Broadtree
Interview
When did it all start?
Broadtree was formed during mid-plague. Originally, Armand and Nicole only planned to record one cover (a duet version of the Taylor Swift song, ‘Red’) together as a way to release some creative energy, as all of their usual performance opportunities had evaporated overnight. Then, they shot a music video for Red, and learned a few additional covers to perform by live-stream to celebrate its release. The live-stream was received with so much enthusiasm that the pair decided to record those covers as an EP as well, and by the time that EP was finished, decided to try their hand at writing some original tunes together. Within just a few weeks, that writing frenzy led to their first album, ‘Feeling Bad, Feeling Better’, and it’s been a whirlwind ever since!
What is your main motivation or inspiration?
We write and perform for the joy of it, but a lot of our writing, especially off the first album, deals with darker subject matter and themes such as loss, identity and living with mental illness. As such, we have always been of the opinion that if something we’ve created is able to touch or help even one person in some way, there is no greater measure of success. We have been fortunate enough to have the honour of having our music affect others that way, and there is nothing more meaningful to us.
Define yourself in less than 10 words
A unique blend of catchy pop-country and heartfelt, theatrical story-telling
Tell us about your career. Your best experience? And the worst?
When we released our song, ‘Be As’, about taking pride in your identity, whatever that looks like, we had complete strangers reach out to us to say hearing our song was a pivotal moment in their lives, and gave them the courage to come out to their families, or helped them to understand someone in their lives, and that absolutely brought us to tears. It’s surreal and such a gift to have your song mean something to someone. Another ongoing highlight has been how much the country music community here in Ontario have embraced us and made us feel like family. It’s a wonderful community to be a part of – there are no egos, everyone genuinely cares about and supports everyone else, and even when we were brand new on the scene, we were treated as equals among professionals who’ve been doing this for upward of 15 years. They’re just incredible. We have found a home in country music and it’s all thanks to the incredible reception and support we’ve received from them.
As for the ‘worst’, Broadtree began during a time of turmoil on a global and personal scale. We both live with mental illness, and that can be very difficult to navigate, especially when you’re working closely with someone. We’ve had some very difficult times when we weren’t sure if we’d be able to go on. Working in music isn’t all fun and games – it’s a business, and it can be extremely stressful and a lot of pressure. It’s been a journey, but we’ve learned a lot about the right ways and wrong ways to go about it while keeping our mental health healthy.
Any idol or reference?
Nicole grew up on country music and Broadway showtunes, which explains where that sound comes from in our melodies. However, as far as songwriting goes, Taylor Swift is a huge influence and idol for Armand. She’s a brilliant songwriter. We have great admiration for how she ‘paints a picture’ with her lyrics; how she can create such clear imagery or call forth such a clear, strong emotion in so few words. That is something we definitely strive for in our writing.
What are your next projects?
We just released a brand new single, ‘Meet Me at the Table’, and we’ve got a very fun Christmas single coming up with Maddie Corinne called ‘Don’t Come Home for Christmas’. We’ve also started work on an EP for the new year, and we’ve got some exciting shows coming up in and around Toronto. We’re always up to something new, so you can keep up with our adventures on our Instagram and Facebook @broadtreemusic
How do you see yourself in 5 years? and in 15 years?
If there’s anything the plague has taught us, it’s that nothing is guaranteed, and it’s best not to set too much store in plans. So we have short-term goals, and otherwise try to take each day as it comes. We don’t have any grandiose future plans. We just strive toward more of the same – making more music, playing more shows, hopefully always improving as we go, and making sure to never lose sight of the joy of it.
Projects
About
Broadtree is a highly-praised pop-country duo from Toronto, Canada. Comprised of Nicole McCafferty (Nova Scotia) and Armand Antony (Mexico), the duo are best known for their unique, stylized story-telling over catchy pop-country hooks, clever, heartfelt lyrics, irresistible chemistry and theatrical performance style, influenced by their mutual background in theatre. From sweet, soft duets to uplifting Broadway-esque melodies and high-energy rock anthems, Broadtree truly allows their audience to feel lost in their impeccable storytelling and relatable concepts. Some have described their songs as ‘three minute musicals’. They often deal in themes uncommon to the country genre, such as living with mental illness, but love to laugh and strive to inject all of their songs, no matter how dark the subject matter, with ‘a spark of hope’.
Some of their best known songs include ‘Be As’, a Pride-driven anthem about choosing your own identity, and their latest release ‘You Only Miss Me Cause I’m Gone’, a hilarious take on female empowerment and standing up for yourself.
They have a strong, interactive presence on social media, conversing personally with fans and using their platform to speak out about mental health, racial equality, LGBTQ+ support and First Nations rights in Canada.