Prem Byrne

In this interview, Prem Byrne discusses his new single Why I Don’t Go to the Movies Anymore—a heartfelt, cinematic reflection on love, disillusionment, and learning to embrace real relationships beyond Hollywood’s romantic fantasies.

1. Your new single, Why I Don’t Go to the Movies Anymore, is described as a love song but also a commentary on ideas of romance. Can you tell us more about the message behind it?
When I wrote the song, I had arrived at a place in life where my ideas about romantic relationships were crumbling.  I have always loved movies and for most of my life, Hollywood’s version of romantic relationships is what I assumed mine should look like.  What I started realising is that movies like to focus on the honeymoon phase.  It’s a great phase, full of passion and excitement and freshness, but there are at least 4 other phases (sometimes known as: 2) power struggle, 3) stability, 4) commitment, and 5) co-creation).  I kept coming up against phase 2 and not knowing what to do, giving up, and looking for someone else, only to be left with the same problems when the honeymoon phase was fading.  The reality was that relationships didn’t make all my problems go away, and I needed to be willing to be committed during hard times.

2. You mentioned that this song was inspired by realizing the difference between real relationships and the romantic ideals portrayed in pop culture. How did that personal insight shape the writing process?
The truth is that I was still very naive about it all while writing the song, (and I still am).  So I asked people who had gone further in their relationships about what the ingredients to a lasting relationship were—someone said, “well, there’s a give and take.”  I was writing the chorus from an honest place of not really knowing much about relationships, so I was able to write these 2 lines:
“I’m learning what love is
There’s a take and there’s a give”

I thought about what a lot of movies were doing and saw that the characters were usually young, that the message is that once two people get together, they go off into the sunset and all is well, and that helped me write the verses.

3. The sound of this track is said to evoke classic Hollywood. Was that intentional, and how did you achieve that unique vibe?
The producer I worked with on this, Adam Rossi, had the idea to find some sounds, strings that reminded us of classic Hollywood.  We put them at the beginning and end of the song and that affected the whole track, at least to my ears.  It was a great idea.

4. Compared to your previous work, you mentioned this song has a new kind of sound and a more positive, fun take on love. How was it different creating this track versus your past songs?
   Adam did interesting things with my background vocals, things I wouldn’t normally do, and while the song does still feel related to the singles I’ve been releasing this last year, there’s definitely a different flavour going on. Also the chord progression is a little more involved than what I normally do.  But the biggest difference I think is just the attitude of the song, which the music video really shows—because I’m smiling in the video!  All the other themes in my songs so far are pretty serious stuff, and this was lighter, more playful.
5.  For listeners who find the song on Spotify, Apple Music, or other platforms, what do you hope they take away after hearing it?
   It would be great if this found its way to young people, particularly anyone who is like I was when I was young.  I so much wanted to be close to a woman, and had no clue how to go about it, and I looked to movies to teach me.  But that created these unrealistic standards, and ideas that weren’t helpful.  I overlooked the importance of friendship.  The music video I made for this song really helps drive the point home and I hope people see that as well.  Because there are so many of us who long for connection, and I think healthy relationships can be so huge for personal development.  I’ve heard an expression that goes something like, “Alone we can go faster, together we can go further.
6. Finally, the title is intriguing—Why I Don’t Go to the Movies Anymore. What’s the story behind the title, and how does it connect to the song’s theme?
   Ah, yes.  In case anyone didn’t know, it’s incredibly difficult for a singer/songwriter to break through and be noticed these days, and so we look for any edge.  A title that grabs people’s eyes is one of the ways we try to get an edge.  When I look at that title, something inside me wants to know, “why? Why doesn’t he go to the movies anymore?”  The meaning inside the title and song is that I’m in a real relationship, that’s more meaningful than anything Hollywood ever showed me, and that’s why I don’t go to the movies anymore.   The truth is, despite the song’s title, I still do go to the movies!

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