Growing up on the shores of Okanagan Lake, Rory MacLeod smiles as he replays the soundtrack of summer, which he now recreates with his own kids.
For MacLeod, better known in the musical world as NØX, everything he does is about his two boys, although his first love is music.
“Gotta show my kids how not to give up on dreams,” said Vernon’s own MacLeod, who is determined to make a big impact with his latest release.
Perfectly titled Soundtrack, the song went live on all online platforms Friday, June 28.
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“I want to perform that song at the Juno’s next year, not too much to ask right?” laughed MacLeod, a Vernon Secondary graduate and Kalamalka Secondary alumni.
The lyrically-gifted NØX teamed up with Donny Anderson and Clayton Bellamy for Soundtrack, which is laced with love notes and a hint of country while stay maintaining the hip hop core.
“The story of the type of love that only comes around once in a lifetime, set to the backdrop of a warm romantic summer night,” said MacLeod, noting Anderson’s, “smooth and sexy chorus,” bridging NØX’s intricate picture painting verses and, “all riding on top of slithering slide guitar by Clayton Bellamy and the signature chords and strings of Mount Pleasant (producer).”
Mount Pleasant is Vancouver duo Alex Szabo and John Pirito. Anderson is a singer/songwriter from Toronto, Ontario who is known for his heartfelt lyrics. Five-time Canadian Country Music Award winner Bellamy has also wracked up a Juno for Best Country Recording and SOCAN Songwriter of the Year Award.
“I basically cold-called Clayton Bellamy and offered him the track, he and Donny (writing partners) turned it into magic, it was nuts,” said MacLeod, who in 2018 released a top 40 radio single titled Nobody But You.
Ahead of the track, NØX dropped a freestyle video, Summer Nights, on June 21 in celebration of the first official day of summer.
“Lyrics inspired by growing up in the Okanagan, and maybe not being completely grown up yet,” said MacLeod of the video which is shot at Legion North Recording Studios in Armstrong
And with plans to “go hard this summer” NØX has more genre-bending music in store.
He is dropping an EP (extended play) in September and planning a release party for that time.
“My EP features a song with Cold Driven singer Billy Nickel. Once you hear that track you will know that the Vernon music scene is alive and well.”
When he’s not wrapped up in his love of music, MacLeod works at Okanagan Spring and spends his summer weekends recording his anthem of life with his kids at the lake.
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