Jordan McIntosh is a newcomer to the world of country music.
The native of Carleton Place, located just outside of Ottawa, will take a step in that career Nov. 2 in Yorkton when he opens for Brett Kissel.
“I have been surrounded by music my whole life,” he told Yorkton This Week. “I grew up with a very musical family so I was always singing and playing music everywhere I would go. Singing has always been a way for me to stick out of the crowd and a way for me to escape from the world at the same time.”
With music all around him, his musical influence became quite focused.
“A big musical influence of mine is Taylor Swift” said McIntosh. “I love song writing and she is an incredible writer. Anything I can learn from her is information I will treasure forever.
“My style is definitely that new sound coming out of Nashville recently. It still has influences from the early sounds of country music but it’s got that spunk you’re hearing in music lately.”
As a songwriter, McIntosh said the world around him is all the inspiration he needs.
“I’m constantly inspired by the world and my surroundings,” he said. “The way the trees look or a random person I see walking down the street. Most of all, I’m inspired by the people I’m closest to; my friends and family.”
Those inspirations have led to the material on McIntosh’s debut recording.
“I’m very excited about my debut EP,” he said. “It’s very much who I am at this time in my life and I think people will enjoy getting this inside look.
“It’s going to be released in early 2016, just as soon as the final touches are done.”
As for writing McIntish said every song has its own life.
“The writing process is always different for me and never the same for each song,” he said. “It all depends on what mood I want the song to have and the message I want to portray.
“It took a little while for this EP because I basically threw out everything I wrote and started over from scratch. Which was scary but very liberating at the same time.
“My favourite cut on the EP is a song called ‘Turbulence’ and vocally is the one I’m most proud of. It’s just undeniably a fantastic song and has a fun twist at the end that pays tribute to a common occurrence in traditional country music.”
So what should listeners expect from the disc? And McIntosh’s show?
“They should expect to learn a little bit about me and who I am as a person,” he offered. “I really do believe that an artist’s career is like a novel and their debut album is the first chapter of that novel. You have to catch people’s interest with that first chapter to entice them to keep following your story.
“My show is a lot of fun. And that’s what I want people to have while they are there; fun. Forget about what happened during the day and just enjoy the moment.”
The Brett Kissel Airwaves Tour, with McIntosh opening will be held at Anne Portnuff Theatre Monday, Nov. 2.
