A year ago, Andrew Hyatt was going through a particularly rough patch in his life as his marriage came to an end.
To cope, the Sudbury native and Canadian country music artist sat down with his songwriting partner once a week, and just vented. Those venting sessions eventually turned into songwriting of the most personal nature.
“They kind of turned into these therapy sessions/writes, where we would write about whatever my brain was doing that week, and kind of the coping mechanisms and dealing with, you know, the highs and lows and the acceptance and the anger, and then you know, where to place the blame, taking your share of the blame, and all of that,” Hyatt said.
“It really was never meant to be released. It was just something I needed to do to get it off my chest. And then the demos went to my label, and then my label convinced me to release them.”
The result is Hyatt’s new five-song EP, “L Is For,” which was released on January 5. It touches upon a subject that, while difficult, actually impacts many people.
“They are very personal, you know,” Hyatt said. “Even some of the lyrics are maybe more exposed than I would ever like to be. But that was how my label sort of convinced me to release them. They said ‘We feel that this is something that many people will connect with. So let's put it out.’”
The EP’s title track, “L Is For,” tells the story of how Hyatt’s marriage fell apart and sets the tone for the rest of the record, said his press materials.
The storytelling continues with “Finding Firsts,” which reminisces on experiencing first moments with the person you once were in love with and “Give Up On Me,” an honest reflection of the past and seeing the relationship from another perspective.
Hyatt said the songs are meant to be listened to from the point of view of somebody who’s going through something.
“I think if people can connect with that, then that's the purpose, and it really makes it worth it,” he said.
“L Is For” is the eighth project — either EP or full album — that Hyatt has released over the course of his career.
Hyatt, who plans on releasing yet another EP this summer, has been creating music since he was 16 years old, but has been a full-time musician for nine years now.
And he’s seen some success. His press materials said he’s amassed tens of millions of streams and video views.
Hyatt has secured Top 10 positions on major market stations, been recognized for awards including the 2022 Canadian Country Music Association Award (CCMA) for Rising Star and received multiple Country Music Association of Ontario Award nominations such as Male Artist of the Year and Fans Choice.
Most recently, Hyatt was nominated for the CCMA Award for Album of the Year for his EP Four Good Years,
Although he actually did this media interview from Sudbury, as he was in town to celebrate his mom’s birthday, Hyatt is officially now a Nashville, Tennessee, resident, having made the plunge and moved to the seat of the country music scene last year.
It just made sense from a career standpoint, given easier and cheaper travel, and access to those in the industry, and he’s found many other Canucks there who have done the same thing.
“It just feels like I found my people, kind of thing, just the amount of good friendships and being surrounded by artists and writers and people within the music community,” Hyatt said. “Nobody looks at you sideways for what you do.”
In the spring, Hyatt heads out on the road with two of his good friends, fellow country musicians, Shawn Austin and Tyler Joe Miller, for the Country Mixtape Tour.
“Touring is my favorite thing,” he said. “So being on a bus and just laughing till 4 a.m. and then getting to play music every other night, it's just the best.”
And here’s some good news: the tour plays Hyatt’s hometown of Sudbury on April 23, at the historic downtown Sudbury venue The Grand.
“I don’t remember the last time I played in Sudbury with my full band,” said Hyatt. “I've done many stripped down shows here just to kind of test songs out. But I don't think I've in years brought the full show in, which is a very different thing.”
Hyatt’s new EP “L Is For” is available through all streaming platforms. You can check it out here.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.
