Toronto songwriter Brodie Christ shares “16 & 9 Lives,” an uplifting and defiant alternative Canadiana single that questions the stories we inherit, repeat, and use to define ourselves. Built around warm acoustic instrumentation, conversational lyricism, and a reflective country-tinged sound, the track explores memory, identity, and the freedom that comes from realizing we are not bound to the versions of ourselves we once believed were permanent.

At its core, “16 & 9 Lives” examines the unreliable narratives we create about our own past. The song reflects on how memories are shaped by the moments when we need them most, and how the stories we tell about who we were can become limiting if we allow them to define who we are now.

“Your memories betray you,” Brodie explains. “You were not as kind, as cool, as embarrassing, as wild, or as ugly as you thought you were.”

What can you share with readers about your new project?

“16 & 9 Lives” helped me understand that I am not who I was in the past, and that all my memories are illusions and hallucinations made with truths and lies. Comparison is a mousetrap designed to crush and the goals we seek – attention, power, holiness – can enslave you. That’s pretty heavy I know, but noticing it and accepting it is what frees you. Such a chill project haha.

How does this release compare with your other projects you had in the past?

From a first listen, some might hear the twang and think “country” or “Americana” and that might feel different to folks that know my tunes, but I feel a consistent throughline, which is that I find life to be confusing and awe-inspiring and my songs help me process the confusion while I marvel at the beauty. To me, the genre isn’t “country”, it’s “5 people sitting in a room together, feeling what they feel”. That also happens to be my favourite genre.

What about this single makes you most proud?

I am an impatient person so “16 & 9 Lives” both challenged and satisfied me in unique ways. The song took me a long time to write, because I was struggling with reconciling its message on a personal level, but once it was done, we recorded in one live session in an hour. I love this because the feeling within the song – the push and pull between past and present, and the desire to live by or shed our old stories – took a long time to work through, but the recording has a wonderful feeling of immediacy and “now-ness”. I was patient enough to write the song fully but I still got to feel the excitement, fear, and satisfaction of capturing it in a moment.

Was there a specific goal you were trying to accomplish with this release?

Goals are winners and that ain’t me!

What inspires you to create music? What motivates you to keep going?

I write all the time. I make notes on my phone and in about 7 different notebooks I have around the house. So I would say that ideas motivate me to keep writing.

If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.

I played the Wolfe Island Music Festival recently and Georgia Harmer was one of the other artists on the bill. Her music has all the beauty I aspire to have. My two favourite songs are “Can we be still” and “Homes”. I would love to sing with her and if I can have that, maybe she can just play “Homes” for me one day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ojP-U3ArQc

What was the last song you listened to? Favorite all-time bands/artists?

I saw “Tiny Horse” recently and was telling my daughter about them. We love the song, “Sabrina”. Don’t go crying in bars to strangers.

Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?

Instagram Brodie Christ

Probably in the park daydreaming

I really appreciate your time. Is there anything you’d like to share before we sign off?

My background is 50% Macedonia and 50% Clown and it brings up a struggle I’m having with my live show. My songs are introspective and often look directly at some uncomfortable thing right in the eye, and then in between songs it’s basically 100% clown. Not floppy shoes or red noses but jokes. I like it, but are you guys ok with it?