Nova Scotia-born Awolk, the project helmed by singer-songwriter Jesse Thomas, is back with Wild Rose, a six-track EP that marks a turning point in both sound and storytelling. Crafted with Toronto-based producer and engineer Eli Browning, the record captures a stripped-back, studio-band energy that feels natural and unforced — intimate, yet expansive. It nods to the atmospheric folk and indie roots that first defined Awolk while signaling a readiness to explore new emotional terrain. As Jesse puts it, the EP runs “from the first track to the last” with a sound that complements what came before while boldly “looking to the future.”
From the opening notes of the title track, listeners are drawn into a perspective often overlooked in adventure-driven music: the person waiting for a loved one to return. “Wild Rose” isn’t about chasing thrills; it’s about longing, patience, and the quiet power of anticipation. This theme continues on standout track “Someone,” which Jesse describes as an exploration of “life’s ultimate risk”: the courage to love and be loved even when the outcome is uncertain. Both tracks showcase a careful attention to detail — delicate guitar lines, layered harmonies, and lyrical storytelling that lingers long after the music ends.
The heart of Wild Rose, however, lies in its deeply personal moments. “Into the Void” stands out as the EP’s most raw and intimate track, born from Jesse’s experience navigating his mother’s sudden, life-altering illness in 2021. With lines like, “See the road, there it goes. Where it runs, you got no place to lay your head,” and “Everything a family falls back on, every oath and every memory,” the song captures the weight of uncertainty and the strength found in shared familial bonds. It’s a reminder that Awolk’s music is never abstract — it’s rooted in lived experience, processed through melody and memory.
Since the project’s 2018 self-titled debut, Jesse Thomas has seen Awolk grow into a beloved fixture of the Canadian indie scene, amassing millions of streams, touring extensively across the country, and developing a reputation for performances that resonate deeply with audiences. Wild Rose is both a reflection and a declaration: a set of songs that matter to him, a bridge between past and future, and a glimpse of what’s to come in 2026. With its intimate storytelling, emotive arrangements, and quiet power, Wild Rose reaffirms Awolk’s place as a project unafraid to explore life’s complexities while still offering moments of beauty and hope.
