Since we had spoken last time, a lot has occurred for the Canadian sing-songwriter Jutes. The preview of his first single off the deluxe became one of his most successful rollouts to date. Causing him to push up the date for its release. Only a couple of months after his most creatively daunting album, Chin Up, Beautiful. The concept album develops into a post-apocalyptic world and all that comes with it. It is also the most he has leaned into the heavy sonics that have been peaking through on different moments of past projects. Jutes sat down with us at Louder Than Life and the end of his tour to discuss the project with us.
HP: How are you doing?
Jutes: Good, thanks for having me.
HP: How was your show?
Jutes: It was amazing. There was a lot of energy and a lot of crowd surfing. A lot of fun.
HP: The last time we spoke was at the beginning of the year. So how has your year been so far?
Jutes: It’s going crazy. I put out an album. This is the tail end of the biggest headline tour of my career. I just put out the song for the deluxe, which is kind of going viral and is my biggest debut of any of my songs. So life has been good since we last talked.
HP: I saw you had to change the release for the single because it got so much attention.
Jutes: It was supposed to come out after the tour, like a month from now. The first post went viral, and then the second post went viral. Every time I posted it, it went viral. I didn’t expect it. It’s on the delux. So I didn’t think it was going to be my biggest song. I was like, “We should move it forward. I’m on tour, so why not?” We did, and it’s the most successful song of my career to date.
HP: What were the crowd reactions like if you were performing on tour?
Jutes: I put it on the CDs and the vinyls. So when people bought those, they actually got the deluxe before the rest of the world. There were some people who knew, but then there were clips of me posting stuff like that. People started memorizing the words. Now they’re singing the whole thing. Even at festivals, I hear people singing it.
HP: Your two albums before this one were continuations of each other, right?
Jutes: Yeah. I wasn’t expecting the success. I decided to just keep it going; keep throwing gas on the fire. A lot of singles turn into an album. For this album, I really sat down and wrote it.
HP: How did the writing process for this album differ from the others?
Jutes: I blocked out a lot of time to really go in and build a world. Then I tried to build a visual world to go with it. The cohesiveness of everything. I wanted to make something more intentional than a bunch of songs. The process was fun for this. I would prefer to do it like this and get more conceptual.
HP: It also comes with a lot more content as well.
Jutes: Instead of it being like, “Alright, let’s make a song today.” It’s more like, “Let’s look at all the songs we’ve made. Where should it go? What have we not done?” It feels much bigger.
HP: Which song off the record took the most out of you creatively?
Jutes: I think “Dissasciate” was the only one that I didn’t finish writing on the first day. We had to come back to it to finish it. I guess that one took the most out of me creatively because I didn’t even know what to do at the end of the song. I lived with it for a week, then we went back in.
HP: Last time we talked, you were just about to go on your European tour and mentioned how excited you were for the tour. How was it?
Jutes: So amazing! I didn’t want to leave. I love Europe. I love how you can drive a couple of hours and be in a whole different world. Trying different food from everywhere was amazing. I love the culture. I do wish they had more air conditioning, especially in venues. It was really, really hot. The people were amazing. There are definitely some places that don’t like us, like restaurants in Paris. I’m pretty sure they didn’t love that we were English. But I love the people there. The fans are incredible. The venues are so generous. They have these buffets for us when we show up. They fed and cooked for us. It’s just over the top with them taking care of us. I had the best time. I can’t wait to go back to Europe. There’s talk of a European tour already, so I will be making my way back.
HP: One of my favorite things is telling a European artist how far their next show is when they are touring America.
Jutes: When we’re touring in the Sprinter, the days off are just 12-hour drives. I’m so blessed now that we’re able to be in a bus that drives overnight. We wake up, and we’re in a new place. Whereas the sprinter tour is a lot more easygoing in Europe. You get to see some stuff. When I was in the sprinter for the US, all I saw were gas stations. In America, they’re really awesome. Buc-ee’s and all of the Quick Trips and Sheetz. It’s grueling driving across America.
HP: In terms of the deluxe, is there any big difference sonically, or is it a continuation?
Jutes: We made them all at the same time. So I went into it knowing that I wanted to make a deluxe. We didn’t make an album and then go back in to make the deluxe. I knew that I wanted to extend it. I love dropping singles and letting songs get all the attention. Dropping a full album naturally, your diehards are going to listen, but it doesn’t get the reach and promotion that a single does. I knew that I wanted to give myself more singles.
HP: What’s your favorite festival moment, either as a fan or an artist?
Jutes: I remember crying as a fan watching Third Eye Blind when I was younger in Ottawa.
(The fireworks from the stage right behind us go off.)
HP: Sorry, the pyro got me.
Jutes: It’s probably for us since we’re the last interview of the festival. I literally said, “Are there going to be fireworks?” Because we are kind of the headline act.
HP: I mean, there better be!
HP: What is your favorite album from this year so far?
Jutes: It’s not even a rock album, but Steve Lacy’s, oh yeah? I love that album so much. I’ve been listening to it this whole tour while I get ready. When I’m showering in the green room and all that.
HP: I saw a TikTok of you talking about how straight men should be honest about enjoying Love Island and Real Housewives. Which is your favorite Real Housewives?
Jutes: I’ve only seen Salt Lake, and it’s incredible. I have been told by my wife that it’s mandatory that I watch Beverly Hills. She will usually watch it, and then she’ll be like, “Oh my god, it’s incredible. ” We have to watch it together.” She’ll have seen it twice. I put her on Love Island.
HP: My friend put me on Love Island. The first episode I watched was this season, where they removed one couple. Then, after that was over, they were like, “Surprise, we are removing two more couples.” I realized then what great TV was.
Jutes: I got into Love Island during COVID. I was looking for stuff to watch. I got into Survivor and Love Island.
HP: That’s a big distinction between the two shows.
Jutes: I was just binging around the clock. I was powering through all these shows. When we started dating, I was like, “You’ve got to start watching Love Island.” We went through and watched all the seasons, and we’ve seen it all now.
HP: Who were you most excited to see today?
Jutes: Holywatr. I did see their set. They played in the same state as us, and I’m friends with those guys. They’re incredible. Somehow I have not been able to see them live yet. So I finally got to see them live. They’re amazing.
