The Connecticut-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Suarez serenades from the soul with his latest emotional single, "My Friend (Do You Realize)."
Connecting with music to process the world around him, Tyler Suarez began delving into guitar at the age of four and later into composing around fourteen years old. Having worked with staple acts like Kenny Rogers, Jonathan Edwards, and Grammy Award-winning producer/musician Jim Pugh, Tyler Suarez is able to execute the knowledge he's learned into his forthcoming endeavors.
Recently releasing his emotional and heartfelt single, "My Friend (Do You Realize)," off of his forthcoming EP, 'With/For,' Tyler Suarez serenades us with the utmost soul, passion, and tenderness. The song itself is said to be written by his grandfather, which sets the tone for his upcoming EP surrounding personal stories.
Listening to "My Friend (Do You Realize)," the song opens with serene sci-fi synths at a mellow and downtempo pace. Once the instrumentals begin to broaden with help from a warm acoustic guitar, Tyler Suarez makes his vocal appearance while striking a few emotional chords right off the bat. We love the instrumental transitions within this song, as it goes from a warm folk-inspired feel to edges of hard rock and punk rock.
With help from a whaling electric guitar and a haunting bassline, Tyler Suarez continues his venture into the song while serenading us with emotional lyrics like "Do you realize my friend? The time that you've spent is the time that I have left, and the time we've spent has been nothing but the best." Closing the song with a brilliant instrumental arrangement straight out of a coming-of-age movie, Tyler Suarez has genuinely left us basking in his unique and powerful performance abilities.
Open your heart with help from Tyler Suarez's recent single, "My Friend (Do You Realize)," now available on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome back to BuzzMusic, Tyler Suarez. We're incredibly impressed with the emotion and concept you've delivered in your latest single, "My Friend (Do You Realize)." What inspired you to create this song written by your grandfather?
Hey! Thanks so much for featuring me. This project means a lot to me! A few months ago, my Grandfather sat me down and said “I don’t have much time left in this life.” This was followed by questions from me like, “What’s wrong? Is everything okay? Did the Doctor tell you something?” To my relief, everything was okay, he was simply reflecting on getting old and all the wonderful things we’ve been able to do and have got to share in my 22 years of life. He then went on to pull a scrap piece of paper with an entire poem he wrote from his wallet. He looked at me with a lump in his throat and said, “We need to write another song together.” With tears starting to form in my eyes as I read the poem, I responded, “Yes we do,” and that was the start of this song (and this EP).
Could you expand on your creative process behind "My Friend (Do You Realize)?" How did you transform your grandfather's words into a whole-sounding song?
In 2014, 2 years after we tragically lost my Aunt Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School, my Grandfather and I wrote “Little Princess” as a way to grieve and a way for her legacy to live on. The lyrics were written by my Grandfather and it is truly the most cathartic thing for our entire family. So, this isn’t a new process for my Grandfather and I—we've always had a special way of connecting through music. After the scrap piece of paper was transferred from his wallet to mine, I began to bring the song to life. As the months of composing and producing went on, I never brought it up to him again. I wanted this to be really really special. So, I specifically planned for this to be released on Father’s Day as a gift from me to him—a gift we could share with the whole world. I wish I could put into words how amazing that moment was when I handed him a physical copy of the entire EP and told him our new song was out into the world—I guess that’s the point of music!
What inspired the dynamic instrumentation within "My Friend (Do You Realize)?" Why did you want to add a rock n' roll flair to the single instead of leaving it as a raw and tender acoustic-folk song?
My Grandpa is a folk guy at heart. He loves songs that are like a 3-minute movie you see with your ears. So, I wanted this song to embody that, but combine my love of production, synthesizers, and electric guitar. You can hear both of our personalities in the soundwaves of this song. The instrumentation is also symbolic of life—its uncertainties, hardships, and all. It starts off very light and airy, so the focus is entirely on the words. But, as the song progresses more hard-hitting instrumentation starts to seep in—just like life. When you reach the guitar solo, that is really me responding to what my grandfather is saying through the lyrics. Every single aspect of this song is the way it is for a specific purpose, and I think that gets translated when you listen to it—especially the ending.
How does "My Friend (Do You Realize)" set the tone for your forthcoming EP 'With/For?' What should we expect from the project?
This entire EP is a journey through the beauties of life we sometimes see in a negative light. “My Friend (Do You Realize?) is a song written WITH my Grandfather. The central thought he communicated to me as I read the scrap piece of paper for the first time was that he knows he might not get another 20 years out of life—but that makes both of us truly cherish all we have been through and how it has been “nothing but the best.” The next track on the EP is a cover FOR my Grandfather. As I mentioned, he loves a song with a story. One of our favorite songs (and artists) is “I’ve Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old” by Cat Stevens. As the title communicates, this song has always had a soft spot in our hearts. So, in wanting to create an entire piece of work that commemorates our connection I wanted to cover that song, putting my own slight spin on it. There is also the third track, exclusively on the deluxe Bandcamp version of the ep, where I cover “Heaven” by Talking Heads in the same way. All of these songs strung together to take the listeners on a journey through our lives and our truly special connection. I am honestly just so happy my Grandfather now will forever have a spot in my musical discography.
What can listeners anticipate next from you?
I am constantly working on music and numerous other creative projects. I have a new short film “The Day,” along with an original score, which I just released and I have a lot more in store for 2021! Be sure to check out my website and follow me on social media, Spotify, etc. to stay up to date with everything I’m doing! Thanks again for letting me dive a little deeper into this super meaningful project!