Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Titus Calderbank

Make no mistake about it, Titus Calderbank is one to watch. The Vancouver musician possesses a voice that has audiences stopping in their tracks. He effortlessly shifts from a smooth croon to a soulful vibrato to a pitch-perfect howl, all within the same song.

In 2017, he challenged himself to write a song a day, an experience that taught him the importance of choice, dedication, and a good rewrite. One song that was born from that experiment was his new single, “Mistakes”. Pop Culturalist spoke with Titus about the tune, the 365 Songwriting Challenge, and what he has in store for the remainder of 2019.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Titus: My family is very musical, so it would have been weird if I hadn’t at least picked up a guitar once or twice. [laughs] But, it all started with me posting covers of my favorite songs on YouTube. The encouragement and feedback that I got from those online performances lit a fire in me to continue pursuing music for the rest of my life.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Titus: My family! If they hadn’t been so into music, I don’t know if I would have ever started. Also, deciding to move from Penticton to Vancouver was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The community here has been incredibly welcoming and inviting. I’ve had so many amazing opportunities and met great people here.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “Mistakes”. What inspired the track?
Titus: The song was born from my 365 Songwriting Challenge, and to be honest, it was just another day, another song. I probably had just come home from working my full-time job, sat down, and wrote whatever came to my mind. I try to be as honest as I can, and I was dealing with past mistakes of mine. I like to write about what I’m feeling and what the truth is over my situation: “This I know I’ll make it out alive.”

PC: If you had to pick one song that you wrote during your 365 Songwriting Challenge that best represents you as an artist, which would it be and why?
Titus: That’s a tough one! I feel like all the songs are their own piece of who I am. They’re little nuggets of who and what I believe in. I will say, my favorite songwriting moment was a song called “Bird Song”. It’s what everyone thinks songwriting is like when it’s not. I walked outside and heard a bird, recorded its melody, came home and played it on the piano, and wrote a song from it. That’s how I wish it always was when writing songs, but I loved that moment because it felt like I was tapping into the flow of everything—from nature to myself to a recording.

PC: What was the biggest takeaway from the 365 Songwriting Challenge? What surprised you the most?
Titus: That every song requires a unique approach. Some days, I just knew that the song I was writing deserved more than a few hours. In fact, they needed a few weeks to just stew on themselves. I learned I could write really fast, but I also learned how important rewriting is. They say 80% of a song is written in the first hour or so and the last 20% requires many, many hours of pining over every aspect. I had complete confidence in myself to complete the challenge, which I ended up not doing, but I was still so surprised that I ended the year with 185 songs that had never existed in the world. If we truly want to do something spectacular in our eyes, it only requires a choice and dedication.

PC: What does the rest of the year hold for you as we look ahead in 2019?
Titus: Playing more and more shows, hopefully recording a full-length album at the end of the year, and lots and lots of writing!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Titus: Vulfpeck

PC: First album you bought?
Titus: Billy Talent

PC: First concert you attended?
Titus: Marianas Trench

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Titus: The Life Aquatic: Studio Sessions featuring Seu Jorge! I know pretty much zero French, yet I listen to this album all the time. For me, it shows the boundaries that music does not care for. Music is powerful in any language.

PC: Someone you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
Titus: Ben Howard

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Titus: The SOEC in Penticton

PC: A must-have on the road?
Titus: The Bible

To keep up with Titus, follow him on Twitter and Instagram, and pick up “Mistakes” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or stream it on Spotify.