Tough times make great raw material for great art. Rising country music singer Liam St; John has known his share of hard knocks. The setbacks he endured only fueled his desire to break out and make it as a country music artist. With the release of St' John's debut studio album on September 5, Man Of The North (Big Loud Rock), he triumphantly announces his presence on the country scene. Stream it HERE.
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The 16-track LP has songs with harrowing titles like "Devil to Pay" and "Off The Rails," so you are alerted at once to something grueling happening. As his work shows, St. John has taken pain, reversals, and daunting challenges of all kinds and fearlessly spun them into musical gold.
As St. John explained in promotional material for Man Of The North, "This album has been a lifetime in the making. These songs that I have spent the last 4 years writing reveal the deepest parts of my soul. They reveal the pain and hardships I faced internally and alone for so long. Mostly they reveal my roots - who. where, and what I came from."
Listen to "Man Of The North"
Many Key Influences Shaped St. John
What shaped him? Coming from rugged Spokane, Washington. Having a single mom, Janet Marie Oliver, who raised three kids and never gave up. St. John did not quit either. Per a press release, he weathered mental health issues, relationships that soured, and substance abuse. He overcame every roadblock and has now gifted us with this commanding LP.
He Appeared on 'The Voice'
Five years ago, St; John was on season 19 of The Voice. He was eliminated in the battle rounds, but still has fond memories of the experience. In an interview with Wide Open Country, he said, "That feels like a long time ago now back in 2020. It was really fun. I was lucky to be singing and performing during the pandemic. It's something that every singer would want to check off their bucket list of accomplishments. I went from getting rejected from shows like that to getting cast."
His Mom's Taste in Music Wowed Him, Along With One Movie
St. John said that his mother used to listen to Van Morrison, Tracy Chapman, and Lauryn Hill. He noted, " I grew up shy and introverted and it was Ray Charles that moved me the most when I was just a kid. The blues kind of spoke to me at a very young age...I've always been a student and an admirer of the blues ever since then."
It's actually a dream of St. John's to duet with Hill someday. And there was one popular film he saw that made an indelible impression on him as well. "I watched Sister Act II when I was a kid. That movie changed my life. I knew I wanted to perform and sing like that when I watched that movie."
St; John Talked Candidly About His Music Journey
It is not easy or simple to become a professional singer. St. John knows that. But his trek to the top means so much to him, as it does to countless others like him who are on the very same steep path.
"Most dreams seem impossible, especially when you first start out and first have a dream like a career in music. It seems basically impossible. That was how it felt for me, but at the same time, it felt like a necessity for me to pursue it. I guess that I'm proof that if you believe it with your whole heart, that this is what you're supposed to do, you will find a way...."
The Takeaway He Wants Listeners to Retain After Hearing His Album
By sharing his truth so openly and vulnerably, St; John hopes that he will bring solace and compassion to those going through their own crises. "I just want them to understand that nobody is alone in what they're experiencing, especially if you'r experiencing hard times."
