Chris LaRocca - smile because it happened (EP) + 10 Questions
Photo Credit: Frank Lin
(Los Angeles, CA – July 28, 2023) Toronto’s rising talent Chris LaRocca returned today with his second EP of the summer, smile because it happened, on Red Bull Records/Wonderchild. The singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist adds another four tracks to his arsenal, with the single “breakup coach” leading the charge. In the official video, Chris transforms into a derby car-racing legend, shot on a cinema camera with vintage lenses to make it feel as gritty as the racing grounds.
On the meaning behind “breakup coach,” LaRocca shares, “Every artist has their breakup song, but I wanted to put a spin on mine. After a breakup I went through in 2019, I found myself in a situation with my ex where we would give each other advice for moving on. We'd check in on each other and share our stories about what being single was like, which ultimately helped us get over one another through these types of conversations. I thought it was kind of funny that we were coaching each other through our own breakup. The person I used to share all my deepest feelings with was now the person I was turning to for advice when it came to new partners, and it helped us both get to a new stage in our lives. With all this in mind, I wrote a self-deprecating and quirky breakup song.”
The punchy pop anthem has its acoustic moments juxtaposed by distorted vocals and harmonic highs, a true testament to LaRocca’s genreless approach. It’s what makes him such a compelling musician, with the ability to shift gears from euphoric melodies in “switch,” to smooth R&B flows in “like u,” and brooding percussion across the EP’s closer, “gloria.”
On the EP, LaRocca adds, “I took the name for this EP from the second half of the saying, ‘don’t frown because it’s over, smile because it happened’. Being a follow up to ‘perhaps!’ which discussed themes of uncertainty in the music industry, I wanted to move toward a more positive place. This EP is focused on a point in my writing process where I was feeling like things were really looking up. I had just met WondaGurl and started putting together an album, and everything was falling into place around me. There was a lot of change in my life and I felt like I was heading into a new chapter. ‘smile, because it happened’ felt like the best way to describe this change in trajectory.”
LaRocca is the second artist to join the partnership between Red Bull Records and Wonderchild after being sought-after by Grammy-nominated producer, WondaGurl. Beyond his solo work, he’s a lauded songwriter and producer for other artists, with credits on hits from heavyweights like Grammy-winning singer, Kali Uchis and K-pop sensation, Stray Kids. Amassing over 13 million global career streams and praise from the likes of Complex, Billboard, The FADER, and more, LaRocca has found an audience in every corner, making him one of the most exciting breakout acts in 2023.
Chris LaRocca sat down with Wordplay to answer our infamous 10 Questions:
1. So tell me, how did it all begin? What sparked your love for music?
My dad was a big influence for me. He used to play lots of jazz records around the house and in the car (Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme”, Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue”, Steely Dan’s “Aja”) and it always stuck with me as such forward thinking and odd music at a young age. I think the first time I fell in love with pop music was hearing Cher’s “Believe” one year at Christmas when I was like 10 years old. I would put the CD in a player at my parents home and run that track back on repeat while laying on the floor. When I was early in my teens I discovered screamo/hardcore music which was the first genre I really tried to play - I loved Alexisonfire and Every Time I Die, and was blown away by how out of the box it was. My friends and I put together a band when we were about 14 and wrote songs inspired by that type of music and from that moment on I never put an instrument down.
2. Who are some artists that influence you and that you want to work with in the future?
I’ve always been a massive fan of Dijon. From the moment I heard “Skin” in a basement apartment I lived in in 2018 I was absolutely locked in. Working with him would be a dream come true, but even sitting in a room as a fly on the wall and watching his process would suffice for me. Frank has always been my number one though. “Blonde” will be an album I will listen to for the rest of my life - I think a lot of artists feel this way about him, but being able to do anything creative with him would be the peak collaboration for me.
3. Tell us about your new EP, smile because it happened. How’d it come about?
Truthfully all the songs I’ve released and will release this year came about at different times - I didn’t make these EP’s sequentially, I just wrote 13 songs and found a way to divide them into three projects that made sense. I think when it came down to that process, for this EP specifically, I was trying to be a little more optimistic. The main theme of all my music this year is that of struggle and sacrifice, something a lot of us artists and creatives feel in our day to day. With “smile, because it happened” I wanted to showcase a point in my narrative where I was, for once, feeling a lot more optimistic about being an artist. After taking 2 years off of releasing music there were some really low lows, but I wanted this EP to showcase some of the highs I felt between all of that.
4. How would you say this EP continues the narrative from your last, perhaps!
These two projects are almost polar opposites in theme. “perhaps!” was really about uncertainty and feeling like nothing was going my way. It was very much about trying to keep my head above water and stay creative when everything around me felt like it was in a complete state of chaos. I think with “smile, because it happened” I wanted to take a step forward into a moment of clarity - a moment where I felt like some of the chaos had settled and I was really becoming aware of my surroundings and how blessed I actually was to be making music with the people I work with, and to meet someone like WondaGurl and finally feel like someone who mattered in the industry had taken a chance on me.
5. How would you describe your sound?
I like to call my sound nervous pop. I like to draw from classic and contemporary pop style but contort it in a way that always leaves you on the edge of your seat. As much as I appreciate the current pop landscape I really did grow up listening to some bizarre fringey music - I loved Say Anything, a really weird dramatic pop punk band from LA, and spent a lot of time before becoming a solo artist playing in a math rock band, touring around the states and playing with some amazing bands. There was this band called Celestial Shore out of NYC that I still listen to to this day - I think this kind of out there music that I was so close to before doing my own solo stuff stuck with me in a way that I didn’t expect. I really try to channel a lot of that chaos and energy into the music I make now, while still trying to keep it digestible - which is how I ended up with this nervous pop sound.
6. What's your proudest moment to date so far as an artist?
I think a lot of artists would take face value stuff as their most important moments. Being on a billboard in your hometown, landing on a massive playlist, opening up for a dream artist in a live setting, getting a big co-sign - these are all things I’ve accomplished but to me one of my proudest moments happened earlier this year in a studio. I was given the opportunity to go to Daniel Lanois’s studio in the west end of Toronto. Daniel is a legend to me, I’ve been a fan of so much of his work for so long, so I was anxious to say the least. I played him a song of mine that I have coming out later this year and he put his hand on my shoulder and told me “I’m jealous of this song”. I can’t really describe how I felt in that moment, but being proud was definitely a part of it.
7. Feels like you’ve been through a lot in the last few years navigating the industry. Do you have any advice for our readers who may be trying to play the mad game of music?
Nothing is ever promised in music, which is something I’ve definitely internalized. I’ve had the benefit of having an amazing manager from the day I started who’s given me more wisdom and advice than I know what to do with. I think the key to navigating the industry is staying persistent - never getting too caught up in numbers and results, and recognizing that every bud will eventually bloom at its own pace. There were times where I felt like I was hitting a wall at every turn, but I stayed in the saddle and kept creating even in moments where I felt like I didn’t want to get out of bed and start the day. And it’s always in those moments where you keep pushing that good things happen. I don’t think I’ve had as major of a break as I’d like just yet, but I’m certain that always keeping a steady pace and a good attitude about my life in music will bring me to where I want to be. The idea of “perhaps!” really drove this notion home, in the sense that I’ve internalized that you can never judge an outcome as inherently good or bad; you just have to keep going to see where the story goes and ultimately get to where you want to be.
8. Are there any artists on your radar right now that we should check out?
Toronto is brimming with talent. It gets overwhelming sometimes to be honest. Two of my favorite up and coming artists that I would truly bet it all on are actually huge contributors to the writing side of all my recent music, and are the two features on “breakup coach”. Seago is absolutely next up in my opinion. I’ve been saying it since 2019 and I think we’re finally starting to see it happen - he has an undeniably fresh approach to songwriting and music in general, and having him on “breakup coach” with me is one of the highlights of my career. Kyle Wildfern I put in the same boat - another artist from Toronto who also features on “breakup coach”, he has an ability to create any style of music effortlessly while also keeping it fun and engaging. I am also a big fan of Tino Sutra, a young guy from Toronto who makes music that you want to keep on repeat for hours.
9. What do you like to do when you're not making music?
I live a pretty simple life outside of music. I love to cook - being an Italian I definitely make a lot of sauce and try to make fresh pasta when I can. I spend a lot of time with my dog Chance as well, who’s popped up a lot in my visuals through all this music. If I’m ever stuck on an idea or just having a day where it’s hard to focus I head to a nearby trail with him and just let him run around, which brings some comfort and clarity to me and always puts me back on track. I also just love to listen sometimes - I’m a big vinyl guy and have definitely spent hours just listening to records with full attention and focus, turning the world off in those moments.
10. Name Three things you can't live without when in the studio?
I have this little toy synth that is used a lot by Bon Iver and Sigur Ros called a yamaha VSS-30. It’s truly one of my go to pieces. I’ve made so many amazing things with that instrument I don’t think I could be without it at this point. My Danelectro baritone guitar is also a staple to me. It was the first piece of gear I bought after signing a record deal and I reach for it way more than I do for a regular guitar at this point. And beyond the gear, I need windows in a studio - lots of people are night time workers but I am absolutely a daytime person. Seeing the sun and the outside world while I’m creating is necessary for me to create something meaningful.