Artist Glimpse: Brad Gibson
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There is a distinct energy that pulls a room together when an artist taps into raw nostalgia. For Ontario-based singer-songwriter Brad Gibson, that connection is built on 90s alternative rock, mid-2000s emo, and alt-country storytelling. Originally from Brampton and now rooted in Belleville, Brad returned to the live music scene in 2024. Known for his dynamic vocal delivery, he layers high-energy anthems with a vulnerability that is entirely his own as he transitions into original material. We sat down with Brad to explore his musical journey, creative process, and the honest emotional landscape shaping his songwriting.
Rob Aguiar: You grew up in Brampton and later moved to Belleville to raise your family before returning to live performing in 2024. What shifted that made that the right year to step back under the lights, and how has being back on stage changed your perspective?
Brad Gibson: 2024 was the right time because life began to settle. I had gone through a pretty bad separation at the beginning of 2020, moved from the only city I had ever known out to Belleville, and spent a lot of time rediscovering who I am, and what drives me. Being back on stage, performing and writing music has helped me find joy. It’s something that I’ve always loved, but when you go through something heavy, doing what you love feels different; it becomes something almost therapeutic. When I’m singing, I feel the most connected to myself.
RA: Your style bridges late 90s alternative, mid-2000s emo, and modern alt-country. Those genres might seem miles apart, but they all rely on absolute honesty. How do those specific musical eras speak to each other when you sit down to write?
BG: I connect the most with the late 90s alternative musically. I think the song structures, and the big sound with octaves and open tunings on guitar inspire me. Vocally, I have always loved bands like Taking Back Sunday, The Used, and Silverstein, and I’ve always emulated that sound and tried to write with strong melodic hooks. Lyrically, I write from real experience, and I’m inspired by artists like John Morgan, Jason Aldean, and Morgan Wallen. I feel the result is a unique blend of genres, with instrumentals similar to Goo Goo Dolls and Counting Crows, vocals that sit in Blink 182 territory, and lyrics that come from stories about my life and some of the things I’ve experienced and felt.
RA: When crafting an original piece, where does a song typically start for you? Are you chasing a specific guitar hook or a lyrical line first, and how do you know when a song has truly captured the feeling you wanted to convey?
BG: it starts with a sentence. I’ll say something randomly and think, “oh, that sounds like a lyric for a chorus”. Then I’ll hear a melody in my head. It’s a weird thing because it becomes almost obsessive. I’ll constantly think about it, find rhymes and phrases, and every time something strings together I add it to a voice memo on my phone & write it all down. Sometimes I’ll be laying in bed and the next part of the vocal comes to me and I have to get up and write it out. Eventually I take it all, and find the guitar chords that go with the melody I hear in my head, and I sit down and structure it. I never really know if it captures the feeling I try to convey in a way that translates for others, but I usually can feel it in the choruses I write. It’s almost like a wave of the angst or emotion I needed to get out comes in, and then passes, and it can be felt in my chest? It’s hard to explain to be honest!
RA: As a listener, I'm always drawn to lyrics that hit so close to home they make you feel seen almost uncomfortably. When writing lines that expose your own truths, is your goal to hold up that kind of mirror for the audience, or is that connection just a byproduct of clearing out your own headspace?
BG: I think it’s a bit of both. I think lyrically I keep things general enough that people can take the songs and apply them to their own situations, but I have some lyrics that are more specific that I just needed to write and sing because it was a way for me to cope and process some of my own trauma. I’m a pretty quiet person, and I think writing music has been a great way for me to get comfortable with saying my truth and letting myself emote.
RA: Let's do a quick fun one. Whether it’s from your own catalog or a song that completely floored you the first time you heard it, what is one lyric that stays permanently stuck in your head, and why does it hit you the way it hits?
BG: “In between the moon and you, the angels get a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right” Round Here by Counting Crows. There’s something about the lyric and the way it makes me feel like we’re all a small spec in a world of grey. I think it’s beautifully written, though provoking and memorable.
RA: You've built a steady presence playing local venues across Ontario. As you focus more on establishing yourself as an independent songwriter, what does the immediate horizon look like regarding new themes, recordings, or upcoming projects?
BG: I’m hoping to start recording my own music and really thrive as an independent artist. I’ve had some good success locally integrating my music into cover sets, but I aspire to play larger venues and really focus heavily on my own releases. I’m extremely grateful for everyone that has been supporting me, and continue to support me. The community here in eastern Ontario has been phenomenal and exceptionally open to me and I’ve had so much fun. It’s a journey, and I’m excited to see how it goes!
Brad Gibson’s music reminds us that the songs which shape our lives are the ones that aren't afraid to feel everything out loud. By weaving the nostalgic emotion of his roots into a storytelling framework, he creates a space that feels both comfortingly familiar and entirely fresh. As he continues to carve out his path across Ontario's venues, Brad is proving that some stories are simply too good to leave untold.
To stay updated on Brad’s upcoming live dates and future releases, follow him on Instagram
