Artist Glimpse - Alvin Presley

Alvin Presley isn’t just a name in India’s indie music scene—he’s a genre-blending storyteller whose sound has journeyed from Chennai’s beaches to Tokyo’s stages, and now to Mississauga’s creative pulse. With emotionally rich EPs like Fall Today and Pain Geography, Alvin has carved a space where soul, alt-rock, and cinematic textures meet. His story is also personal. After a long immigration process, he’s reunited with his wife, Shalini Maria—a fellow singer-songwriter and dental hygienist who moved to Canada over seven years ago. Their marriage, celebrated in India last year, now finds rhythm in Mississauga. As he readies his debut album The Boy From Umred, I’m honoured to explore his journey, evolving sound, and what it means to begin again in a city full of artistic energy.

Musical Roots and Global Journey

Rob Aguiar - Fall Today was your debut EP—an introspective, understated collection that previewed the emotional depth and sonic experimentation of Pain Geography. It also featured multilingual storytelling in Falling Star (Pogathey). Reflecting on it, how did Fall Today shape your artistic identity and deepen your understanding of vulnerability in songwriting?

Alvin Presley -  I released Fall Today in summer 2020, right after quitting my job. The first EP is always the hardest—and if I had to summarise it, it was about acceptance: of myself as an artist, of my journey, and of my evolving identity as a musician. Letting go of perfection and releasing my songs into the world was both scary and exhilarating. Each track means a lot to me. It wasn’t just the music—it was also my first time producing, mixing, and mastering everything myself. Every part of this EP holds my heart and soul, and it taught me to accept myself and be seen.

RA - Let’s talk about Pain Geography. Released in early 2023, it quickly gained recognition, winning the 2024 Indies Award for Best Rock/Blues/Alternative Album in India. Raw and emotionally textured—what headspace were you in while creating it? Was there a track where you felt most exposed or that still resonates personally?

AP - Pain Geography explores five kinds of pain—depression, loss, distance from loved ones, heartbreak, and collective suffering. I wrote most of it while touring India in 2022, as things slowly reopened post-pandemic. The phrase “the new normal” was everywhere, yet nothing felt normal, and the album captured that dissonance. The song I'll Miss This Day stands out most. One gloomy morning late in the pandemic, a few friends and I went to the beach. The fleeting joy and relief of that moment stayed with me—and that’s what the song is about.

Love, Distance, and Reunion

RA - Your marriage to Shalini Maria is a beautiful story of love across borders. What was it like navigating the immigration process and finally settling together in Mississauga?

AP - It feels extremely unreal to be honest. Just to finally be here with Shalini after 6 years of the long distance relationship, a pandemic , uncertainty, but so much love for each other is quite something! I’m just happy that I’m here with her and keeping one foot in front of the other and building on faith. The Immigration process was pretty challenging for us but it's all water under the bridge now and all that matters is I’m here now with her and I’m looking forward to making music with her again!

RA - You and Shalini are both singer-songwriters. How do your creative energies complement each other — do you collaborate musically, or keep your artistic worlds separate?

AP - We share strong musical compatibility, rooted in our similar taste and my role as her guitarist during performances. Songwriting and singing come naturally to Shalini, and I admire that. She’s helped me finish songs when I’ve been stuck, and I’ve had the privilege of producing most of her releases. She recently shared some amazing new tunes I hadn’t heard until a few weeks ago. Looking ahead, we’ve got a few songs in the works for the 2026 release cycle.

New Beginnings in Mississauga

RA - Now that you’re here, what are you most excited to explore in the Canadian music scene — especially in Mississauga’s vibrant community?

AP - I'm excited about the abundance of opportunities available to the artists here! I’m looking forward to playing at the Glimpse Show on Nov 9th at The Rec Room. For someone who is new to the Canadian music industry, every step towards anything musical is uncharted territory and that in itself feels like infusing fresh breath to my creativity! I look forward to collaborating with some musicians from around the city and networking more!

 RA - I’d heard about your upcoming full-length release Reverie, slated for rollout between November 2025 and August 2026, but discovering The Boy from Umred was a surprise as I explored your journey. The title feels intimate and grounded—how does this EP reflect your personal story, and how does it lay the emotional or sonic foundation for the album to come?

AP - Reverie was supposed to contain songs that put me in my happy thoughts in my happy world. The more I dug deeper into those feelings, I realised a lot of the songs were reflections of memories of me growing up in a small town called Umred, memories of moving towns and cities and states within India and bonding with people around me. Then it dawned on me that Reverie wasn’t enough to encapsulate everything I had to say or show the entire picture. Now, ‘ The Boy from Umred ‘ which was supposed to be an EP,  is going to be the Album.

RA - Let’s talk about The Boy From Umred. It feels like a major artistic and global leap. With shows in Japan and your All About Music showcase in Mumbai, there’s well-earned momentum around the album. How has international exposure influenced your creative process, and what new emotional or sonic ground are you exploring that sets this project apart from your earlier work?

AP - The most valuable experience for an artist comes from the world—not the studio. Real-life moments shape stories and sound, and touring Japan, meeting incredible artists globally, was deeply inspiring. It exposed me to new music and sparked fresh ideas. The Boy From Umred is a rediscovery of my sound, built on everything I’ve done before. The first song drops on 21 November 2025.

Alvin’s journey reflects persistence, artistry, and quiet transformation. His music holds the weight of distance and the joy of reunion—shaped by global stages and intimate moments. As he enters a new chapter in Mississauga, the city feels less like a backdrop and more like a collaborator. Alvin Presley isn’t just arriving—he’s already composing what comes next.