Willamette Valley Life: Everything Great About The Willamette Valley
Interview with Last Year’s Man, a Eugene Singer-Songwriter
by Lucy Loftis
Back in November, Last Year’s Man (stage name of Tyler Fortier) released his debut album “Brave the Storm.” The Eugene producer and songwriter specializes in acoustics-based Americana music. Fortier frequently collaborators with rising Northwest singers and songwriters and produces about five albums a year. “Brave the Storm” is the songwriter’s first full album since he wrote and produced “Black and White Heart” in 2014.
—What inspired you to be a producer and a songwriter?
Music has always been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I've been interested in songwriting and recording since I was, I think, about 10 or 11 years old. Producing seemed like a natural evolution from the amount of writing and recording I have been doing my whole life. It wasn't until 2012 that I produced my first project that wasn't my own, and that sort of opened the flood gates to the thought of wanting to pursue that as more of a career.
—What was the inspiration behind “Brave the Storm”?
Starting Last Year's Man and deciding to record an album was really about feeling the need to showcase what I do as a songwriter and as a producer. I don't feel like I had done that very well up to this point. Last Year's Man feels like a culmination of all I've learned and worked at over the last decade as a producer, as well as a songwriter.
—What does your songwriting process look like?
There are occasions when it feels like the well is dry and I'll actually dig through books and look for the inspiration. I'll find lines that speak to me and try to evoke the same feeling in a different way or maybe say the complete opposite and then try to build something out of it. … Sometimes it feels like pulling teeth, but the reward of getting a new song out of the process is a wonderful feeling. … In addition to writing songs as Last Year's Man, I'm also writing songs for sync agencies and music libraries, either that I'm pitching or have already been hired to write. So in the last three or so years, I've had to learn how to power through like that and I think it's helped me become a better writer.
—What have you learned from the making of “Brave the Storm”?
I feel like with “Brave the Storm” I learned to trust myself a little more. I have a certain confidence in myself that I didn't have when I started the album. That's not because I think it turned out so great or anything, but I think because I set out to do something and then I did it. That just inherently feels good. I feel like out of this collection of songs I have a clearer idea of how I want to approach and keep pursuing my own music.
—What are your artistic plans for this year? What can we expect next?
I'm going to be releasing a handful of singles throughout 2021. At least three, the first of which will be coming out in late April. After “Brave the Storm” was released in November, I was kind of debating how I wanted to follow it up or [whether to] follow it up at all. I recently connected with a sync agency based out of Washington which ultimately helped me come to the decision to release some songs throughout the year. I have enough songs for a new album but I'm not quite ready to jump into that process again.
“Brave The Storm” is available on all major music streaming services.
by Lucy Loftis
Back in November, Last Year’s Man (stage name of Tyler Fortier) released his debut album “Brave the Storm.” The Eugene producer and songwriter specializes in acoustics-based Americana music. Fortier frequently collaborators with rising Northwest singers and songwriters and produces about five albums a year. “Brave the Storm” is the songwriter’s first full album since he wrote and produced “Black and White Heart” in 2014.
—What inspired you to be a producer and a songwriter?
Music has always been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I've been interested in songwriting and recording since I was, I think, about 10 or 11 years old. Producing seemed like a natural evolution from the amount of writing and recording I have been doing my whole life. It wasn't until 2012 that I produced my first project that wasn't my own, and that sort of opened the flood gates to the thought of wanting to pursue that as more of a career.
—What was the inspiration behind “Brave the Storm”?
Starting Last Year's Man and deciding to record an album was really about feeling the need to showcase what I do as a songwriter and as a producer. I don't feel like I had done that very well up to this point. Last Year's Man feels like a culmination of all I've learned and worked at over the last decade as a producer, as well as a songwriter.
—What does your songwriting process look like?
There are occasions when it feels like the well is dry and I'll actually dig through books and look for the inspiration. I'll find lines that speak to me and try to evoke the same feeling in a different way or maybe say the complete opposite and then try to build something out of it. … Sometimes it feels like pulling teeth, but the reward of getting a new song out of the process is a wonderful feeling. … In addition to writing songs as Last Year's Man, I'm also writing songs for sync agencies and music libraries, either that I'm pitching or have already been hired to write. So in the last three or so years, I've had to learn how to power through like that and I think it's helped me become a better writer.
—What have you learned from the making of “Brave the Storm”?
I feel like with “Brave the Storm” I learned to trust myself a little more. I have a certain confidence in myself that I didn't have when I started the album. That's not because I think it turned out so great or anything, but I think because I set out to do something and then I did it. That just inherently feels good. I feel like out of this collection of songs I have a clearer idea of how I want to approach and keep pursuing my own music.
—What are your artistic plans for this year? What can we expect next?
I'm going to be releasing a handful of singles throughout 2021. At least three, the first of which will be coming out in late April. After “Brave the Storm” was released in November, I was kind of debating how I wanted to follow it up or [whether to] follow it up at all. I recently connected with a sync agency based out of Washington which ultimately helped me come to the decision to release some songs throughout the year. I have enough songs for a new album but I'm not quite ready to jump into that process again.
“Brave The Storm” is available on all major music streaming services.