Skye Wallace describes their music as rock, but not typical rock. While they refer to it broadly as “alt-rock,” they avoid defining themselves by a single genre. Their music incorporates elements of punk, folk and other styles.

“It’s always changing,” Wallace said, with a laugh.

Wallace’s family exposed them to a great variety of music from a young age, inspiring their career in music.

According to Wallace, much has changed since releasing their first extended play (EP) in 2009. They took a somewhat unconventional path to the music industry, something they look back on fondly.

“I did a tour that was very, looking back on it, very punk rock, it was very DIY [do-it-yourself],” Wallace recalled. “Nobody would book me because I hadn’t been booked, so I booked myself in places that were kind of alternative venues […] I took the train and stayed with family across the country.”

Wallace released their fifth studio album, The Act of Living, in November 2024. Produced in collaboration with Hawksley Workman, it was their first experience co-producing an album. Wallace described it as a concept piece inspired by the recent death of their grandfather.

“It’s all about death and cycles and rebirth,” Wallace said. “It’s not just the idea that death is a thing, and we should look at it and talk about it […] Death is what propels life ever forward, and the death of fear, the death of anxiety, all these things can be good things.”

The album is intended to walk the listener through a process, from fearing death to finding peace with it. Each song reflects on the metaphorical death of something, such as fear. Wallace’s personal favourites from the album include “Momentum,” co-written with Workman, where they felt they broke from their self-imposed confines.

“On Your Way,” a “cathartic” song about Wallace’s grandfather written with Matt Mays, is another favourite. “You Don’t Still Have a Hold On Me,” stands out as a triumphant, but bittersweet breakup song with anxiety.

Producing the album was a healing process for Wallace, who found themselves exploring their relationship with death. Wallace noted that in North America, the subject of death is often avoided, leading to a fear of it — something they sought  to overcome.

“I was always kind of petrified with the fear of death, and I realized that that wasn’t something that I really wanted […] so when I had this experience with my grandfather that was so intimate […] I was fearing it less,” they reflected.

Wallace feels that all humans share a connection and proximity to death, and they believe that everyone could benefit from looking inward to overcome their fear of it.

The horror-inspired music video for The Act of Living’s title track, described by Wallace as “campy” and “gory,” was produced by Blind Luck Pictures — known for horror-inspired productions. Wallace connected with the team at a festival in 2023, as their goal for the music video was to incorporate aspects of 1970s horror films into the video.

“It was great. It was a match made in heaven,” Wallace said of the filming experience. “Horror heaven!”

Wallace toured The Act of Living before its release, which they enjoyed as it allowed the songs to evolve live. Looking ahead they plan to return to touring and performing in spring 2025, with hopes of touring Western Canada and Europe.

“Creating music is such a joy for me,” Wallace said.

The Act of Living is available for streaming now on skyewallace.com.