Nick Bellerose

Nick Bellerose, a Canadian indie folk artist with roots in Montreal and a past shaped by years as a diplomat abroad, writes the kind of songs that feel like they’ve lived a life before ever being recorded. His latest release, The Only Way Is Through, plays like a quiet reckoning—an album steeped in loss, memory, and slow, deliberate reflection. Drawing from a global perspective and a personal history marked by heartbreak, Bellerose distills those experiences into a collection of songs that are minimal in structure but emotionally loaded.

The title track, "Our Love Is Gone", is a slow burn in the truest sense—there’s no rush to arrive anywhere. The arrangement is sparse, almost skeletal, but the restraint is intentional. His voice, raw and grounded, carries the weight of the song with just the right amount of wear. It’s a performance that leans on presence rather than production, letting the lyrics land without adornment.

On “I’m Going Through,” Bellerose shifts into confessional territory. It feels less like a performance and more like an entry from a weathered journal, underscored by soft, airy pads that subtly swell behind him. The vulnerability here is quiet but persistent. “Hold Me” leans into lo-fi textures, sounding like a forgotten recording dug up from an old cassette. The imperfection suits the intimacy—frayed around the edges but emotionally intact.

“Walk Like A Man” assembles little more than reverberated piano chords and ghostly harmonies, but the effect is haunting. There’s a stillness to it that invites the listener to sit with whatever ache they’ve been avoiding. “That Night” breaks some of the somber spell with one of the album’s most accessible moments—melodic, catchy, and emotionally resonant without sacrificing subtlety.

“Every Time” introduces percussion, a rare moment of propulsion, and the dynamics shift beautifully with the entrance of a second guitar line that adds depth without clutter. “Camila” returns to gentler terrain, its reverb-soaked softness creating a dreamlike quality that feels suspended in time. The closer, “Since I Laid My Eyes On You,” hints at cautious optimism—a flicker of light after a long night, offering a graceful exit from the album’s melancholic terrain.

The Only Way Is Through doesn’t announce itself loudly, but that’s exactly the point. It moves quietly, with the confidence of someone who knows that emotional resonance doesn’t require volume. In its most tender moments, the album feels like a blanket pulled over you—worn, familiar, and comforting, even when the world outside is anything but.

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