Grade 4 Curro teacher Paul Renwick chats to Kelly Kidgell about his latest solo EP and how good things can come out of difficult times.
Growing up in a music-rich home, singer and songwriter Paul would spend hours listening to his parent’s LP collection and drew massive inspiration from The Beatles, Paul Simon and Bob Marley. “I think I was about 13 when I realised there was music in me,” he says.
“Songwriting came much earlier though,” he adds. “I wrote my first song at just seven years old and have written thousands since.”
After matriculating from Westville Boys’ High School in 1999, Paul’s talent exposed him to various influential musicians and opened up opportunities to further grow his skill level. He played with Summersalt as a bassist in the early 2000s, and then Five Fold – which included the Klynsmith brothers of Gangs of Ballet.
Finding balance with his teaching career and life, music inevitably took more of a back seat. But when Covid forced us into lockdown, Paul had more time and capacity to tap into his creative juices. Finally, he could work on his five-song solo Extended Play (EP) album.
Produced by Josh Klynsmith and mixed by Rusti Rossouw, Double Comfort Safari comes from the title of one of Paul’s favourite books.
Eclectic sounds meet melancholic vocals with lyrics that reflect the therapeutic outlet Paul gains, and the emotional, contemplative authenticity he inspires.
“I’m nobody special,” says Paul. “This journey has been about nurturing friendships and learning resilience. Getting back up when I have been knocked down.”
Paul’s humble disposition paired with fierce determination hums an introspective tune of inspiration, and he hopes that listeners will be encouraged to persevere through life’s rejections and fallen plans.