The Big East
Inspired by childhood stargazing memories and fueled by cinematic indie rock, The Big East’s “Shiny Satellites” blends nostalgia, synth-driven energy, and expansive storytelling. We discuss creativity, evolution, and the project’s future direction.
1. “Shiny Satellites” is inspired by childhood memories of stargazing with your mother on warm Ontario summer nights. What was it like turning such a personal memory into a song, and did revisiting those moments influence the way you approached the lyrics?
Turning a memory that pure into music felt less like writing a song and more like trying to accurately develop a mental photograph. Stargazing as a kid gives you this wild, dual perspective: you feel completely microscopic against the scale of the universe, yet entirely safe and warm because of who is sitting next to you on the grass.
When I sat down to write the lyrics, that contrast dictated everything. I didn’t want the song to just be a passive, nostalgic look back; I wanted to recreate the physical transition of those nights. The verses start intimate and whisper-quiet, mimicking the darkness of the yard, before the chorus suddenly blows wide open to capture the sheer, brilliant scale and mystery of an unpolluted night sky.
2. The Big East has evolved from a collaborative project into a solo studio venture driven by your own songwriting and production. How has this transition changed your creative process, and what new opportunities has it opened up for you as an artist?
Shifting to a solo studio venture completely removes the filter between the initial emotional spark and the final master chain. In a collaborative band environment, a song is naturally shaped by democratic compromise, which can be beautiful. But operating solo forces me to trust my absolute raw instincts implicitly.
My creative process has become much more fluid and immediate. If I wake up at 2:00 AM with a pulsing synth line or a gritty guitar hook, I can walk straight into the studio and build it without needing to explain the vision to a boardroom. The biggest opportunity this transition opened up is sheer agility—I am now completely free to bridge genres and experiment with textures that a traditional four-piece rock band might structurally struggle to execute.
3. Before returning to The Big East, you spent several years producing house and electronic pop music under the name itsnotu.me. How did that experience shape the sound of “Shiny Satellites,” and what elements from both musical worlds did you want to bring together on this release?
Electronic music is a masterclass in tension, release, and the physical power of sub-frequencies. My time producing house and electronic pop under itsnotu.me completely permanently re-wired how I look at song architecture. It taught me how to manipulate energy, how to build a dynamic “drop,” and how to keep a rhythmic groove driving forward restlessly.
With “Shiny Satellites,” I didn’t want to abandon that toolkit; I wanted to weaponize it inside an alternative rock framework. I wanted to take the ultra-clean, hard-hitting low-end and the intricate sound-design of modern electronic pop, and smash it directly into the organic grit, human imperfections, and raw emotional vulnerability of indie rock guitars and vocals. It’s electronic bones wrapped in a rock ‘n’ roll skin.
4. You’ve described the track as a blend of indie rock, synthpop, and your own “Cottage Rock” identity. What does the term “Cottage Rock” mean to you, and how does “Shiny Satellites” represent the next evolution of that sound?
Living and creating out here in Huntsville and the wider Muskoka region, you are completely surrounded by this massive, rugged, beautiful landscape. To me, “Cottage Rock” is the direct sonic reflection of that geography. It’s an aesthetic born out of isolation, deep pine woods, cold lakes, and long open roads. It’s rock music that has space to breathe because it isn’t trapped inside a concrete city grid.
“Shiny Satellites” represents the next evolution of that sound because it finally bridges the earth with the sky. Previous iterations were much more traditional and earthbound, but this track introduces a glossier, more infinite midnight sheen. It proves that “Cottage Rock” can be both deeply organic and unashamedly cinematic at the exact same time.
5. The song balances intimate storytelling with huge, festival-ready choruses and cinematic production. When writing and producing the track, were you imagining a particular scene, audience, or emotional experience that you wanted listeners to share?
I have a vivid memory of driving back to Muskoka from Toronto and being overwhelmed by the clarity and visual splendor of the sky. I drove with my head out the window to try to take it all in. That late-night vision and many other moments like that, guide my artistic sense. The air smells like fresh pine, the headlights are cutting through the absolute pitch black, and the sky overhead is completely alive with stars. It’s that rare, therapeutic moment of total isolation where you feel completely alone in the world, yet entirely connected to the universe. The intimate verses represent the quiet thoughts of the person behind the wheel; the explosive, festival choruses are the moment they look out the window and feel that sudden rush of absolute clarity and freedom.
6. With “Shiny Satellites” marking the beginning of a new era for The Big East and another cinematic single already in the works, what can fans expect from the next chapter of the project, and where do you see this creative journey taking you in the future?
Fans can expect a continuous, uncompromised unfolding of this cinematic universe. “Shiny Satellites” is the official flag in the ground for this new era, showing that the boundaries are completely gone.
The next chapter is all about depth and consistency. The follow-up singles I’m engineering right now dive even deeper into those atmospheric, mood-driven alternative textures, but they keep that driving, upbeat groove completely locked in. Ultimately, my goal for the future of The Big East isn’t just about chasing brief algorithmic trends; it’s about constructing a rich, cohesive, self-released catalog that acts as a permanent emotional roadmap for anyone who loves great stories and big atmospheres.