showcases, because I wanted to bring some Punjabi folk, authentic Punjabi folk, but in my own way, obviously. But yes, I do consider myself a folk musician, but at the same time, I also write thinking that’s okay, I can play rock or [00:09:00] I can play blues. I can play with grunge and Indian classical. So folk is definitely a big part of how I think, yes.

[00:09:07] Rosalyn: Fantastic. A lot of people were really excited by your performance at FMO. It was, you were buzzing, you know, everyone was really, really excited about it. And, are you looking forward to doing more kind of live performance.

[00:09:22] Rosalyn: Are you looking to tour? What are some of the plans you have coming up?

[00:09:26] Just Prince: Ever since I like started doing this, I've been wanting to play big [00:09:30] stages and I want to play like I keep it that simple like in my head that's that's the goal to play big stages nice stages and to be able to keep doing music I feel like I've done like most musicians would do.

[00:09:43] Just Prince: I've played on the streets, I've busked, I've played like those bars where no one's listening to you and you play for three hours and you get paid like $70. And so, and now I feel like now intentionally I want to play [00:10:00] festivals, big festivals, and I want to tour and play places where, which are like nice big listening rooms.

[00:10:07] JustPrince: That's my goal. And I really hope I can achieve those things because I'm ready with my music.

[00:10:13] Rosalyn: Well, it was interesting during your acceptance speech, when you won the Colleen Peterson award, you mentioned during it that there was a moment that you were doubting yourself and you weren't sure if this was like the right path for you to go on.

[00:10:27] Rosalyn: Can you tell us a little bit about that moment for you?

[00:10:29] Just Prince: It comes down to like, for me now that perspective came from materialistic things where it's like, okay, I want a nicer place to live. Okay, I want to be able to drive wherever I go, but I don't even have a car. So and then your parents call you and they're like, what are you doing in Canada?

[00:10:46] Just Prince: And then you're like, and you don't have an answer for them because you are putting in a lot of practice with your band or by yourself, but it doesn't pay for to practice, you know, so, but [00:11:00] grants are, are a thing. So I'm going to, I've, I've looked into some grants and hopefully I'll get a few, but anyway, so that's what the struggle is like.

[00:11:09] Just Prince: Man, this is like, I'm stuck. I just had a feeling of being stuck and I wanted to get out of it and just be able to earn more and play music somehow. And, it's not like the first time it happened. I'm sure every musician goes through this phase where it's like, Oh, I could have done this and then I could have made more money [00:11:30] and just like to live life easier.

[00:11:32] Just Prince: But I don't think it's as fulfilling as the stupidity that you're living with, I guess, in someone else's perspective, it's stupidity. I feel, but we're, we're just having fun. I guess we're like, in a way we're feeling free and we're living life and that's why we do this.

[00:11:47] Just Prince: But it's definitely tough for artists especially. Like, I don't sing songs that are proper, catered to Canadian audience, but at the same time, [00:12:00] Canadian audience is very open, they're very receptive to different kinds of music. So that's a blessing. I'm in a good place.

[00:12:08] Rosalyn: Yeah. Well, and, and you're, giving those audiences something that's so unique, you know? And with, like, such joy around it and, I'm so excited for more folks to, to hear you and find out about your music.

[00:12:21] Just Prince: Thank you so much. No, it's such a pleasure also coming from you. You're, I respect you a lot. And you know, I remember meeting you at Small World Music Incubator, and I remember you telling me a story of like, full disclaimer. I've slept in a car for a conference and I'm like, I respect, you know, to go to those lengths just to like, just to be able to be around music or just to be able to play music and like, that says a lot about a person.

[00:12:55] Rosalyn: It's not always the most glamorous lifestyle, you know, [00:13:00] but you know, we make it work. What do you think kind of snapped you out of the self doubt, kind of spiral.

[00:13:06] Just Prince: The thing is like the music that I'm making is unique and I'm aware of that and it's different. So I am in a way being the best version of myself. And I consider myself like one of the best places that I could be at, like with my music. So I'm very, I'm doing good, like on my music side when [00:13:30] I'm singing, I'm not going off much when I'm playing timing wise, I'm not good off much.

[00:13:36] Just Prince: And that to me is like very reassuring that, you know, so the things which I started with basically just like singing in key and playing in time. That's what is most important to me and the things that I'm saying as well the songwriting of it and so that is like super unique and so I recognize that and [00:14:00] that's the reason why I've snapped out that self doubt is like no one can do this other than me.

[00:14:07] Rosalyn: No, no one else can tell your stories and no one else can share that unique perspective. What are some of the other themes? Maybe you can tell folks a bit about some of the things that you are writing about and, you know, where that, where your inspiration for songwriting comes from?

[00:14:21] Just Prince: so it's always like different topics, obviously, as every songwriter, writes about, but I've written songs like Borders, which is about [00:14:30] just like everyone being under the same sky and like just unity thinking big, I guess. And then I've also written storytelling songs like Kusur, which is a Hindi song, Urdu, Hindi or Urdu.

[00:14:43] Just Prince: It's just a story about meeting someone and then going our separate ways and that's okay. And then there's all sorts of songs, just being at two different places. Illusion is about like faces over faces over like too many, like people. so at [00:15:00] whatever I feel strongly, like, so there's different topics, obviously.

[00:15:03] Just Prince: I, I don't think I have a specific theme that I write about. It's, it's a very, it's a jungle in here. Yeah.

[00:15:12] Rosalyn: Life is, uh, it's complicated, right? When did you move to Canada?

[00:15:20] Just Prince: I came here in 2018 and then, the first two months I was living in a basement, going to college and like, I was living my [00:15:30] saddest life because I couldn't do music. And then I found out that steps away from where my college was. There's a Long McQuade and then I used to sit in there for hours, like skipping all my classes.

[00:15:43] Just Prince: I don't care about my classes, just go in that Long McQuade and just keep playing guitar. And none of the employees said anything like I would, I would sit in there for three, four hours and they didn't say anything. So I really appreciate whoever, and then one of the guys who worked there is a good friend of [00:16:00] mine now.

[00:16:00] Just Prince: So, that's how I guess it started. And then I started looking up like, where can I play? So I came to downtown Toronto. I was living in Scarborough at the time and then I remember for like one and a half or two years, I used to commute every day from Scarborough to Toronto. It's like a two hour train thing.

[00:16:21] Just Prince: Just to play like two songs at open mics or like just to be around people who play music and like, it's so cool. You get to listen to other songwriters [00:16:30] and like what their journey is and you make friends. It's like the perfect thing.

[00:16:35] Rosalyn: Shout out to those Long and McQuaid employees. That's really cool. who are some of the influences, like who are some people that you were listening to or folks that kind of influenced you, around that time?

[00:16:49] Just Prince: I listen to classical stuff a lot. So, Ustad bade gulam ali khan, he's like insane. You cannot even touch what [00:17:00] he's doing, like the way he's singing, the expressions, Salamat Ali Khan sahib. You know, Ghulam Ali Khan is a very intelligent composer. Hariharan was like one of the first people Who was actually doing this, who was like mixing genres where it's like, he was bringing in Western and like Indian classical. He's like an amazing, very nice singer. One of his ghazals, I think you should check it out. It's called Yeh Aai Nese, it's in a blues scale.

[00:17:26] Just Prince: And, I think that was the first time I heard a ghazal in [00:17:30] blues scale. And I was like, Whoa, this is so sick. And then, on the Western side, I was listening to bands like, Pink Floyd, the songwriting of it was just like, it makes you think like the way they write, then. Even Kurt Cobain, an amazing songwriter. Chris Cornell's voice was a big inspiration, like the range like sheer expression So, and then even the band called Tool, Tool was one of the, another big inspirations just [00:18:00] because, the way they play with time, like they have different time signatures and like, it's fun. It's really fun. And then also recently, I discovered like D'Angelo. His production is insane. Like the layering that even Pino on bass, how does someone think like to produce, like, you know, it's, it's really amazing. So these are some of the people that I grew up listening to and like Begum Akhtar. She's an incredible classical singer, Kaushiki Chakravarti, again, [00:18:30] incredible classical singer, and Thirakwa, who is a tabla player, legend, legend tabla player, Allarakha Khan sahib, again, tabla player.

[00:18:38] Just Prince: So because of Abbas, I'm getting introduced to all these like... Tabla players. Abbas is a friend of mine who plays tabla with me. Yes.

[00:18:46] Rosalyn: Yeah. How did you meet the folks in your band? You like, who do you usually play with?

[00:18:50] Just Prince: So Abbas, I met through one of the gigs that we played together so he plays tabla with me and I convinced him to play some percussion. So [00:19:00] just cause. The song needed percussions rather than it's like some songs. The music just needs different things. And, Patrick, I met through Small World.

[00:19:09] Just Prince: That was really nice. And he's super nice. Both of these guys are very nice guys and they're disciplined when it comes to their self practice and like practicing on the songs and like they have positive input. So I'm, I'm lucky that, you know, I get to work with these guys.

[00:19:26] Rosalyn: Do you have your own practice [00:19:30] regimen?

[00:19:30] Just Prince: Oh, Yeah. Yes. 100%. I wake up and then, you know, do my thing and then I sit on this, like, Indian classical people, they sit on the floor and then I have a drone. It's called tanpura. So you turn it on. Usually in the morning time, I'm practicing an A sharp key. So I'm just practicing the lower notes and then from the lower fifth up until the upper fifth. For the morning time and then during the afternoon or something, I'll go to C sharp or D sometimes even D sharp and then I'll practice like the full scales and I try different combinations and stuff.

[00:20:05] Rosalyn: Amazing. And then you primarily play guitar, right? When you're accompanying yourself?

[00:20:10] Just Prince: Yes, so guitar, funny enough, I haven't like sat with my guitar and practiced a song in forever. Like every time I play It's like, I didn't practice the song, but I've practiced my notations and I practice like my basic guitar thing that I'm trying to work on. But for the [00:20:30] song, I never like practicing a song unless I'm with Abbas and Patrick and then we're going through the song.

[00:20:35] Rosalyn: When you're writing, do you take that same kind of discipline to writing where you're like, okay, I'm going to write from this time to this time, or is it just whenever inspiration comes in?

[00:20:44] Just Prince: I want to say something. There was this friend of mine who I ran into randomly. And then, she was like, Oh, I had like a writer's block for two years and I couldn't write. And then I was like, it's a thing. Writer's block is a thing, you know? And [00:21:00] you start believing that just because someone else has been through it.

[00:21:03] Jus Prince: You start believing. And then I heard this Joni Mitchell interview, where she was like, I'm constantly having things to say. And then I was like, me too. And then I was like, it's a mindset thing. Honestly, when I heard Joni Mitchell say, I never have writers block, she said that, and, and I was like.

[00:21:20] JustPrince: Okay, if she can never have writer's block and she constantly has things to say, I can do it too. It's like such a switch. For me, like right now, like [00:21:30] vocals is taking a lot of space in my life and I want to keep excelling at it and just want to keep doing better at it and just like listening, I think, the better listener you are, it's more fun.

[00:21:42] Rosalyn: Yeah, the listening aspect of it is, sometimes I think just as important as actually playing, you know, I'm not talking about the kind of listening where you're like doing the dishes and, you know, doing something else, but that kind of active, active listening, you know?
[00:21:57] Just Prince: Yes. I'm sure you are a great listener. [00:22:00] Do you ever like to hop in jams and like, do you know what key it is? Like, cause you play a fretless instrument?

[00:22:06] Rosalyn: Yeah, I have some like classic stories of, you know, being on, on the stage at a festival and like the guitar player, starts a song with like the capo on the wrong fret, you know, it was all of a sudden I'm like, okay guys, we're in G flat now instead of, you know, G major.

[00:22:22] Rosalyn: And, and like adapting in that way, certainly for a fretless instrument. Having good ears is handy. Yeah. Pretty [00:22:30] clutch. It's, uh, but in terms of listening, I find it difficult to have background music because I want to listen. So, if I'm going running or doing something else, I'm usually listening to a podcast, not to music because like, I can't really function if there's music going on, you know, even like getting, like, if you've ever had, like, a massage or anything like that, and, or any kind of service where they'll, like, put on, like, music in the back, even, like, doctor's offices or something, and they put on music in the background that's supposed to make you calm, and I'm, like, freaking out, because I'm, like, this is [00:23:00] weird.

[00:23:00] Rosalyn: Why are they doing this? What is that instrument? Why, you know, it's, like, the least calming thing for me because you like you analyze it. I don't have a lot of theory but I I think about it like why is this good or why don't I like it.

[00:23:12] Just Prince: Yeah. And then you start thinking of the distances. Okay. Was this the third or the fourth? And then you're like, Oh, okay. It's a major scale. It's there. Okay. It's here. It's in this time signature. Okay. This is what's happening.

[00:23:23] Rosalyn: Yeah, and like people's vocals when you were talking about the vocal approach. There are so many interesting singers [00:23:30] out there to listen to that always kind of fascinates me.

[00:23:33] Just Prince: Yes. Definitely.

[00:23:35] Just Prince: Who are some of your favorite singers?

[00:23:36] Rosalyn: Oh my God. I can't I can't answer those questions. Like even like, yeah, that's like the most impossible question for like favorite singers, favorite bands, favorite songs I can never. I can never answer those questions. It's like, that's like my worst nightmare is having to answer that question because what you're saying, what your [00:24:00] influences resonates a lot with me because I feel like I also, listen to a lot of different styles of music and, and like very similar.

[00:24:06] Rosalyn: I feel like we had the same nineties mixtape or something. Cause I have a lot of similar influences, but because there's so many different types, it's hard to compare them to each other, I guess, when you're into a lot of different genres.

[00:24:21] Just Prince: But that's what it is. I feel like every individual, like. Thank God they were themselves, so that you could look at them or like [00:24:30] listen to them years later and then you can be like, Oh, wow, there's beauty in being like them being themselves.

[00:24:36] Rosalyn: Oh, gosh, absolutely. Favorite singer right now? Just Prince.

[00:24:41] Just Prince: Thank you.

[00:24:41] Rosalyn: Yeah. We were talking about things like that, analysis in that music theory way, went, like, were you studying theory when you were at the conservatory, like doing singing lessons and stuff?

[00:24:52] Just Prince: Yes. I feel like in the Western side of music, there are in classical music, there are a bunch of scales, [00:25:00] there are like different things happening, but for the commercial stuff, I feel like it's just major minor pentatonic and minor pentatonic.

[00:25:06] Just Prince: Which is fine, but, as a musician, you're like, okay, I want more spice to it. I want to listen to something more. And then, so Indian classical was that thing, which I think you only understand when you're actually interested in music, when you actually like learning. And that's what it is like being a good student of music all your life.

[00:25:28] Just Prince: It's just, you're [00:25:30] like, so that's what it was. So there's four, four scales, which basically, my teacher tells me to practice every day, but I never do. I used to, but so the first one is like a major scale. and then the second one is with the flat 3rd and flat 7th. The third one is flat 2nd, flat 3rd, flat 6th, flat 7th.

[00:25:53] Just Prince: And then the fourth one is just the flat 2nd and flat 6th. So, and then while going up you play a [00:26:00] 1 and then while coming down from the upper root you play something else. So, this is something that I practice. Or I should be practicing more, uh, but it's, it's very interesting. And then you do that with the raised fourth, which is okay.

[00:26:19] Rosalyn: When you said your teacher is, this is the person that, that you're studying the Indian Classical...yes, yes. Humble Shine. He's amazing. Like one of the things about he's from South of India. [00:26:30] And so he speaks like Tamil. There's many different languages. So he speaks like Tamil or. Um, and he sings in Urdu, which is like. He understands those songs just for the sake of singing and I've known him for like five, six years now.

[00:26:47] Just Prince: and I have to tell him that, sir, I've known you for five, six years, but your Hindi or Urdu hasn't gotten any better. Like it's still the same, which is so funny, but [00:27:00] he's, he's amazing, but he's the one. Yeah. He's the one. And he's very intelligent when it is. Crazy. That's, that's one thing I want to get better at.

[00:27:11] JustPrince: It's just like developing my ear.

[00:27:13] Rosalyn: Do you feel like there's some overarching lessons that you've taken away from that, like, other than, like, the technical stuff, you know?

[00:27:20] Just Prince: there's like some really nice guzzles that he has introduced me to. and then we've also built a friendship over the years where it's like, yeah, [00:27:30] and also I feel like I'm on the Western side. Did you have different teachers growing up?

[00:27:37] Just Prince: So in Indian classical, there's usually like one guru that you stick to.

[00:27:42] Just Prince: You keep learning from them. I find it very nice because you build a relationship with that teacher and then they know you and like what your capabilities are and they're like, and every class when it ends, I'm like, what should I practice? And he's, he'll tell me, okay, you should work on this, you [00:28:00] should work on that.

[00:28:00] Just Prince: And then I'm like, okay, this is, this is fun.

[00:28:04] Rosalyn: That's neat, though, and it's neat that like, student teacher relationship grows into... a friendship over time. And it's, I think that's really beautiful.

[00:28:13] JustPrince: That's really yeah, that's really fun.

[00:28:15] Rosalyn: You mentioned the amount of Languages that your teacher knows. How many languages do you speak and then how many languages do you sing

[00:28:23] Just Prince: Okay, so I speak English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and I write in all four.

[00:28:29] Just Prince: So it's [00:28:30] yeah. It's like because you know, how do you speak French?

[00:28:33] Rosalyn: Very poorly. We'll just say no. For the record.

[00:28:37] Just Prince: So I feel like some songs which are in French would only sound very beautiful when they stay in French, right? So it's like one of those things. That's how I approach my writing, but it's like, okay, this song, this is what my message is. It's about Sufism. So I feel like, um, Sufism, is about selflessness or insignificance, [00:29:00] how insignificant we are as human beings.

[00:29:02] Just Prince: And like, you know, who is a stranger here? All those things basically. So that song I wrote in Urdu because I felt like I couldn't express it better in any other language. So that's how I approach it. And it came naturally, I feel, even the songwriting. Sometimes I'm just walking down the street.

[00:29:19] Just Prince: That's when I write the most. When I'm walking around and I, oh, okay, I observe something and then I'm like, oh, okay. This is my perspective on what I just saw. Or [00:29:30] like what I just heard and like, and you're just like staying still. And observing, that's it.

[00:29:35] Rosalyn: That's so neat. Mine's usually like driving, I think there's like a method to that, like walking or driving or something that is a part of your body. It's like doing something repetitive enough that you're not thinking about it, but a part of you is like occupied so that the rest of you can be like aware and, and take in inspiration or something.

[00:29:54] Just Prince: True.

[00:29:55] Rosalyn: You mentioned, like incorporating Sufism into songs that I know [00:30:00] that was a part of Kamli. Is that a common theme that you draw upon?

[00:30:04] Just Prince: Honestly, it's very, very random. I grew up listening to a lot of like Sufi songs and like, that's what I get drawn to the most, the writing of that, but there's also times when you just want to like, chill and like, listen to like, listen to some nice, easy songs. And like Leon Bridger’s River is such a nice song.

[00:30:27] Just Prince: Sometimes you just want to listen to nice and [00:30:30] easy chill songs. And I also use like different people's perspective to write.

[00:30:34] Just Prince: So that's fun. Because it's like an actor getting in someone else's skin. And then you're like, you're presenting what they think how, they are presenting.

[00:30:45] Rosalyn: Yeah, so for like a little bit of background for folks who aren't aware of the Colleen Peterson award. The award was started by the Ontario Arts Council and is administered by, by Folk Music Ontario, but there's like the juried award and it's [00:31:00] given to, outstanding songwriter for an outstanding song, but it is for like an emerging artist. And it's in honour of Colleenn Peterson, who was an amazing, Ontario singer songwriter. What was your reaction when you found out that you had won the award? Because it is a surprise. You don't know that, the interesting thing about the award is that you don't apply for it. Um, somebody from the jury of the awards, you get selected. What was your reaction?

[00:31:26] Just Prince: So I was walking with Abas, we were going to get [00:31:30] lunch. And then I was like, I usually don't pick up calls from like unknown numbers. So I didn't pick up and then I, I heard the voicemail and then it was like, I have some good news for you. Carolyn speaking from the Ontario Arts Council.

[00:31:44] Just Prince: She basically gave me the good news and I had like the biggest smile on my face and I was like, thank, thank God.

[00:31:51] Just Prince: And like, thank you so much for this. And honestly, like with how the Folk Music Ontario the week was like, the award was like [00:32:00] a cherry on top. It was really, really, really something. and I heard some really nice singer songwriters there. Even a lot of like Toronto friends came.

[00:32:09] Just Prince: There's so many amazing singer songwriters and like, so many different stories that they sing about that are very interesting.

[00:32:16] Rosalyn: Yeah, it's a really nice part of FMO, absolutely, but, any of the, like, these kinds of gatherings, you know, when people are asking, like, well, what's the point? You know, like, sure, you're there to, like, hopefully get some gigs or drum up some, you make some [00:32:30] relationships.

[00:32:30] Rosalyn: But, you know, there's a lot of value in just getting that inspiration from from people doing the same thing that you're doing and, you know, maybe some people that are, maybe a few steps ahead of where you are and, getting to see some of the trajectory as well as.

[00:32:45] Rosalyn: just being inspired by other artists and, and, all sorts of different kinds of art. There was a, there was a really interesting mix of music this year.

[00:32:52] Just Prince: Definitely. I find it very, very nice to like Hillary from The Pairs, which is an amazing [00:33:00] band and group. The Pairs and I played like a SoFar show four years ago, and it was my first ever SoFar show.

[00:33:08] Just Prince: And then, those guys were super nice to me. And then they were like, So she's the one who introduced me to like, Oh, you should apply for this thing Folk Music Ontario. And like, so it's been on my radar for a while, but, it was just like some documentations. I had to get my PR done. I have my PR now.

[00:33:26] Just Prince: So, which is good. and then last year I was in India. [00:33:30] So this year seemed perfect. And then I was like, yes, I, I get to showcase. That's

[00:33:35] Rosalyn: Yeah, it's all about timing, you know, and so it always comes through in the end. And uh, we'll extend a thank you to Hilary for, for introducing you to us. And it's cool to see because The Pairs hosted the Ontario Folk Music Awards.

[00:33:49] Rosalyn: So neat to see that kind of come in a neat full circle.

[00:33:53] JustPrince: I was so comfy there. I'm like, ah, these guys are all my friends.

[00:33:58] Rosalyn: Yeah, they did such an amazing job. Tell us a little bit about what you have coming up.

[00:34:03] Just Prince: So there's this band of, this is a different project. It's called Running Rivers. We were like five people first, then we were four people and then now we're three people. So it's me, Zeeshan and Abbas again but I'm playing bass and singing now, and Zeeshan plays guitar and Abbas plays tabla.

[00:34:21] Just Prince: So we recorded an album in August. Which was a six track album, and now it'll be a three song EP,

[00:34:29] Rosalyn: [00:34:30] Nice.

[00:34:30] Just Prince: Just because some things happened, and I don't want to get into the drama, but, but, so now we're releasing three songs which should be out mid December or end of December.

[00:34:42] Just Prince: So that EP is something I'm looking forward to. And other than that, I have like a few shows coming up that I'm excited about.

[00:34:51] Rosalyn: And you're pretty active on social media too, right? Like people can follow you on Instagram?

[00:34:56] Just Prince: That's, there's that. And I constantly post about things like my shows or my [00:35:00] music. Yeah, strictly music related things.

[00:35:04] Rosalyn: As a devoted follower of you on Instagram, it's a great channel to follow because you also post like, just like you, jamming and playing little bits or snippets of stuff and,

[00:35:13] Rosalyn: Yeah.

[00:35:13] Rosalyn: It's really, really fun to hear what you're working on.

[00:35:15] Just Prince: Thank you. Thank you so much. Yeah,

[00:35:17] Rosalyn: Well, thank you so much for chatting with us. It's been great getting to know you better and I hope our listeners enjoyed getting to know you and, and I know that they'll love your music.

[00:35:24] Just Prince: Such a pleasure. Thank you so much for having me and so nice to talk to you [00:35:30]

[00:35:34] Rosalyn: That's all for this episode. Friends The Refocus Podcast is brought to you by Folk Music Ontario. Find out more by heading to folk music ontario.org/refocus. That's R-E-F-O-L-K-U-S. The podcast is produced by Kayla Nezon and Rosalyn Dennett and mixed by Jordan Moore at The Pod Cabin. The opening theme is by King Cardiac, and the artwork is by Jaymie Karn.

[00:35:58] Rosalyn: Please give us a [00:36:00] download, like subscribe, rate and review to let us know you're listening. Until next time, keep it folk and have fun.