Reservoir slowed down to catch up with one of our favorite writer/producers, Beatchild, to talk about global collaborations, inspirations, and what’s next for the Toronto-based musician who was recently featured in Songwriters Association of Canada’s annual magazine. Check out our Q&A below:

You collaborate in the States and UK, have placed music in Latin America, have toured in Asia, and are based in Canada—in your opinion, what does it mean for a singer-songwriter to work ‘globally’ today?

Working globally has expanded my perspective. I am able to step back and remind myself that the landscape of music changes with every country. I think it is easy to get wrapped up in your own world and forget that there is a wide range of valuable opportunities around the world. From a co-writing standpoint I love how different writing with folks in the U.K. is compared to writing in the U.S. I’ve even done some writing in Singapore for Japanese and Chinese markets and this was a completely new experience for me seeing that my first language is English. There is always room to learn and grow and I think travelling and expanding your horizons is one of the best ways to do this, not to mention it expands your network on a global scale.

You are known for your concept projects, like the retro-pop Slakadeliqs outfit and the new dance-pop duet Dreamspeed. How do you get ideas for concept projects? What moves you to explore so many different areas of music simultaneously?

I think it comes about more organically than most would expect. A song will usually dictate if the sound is something worth exploring as a project. I love mish mashing specific elements of various genres, I find it always makes for unique sounding tracks.

There are many ways for a songwriter-producer to collaborate with other artists. You yourself have worked with singing groups, topline writers, performing artists who also write, and other musicians and producers. How do you know when you want to collaborate with someone? How do the experiences between the different types of collaboration differ?

I love collaborating with anyone who is stronger than I am in a particular area of the songwriting process. To be a great songwriting team is comparable to the crew of a space shuttle. Everyone has a particular talent/job yet everyone works together with a common goal, using their unique experiences to compliment one another. Although the synergy of writing with different types of artists varies, I feel that when we remind ourselves of the importance of creating a solid song from the ground up. When you feel that vibe happen in a writing session you know you are on the right track.

What are the benefits and challenges associated with the different musical hats you wear?

The gift and the curse! I love that I can lock myself in a room and create a full album, play every instrument, produce it, mix it, master it, shoot and edit the video and make you the best freaking latte you’ve ever had. But I also feel like I get pulled in so many directions at times and my focus can get diluted.

You’ve shown an affinity for making music the focus in unexpected places, like the DJ parties and artist showcases hosted in your Toronto-based café, madhüs. When it comes to recording, where do you prefer to go?

My favorite places to go when recording are peaceful and secluded places. I put a lot of thought into the design of my studio and it is my favorite place to record. Notable seconds are Studio A at Phase One Studios. My dream setup however, would be in a small wood log cabin on mountain, with no internet access and no cell phone coverage.

Where do you feel you’ll focus next?

I would love to start playing live again now that I have a batch of fresh new bangers. I have spent a lot of time working on other people’s projects over the past few years, and I’m ready to get back to me and just do my thing. In the future I would love to develop some audio plug-ins and maybe even boutique speakers. I would also love to try my hand at interactive art installations.