Car Tunes: Melodic Maestro, Grammy-nominated indie artist Leslie Feist

Everything Podcasts Studios

Join us in the fifth episode of "Car Tunes," where host Paul Brandt takes us through the inspiring musical journey of Leslie Feist, known mononymously as Feist. This episode celebrates her evolution from Calgary's punk scene to becoming a Grammy-nominated icon in the global indie-pop arena.

Paul kicks off the episode by reflecting on Feist's early days, where at just 15, she founded and led vocals for the punk band Placebo in Calgary. This segment includes a brief clip of Feist’s early music with Placebo, followed by Feist herself sharing how these formative years in Calgary shaped her artistic style.

The episode then follows Feist’s move to Toronto, detailing her hiatus from singing due to vocal chord damage. Paul discusses Feist's diverse musical roles during this period and her breakthrough as a solo artist with her second studio album, "Let It Die." This period marks a significant shift in her music style, blending jazz, bossa nova, and indie pop. Listeners will hear a clip of Feist’s acceptance speech from her 2004 Juno win for “Best New Artist.”

Paul then delves into the monumental success of Feist's 2007 album, "The Reminder," particularly focusing on the hit single "1234." This song's feature in an iPod Nano commercial led to global fame. The episode includes Feist's thoughts on the impact of this sudden fame and the unique opportunities it brought, including her appearance on Sesame Street.

The show transitions to discuss Feist's continued successes, including her features in Vanity Fair, appearances on The Stephen Colbert Show, and her performance on Saturday Night Live. In 2017, Feist released "Pleasure," an introspective album that won the Polaris Music Prize. Paul includes a clip of Feist discussing her artistic process during this album's creation.

A highlight of the episode is Feist's collaboration with The Tragically Hip at the 2021 Juno Awards, a touching moment captured in a clip from the awards show.

Paul concludes the episode by reflecting on Feist's remarkable career, emphasizing how her diverse influences and connection to her Alberta roots have shaped her innovative and authentic musical style. He invites listeners to appreciate Feist's journey from the punk clubs of Calgary to international acclaim, a testament to the enduring power of music.

Tune in to this episode of "Car Tunes" for an in-depth exploration of Leslie Feist's artistic journey, a story of courage, innovation, and a deep connection to one's roots in the ever-evolving world of music.

About Paul:
Paul Brandt is the most awarded male Canadian country artist in history.

His 1996 debut RIAA-certified Gold album Calm Before the Storm went on to sell one million albums internationally, propelled by the #1 single and wedding classic “I Do”. Stateside, his #5 and #1 charting songs “My Heart Has A History”, and “I Do” were the first to chart by a male Canadian Country artist on the US Billboard Top 20 since 1976.

Throughout his remarkable career, Paul has always focused on using his celebrity to help by shining a light on the lives of those less fortunate and has encouraged others to do the same. He has traveled extensively to developing countries around the world to raise awareness for various humanitarian aid organizations.

His 12 career albums have spawned hit singles, multiple Album of the Year awards, gold, platinum, and multi-platinum performances. According to Nielsen BDS in 2020, of the Top 25 Canadian Country songs, 6 were released by Paul Brandt, and his song “My Heart Has a History” is the most-played Canadian Country song since the chart began. Paul is also the most-played Canadian Country Artist on Country Radio in history (Nielsen BDS). He has had 27 top-ten songs at Canadian Radio. His song “For You” (Brandt/Rosen) was selected to promote the 2002 major motion picture We Were Soldiers, and was performed by Dave Matthews and Johnny Cash. In 2015, Canadian Independent Music Association celebrated Paul’s reaching “Road Gold Status” as a top headliner and major box office draw in Canada, and his EP “Frontier” was nominated for Album of the Year at The 2016 Juno Awards. The hit single “I’m An Open Road” from that collection is certified Gold.

In 2017, Paul Brandt was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame & Western Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

His 2019 Canadian “The Journey Tour” featured his most recent radio singles “All About Her” (Top 10 Canadian Country Radio) and “Bittersweet” (featuring Lindsay Ell) continue to speak to Brandt’s enduring impact and influence on country music audiences and industry as he played arenas across Canada. During the 2019 Canadian Country Music Awards, Paul was honoured with the Slaight Music Humanitarian of the Year Award for his accomplishments with his “Not In My City” (www.notinmycity.ca) movement, which seeks to end human trafficking with a focus on preventing childhood sexual exploitation. Recognizing his dedication to ending human trafficking and child sexual exploitation, in November 2019, Elder Leonard Bastien honoured Paul with a Blackfoot name: Buffalo Bull Shield. Over 2020-2022, Paul has been honoured to chair the Government of Alberta’s Human Trafficking Task Force, another first for a Country Musician in Canada.

As a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee award and numerous other national and regional humanitarian nods, Paul is committed to serving those in need through various charitable endeavours including his Buckspring Foundation. A proud champion of The Great Trail, Paul is dedicated to creating and supporting spaces for respectful discussion and fostering meaningful community through his artistic platform.

Paul always strives to surprise and delight with his art and prefers to take the road less traveled. With a passion for story and community, Paul enjoys using his celebrity platform to engage and connect with people in a deep and meaningful way.

When he’s not creating what he calls “stuff the world needs”, he has been known to take on projects to help others do the same. He served as Mount Royal University’s “Storyteller in Residence” at the Bissett School of Business, where he worked with students to create business and social enterprise projects utilizing the Paul Brandt Brand. In 2019, Paul began working with students at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), sharing his celebrity platform and inviting students to join him on his next creative project. He is currently writing and working on a new music project.

Paul lives with his wife Liz and their two children on The Buckspring Ranch in the foothills of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains.