Have you heard of the 30-year rule? It’s the concept that trends from the past often experience a revival every few decades.
With the resurgence of early 2000s trends, or Y2K as many call it, new artists are blending the sounds of that era with their own modern twists, breathing new life into what was once a deeply expressive genre for misunderstood youth.
Hailing from the Launaderie region of Quebec, Tommy Boisvert, known artistically as GreenWoodz, draws from emo culture but uses it as a stepping stone to develop his unique artistry.
Rapping and singing primarily in Canadian French with occasional English lines, GreenWoodz performed at the 22nd Festival de Musique Émergente (FME) on a rainy Friday night. Surprisingly, the rain didn’t dampen his performance; it intensified it.
Sitting down with him, we explored his inspirations, motivations, and perspective on bridging the gap between the past and future of Quebec’s music scene.
Thanks for meeting with me! To start, can you tell us who GreenWoodz is and what motivates you to create music?
I grew up in the countryside of Quebec with a passion for music. I started creating music not with the goal of becoming popular but for the sole reason of expressing myself. I just wanted to be heard and it turns out, a lot of people gravitated towards what I was saying which ended up giving me a platform. So I decided to make it into a career.
A lot of my music comes straight from the heart, as I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. Most of the themes or subjects I’ve written about were inspired by past complicated relationships and substance abuse.
Also, my last name, Boisvert, actually translates from French to “green woods” in English. At the end of the day, I try to paint a picture of what's happening in the daily life of a guy who comes from the countryside.
What inspires you to make music and how do you feel the emo-rap genre helps you express yourself as an artist?
I gravitated toward emo-rap early on because it felt like the right genre for me to express myself emotionally.
As I've gotten older, I've found new inspiration and am exploring fresh musical directions. I started with emo-rap and I'm now in the process of creating my own sound by blending various genres, from folk to pop, while pushing the boundaries of my music.
Your music often delves into themes of resilience and personal growth. Can you share a pivotal moment in your life that significantly shaped your artistic journey?
One of my previous relationships was with a very toxic girlfriend, and there was significant psychological abuse that caused me trauma, which I wanted to address in my music.
After enduring that toxic environment, I began using drugs to cope. The experience shifted my perspective and changed how I viewed many things.
Despite the toxicity, I wanted to take my demons and transform them into something positive, and try to heal from it.
How do you see your work contributing to or challenging the narratives within the Quebec music scene?
Music in Quebec has been pretty stagnant for the last 10 to 15 years, and I want to be one of the new voices of this new wave of artists. I want to bring Quebec’s mainstream music to a higher standard, making it more dynamic and inspiring, while connecting to younger audiences.
While I’m known as an emo rapper, I see myself more as a pop artist who challenges genre norms and avoids being confined to the emo-rap scene. I’m branching out into new territories and striving to be recognized as one of the greats who pushes boundaries.
Beautifully said. Looking at how your music has evolved from your first EP to Late Nights and Heartbreaks and your most recent TPL, what do you hope to achieve with your next project? Is there new music on the horizon?
For my next project, I want to make it bigger and reach a larger audience. Through my music and artistic development, I aim to show that what I’ve sung about and the subjects I’ve addressed in my previous work are just part of my growth and evolution. I want to demonstrate that you can start somewhere and grow into something else.
In my new project, I plan to blend emo-rap with influences from folk rock, and country music. By incorporating these genres, my goal is to avoid being placed into a specific category and to explore a broader range of musical styles.
As you evolve as an artist, what message or feeling do you hope your listeners take away from your music?
What I want people to take away is a sense of being understood. When you hear my music or lyrics, I hope they feel relatable and provide support through both tough and good times, just as music did for me when I started out.
My goal is for my music to help others navigate their own experiences and traumas, offering the same impact that music had on me.
Photo Credit: William B. Daigle
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