The industry spent the last year pretending everything was fine while the floor dropped out from under it. Ask anyone working a soundboard or hauling a Gibson across provincial lines and they’ll tell you the same thing: it has been one hell of a ride.
And while the bureaucratic types deemed our livelihoods non-essential, the creators and musicians across Canada refused to get the memo. They kept going. They found ways to inspire fans by any means necessary. It wasn’t about the paycheque; it was about the survival of the psyche.
For Andrew Hyatt, the award-winning country artist with a voice that sounds like it was dragged through a gravel pit and rinsed in bourbon, music is more than just a job. It is a passion. It is the kind of obsession he isn’t willing to turn his back on, no matter how stacked the odds look from the outside.
Now, the celebrated singer and songwriter is stripping the art down to its bare bones. He is changing the pace with a three-track EP titled *The Wanderspace Sessions*. The project features acoustic versions of “Neverland”, “Didn’t Know Me” and “I Needed That”. It is a raw look at fan favourites that usually come wrapped in thick studio production.
We caught up with Hyatt on a Zoom call that felt like a window into the cabin fever of a modern artist. We talked about the release, the grind of staying creative at home and the new job titles he has tacked onto his resume while the world was on pause.
I wanted to know what pushed him back toward the acoustic guitar. Re-releasing tracks can sometimes feel like a stop-gap, but with Hyatt, it feels like a return to form. He explains the motivation behind the pivot.
"It’s kind of two parts; stripped down, acoustic stuff is where I come from — that’s where I started with music, so I always like to go back there. In addition to that, I really missed the guys, and I missed the band," Hyatt says.
There is a specific loneliness to being a frontman without a stage. The *Wanderspace* project was clearly a remedy for that isolation. It wasn't just about the audio; it was about the physical presence of his peers.
"Obviously, given the situation of 2020, and so far in 2021, it was nice to be in the same room once we were allowed to be when we recorded those. We were all in masks and we were staying pretty spaced out, but it was just really nice to be back with the guys and also release something visual to go with the music that’s different than just a traditional or lyric video. It’s a little more real and a little more raw, which is always nice to put out," he says.
But let's look at the tracklist. "Neverland" was the obvious choice as his latest single, but the inclusion of "I Needed That" and "Didn’t Know Me" felt more deliberate. These aren't just B-sides; they are the emotional anchors of his recent catalogue.
"They just felt good. They felt like the right combination of three songs, and we’ve been playing them for a long time. All three had been previous singles, so it just made sense to do them. They also worked well in that environment and with being stripped down. We didn’t want to do anything that was too heavy, so we just felt like those were the right ones to slow down and make a little prettier," Hyatt says.
The critique here is that "pretty" isn't a word usually associated with Hyatt’s grit, but on these sessions, the melodic structure of "Didn't Know Me" actually gets room to breathe without the percussion crowding the room.
We moved on to "Neverland". The concept is a pop-culture staple, a fairy tale that has been chewed up and spit out by everyone from Disney to rock bands. I asked him how he personally connects with an idea that can often feel overplayed.
"It sounds cheesy to say, but to me the idea of 'Neverland' is something that seems unattainable, you know what I mean? Whether it’s in a fairy tale, or it’s a place that retains innocence and joy. It’s somewhere that we’re trying to get to when we’re chasing a dream or chasing something we’re passionate about. You’re trying to hold on to something that’s pure, right? Something that you love so much. For me, this song connected because I sat well with the idea of reaching that seemingly unattainable goal," he says.
Hyatt isn't just talking about the song; he is talking about the defiance of his own career path. He told me a story about high school that echoes the experience of every kid in a small town who dared to look past the local mill or the factory gates.
"In high school, when my guidance counselor asked what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, I said, well, I’m going to be a musician. She’s like, that’s not realistic — that’s not a real job. I said, exactly I don’t want a real job, I want a job I love. I don’t want a day-to-day. I want to do something I’m passionate about. I got fired from jobs for saying I was just there until I made enough money to make a record and then I’d be going to tour," Hyatt says.
That is the core of his brand. It is the "Neverland" journey—a refusal to grow up into the grey, boring version of adulthood the world demands.
I was talking with the guys and we were reading this article yesterday that said the arts is considered the No. 1 most non-essential job. We were joking being like, yeah well, if you removed all TV or movies or music during this time, I feel like that stat would flip very quickly and people would realize how essential the arts really is. We need it now, it’s what’s getting us through these times.
"So, that’s what 'Neverland' is to me; it’s that journey of taking everybody’s no’s and proving them wrong," he says.
Hyatt is an accomplished songwriter, but he also knows when to step aside and let a great outside song take the lead. I asked him what he looks for when he is sifting through demos that weren't born from his own pen.
"There has to be a moment in my life that the song takes me to. If I don’t have that, then I won’t cut the song. It really has to be something I feel I’ve gone through that I can connect with emotionally," Hyatt says.
It is a high bar. If the emotional resonance isn't there, the track gets tossed. But occasionally, a song comes along that is so well-constructed it becomes undeniable.
"There’s also a side of it where if it’s the kind of song you just can’t stop singing, you’re going to take that great song. I know what I do, and I know what I don’t do, what I can’t do as a songwriter or haven’t done, so I try and pull those things from outside songs. Every once in a while, those lines kind of blur — and that’s what 'Neverland' felt like. It felt like a song that I would write on my own. So, it just felt very natural and it came from a place that was really honest," he says.
He mentions growing up in a small town, a place where the expectations were rigid and the options were few.
"Growing up in a smaller town and being told, you know, get a job in the mine and get a trade and do this and do that. It just felt really real," he says.
And he didn't just hear those suggestions; he lived them. He actually worked in the mine. It gave him a perspective that most "hat-act" country singers lack. He has the dirt under his fingernails to prove it.
"Yeah, I did. I learned a lot of good things from there. I learned about hard work and shift work, and late nights. I liked those times, they were enjoyable. Not as enjoyable as what I do now, but they were good times," Hyatt says.
Staying creative during a global shutdown is a different kind of labour. Hyatt didn't just sit around waiting for the phone to ring. He turned his basement into a workspace, focusing on the technical side of the glass.
"Well, I think everybody’s had their moments, right? Their highs and lows this year. But what’s kept me creative is that I put a studio in my basement, and I’ve just been really working on the fundamentals of recording. It’s something that I’ve ignored for a really long time. I’ve always focused on writing songs and then taking those almost finished ideas to a producer to piece it together. I almost missed our Zoom call today. I’ve got my guitar players downstairs playing. I’ve really been so focused on recording," Hyatt says.
Dropping an EP in the tail end of 2020 was a gamble. The traditional machinery of the music industry—the radio tours, the release parties, the festival slots—was non-existent.
"Ah, well, first off; I think it was probably delayed about six months. The record has been done for a while and we were hoping we’d get to be able to tour it, you know, go out and play shows — champion this record, but that didn’t happen. So, that’s been different," he says.
But there is a silver lining to the silence. Without the noise of a heavy tour schedule, fans were forced to actually listen.
"It’s a lot less busy, but I like the fact that it’s let the music speak for itself. Everybody’s been stuck at home, so people are consuming music in a stressful time, which I think helps them connect with it — so we’ve seen a lot of growth, which I was worried wasn’t going to happen or it was just going to get swept under the rug," Hyatt says.
He is confident about the trajectory of the new material. He can feel the shift in how people are responding to the honesty of the acoustic takes.
"I really feel like 'Neverland' is connecting more than any other song that I’ve had. I don’t want to jinx it, but I feel like this is probably going to be the song that goes the farthest," he says.
We talked about the "non-essential" label again. It clearly sticks in his craw. We were both looking at the same cultural landscape where art was the only thing keeping people sane, yet it was the first thing the government tried to shutter.
"Yeah, it’s funny. I was talking with the guys and we were reading this article yesterday that said the arts is considered the No. 1 most non-essential job. We were joking being like, yeah well, if you removed all TV or movies or music during this time, I feel like that stat would flip very quickly and people would realize how essential the arts really is. We need it now, it’s what’s getting us through these times," Hyatt says.
Outside of the studio, Hyatt has been building something new: Copper Demon. It’s a brand that reflects his aesthetic better than a standard tour shirt ever could.
"I’ve always had an obsession with good T-shirts and cool T-shirts and merch. Even my Andrew Hyatt merch, I always felt weird and I never felt comfortable wearing it. But I was like man, I’m putting all this effort and money into these shirts that I can never wear," he says.
It’s a valid critique of the industry. Most artist merch is designed for the fan, not the artist. Hyatt wanted something he would actually pull out of his own drawer.
"So, I had this idea at the beginning of lockdown where I started getting these designs and collecting them and just sort of started releasing them one by one — trying to build a brand. Eventually I’d like to move away from merch completely on the artist side and just merge those two things together," Hyatt says.
The lockdown also forced a change in his domestic life. For a guy used to the nomadic lifestyle of a touring musician, being stationary was a shock to the system. He spent the year with his fiancé, Lisa, and their dogs.
"Oh, it’s awesome. You know, I’m sure Lisa’s ready to kill me some days because I’m a bit of a tornado when it comes to living in the house. But I’m getting better at picking up after myself. I’m so used to living out of a suitcase, so it’s a little easier to just throw everything in and go. But it’s been great," he says.
But he knows the clock is ticking. Eventually, the borders will open and the buses will roll. The transition back to the road won't be easy.
"Once things kick off again, it’s going to be a little weird to leave for two weeks and not see your significant other when you’re used to seeing them every day. That’s going to be tough," he says.
As we wrapped up, Hyatt had a direct message for the people who have been streaming the tracks and buying the Copper Demon gear. It was a rare moment of vulnerability from a guy who usually keeps his guard up.
"I miss you, and I cannot wait to see you guys. You know, there’s an energy that just feels like it’s missing and thank you for listening and thank you for streaming and purchasing T-shirts or music. It’s honestly what’s keeping most artists going right now, so thank you," Hyatt says.
Keep an eye on Hyatt. He is one of the few artists in the Canadian country scene who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, whether it's in a mine or in a basement studio. Check out *The Wanderspace Sessions* and stay updated at andrewhyattmusic.com.
