Brandon Howard Roy overcomes The Fear with a dose of infectiously joyful pop in his upbeat new single — premiering today on Tinnitist.
“The Fear is a personal reflection of my journey dealing with anxiety,” the P.E.I. pop singer-songwriter explains. “Anyone working on their mental health knows it’s never a linear path, and some days my fears feel like these ghosts that control every part of me. I wrote this song as a reminder that it’s OK to be scared sometimes, that growing up is hard, and that mistakes are gonna be made along the way. But it’s all a process, and the process is nothing to fear. I mean, just look at the album cover, those are some friendly lookin’ ghosts!”
Turning darkness into light is nothing new for Roy; his music is the soundtrack to you figuring it all out. He serves tasty pop hooks as an appetizer and brings out some of the highest notes you’ll hear on P.E.I. for dessert, and the main course is a journey of radical self acceptance that you don’t want to miss.
Born and raised in Montreal, he started piano lessons at age 5, and music has been a part of his life ever since. His first complete song, 2006’s It Kills Me Inside, became an instant chart topper in Mom and Dad’s living room. Next came involvement in youth theatre groups, more songwriting, and eventually the creation of a pop-rock band with two close friends in high school. Called The Local Trend, their success was found only locally (who could’ve guessed?), but it laid the groundwork for his career in the arts, which has encompassed theatre, music and dance.
2019 was a year of reinvention and shifting gears, with his theatre work taking a backseat to sharing his writing. His debut solo show had a line out the door, which led to his first full band set and an outdoor show at Pride in the Park after the 2019 P.E.I. Pride Parade. It was then straight to The Hill Sound Studio to record his debut single Little Reasons, which was released in late 2019, followed by Here Now and Proud in 2020.
Listen to The Fear above, hear more from Brandon Howard Roy below and keep up with him on his website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
