Singled Out: Hunter deBlanc's Sydney

09-06-2018

Alternative-pop star Hunter deBlanc recently released a brand new single called "Sydney" and to celebrate we asked him to tell us about the track. Here is the story:

I was performing out in Australia on a cruise ship for a few months, and my cabin didn't have much room-especially not for a full-sized keyboard for me to use for song-writing. So I started learning how to use Ableton, and experimenting with MIDI for the first time. Sydney started out as one of my very first Ableton demos, and some of the early sounds used in the first demo actually made it into the final track, like the little plucking sounds at the beginning, as well as the little hopping synth-bass sound that was inspired by New Order and Bleachers.

I needed help seeing the song come to fruition, so I took it to Austin Dore at Wave Theory Studios, and he really helped be add some crucial elements to it, and I ultimately owe him for bringing the song to life. The spanky guitar sound was influenced by my time in Australia, listening and performing songs by INXS, and I wanted to incorporate that sound into the song somehow. The lyrics are about my time away performing for months at a time, singing the same songs every night It also touches on the excessive drinking that was a result of the lifestyle of performing every night. You start to feel really alone- one minute you're on top of the world, performing for crowds of people- and the next you're all alone in your room, halfway across the world from my family, my friends, and mainly my very supportive girlfriend. [The bridge/third verse ("...Won't you please come home") is supposed to be written from her perspective.

We even had a female vocalist planned to do the whole part, but we ended up just using her for back-up vocals in the bridge.] But in the middle of a 6 month stint of performing, my girlfriend Nicole was able to come out to visit me in Australia. We sailed out by the Opera House in Circular Quay, which is arguably one of the most beautiful sail-aways in the world. Those few days revitalized me, and that's when I started writing Sydney.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself here and learn more right here!