When Caylie Runciman started calling herself Boyhood, it was a nod to childhood nostalgia. Now, the alias – and the beguiling bedroom anthems – are one and the same. Tough-kid guitar grit and deadpan verses give way to whimsical synthlines and delicate harmonies. But like an off-kilter merry- go-round, or a candy shop in a seedy part of town, there's a shady layer to Runciman's perfect pop. Her black magic is raw – equal parts ecstasy and heartbreak. And in among the bright colours, there's the joy and the pain in knowing what it means to grow up.
Runciman answered a few of our questions ahead of her performance at Side by Side Weekend, Saturday, July 30 at Club SAW with Kicksie, Jazz Dads and Backseat Dragon. Read below and scroll on to check out a playlist curated by Runciman to get you primed for her return to Ottawa.
While you have strong ties to the Ottawa music scene, it’s been a while since you’ve lived here. What are you looking forward to about playing in Ottawa?
I lived in Ottawa from 2011-2015 and I've got a lot of loved ones there that I met during that time whom I can't wait to see and catch up with at this show!
What are some things you are listening to, reading or watching this summer?
Lately, I've been getting up with my little one in the morning and putting on records instead of just opening up Spotify. Trying to engage and listen with intent again. So a lot of what we've been listening to is stuff I've listened to forever; which is comforting and also inspiring to rediscover. I've also only got a cassette player in my car so Gem and I listen to old faithful tapes a lot. I've been putting on Jane Siberry's No Borders Here. I love that record. We listen to Sade's Love Deluxe in the car a lot, too, and Bjork's Debut has been a big one this year, too.
I'm reading a book called the Science of Grief which has been really interesting and helpful as far as understanding what our brains go through when trying to understand the death of a loved one. I'm also reading a book called the Dud Avocado which is about a young American person living in Paris. As far as things I'm watching, I just finished Stranger Things and loved it - big time terrified of Vecna in my day-to-day as it stands. Lookin' forward to sitting down for a good Mubi night, too.
Your new single “Stroke It”, which Gorilla vs Bear called “literally perfect”, came out last month, and it has got us very excited to hear the rest of your new material! What is “Stroke It” about? How does it fit in with the rest of the songs on your forthcoming new album?
Stroke It is about ego and insecurity. Those are themes that come up on the record a few times. Most of the songs are from 2017-2018 and touch on stuff I was going through at that time. But Stroke It was written and recorded in the last year.
We are excited to hear the rest of your new record My Dread, which is coming out this fall. What is your relationship to dread? Has it evolved?
I feel dread too often! I'm working on that.
My Dread comes out this November - pre-order it now.