Torontonian singer-songwriter Jeremy Voltz is unveiling his sophomore album, Running Away, a theatrical and hard-hitting exploration of courage, both within ourselves and our relationships.
The record is a collaboration with producer and artist Oliver Charles, blending two sonic worlds: Voltz’s indie-soul sound and Charles’ impactful, gritty pop production, interlaced with dark harmonies and virtuosic vocals.
“We both wanted to create something exciting and almost beyond us, like a soundtrack for an epic action movie that doesn’t exist yet,” says Voltz about the new project. “What we came up with I like to call ‘battle songs for the empathetic.’ Electronic singer-songwriter rock that hits hard yet still feels vulnerable.”
Running Away’s title track opens the record, crafting a gentle portrait of a woman that Voltz knew who felt trapped in her life. “We recognized that in each other. It’s all we really had in common,” he explained. “Running away was her fantasy, it kept her going. From her parents, her life, everything. She just had to get out. And I felt that too. I think we all do sometimes.”
The song’s sentimental production darkens and evolves, layering greater depth as Voltz exposes its narrative and the strong emotion at its core. “Running Away” blends acoustic guitar, cinematic strings, and a hard hitting rhythm section. The song’s video is Voltz’s directorial debut, a short film which reflects its story.
Running Away is the result of Voltz meeting producer Oliver Charles at Canada’s Music Incubator during their Artist Entrepreneurship Program. The two musicians began collaborating shortly thereafter, quickly developing an incredible rapport which pushed Voltz as an artist and created an opportunity for Charles to produce his first full-length record.
“It is so fulfilling to create art centred around play and delighting your inner-child. And having another person to do that with, someone you trust and has that same sense of play… [It was] literally the best experience of my life as a creator. I am eternally grateful that I met Oliver and have him in my life,” explains Voltz.
“I’ve realized that there’s many different sides to me as an artist, and that’s ok. Exploring things is what we do, and we have to allow ourselves to explore and worry a lot less about how it will be perceived by others.”
