young friend on Tackling the Unknown in “feral canadian scaredy cat”
As we grow up and go through life-altering experiences that shape our worldview, it is not uncommon to dive deep into a pool of self-reflection and never-ending emotions.
Rising Indie-Pop artist young friend tackles his fears on epic slow-burner “feral canadian scaredy cat,” which acts as a teaser for his upcoming EP scaredy cat.
Starting like an intimate ballad and finishing like an alt-rock banger, this dynamic track ties raw lyricism with angsty energy. The climactic ending is intense and expressive. young friend captures what it felt like to grow up sheltered and to be exposed to the real world for the first time.
Diving deeper into the pool of self-reflection, young friend is set to release his upcoming EP scaredy cat in February. scaredy cat is young friend’s most intimate and introspective work yet.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Thank you for sitting down and talking to Unpublished Magazine. Our readers would love to get to know you and your latest single “feral canadian scaredy cat” more. Can you tell us the inspiration behind the single?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] I wrote the song with my friend David. I wanted to write something that reflected my childhood experience: growing up very sheltered and eventually going out into the world and living life. I feel like I grew up very sheltered, and once I got old enough to be a part of the public and be a part of the world on my own, I was pretty scared of it. At its root, it's just about anxiety and being afraid of the unknown. But my favorite part about the song is what the song is about. In the end, it's sort of this realization and coming to terms with the fact that this is what you are and learning how to deal with that and learning how to deal with yourself and the way that you are.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Wow, that sounds like a very vulnerable experience. What did the creative process look like for “feral canadian scaredy cat?”
[YOUNG FRIEND:] David and I wrote the song in a day. It was our last day in the studio together for that week and we weren't sure what we were going to do. Then he started playing some piano chords and this was one of the ideas that came up. So it all happened quickly. He played the piano, I found a melody, and then we wrote some lyrics and added drums and a bunch of percussions. I feel like sometimes when I write songs, I black out and this was one of those songs.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What inspires your overall artistic persona and style?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] That’s a really good question. I always say that my biggest inspiration is my friends and just the people in my life. I feel like they've had a huge impact on the kind of art that I make. And of course, the different kinds of music and art that I grew up around inspired me as well. I grew up listening to a lot of Rock, like a lot of The Beatles. I listened to a lot of Soul as well, and as I got older, I listened to a lot of Folk music and Alternative and Indie. All of my upbringing until this point inspired my artistic direction.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What musicians or bands have influenced you the most, either lyrically or instrumentally?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] Lyrically, Elliott Smith, Adrianne Lenker, Justin Vernon. I love Jeff Buckley. A lot of Indie classics.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Jeff Buckley is a classic staple.
[YOUNG FRIEND:] Just like such a prolific songwriter. One of the best to ever do it.
[UNPUBLISHED:] This single is just a teaser of your upcoming EP scaredy cat. What can listeners expect from you in this new era of your music?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] This EP is probably the most vulnerable thing I've ever done. I feel like up until this point, I've yet to tap into my more personal side in this way. I feel like I'm showcasing a piece of myself that hasn't been put on a record yet, so it's quite introspective and it's a little sad. That's my fair warning.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How did you settle on the title?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] A huge theme of the record is coming to terms with who you are, and I've been a bit of a scaredy cat my whole life. This felt right when we were naming the EP because there's only one way to come to terms with it, and that's to look at it directly in the face and say this is what it is. So it just felt perfect.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What is the inspiration behind the EP?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] It's focused a lot on me and the last few years of my life. It feels like a reflection of me becoming an adult. It's all these little different stories about relationships and family and friends and things that I've learned about myself, so there's a lot under that umbrella.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What are some ways you find creative inspiration outside the workplace and channel that into your music?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] Besides music, I read a lot. I get a lot of inspiration from books. I read a lot of fiction books and I find that I'm most inspired when I've not been sitting down and trying to write music. I always remind myself at least once a week to just go out and go for a walk and be around a bunch of people, a bunch of strangers, or to go get a coffee and just interact with the public. Just seeing other people being alive is inspiring.
[UNPUBLISHED:] The inspiration will come to you naturally through those experiences.
[YOUNG FRIEND:] Yes, I take notes. I people watch a lot and write down people that I see and imagine their stories.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Is there an underlying story behind scaredy cat or a specific message you're trying to convey to your listeners?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] The message is, you don't have to be tough all the time, nor do you have to be confident and excited all the time. It's okay to be afraid of something and it's okay to feel uncomfortable, and ultimately you'll learn from it.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you have a favorite lyric or song from the EP that you love and stands out to you the most?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] It's on a single that's already out, “little pieces.” It's this one section where I say, “I'll take my sweet time to close my eyes, your hand in mind was stopping time.” That's my favorite lyric, and it's a cute memory of two people that can't fall asleep and they're just holding hands as time freezes at that moment. I love that.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What are you most excited about in terms of the EP release?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] I'm excited to play the songs live and to see how people react to them in person. It's always so cool getting to see how people receive a song online, but I feel like playing it for someone is just a whole different experience.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you?
[YOUNG FRIEND:] Honestly I feel so good right now. Gearing up for the EP is exciting. The tours are exciting. I'm also working on an album right now that will be coming next. The music for the EP has been done for quite a while so I've been punching away at what the album is gonna look like and trying to figure out a way that I can push my boundaries and keep challenging myself.
