SUCCESS STORY

Max Parker — Becoming Max

by Guillaume Jean Lefebvre

9. RETRO is the beginning of a larger journey toward a concept album planned for 2027. Without giving too much away, what kind of world are you building through this project, and what do you hope listeners will understand about you by the time they reach the end of it?

I hinted at this earlier, but the world I have created really reflects what goes on inside my mind, and I think, in many ways, what goes on inside all of our minds. We all have that good voice and that bad voice within us. I have taken those internal voices and turned them into real characters within this world, giving them the ability to take over and influence the story.

I want listeners to understand that, while we may be different in so many ways, the battle that takes place within our minds is something we all share. I want to make music for the next kid walking alone through the hallways with their headphones on. I used to be that kid, and in a lot of ways, I am still making music for him.

10. As you enter this new chapter across both music and acting, what is the one thing you feel you still haven’t had the opportunity to show the world about Max Parker—and what would your dream creative challenge look like?

Honestly, when I was going through my first album cycle, I was still pretty green. I was trusting other people’s words more than my own, and it took me a while to understand that I needed to trust myself and my own decisions, especially in such a personal and creative lane as music.

I want the world to see the real me now. I want people to see how introspective I can get, how deep I am willing to go, and how much there is beneath the surface. This concept album is honestly just the beginning of that. I think things really flourish when we are completely honest about where we are in our lives. All that to say, I feel like the world has yet to see that level of honesty from me. My music has always been honest in its own way, but there are so many more layers to what I am creating now.

My dream creative challenge would probably be to open a fashion brand. I have a feeling I would really excel in that space, but having the right team around you for something like that is crucial. I am positive that it is something I could explore down the road.

Some artists evolve quietly. Others build an entirely new world around that evolution. For Max Parker, music, acting, and storytelling have always been connected by a desire to understand who he is—and who he is becoming.

Making music since the age of 16 and stepping into the world of acting, Parker has spent the past few years moving between different creative disciplines while gradually finding a voice that feels entirely his own. His latest chapter marks a departure from the shy, introspective teenager he once was, toward an artist more willing to take up space, experiment, and trust his instincts.

That transformation comes to life through RETRO, the first glimpse into a larger concept album planned for 2027. Drawing from the sounds of the ’80s and ’90s, the energy of artists such as INXS and David Bowie, and his own experiences of growing up, Parker is creating more than a collection of songs. He is building an entire universe—one populated by characters, opposing voices, and an alter ego named Maximus, who carries much of his creator’s own story.

His recent work in Toronto’s experimental music scene has given him the freedom to let go of perfection and embrace instinct, while his experience on screen—including his role as Benvolio in Juliet & Romeo—has further shaped the way he approaches storytelling through music.

At the heart of it all is reinvention: learning to leave behind one version of yourself without denying who you once were. As Parker enters this new chapter, he is not simply introducing a new sound. He is revealing more of himself than ever before.

1. For readers discovering you for the first time, how would you introduce Max Parker today? Has the person and artist you are now changed significantly from the person who first entered the music and acting world?

I would say that where I started and where I am now are two completely different places. I have been making music since I was 16, and completing my first album cycle at 19 really put things into perspective. It taught me to understand the business side of the industry, but more importantly, to trust my gut and my own instincts. There is the idea of owning your work, and then there is the metaphorical process of owning who you are. That took me a while to figure out, but if I had not spent all these years chipping away at it, I would not be in a place where I can have a hand in so many different areas that are equally important to my career. With what is coming next, I genuinely feel that this chapter is fully me. Now it’s time to really embrace it!

2. After spending the past two years writing, producing, and exploring new sounds within Toronto’s experimental music scene, what were you searching for during that period, and what did you discover about yourself creatively?

Essentially, I had just come back from spending three months in Italy working on a feature film and had a few months away from my university studies to really focus on music creation. I used that time to simply write and create as many songs as I could, without putting too much pressure on what they needed to become. What came out of that process was a batch of songs that I quickly realized were connected to one another. Once I understood that I could string them together into a larger narrative, the idea for my next album started becoming incredibly clear. I was building a world rather than just a collection of songs, heavily inspired by a storybook I grew up with, Where the Wild Things Are.

The writing across these songs became incredibly introspective. They explore the fight inside my mind, the constant struggle of figuring out where to turn next, and trying to decipher whether I am listening to the good voice or the bad one. Through that process, I created a protagonist named Maximus, who is an extension of myself. Creating a character allowed me to take some of that pressure off myself and place it onto someone else. What Maximus experiences throughout the story is a reflection of what I have lived through, as well as things I am still working through today.

From there, I gave myself the freedom to explore synthesis, dirtier guitars, analogue sound, changes in the tone of my voice, character work, textures, sustained chords, and so much more. I really let myself go creatively, while always tying the compositions back to the world I was building.

Photographers: Megan Vincent & Justin Friesen

Interview

3. You’re now returning with RETRO, which introduces a grittier and more experimental pop-rock direction. What made you feel that this was the sound you needed to make at this point in your life?

For the longest time, I have been heavily inspired by the sounds of the ’80s and ’90s. INXS, in particular, was a huge influence on me. I even naturally have the same hairstyle as Michael Hutchence and look up to him as a performer. There was so much conviction in his voice that it made me step back and think about how I could bring more energy and presence into my own.

You can hear a deeper tone in my voice on this record, while the production carries a bit of a Bowie essence as well. I wanted RETRO to feel fierce and directional. More than anything, I wanted to make a statement about the ability to change, evolve, and be fully confident in the choices we make. In many ways, RETRO feels like the personal soundtrack I needed at this point in my life, and I hope that feeling resonates with other people too.

4. Your music is closely connected to themes of identity, adulthood, ambition, and the different versions of ourselves we grow into. When you look at your own journey, what version of yourself are you leaving behind, and what version are you becoming?

The version of myself I am leaving behind is the shy and timid one. The kid who would walk through the halls with his headphones on, shutting out the rest of the world. It is important to mention though, that this phase was necessary in my growth.

The version I am now becoming is the one who walks through those same halls with a boombox, smiling at the people around him, unafraid to take up space. Someone who truly believes in what he does, has faith in himself, and in the ways he can contribute to the world.

5. You created the alter ego Maximus as part of your artistic world. What can you express through Maximus that you perhaps cannot express as Max Parker, and how much of yourself is actually hidden within that character?

Earlier, I hinted at Maximus, but he is really an extension of everything I have gone through. Truthfully, creating the character made it easier for me to write about my own story. It gave me a layer of distance and allowed me to explore some very personal experiences without feeling completely exposed, even though the narratives are ultimately rooted in things I have lived through.

I would say that about 85% of me lives within Maximus. The rest comes from the fact that he is, in part, fictional, along with the other voices and characters I introduce throughout the album. In that way, Maximus gives me the freedom to tell my own story while still allowing the album to exist as its own narrative.

6. You also have a career as an actor, most recently appearing as Benvolio in Juliet & Romeo. How does stepping into a fictional character compare with stepping into your own identity as a musician? Do acting and music influence each other in your creative process?

Stepping into a fictional character, especially while working on this film, ended up inspiring the way I approached my concept album. When I came home from set, I realized that projects like these take a village, but they also need a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. That became the framework I started applying to my album as the songs began to come together.

I started asking myself questions like: “What is the name of the region or place where Maximus lives?” “What is the temperature?” “Who is the main antagonist?” “What are the barriers and obstacles he has to overcome?” The more questions I asked, the more I realized that I had to look inward to answer them honestly. I drew from how I grew up, what I have experienced, and some of the most vulnerable parts of my own life. In a strange way, building Maximus’s world became a way of better understanding my own.

7. There is something particularly interesting about the idea of reinvention in your work. Do you see reinvention as a conscious artistic choice, or do you think artists inevitably evolve as they experience different stages of life?

I think reinvention is necessary from project to project. It is natural for artists to evolve as they move forward, but it is also important to remember that music is a business, and there is a branding element that comes with that. With every new album, there should be a sense of distinction from the last, not just in terms of growth, but in its look, feel, sound, and overall identity.

I think that can be really beneficial for artists. It gives you the freedom to explore different sides of yourself, while keeping people curious about where you are going next. For me, the more I allow myself to change, the more I feel like I am actually growing.

8. Toronto’s experimental music scene has been an important part of your recent creative journey. What have you found in that environment that you weren’t finding elsewhere, and how has it challenged you to think differently about music?

Recently, I have been heavily involved with a monthly showcase in Toronto called “Exit Points,” where musicians of all kinds come together to improvise and create in a shared space. After attending four or five times, and also working as a stagehand, I think what I have really taken away from this community is the realization that there is no single right or wrong way to make music.

There is something incredibly freeing about watching someone intentionally play the guitar “incorrectly,” for example. It is still creating a sound, so who’s to say that it is not allowed? That mindset is something I have started bringing back into the studio with me. A lot of the songs I have written, even over this past spring, have surprised me because of that willingness to let go and experiment. I used to want everything to be perfect, but I am learning that perfection can often be the opposite of something being great.

7. You describe your garments as wearable works of art designed not simply to dress a woman, but to reflect her story, strength, and individuality. When you begin creating a piece, do you imagine the woman who will wear it first, or does the garment itself reveal the woman it is meant for?

Usually, I begin with an emotion, an image or an idea rather than a specific woman.

Sometimes I see the entire garment in my mind almost immediately. Other times, it begins with a fabric, a texture or a detail and slowly reveals itself.

But the woman is always present in some way.

I don't imagine her age, profession or even necessarily her appearance. I imagine her presence. She knows herself. She doesn't need clothes to disguise her or turn her into somebody else.

That is very important to me.

I want the garment and the woman to meet somewhere in the middle. The piece has its own character, but when the right woman wears it, something changes. Her personality completes it.

That is when fashion becomes much more interesting to me than simply clothing.

8. Your philosophy suggests that true luxury is not excess but authenticity, craftsmanship, and meaning. In an industry increasingly influenced by speed, mass production, and constantly changing trends, what do you believe luxury should mean today — and what should it never become?

For me, luxury is increasingly about rarity — not necessarily rarity created by price, but by individuality, craftsmanship and intention.

It is knowing that something has been considered rather than simply produced. It is the quality of the fabric, the construction, the hand of the maker, the time behind a piece and the emotional connection someone develops with it.

I believe the future of luxury should become more personal, not more excessive.

A beautiful garment should have enough character to remain meaningful beyond one season. Ideally, a woman should want to keep it because it has become part of her story.

Luxury should never become a race for consumption or a logo that replaces individuality. The moment luxury becomes only about proving status, I think it loses something essential.

To me, the greatest luxury is owning something that feels unmistakably yours.