If people were to discover Trevor Dubois’ music for the first time today, he would simply want them to enjoy it: “That’s pretty much the best feeling you can get from someone who doesn’t know you/has no biases. It feels like the work can speak for itself!” He explained. However, chances are that music fans might already be familiar with Trevor’s work under a different name, “Charlie the Kid”, a moniker that he decided to retire at the end of 2019.
According to Trevor, “‘Charlie the Kid’ came from brainstorming with my college professor. He suggested I come up with a stage name to make myself stand out and I liked it. The name made me feel like a cool, exciting, product. But after a while it started to feel like I wanted to be something I wasn’t. I felt like I was stretching to fit a persona and I didn’t like that. So going back to my authentic name feels much better!”
Prior to the decision to change his name back, Dubois made an appearance as Charlie the Kid on season two of the Canadian reality completion, The Launch. This episode featured Arkells’ lead singer, Max Kerman as a mentor. As a huge fan of the band, having Max there only added to Trevor’s amazing experience on the show: “Getting to work with professionals and exceptional talent showed me how people at the top really get their hands dirty and do the work. They run a massive machine and seeing it from the inside really showed me how they operate vs. the indie, do-it-yourself folks like myself, who may not see the same results.”
The Arkells crossed paths with the young artist once again when Trevor was pulled on stage during the recent Rally Cry Tour: “Getting pulled onstage was surreal. I almost never play to more than 50 people and to see thousands of them was surreal. Sometimes when I am feeling discouraged onstage, I close my eyes and imagine being back on their stage….”
Aside from his own live shows, Dubois has built a virtual audience on platforms like Facebook Live and the video chat site, Omegle where he takes song requests from strangers in real time:
“Playing live on Omegle is so much fun because I never know what to expect. I get to video chat with random people.... Sometimes they are really open and kind and I feel like I connect with strangers from around the world. It’s so cool, and when I take a request and make them happy, it’s just the best feeling.”
As any modern-day busker would do, Trevor has set up a PayPal account to act as his “virtual tip jar”. This has become a great tool in order to keep the music coming and connect with fans. “The results aren’t putting me in a condo downtown Toronto” he said, “but the response is surprisingly positive. People like to contribute to something they feel a part of, so I really try to keep people feeling included.”
Speaking of inclusion, as a former Music Industry Arts student at Fanshawe College, Trevor would like to see a self-care course implemented for anyone entering post-secondary school who has “no idea what you’re doing, or even who you are, let alone how to take care of your body, mind and spirit.” He shared that this is an “important life skill [that] needs to be brought into young people’s lives. Similar to sex-ed. or careers class, it’s something everyone needs to have a decent understanding of.” In 2020, Trevor plans to work on his own self-care by getting “a better handle” on his self-awareness, self-control and time management skills.
While Trevor Dubois would not recommend directly following his path to a music career, he did offer some suggestions for a similar route: “Do what you think will work for you…. Work hard, try your best to figure out who you are, and don’t be afraid to change your plans if they aren’t bringing you happiness. It’s okay to realize you are on the wrong path. I guess that’s something I’m still learning today.”
For more information please visit Trevor Dubois’ Facebook Page.
Photo courtesy of Trevor Dubois.
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