Paul Filek

In 2007 I met Paul Filek.

We were both auditioning for a really big singing competition known as Canadian Idol (yes, I auditioned for Canadian Idol).  Why? I thought that this audition would help me grow as a singer and maybe I would learn from the experience.  I wrote a blog about it here

Anyway, as I was walking through Metrotown through the waves of people waiting for their chance to audition and I saw this interesting looking guy playing an acoustic guitar and practising.  He was a really great singer so I sat down and during a song, I pulled my guitar out and started playing along.   We got to talking and had an instant connection.

We shared a similar sense of humour and musical journey and began a friendship that has lasted over 4 years.  At the time I was really interested in his career because he seemed to have a drive to suceed more than anyone else I've met in the music industry up until that point.  Back then he told me that he was thinking about moving to Vancouver from Kamloops to further his music career and asked if I knew some bars he could bartend in.  I offered my suggestions and even sent an email or two to a few people but about a month later around the time he was moving he decided not to work a day job.  As we talked about it he said he had some paying gigs and didn't really need the money because he'd kept his costs low by living with family and selling CDs and playing weddings and other engagements for decent cash.

We kept in touch quite a bit over the next couple of years and tried to get together whenever possible and every time we talked he was still not working a day job. He was really busy getting more and more gigs for better and better money.  I was shocked.  He had sold over 2000 CDs and was still not working a day job.

This guy's drive is phenominal. 

He is a great singer and a strong songwriter.  He writes about love and partying and things that everyone can relate to.  He's not breaking new ground musically but what he is doing is connecting to people all over Western Canada.  He now has 3 independant recordings and I've still never seen anyone work as hard as him.  This is all without the Vancouver music industry's help. 

I love it.

His new song called, "Falling for you", was recently recorded with an awesome producer and friend of mine Jeff Dawson (Daniel Powder, the Dudes, State of Shock) and I think it's his best sounding recording yet.

Download Falling for You on iTunes here

Find out more about Paul here on his website

He has some upcoming shows you should check out if you're in the area:
April 21st: Edmonton at the Rouge Lounge
April 23rd: Calgary at the Uptown Theatre

Love,
Marty Zylstra
@martyzylstra