The keen reader will gladly remember Timothy O from a feature we published earlier this year, praising ‘No Regrets’ as “a journey into heartfelt introspection and catchy melodies that will entice a large audience out there”. We stand by our words: the Victoria, B.C.-based troubadour enjoys the sort of artistry that’s highly authentic and wholesome, truly mirroring the extensive and troubled life journey that Timothy O himself had to endure. ‘Juxtaposed’ is the perfect evidence of that, an eclectic and meaningful album that marks a concrete milestone for the Canada-based creative.
‘Juxtaposed’ is very much a personal effort for Timothy O, a way to recognise and accept the highs and lows of life in a healthy way. A cathartic release of sorts, one that’s drenched in a variety of moods, too. If the aforementioned ‘No Regrets’ embarked on uplifting pop territories, tracks such as ‘Excuse Me, My Life’ and ‘If You Need Me’ embrace a more evocative and stripped-back ethos. This kind of aural chiaroscuro is very common throughout the album.
Intrigued by ‘Juxtaposed’, we caught up with Timothy O to learn more about his artistry and future goals… interview below!
Hey Timothy, thanks for chatting with us! I am happy to see you back with a fully formed EP! Let’s dive deeper into the record, as well as your unique life story. First off, are you proud of how ‘Juxtaposed’ turned out?
Thank you, and thanks for featuring me in your magazine! Yes, I’m extremely proud of how Juxtaposed turned out because it represents so many different parts of both my life journey and my musical journey, all coming together in one place. For me, this EP isn’t just a collection of songs. It’s a reflection of growth, self-awareness, resilience, and creativity. Each track represents a different emotion, lesson, or experience I’ve lived through, from reflection and vulnerability to hope, healing, nostalgia, celebration, and self-acceptance. I know the varied tracks will resonate in one way or another with listeners. I’m also proud of how much I allowed myself to explore musically on this project. Over the last year especially, I’ve really opened myself up creatively and experimented with different sounds and genres while still staying rooted in the broader pop world. Every song reveals a different side of who I am as both a person and an artist.
Do you feel a sense of accomplishment in sharing your work with the wider world?
Yes, as someone who stepped away from music for a few decades (after a diagnosis of epilepsy in my early 20s) and then returned to it later in life, there’s a sense of accomplishment in finally having an EP out in the world. It’s proof to myself, and hopefully to others, that personal growth happens through challenges, and that creativity doesn’t have an expiration date. It’s also been rewarding hearing from listeners who have said they’ve connected with different songs for different reasons.
We have featured ‘No Regrets’ back in March, so we already had an idea of what to expect from a larger record. Yet, I feel as though ‘Juxtaposed’ reveals a more evocative, reflective side of your songwriting. I appreciate the balance between purposeful lyricism and catchy, mainstream-leaning production. Would you describe the EP as an uplifting record or more on the melancholic side? I guess its title hints at such a contrast…
I really appreciate that observation because the contrasts throughout the EP were intentional. It’s the heart of ‘Juxtaposed’. Lyrically, I would not have been able to write these songs in my early 20s simply because I hadn’t lived and experienced enough of what life brings us yet. All of us experience life with memories, struggles, hopes, regrets, victories, fears, healing, and moments of celebration. I wanted this EP to reflect all of our human experiences, honestly.
While there are definitely reflective and emotionally vulnerable moments throughout the collection, I would ultimately describe Juxtaposed as an uplifting record. Even in the heavier songs, I included feelings, words, and sounds of hope underneath them.
‘Behind The Purple Door’, for example, deals with hiding parts of yourself and then eventually learning to open up and celebrate who you are. ‘If You Need Me’ acknowledges mental health struggles, but its message is ultimately about support, strength, and not facing life alone. ‘Excuse Me, My Life’ reflects on mortality and life’s journey, but it’s also about gratitude (for my Mother), memories, and appreciating the people who shaped us. On the other side of the spectrum, the songs ‘No Regrets’ and ‘These Streets’ bring a celebratory energy and remind people to live fully, embrace life, and enjoy the journey while we’re here.
Widening my previous questions: what does ‘Juxtaposed’ mean to you, from a lyrical standpoint?
The Juxtaposed collection of songs represents the idea that all of our contrasting experiences, emotions and identities exist together, in one place (i.e., in one person, like all of us). We can be vulnerable yet strong, broken and healing, reflective and hopeful, serious or celebratory. We can carry painful memories while still choosing joy and growth moving forward. The songs contrast in sound and mood, and lyrically, each song explores a different chapter or emotional space in my life, and I want it to connect honestly with listeners.
You mentioned earlier that you had to step away from music for a few decades after being diagnosed with epilepsy in your early 20s. How does it feel now to be back, and how long has the EP been in the works? I suspect you never really stopped writing songs…
It feels incredible to be back writing and releasing music again. Lyrically, the ideas and stories behind the songs have been building and creating in my mind for a long time as I live and experience life. Musically, I had lots of time to listen and appreciate all types of music from various music artists, and although I didn’t know it, it was shaping and forming my eventual style of music and genre(s) that I’d come to write and create. A year before Covid came along, a friend came over and listened to some of the cassettes with songs from my early 20s, and encouraged me to start writing again. It was then, during my time alone in the early days of Covid, that I thought I’d see if I still had it in me to write songs. Lots of lyrics and melodies indeed came together.
From a production standpoint, what were some of the primary influences? Can you take us through the recording and creative process behind ‘Juxtaposed’?
Production-wise, I generally like the sound of a nice, polished track when it’s completed. This brings me to the story of how I met the current music producer I work with here in Victoria, BC, who is Steve Kroeger. For the song ‘Excuse Me, My Life’ I worked remotely with a producer who was actually located in Austria. I sent him my vocal demo track (and lyrics) so he could hear the melody and get a sense of the emotion in my voice.
We chatted about the vibe I was looking for, the meaning behind the song, and how I wanted the music track to be very simple with primarily piano, so my voice could be in the forefront of the song, and the focus could be the story within it. I then needed to find a local studio to record my vocals, and I chose Prodigy Studios, where I met Steve. I assumed he was just the sound engineer there. When the vocal track was done and sent to the producer in Austria, I eventually received back the completed mixed/mastered song track.
I enjoyed working with the Austrian producer for that song, but I also liked the energy and vibe of Steve here in Victoria. I found out that not only is he a multi-platinum artist of his own, but he also provides producer services at the studio. A few weeks later, I was back in the studio and working with him as the producer on the four other songs that are included in Juxtaposed.
The creative process for all songs created includes me working with a producer. I share with them my lyrics, vocal demo and tell them what genre I’m going for and the general vibe, sound and emotion I’m looking for. Then, we meet up at the studio to work on creating the music track by bouncing ideas off each other in terms of sounds, instruments, and/or any cinematic effects that might work for the lyrics and add texture. I then leave with a demo music track and work/practice at home on my vocal style and map out any harmonies and ad-lib vocals, etc.
About 7 to 10 days later, I’m back at the studio to record the vocals (my favourite part), and then later, he sends me a rough mixed track. After some back-and-forth adjustments, the finished track is completed, all in all, in about three weeks.
Do you have a favourite song in the EP? Perhaps something that resonates with you very strongly?
That’s a very hard question. I like them all, but if I could choose two tracks instead, I’d say one would be ‘No Regrets’. Not only is it about me no longer wanting the weight of having regrets in life, one of which was not returning to making music sooner than later, but the production process was fun in creating a track that would bring back a nostalgic 80s vibe/sound. The other track would be “These Streets” because not only is it about celebrating a loving relationship in my own life, but also because country music is in my roots, as my parents listened to it a lot in my childhood home. It’s my first country-pop song, and I loved singing it.
Lastly, what does the future hold for Timothy O? Can we expect live shows? Perhaps around BC? Are you writing more material for future releases?
To start, I have five more completed tracks yet to be released. There will be another EP coming out in Fall 2026. I haven’t performed live in decades, so I am working towards gaining more confidence in doing so. I have put on two intimate live performances at a local cafe where 18 people fit in the room each time. Those performances had me touched by the response I received from the audience, who showed me various reactions from tears to happiness to tapping and clapping.
Two other performances at open mic sessions gave me similar feedback, and I’m looking for more venues, including an upcoming local festival performance and an entrance into a talent contest. All of this is for the goal of performing in front of larger audiences with the ultimate goal of performing in different locations here on Vancouver Island and within BC. In the meantime, I’m constantly working with the melodies in my head, pairing them with ‘life’s lyrics’ and writing songs during my downtimes at home.