Rising Canadian artist, TALK has had one hell of a year. Following a jam-packed run of tour dates overseas and stateside, which found him playing iconic venues like Colorado’s own Red Rocks Amphitheatre, TALK just celebrated the release of his debut album, Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees last month and just announced his headlining North American tour for 2024.
TALK, born Nicholas Durocher, found himself shooting for the stars on Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees, with inspirations from Meatloaf, Broadway, and ‘80s and ‘90s rock and an underlying message of hope and love to inspire listeners. The result couldn’t be a more perfect debut album; something that effortlessly introduces the sound and soul of TALK to listeners. The upcoming run of tour dates, which kick off next February, will serve as a victory lap of sorts, celebrating a successful release and an even bigger year to come. With the album out now, we caught up with TALK to discuss the new music, his insane year so far and plans for the future. Read more now below.
Prelude Press: You’ve had a whirlwind of a year so far with a ton of tour dates around the globe, including some massive festivals and Red Rocks, and to top it all off, you just released your debut album! I feel like it would be a little unfair to ask if you had just one favorite moment of this year so far, so what are a few highlights that stick out?
TALK: Thank you! That’s very accurate it has been an insane year for me. There’s so many moments that stand out but my favourite of them all was smashing an acoustic guitar at the end of my set in Québec City at FEQ. It’s a huge festival in Canada and 100,000 people showed up by the end of my set. One of the best and wildest moments of my life.
What shows were some of the most surprising or exciting?
I had such an incredible time at Red Rocks that was for sure a bucket list venue for me. Going to play headline shows in Europe was also amazing. I loved playing in Switzerland and Germany I can’t wait to go back.
Your debut album, Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees is out now! How does it feel to finally have it out for the world to hear? What are you most excited for fans to hear on it?
It feels great to finally have the songs out in the world. I’m excited for people to hear the range of music I want to make. It’s a blend of so many different genres that I love and I hope people can see themselves in the songs I wrote. I personally love the last song on the album “Set On Me” so much. I think it was the perfect way to end the album.
When you first started dreaming up Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees, was there anything you knew you wanted to accomplish with these songs?
I really wanted to tell the story of the last 5 years of my life with this album. I wanted to bring some positivity and love into the world. I wanted to make people happy.
Did you learn any important lessons or anything about yourself when working on the album?
I feel like I already knew this to an extent but trusting my gut is the most important lesson. I always feel better about a decision when I go with my instincts. I also learnt that I love the people even more than I could have imagined. I had so much support, love and advice given to me while making this album.
Conceptually, the album follows a theme of hope and love over all else. What would you like for fans to take away from this message?
The most important thing I want people to take from this is to never give up on themselves or their dreams. The grass is always greener on the other side but it’s at its greenest when you chase your dreams. Anything is possible if you set your heart and mind to it – I truly believe that.
Just two years since the release of your debut single, “Run Away To Mars” and with an album under your belt now, how do you feel you’ve grown as an artist or even just as a human?
I’ve gotten a lot busier than I was two years ago but that’s been a welcome change. I also gained a great deal of patience from this last two years. I’ve become much more calculated in my decision making and overall a happier healthier person. My fans are so positive and always spread love which is my number one goal. All that love has healed me a great deal.
You also just announced your headlining US tour, kicking off early next year! What are you looking forward to the most on those upcoming shows?
I’ve been playing a lot on the east coast of America over the last two years but I haven’t played in the west too much so I’m really looking forward to seeing new cities. I think Utah and Texas will be awesome.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you for the great questions. My dream is to do this for a very long time so I want to thank every single person who listens to my music and comes to my shows for helping me live out my wildest dreams. Love you all.
Lord of the Flies & Birds & Bees 2024 Tour Dates
February 9 Detroit, MI El Club
February 10 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
February 11 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
February 14 Denver, CO Globe Hall
February 15 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
February 17 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
February 20 Roseville, CA Goldfield Trading Post
February 21 San Francisco, CA The Independent
February 22 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
February 24 San Diego, CA Music Box
February 25 Phoenix, AZ Valley Bar
February 27 Austin, TX Parish
February 28 Dallas, TX Studio at The Factory
February 29 Houston, TX White Oak Music Hall – Downstairs
March 1 New Orleans, LA Toulouse Theatre
March 3 Atlanta, GA Terminal West
March 5 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre
March 7 Washington, DC The Atlantis
March 8 New York, NY Irving Plaza
March 9 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
March 10 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
April 18 Quebec City, QC Imperial Bell
April 19 Montreal, QC Beanfield Theatre
April 20 Ottawa, ON Bronson Centre
April 27 Toronto, ON The Danforth Music Hall
April 30 Winnipeg, MB The Park Theatre
May 1 Saskatoon, SK Coors Event Centre
May 3 Calgary, AB The Palace Theatre
May 4 Edmonton, AB Midway
May 6 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
STAY CONNECTED WITH TALK: TIKTOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK