Patrick Watson

Patrick Watson

From Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond by Pushkin Industries

April 7, 2026 · 57 min · Season 6 · Episode 203

About this episode

Bruce Headlam talks to Patrick Watson about his new album 'Uh Oh' and his recovery from a vocal chord hemorrhage.

Patrick Watson first came to international attention in 2007 when his album Close to Paradise won the Polaris Music Prize, Canada's most prestigious award for a Canadian album. Over the course of his career, the Montreal-based singer and composer built a devoted following through his orchestral pop arrangements, his remarkable voice, and live performances that blend intimacy with a theatric sensibility. Watson's music has found a second life far beyond his core fanbase. His song “Je te laisserai des mots" became a viral phenomenon years after its release, accumulating over a billion streams after being discovered by a new generation on social media. His film and television work has brought his sound to audiences worldwide, including his score for the acclaimed French-Canadian series Les Pays d'en haut . Today Bruce Headlam talks to Patrick Watson about making his playful and adventurous new record, Uh Oh —an album he recorded after recovering from a vocal chord hemorrhage on tour. Because of his injury, Patrick chose to feature a ton of guest artists on his new album in the style of hip-hop features. Patrick Watson and Ariel Engle, also known as La Force, kick…

People in this episode

Host: Bruce Headlam

Guests: Patrick Watson, Ariel Engle

Topics covered

  • music
  • vocal performance
  • album production

Keywords

  • Polaris Music Prize
  • Close to Paradise
  • Je te laisserai des mots
  • Les Pays d'en haut
  • House On Fire

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Uh Oh, Close to Paradise

Books & works: Close to Paradise, the Polaris Music Prize, Je te laisserai des mots, Les Pays d'en haut, Uh Oh, House On Fire

Places: Canada, Montreal

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