Our People - Zane Coppard

Meet Canadian musician and songwriter Zane Coppard.

Zane has been surrounded by music from an early age, picking up drums when he was 8; sessioning in bands, taking him all over the country and being one half of Smash Boom Pow with his brother. In more recent years, Zane has been working on a solo project and we’re stoked for his new album that comes out on July 30th.

 

 

Here’s some words by Zane about his creative process and his newest single release ‘Relationship to Nature’. 

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a family who made me choose an instrument path from a young age. I've been playing drums since I was 8 and playing them has taken me all over the globe.

I've spent my whole life living between what is commonly referred to as Vancouver and Vancouver Island. I am still doing that to this day. I sort of view them as extensions of one another.

 

 

 

What sparked your interest in music?

My family. Telling stories and processing/making sense of life. It's how I connect with the world and people. I believe songs have an ability to connect with people in a deep and meaningful way and affect our collective awareness.

 

 

 

 

 

How did you switch gears from a session player in other peoples bands to creating space for your own music?

I really had to believe in what I was doing. Enough to turn down work. I've always known that there is a perspective that is unique to me and that I would be doing a disservice to myself in not understanding it to its fullest. I don't believe you get to choose 'your time' in music, or anything in that matter. Switching gears was an act of self awareness and listening to where my life was directing me and trusting that process.

 

 

 

 

Where do you find yourself drawing inspiration from these days?

The act of writing my songs is not something that involves trying as much as it is an act of creating the space for creation to happen. The lense I write from is one of experience. My songs capture an experience I've had whether that be more inward or outward.

In terms of listening to music, I generally get obsessed with a few artists at a time. I like to listen to the core of an artist to understand their message. Every artist is saying something and has a general message whether they are aware of it or not. My favourite artists are those who are living in truth with themselves. I don't have to 'like' a song to have it affect me in a meaningful way. Musically speaking, I've been digging Jon Hopkins and Skepta at the moment. I also listen to top 40 unironically, I listen to pop music in order to make music that's easier to understand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You just brought out a new single, "Relationship To Nature", can you tell us a bit about this track?

To me, our relationship to nature is the most blatantly honest reflection of our relationship with ourselves, with each other, and with life itself. I mean log onto socials. Things are not always looking so great. The opening lyric "don't sell yourself short, every glimpse into your heart, brings me closer to god" pretty much sums up the entire song AKA message. We are told at some point in growing up to at times abandon our ethics if it means a more powerful reputation or an easier way to get what we want. I believe we all share a lot more in common than what separates us. The song is a reminder to look at the humanity of each individual. I am not one to bow in front of talent or the situation of someone's life. That is essentially the same as saying, "good job for being born when you did and being in the right place and the right time over and over". What I aim to do in all of my relationships is to view people for who they are below the surface, to see their truth. The impressive characteristics of an individual comes from the decisions they make within their lot of life. That would be called someone's character. We live in a society that shames it's people if they don't succeed. That's a burden everyone shares if you're willing to talk about it. "Relationship To Nature" is an aspect of our human condition that I saw and cared to discuss further.

 

 

 

 

We’re so stoked for your new album! What’s next for Zane Coppard?

Thank you! More collaborations, writing songs for other people, new music with my band with my brother called Smash Boom Pow, scoring, also charity work with an arts initiative called alphbt. crtv my partner and I launched in 2020 right before lock down. Thank you for sharing this space with me.