Emerging Nashville-based artist YOUTHYEAR, also known as Eric Paquette, is captivating audiences in the music scene with his unique mix of atmospheric synths, sentimental melodies, and emotionally raw lyrics. His most recent release, "Back To Earth," invites listeners into an immersive experience with another beautifully written track that reflects real-life experiences. When it comes to staying true to himself and pouring all his passion into his music, it's no wonder fans have fallen in love with every song so far. I recently caught up with Eric to talk about his journey as a musician and what it was like working on the new track. Here's what he had to say.
MSM: What initially inspired you to start making music?
Eric: Well, I loved music from a very young age. I loved just listening to the radio or whatever my older cousins had on and my grandpa. I think what inspired me to grab an instrument was I had a friend who played drums, and I thought that was so cool. I was like, "Well, he already plays drums, and you can't just have two drummers playing together." So I really wanted to play with him, so I learned the guitar. That was like the main thing, and I always just loved music from a very young age. I also loved melodies; I was obsessed with classic music too, like Beach Boys, Elvis, and music from the 50s and 60s. Once I grabbed the guitar, I was off and running. I could finally do it for myself, and there were so many bands that would come later that would inspire me to be in a band. I guess it was just like my friend doing it and the music of the 50s and 60s that really got me inspired to start.
MSM: How would you describe your musical style, and how has it evolved over time?
Eric: I would describe it as, well, this is tough because I'm a songwriter too, and I produce and write songs for other artists. So the way I perceive music is there's just music, and I can go in any direction. For myself, it's interesting because I perceived myself as having an alternative rock sound for a long time, and I'm finally at this spot right now. Like, literally this year with these two new songs I just put out, and the next ones I'm about to put out where I'm kind of like, just getting rid of what I think I am and just putting out whatever song I like the best, which can go in any direction. I've got a full-on Weezer-inspired, 90s-inspired rock song in the queue, and then I've got a folky-inspired thing coming up. So, I'm kind of at a point where I like just whatever's in front of me, but I think generally, I'm in the rock/alternative rock/pop atmosphere, I would say. Which is a very big blanket term; there are so many things that could fall into that category.
MSM: How do you balance personal experiences with storytelling in your lyrics?
Eric: I mean, everything I write comes from a personal experience for me. Sometimes, I might have to change things to not throw anyone under the bus, or if it's a breakup song, something like that. For the most part, I always try to make it personal to me, especially coming from a background where I write for other artists. When I first got into writing pop music and trying to write for other people, I thought I would have to try and be something else. I've even learned that in doing that, even when I'm writing for other people if I can stay true to my experience and what I want to say, I get a better song that way. I feel like a lot of the songs that other artists have recorded of mine have come from me just thinking it was for me and me writing as if it were my song. I've learned that as many times as I've been pulled in my life into, like, "You should do this. You should do that, or you should try this." I find that whenever I just stick to what is true to me, that's the best thing that works, and that's the thing that people actually like more. Even those people who have told me to try to be something else. I'm just always trying to go deeper into my experience and how to really say what it is I'm feeling.
MSM: What inspired Back To Earth, and what does the song mean to you personally?
Eric: So that song I actually wrote a long time ago; it just took me a while to put it out. I think the main reason it took me a little bit to put it out is that A: I didn't fully nail the recording, and I was never really happy with it, so I didn't want to put something out that I wasn't happy with, and B: back to what I said earlier, I was trying to box myself into a sound, and I felt like that just didn't fit with the sound I had at the time. Basically with whatever sound I had at the time and whatever I was going for. Honestly, a couple of months ago I was like, "I really like this song, so I need to stop holding myself back from putting it out, so I'm just going to put it out." With that being said, yes, it was from a while ago, and that song was about a specific night. It was New Year's Eve; I had a really bad fight with my ex, and the whole song is about realizing the person you thought was your person isn't really your person. Like when reality kind of struck, and I was like, "Oh!" The bubble was burst basically. Where I was like, "Oh, this isn't working." Like when that feeling hits, you don't see it coming; at least I didn't see it coming in this specific situation. So, yes, it's sort of the beginning of falling out of love for me.
MSM: What was the creative process like for the song when it came to the songwriting and production?
Eric: So I actually wrote it and started it with my friend Mike. He had some chords, and I was going through this thing; it was one of those moments where there wasn't really much thinking; it was just like that was what was coming out. The chorus came out pretty quickly because I feel like when I have something to say, things come out pretty quick, and I was going through that at the time. So, it just kind of came out, and then we brought it to my friend Carlo, who I work very closely with on a lot of music for my project. Every song I have out now, I've done with him, and we finished the song with him together. We wrote the verses, and then Carlo and I produced the song, so we kind of layered it up, and we really wanted to go for a stripped-down but atmospheric kind of sound. Something that felt like a journey that was built. It kind of starts with that beginning piano line, hits again, and at the end, it's like a whole journey that keeps growing. Kind of like in a cinematic way. That was kind of our perspective of how we wanted to produce it and really make it about the vocal performance too.
MSM: Were there any specific emotions or messages you wanted to convey through the music and lyrics?
Eric: It really was just an expression for me. For that song, Back To Earth, there wasn't really a hard message of anything other than just me trying to express what it felt like to be falling out of love with somebody. I feel like I stayed true to that with that song. I like to be very, for the most part, simple in the concept of a song. Like, I can be able to say it in a couple of sentences. That's important to me, so I guess that was the message. To be like, "Ok, this is a song about falling out of love. What does that feel like, and what was that experience like for me?" Even though I wrote it a little while ago, all those lyrics, I can look back at that time and say, "Yep, that's what I was feeling." I'm totally in a completely different area of my life. I'm engaged, and that's my life now. That's the cool thing about music; it's like a little time capsule for me, and I still relate to that person who felt those things. So when I sing it live, I can still go back there in my head, and when I record it. I do that a lot when I'm tracking vocals. I'll purposely go back there and try to tune out and stop looking at the lyrics for a second so I can tap into whatever I was feeling or whatever I'm still feeling.
MSM: What has been the most memorable moment in your journey so far?
Eric: Well, I don't really forget much. Whenever I write a song with someone or by myself, I remember almost every move and every step. I'm very tuned in with myself. I feel like that's one of the things that connects me to spirituality is creating, so it's hard to pick one memorable moment. Yeah, I don't know how to pick one thing. In the last 5 years, I've been able to work with so many people that I've dreamed of working with, and that has been an amazing experience overall. I feel like whenever I finish a song or have that spark of an idea, those are the best moments, and I keep doing it for those moments. It kind of always keeps me coming back. It's easy to get discouraged; there's so much music coming out, and there are so many amazing artists. It's easy to fall into the, "What makes me special? Why would anybody care?" kind of thing. First, that's just fear, and I don't need that. I can try to get rid of that and put it over here. Not listen to it, even though it exists in my mind, and I can find a way to get rid of it. That spark of joy and love for making music, that's what keeps me going. I'm probably going to keep doing that until I'm dead. I don't ever see myself retiring. I'm definitely a lifeforce.
MSM: Do you have any upcoming projects that fans can look forward to from you this year?
Eric: Yes, so this year is really about releasing singles for me, so you can expect in 2025, about every month and a half, I will be putting out a new single. Back To Earth came out Friday, so in the middle of April I'm going to put out another song, and I'm just going to keep going with that. Like I said before, I'm really trying to just go with my gut and tell myself, "What am I feeling right now?" I'm between two songs, so I'm going to decide this week what's coming out next. Which is crazy because the last song I just put out, it could be something from years ago. Basically, the song could be something that I'm working on right this moment or a couple of months back. I'm still kind of figuring that out. Yeah, definitely expect a lot of music from me personally, and I'm working with a lot of talented artists. On my Instagram, I always share the artists I'm working with and other songs that I'm a part of. I'm really excited to be working with those artists. I have some songs coming out with this artist named Letdown. I did a lot of songs from his last record; I co-wrote and co-produced a bunch. I have some new songs coming out with him this year. There are a few other artists too; this artist named CARR, I've got a song with her. There's a band called Billy & the Kids that I'm working with, we're totally turning our sound upside down and working on a whole new thing for them, so I'm really excited about that. If you follow me on Instagram, I'll be posting that stuff non-stop. Also Lunelle, check out Lunelle, who also happens to be my fiance. We did her last two singles together, Two Bad and Nihilist. We have some really cool stuff that we're working on that she's putting out next that's a switch-up from what she's been doing that I'm really excited about.
MSM: If you could leave your listeners with one message, what would it be?
Eric: Hmm, that's a tough one. What kind of message would you leave your listeners? Let me see if I can add on to that.
MSM: I would honestly say just to stay curious and explore the type of path we think we may want to follow in the future.
Eric: I think that's great. Stay curious is great! I think I can relate to that, and that is generally what I would want to say to people. Like, just to be open-minded. It's tough because who's watching and listening right now is the question. I guess you don't necessarily have to be an artist. What keeps me inspired is following the things that I love, and that keeps me fulfilled in life. I think everybody should do that. Just because you're not making physical art, I believe that life is art. Life is creation, and I feel our human beings are artists at our core. I think our gift to the world and to ourselves is to continue to create. Whether that be in business, cooking, or planting in a garden. You can be creative in any field and any career. There's a feeling that happens when you create, when your on something fresh. Fresh to you or new, whatever it is. That spark, to me, is like more life. The best feeling and gift there is. I'd like to think that part of why we are all here is to create. I would encourage anybody to find what they love to create, no matter what it is. It doesn't have to be physical art, music, or painting. It could be anything. Create a new life for yourself; that's art to me. Creating a life of what you imagined in your head and making it real by taking those actions and seeing it manifest in front of you. That is life, spreading and growing. To me, that's the most important thing because I, for a long time, even though I had music, I held myself back in so many ways for a lot of my life. The reason for this was that I was trapped and created limits for myself in so many ways for so long. I think if we can do whatever we can, like you said, stay curious, and grow. Also, to keep challenging ourselves, whatever that is for you, follow that. I think that's the best thing anybody can do, at least for me and the people I've seen try to follow that. We can have the most beautiful and fulfilling lives, whatever that looks like for you.
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