Caleb Hart and The Royal Youths

One of the best “stumble-upons” we’ve experienced happened earlier this year. Let’s go back 4 months to sunny days and festival season.

It was a couple hour break between acts we were familiar with, at Tall Tree Music Festival 2017, when we heard the most captivating voice coming from the main stage. We strolled down from our campsite, and all stood in awe as we got to experience our first Caleb Hart performance.

Caleb has been on our radar ever since, and we made sure to hop on the first opportunity we got to have a lil’ chit chat.

Following Caleb’s most recent release, OrigiNation, we had 987’s Mikhail Din exchange with him a few words:

Hey Caleb! Thanks for chatting with us 🙂 You may not remember me; I was the guy standing 11 rows back in a t-shirt at your Tall Tree 2017 performance.

Jokes aside, that was a great set, and I’m stoked to do this Q&A.

What made you choose Canada when you moved from Trinidad and Tobago?

To be honest, I didn’t choose. My parents chose for me. I was 18 years old and needed to get out of a toxic environment… so they shipped me to Canada.

Could you tell us a bit about the divine encounter that changed your outlook on life/your music?

Two days after arriving in Canada, I had a ‘vision’ of a white light and a being walking toward me, this ‘man’ then said ‘I am love and have created you to love.’ At that moment, I felt a change in my life. I cried for over 7 hours. The next morning I woke up and all of the addictions and rage I had struggles with for most of my life had disappeared. I felt joy. I felt love.

Is there a meaning behind your new album title “OrigiNation”?

The meaning of ‘origiNation’ is explained by my father in the intro track of the EP. If I give it away on here, people may not go listen to it 🙂

You’ve got some gigs lined up in BC over the next few weeks. Any shows coming up after your Nov 5^th set in Victoria?

I have 5 more BC shows. Oct 26th in Vancouver, Nov 3rd on Galiano Island, 4th on Salt Spring Island and as you mentioned – Nov 5th in Victoria. Then a lil show at VIU in Nanaimo on Nov 10th. I fly to Tobago on November 11th for some much needed R&R.

How did you link up with Illvis Freshly? It was super rad seeing you guys on stage together at Tall Tree.

To make a long and funny short (and still funny)… I met Dan after seeing the New Groovement perform at Rifflandia. I believe I mentioned to him how I’d love to collaborate sometime. He took me up on the opportunity and invited me over to possibly record something… He introduced me to Jesus and Phil (also from Illvis Freshly) and I was kind of confused as to who they even were… but then Jesus played me the rough ‘Upside Down’ track and I loved it. So I ended up collaborating with Dan’s ‘other band’ instead. Needless to say, the tune’s done quite well!

Craft Beer or Bud Light Lime?

Bud light lime all the way to NO! Craft beer is one of the best fads to ever hit Western Canada. Nothing like a delicious Hoyne Dark Matter ?

Which one of your 700+ performances stands out the most for you?

This is arguably the most difficult question I get asked a lot. The answer will probably always be the same… I got to perform / sing for a birthday party one time. Surrounding me was about 25-35 children who medically ‘shouldn’t be alive’ but are warriors! I sang, they danced, I cried at the honour, they kept dancing. There is no greater feeling. A crowd of 10,000 is amazing and exhillerating but that ‘crowd’ was the most special I’ve ever performed for.

You’ve played across Canada, Australia, New Zealand & The Caribbean, is there any country that you’d love to travel while performing?

All. Literally take me anywhere and everywhere. I want to sing for everyone, everywhere! Please and thank you.

Any artists you’d love to open for/have open for you?

I got to open for my #1 musical inspiration, Damian Marley a few weeks ago to a sold out show at The Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. That was a dream come true to say the least and the reviews of my performance were incredible and humbling. The next step would probably be to have him produce a song or album of mine, but I digress. More dreams come true would be to open for Nas, Bunji Garlin, Andrea Bocelli, Matisyahu, Coldplay, Burning Spear, Sean Paul and for some strange reason… Ariana Grande.

Thanks for chatting with us! We’re excited to catch your October 26^th performance at The Belmont 🙂 I’ll be 11 rows back in a t-shirt.

Unacceptable. The Belmont deserves you front and centre in a crop top.

See you then!