Canyon City’s latest single “When I Fell” will make you want to fall in love over and over again. The track, which Canyon City’s Paul Johnson wrote just 2 weeks after meeting his now-wife, is filled with beautiful, simple details that narrate the intoxicating feeling of falling in love.

“Really just trying to zoom in & suspend in the little moments & details of falling in love,” Johnson says. Leading up to his wedding last month, he says that the question tends to arise: ‘when did you know she was the one?’

“I can pinpoint a moment where I came into consciousness of what was happening,” he describes, “but it was really a culmination of countless tiny things.” The chorus of the track changes lyrically change each time – which was entirely unintentional. “As I was thinking of those mental pictures I wrote 3 or 4 different versions, and realized it makes the point all the more to just include everything.”

“I’d say that there is so much beauty hiding in the details of any ‘average’ moment, and also that love, though in a way universal in feeling, is also specific in expression. Instead of saying ‘I love my friends,’ there’s a kind of powerfulness to zooming into it and saying ‘I love THIS friend,’ then going further & saying ‘here’s specifically the little & seemingly insignificant things that actually send those reminders & heart pangs throughout the day.'”

“There is so much beauty hiding in the details of any ‘average’ moment, and also that love, though in a way universal in feeling, is also specific in expression.” – Paul Johnson, Canyon City

The vulnerability that Johnson radiates lyrically throughout the song, is admittedly his typical persona – but he is able to tap into that through the catharsis of writing. “Songwriting is sort of a therapeutic journal entry of sorts that I do, somewhat selfishly, to meditate on & better process an experience. If the side-effect is then something that keeps others company in that experience for a few minutes I find a huge sense of satisfaction & kind of group healing in that – I’m massively grateful for the folks that have lent their vulnerability in letting the music in.”

In describing is own music, Johnson says it falls under the umbrella of various styles. “It’s not traditional enough to be americana, polished enough to be pop, quirky enough to be indie – but that said I really enjoy this season where genres are starting to cross-pollinate and the focus is really just on what moves you. I like my made-up word ‘moderncana,’ but I’m happy with however it fits in a person’s day.”

Johnson abides by his own personal quality-control mantra in his music which is: ‘does it move me?’ “Which sounds funny & maybe unnecessary,” he explains, “To highlight the importance of, but I think it’s really easy to start to shift focus on peripheral things, especially when industry opinions come into the mix.” He add that he decided a while ago to do his best to let go of exactly how the music is used (radio, tv, playlists, etc.), and instead play around until something really grips his emotions & follow that. “Then, however people want to listen, utilize or categorize it is a welcomed thing.”

Johnson says he hopes to releases his next full-length album this spring. “I’m especially excited as this is the first Canyon City album that I didn’t produce alone, but rather co-produced with an incredibly talented artist & producer, Zachary Kuykendall. It adds a layer to the creative process that’s been an absolute blast, and I can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on!”