Winnipeg-based musician Brett Schulz has released his latest EP, Reasons, marking a new chapter in his musical evolution. With a refined approach to songwriting and production, he believes this collection best represents where he is as an artist today.
“I have a better idea of what I’m doing production-wise,” the Altona native explains. “I do most of it myself, recording guitars and vocals, but I’m fortunate to have friends who let me use their spaces. My buddy Joe and I work together a lot, recording vocals and acoustic guitars, and then I bring in some incredible musicians from Winnipeg to add drums and bass. After that, I take everything back to my home studio to mix and layer more instruments.”
His creative process has also evolved over time.
“Songwriting has changed for me. The more you do it, the more you get to what you’re trying to accomplish. My songs now feel more in tune with what I want to express.”
Two songs stand out as defining this new phase: “Reasons” and “Say.”
“They speak for me the most. They were finished a while ago, and I finally decided it was time to release them.”
“Reasons” is deeply introspective.
“It’s about realizing that sometimes I have no idea what’s going on,” he laughs. “There’s a humorous element to it. The chorus says, ‘Sometimes I can’t even reason with myself. I stand and stutter, wondering what will come of it. Maybe someday, I will try again to listen to reason.’ There’s a bit of cynicism in there.”
Schulz wrote “Say” for his wife.
“It’s about those moments when you want to tell someone something important but can’t find the right words.”
The EP also includes live, acoustic versions of “Your Life Is a Mess” and “Say.”
He compares creativity to an ‘antenna’ that picks up frequencies and ideas.
“David Byrne talks about ideas floating around, and the more in tune you are, the more you can grab them. That’s how ‘Say’ came to be. The opening lyric —‘Oh darling, I love you my dear’—just popped into my head one day.”
Schulz’s songwriting often starts with the guitar.
“It usually begins with a riff or chord progression. But I don’t sit down with an intention; I let melodies and words develop naturally.”
His lyrics are introspective.
“A lot of my writing is about how I feel about things happening in my life or world. Not every song has to be some deep, philosophical insight.”
Schulz grew up in Altona and credits his family for his early musical influences.
“I always liked music. My parents had great taste and were encouraging. Some of their friends were musicians, and they showed me how to play. I learned guitar at 10. Singing was a learning curve—I was very shy at first.”
Like many independent musicians, Schulz balances his creative pursuits with other commitments.
“It can be taxing. I have a day job and gig a lot at restaurants and bars, often playing with other bands. That doesn’t leave much time for writing. I released my first album during COVID when I had more free time. Now, it sometimes feels more procedural, and I have higher standards, which makes it harder to finalize things.”
Despite the challenges, he remains committed to making music on his own terms.
“The best advice I ever received is to separate creativity from outcomes. If I make an album, I don’t want to measure success by streams or shares. It’s about making art for the sake of making it. Fall in love with the process, and the outcome will take care of itself.”
Schulz has no plans of slowing down.
“I’d love to release a few more EPs this year to complete a full album. It would be cool to put it on vinyl. I also have a bunch of live gigs coming up, including an acoustic trio show with Joe Curtis on April 27 in Gimli at The Ship & Plough.”
Fans can listen to Reasons and Schulz’s other work at brettschulzmusic.com
“I just hope people enjoy the music and the musicians who played on it,” he says. “That’s what it’s all about.”
