On their new single “Just Like Paradise,” Roberge said, “I was spending two months in the studio, digging through ideas. We wanted to have fresh, brand new music out. We took our little ideas, and I was working on this one beat. It sounded awesome, and it made me happy. The song just fell into place, and we wrote it very quickly. It developed into an O.A.R. song. We decided to finish it strong and we put it out.”
He continued, “The outpouring of positive feedback on ‘Just Like Paradise’ has been amazing for us. This is a song that reminds us of the first years that we came out. I am glad that it makes other people happy.”
O.A.R. will be performing at the “Concert for Dreams” at the Beacon Theatre on March 23, along with multiple other artists, which benefits the Garden of Dreams Foundation. “It will be an amazing show!” he exclaimed. “18 months ago, I sat down at dinner with Barry Watkins. He is a really giving person. Garden of Dreams has provided experiences and financial aid for at-risk and young children and their families. He is an amazing person,” he said. “We started asking around to other like-minded New York area artists, who wanted to donate their time and creativity to something that will be epic. It is going to be crazy, and it will raise a lot of money, all for the Garden of Dreams.”
He revealed that he is really excited to go out on the road this summer with his good friend, fellow musician Matt Nathanson, as part of O.A.R.’s headlining “Just Like Paradise” tour. “Matt is an amazing human. I love him and his family. Spending the summer together is a no-brainer,” he said.
“I am literally happy to wake up in the morning, and breathe,” he said, about his daily motivations. “I love to have another swing at it every single day, and I am thankful for that. That motivates me big time.”
Roberge listed “I Go Through” as his personal favorite O.A.R. song. “That song has a special place in my heart,” he admitted. “It’s about a time in my life where being open and honest in my life was therapeutic and helpful, and I commemorated that with this song. That was pretty cool.”
He listed pop superstar Sia as his dream female duet choice. “I love Sia. I would love to work with her. She is a genius,” he said.
Regarding the key to longevity in the music business, he said, “Just keep on creating! Go out there and play anywhere and everywhere as often as possible.
He defined the word success as “being able to provide” for his family. “That is huge for me,” he said.
The O.A.R. front-man had nothing but the greatest words about The Paramount in Huntington. “That venue is amazing. The staff is super cool. I love driving out there on Long Island and seeing all the beautiful neighborhoods. It’s awesome,” he said.
Digital transformation of music scene
On the impact of technology on the music business, Roberge said, “I have been able to watch from tapes to CDs to Napster. We were heavily involved in that entire era: the dawn of online tape trading. It devalued music (and took away money from people), but they are figuring out how to make streaming possible and how to survive in the new age. Technology is an amazing force, and Napster worked in our benefit. We got in the van and followed up and toured the country to follow it up and to survive. It is tough for the younger artists now, since I am wondering how they will break through. There is a lot of competition out there.”
“Just Like Paradise” is available on iTunes.
To learn more about O.A.R. and their 2018 tour dates, check out their official homepage.
Read More: “Just Like Paradise” earned a glowing review from Digital Journal.
