Musical artist Wes Walls loves the holidays. For the Vancouver-born singer-songwriter, the season is a powerful way to bring people together, even in difficult times.
To remind everyone of the joy of being with loved ones this time of year, Walls released a new independent Christmas single called “This Christmas, I’m Coming Home” which won a festive following on the streaming platforms and radio.
Wes Walls (Philippe Thibault / Submitted)
“I had written the core of the song years ago when I moved to Montreal and felt so far away from my family in British Columbia,” Walls said. “I also lamented the long trip I would have to make across the country in the winter to come back for the holidays.
“But the song is fundamentally upbeat and I think it celebrated how worth the trip, even if it was long and tiring, and how nice it would be to be back home. thinks that only talks about family ties no matter the distance. ”
Walls has a long musical career, producing and releasing two anthemic pop-rock EPs, playing in British rock band Whitfield and leading his own band, and leading dance tracks such as “Carry Me to Paradise” by Christina Walls (his sister) on international radio.
His latest work, “This Christmas, I’m Coming Home,” is a song that has gone on for years. Walls wrote and recorded a first version of the holiday tune, but it wasn’t until the fall of 2020 that he was inspired to bring it back to life.
“This song came back to me at the height of the pandemic and the isolation. Knowing that flying across Canada to visit family was not an option at the time, and that friendliness was what we needed most, but couldn’t have. The idea really resonated. I needed the song to remind myself of those good feelings and to be optimistic about the future. And I thought other people might need it too.
The new version of “This Christmas, I’m Coming Home” was co-written and recorded with Vancouver music producer Ryan Stewart as part of a pan-Canadian collaboration. Walls describes the song as a “catchy piano pop song with a bouncy, upbeat vibe and a touch of classic jazz swing.”
“I had worked with Ryan Stewart, an amazing drummer in Vancouver, on my two EPs, and he has since become an accomplished songwriter and producer, working with artists like Carly Rae Jepsen, Simple Plan, Victoria Duffield and Smash Mouth. “said Des Murs. “I knew he would be the perfect person to collaborate with to bring the song to life.
“We wrote the final version of the song and produced it during remote video call sessions and numerous emails between my studio in Montreal and his in Vancouver. For the guitar solo, we brought in Jesse Tucker, who recorded his parts from his studio in Nashville. This was all happening in the depths of the days when Montreal was strictly closed with a nighttime curfew, so for me recording this song in collaboration with these talented musicians was a very inspiring project to work on.
“This Christmas, I’m Coming Home” has aired on Canadian and international radio stations, appeared on dozens of Spotify playlists and created a buzz on social media. The single was followed by an official music video released in late November.
“I hope ‘This Christmas I Come Home’ can be a soundtrack to be together this holiday season and many more in the future. Hope this uplifts people and makes them excited and to spend time with loved ones, especially if the pandemic has kept them apart for too long.
“And for the people who cannot be with their loved ones this year again due to the pandemic or for any other reason, I hope it will cheer them up and help them feel a little comfort and optimism. “
