Toronto’s rising talent Chris LaRocca returned today with his second EP of the summer, ‘smile because it happened’, on Red Bull Records/Wonderchild. The singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist adds another four tracks to his arsenal, with the single “breakup coach” leading the charge. In the official video, Chris transforms into a derby car-racing legend, shot on a cinema camera with vintage lenses to make it feel as gritty as the racing grounds.
On the meaning behind “breakup coach,” LaRocca shares, “Every artist has their breakup song, but I wanted to put a spin on mine. After a breakup I went through in 2019, I found myself in a situation with my ex where we would give each other advice for moving on. We’d check in on each other and share our stories about what being single was like, which ultimately helped us get over one another through these types of conversations. I thought it was kind of funny that we were coaching each other through our own breakup. The person I used to share all my deepest feelings with was now the person I was turning to for advice when it came to new partners, and it helped us both get to a new stage in our lives. With all this in mind, I wrote a self-deprecating and quirky breakup song.”
The punchy pop anthem has its acoustic moments juxtaposed by distorted vocals and harmonic highs, a true testament to LaRocca’s genreless approach. It’s what makes him such a compelling musician, with the ability to shift gears from euphoric melodies in “switch,” to smooth R&B flows in “like u,” and brooding percussion across the EP’s closer, “gloria.”
On the EP, LaRocca adds, “I took the name for this EP from the second half of the saying, ‘don’t frown because it’s over, smile because it happened’. Being a follow up to ‘perhaps!’ which discussed themes of uncertainty in the music industry, I wanted to move toward a more positive place. This EP is focused on a point in my writing process where I was feeling like things were really looking up. I had just met WondaGurl and started putting together an album, and everything was falling into place around me. There was a lot of change in my life and I felt like I was heading into a new chapter. ‘smile, because it happened’ felt like the best way to describe this change in trajectory.”
LaRocca is the second artist to join the partnership between Red Bull Records and Wonderchild after being sought-after by Grammy-nominated producer, WondaGurl. Beyond his solo work, he’s a lauded songwriter and producer for other artists, with credits on hits from heavyweights like Grammy-winning singer, Kali Uchis and K-pop sensation, Stray Kids. Amassing over 13 million global career streams and praise from the likes of Complex, Billboard, The FADER, and more, LaRocca has found an audience in every corner, making him one of the most exciting breakout acts in 2023. Currently, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are in Chris’ Top 10 Streaming Countries in the world.
Watch Chris LaRocca’s “breakup coach” Official Music Video here:
