If you don’t know Preston Pablo by name (yet), you’ve heard his music – especially if you’re a TikTok user. At just 23, the JUNO-winning Canadian pop star has over 3.9-million monthly listeners on Spotify. His hugely popular song “Flowers Need Rain,” has garnered over 186 million streams, resonating with audiences worldwide. His song “Dance Alone” also achieved viral status on social media, inspiring the creation of over 718,000 videos featuring the track. Its popularity transcended borders, as artists from Colombia, Nigeria, and Spain made remixes of the song. Furthermore, Pablo’s collaboration with Karan Aujla on the track “Admirin’ You” contributed to the creation of the highest-charting Punjabi album in Canadian history(!). Now, Preston Pablo has just released a new EP that shows the world he’s got more than just a few viral hits up his sleeve.
A Timmins, Ontario native, Pablo’s music career began as a childhood passion. “In Timmins, to this day, there’s not a huge music scene,” he says. “So, it was definitely out of the ordinary to be an artist. There’s more musicians out there now, but on the artist front, there wasn’t a lot growing up. From a young age, I played drums, guitar, and a bit of piano. I sang in the elementary school choir. So, music was always my passion. But I never thought it would be my job and turn out the way it has.”
Taking matters into his own hands, at 17, Pablo made his solo debut “OMO” on various online platforms. It wasn’t long before he caught the attention of Montreal-based producers Banx & Ranx, who discovered him through social media and signed him to their label 31 East under Universal Music Canada. In January 2022, Pablo released his first single, “Don’t Break (My Soul)” under Universal Music Canada, followed by the April 2022 release of the game-changing “Flowers Need Rain.” The platinum-selling single reached a Top 5 spot at Top 40 radio in Canada and Top 10 at Hot AC and Mainstream AC.
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In 2023, Preston Pablo made a significant mark at the Juno Awards, earning three nominations and securing the Breakthrough Artist of the Year award. His talent was recognized through nominations for Single of the Year with “Flowers Need Rain” and the Fan Choice Award, showcasing his quick connection with his fanbase. Following his Juno success, Pablo hit the road for a tour of the United States in early 2024. He teamed up with Jon Vinyl on the tour, but still made sure to keep his 387,000 TikTok followers connected, taking them along for the ride.
“A look inward”
Released October 25, Pablo’s new EP offers a deeper perspective of the young artist. “Essentially, this EP reflects the place where I am at now, which is in no way where I want to be or where I need to get, but it’s the first step of introducing myself as an artist with depth and layers,” says Pablo. “It’s the first time I have a body of work out, as opposed to just singles, so there’s more for people to sink their teeth into.”
In short, there’s more substance and just more to unpack when it comes to the inner workings of Preston Pablo. “That’s always been a goal of mine as an artist – to just show the diversity, depth, and layers,” says Pablo. “It’s also a project that reflects where I was, when I wasn’t really satisfied with what I was doing or making and just highlighting that growth and maturity and stepping into this new phase with confidence. I’m able to really get behind the songs, be proud of them, and love them all.”
The album is deeply personal, and Pablo has a connection to each song for different reasons. Many, he says, are relationship-focused. For example, the single “One Last Song” was written when he was going through some heavy matters of the heart. “Things weren’t really working out, and I kind of knew that maybe it wasn’t going to be something that wasn’t going to continue,” says Pablo. “It’s about realizing that something may not be right for you, but instead of being sad or down about it, enjoying it for what it was and enjoying it one last time before letting it go and moving on.”
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The EP also reflects navigating the world of being an artist. “It’s a look inward,” says Pablo. “People may know my one song but don’t know me as an artist.” It’s safe to say they soon will.
Fast fame can be difficult to manage as a young artist – that’s no secret. “One of the biggest supports is the people I surround myself with,” says Pablo of navigating his relatively new-found fame without falling into the dangerous traps some young musicians know all too well. “I have a really great team of people around me who keep me focused and in line. I also have a lot of friends and family around me who know me for me outside of music and know when I need to take a break, can encourage me when I’m down, or motivate me when I need that. Having that support is huge for me,” he continues.
Pablo also understands that he’s been given an immense opportunity – one that requires hard work and focus to sustain. “I trust myself and know I have a lot of work to do,” he says. “Everything that has happened has been amazing and I’m grateful for all of it, but I know what I have to offer and I know I have a lot more work to put in. So, it’s just about staying focused with my head down to reach my goals.”
Pablo says a newfound sense of pressure – the responsibility of employing an entire team, most notably – that comes with budding fame is a major challenge. “Once you become more successful, you have a bigger responsibility and are supporting more people,” says Pablo. “Everything just gets bigger, and I feel like a lot of that falls on my shoulders. The people around me are only going to work as hard as I am. So, a lot of the pressure is about how we can take this small success and make it bigger. That gets heavy sometimes. A lot of the pressure I put on myself. It can be good pressure, but it’s overwhelming at times to think about all the things I need to do and feeling like I’m not doing enough. Just navigating the stress and pressure of being an artist is tough.”
When it comes to any outside negativity, Pablo understands that “the noise becomes louder” when you’re in the public eye. He relaxes by having a balance between work and personal life and through exercising or playing sports. “Anything that’s active and gets my body moving usually helps take my mind off it,” says Pablo. “Being with friends and family is always nice; it just keeps you humble. Every once in a while you need to be made fun of by your friends to be reminded of who you are and where you came from.”
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Keeping the content flowing
In the coming months, Pablo will be busy promoting the EP, largely via social media content (so you may want to start following him if you aren’t already). “Content – promoting my work on social media – is a huge part of my job as an artist,” says Pablo.
When asked advice for other musicians when it comes to content, Pablo advises to literally try everything. “Throw it all at the wall until something sticks,” he says. “I think the way that content is being pushed out these days – the volume is just insane. The easiest way to figure out what’s working and not is to do as much of it as possible. I know that’s not the traditional way; it’s more quantity over quality to a certain degree. Obviously, you don’t want to put anything bad out there, but it’s about trying everything and getting an immediate reaction and feedback. You have the opportunity to put a portion of a song out there and tell pretty quickly whether your fans are liking it or not. It’s about trying it all.”
From Timmins to Toronto – and beyond
Inevitably, as Pablo’s career began to take off, a move was imminent. Now a Toronto resident, it’s the peace and quiet that Pablo misses most about Timmins, especially now that his life is anything but monotonous. “It’s very secluded and isolated, so it’s quiet all the time,” he says of his hometown. “There’s no traffic, no city noise, or constant sirens, or honking cars. You can disconnect and take a breather. The air quality is so much better up north too. As soon as I get home, I notice that the air just feels so fresh.”
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That doesn’t mean he isn’t soaking Toronto all in. “Right now, my favourite thing about the city is that everything is new to me,” says Pablo. “I get to try new spots and new food, which I really enjoy – there are so many great spots. We also have a large talented community of artists and musicians, so it’s nice to be in the middle of that; to collaborate and grow and learn from them and with them.”
As for the year ahead, Pablo says he can’t wait to get back on the road to perform for his fans. “I took a break from performing live so I could really focus and get this EP ready and make new songs,” he says. “So, I’m looking forward to getting back on the road in the New Year, playing my new music and connecting with fans old and new. I need to get behind this project and make sure it goes the distance.”
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