London, Ontario singer-songwriter Stephen Ingram releases “Sour Candy” out now, the first single from his sophomore album, ‘Silly Things,’ arriving September 25. The track marks a warm, self-aware entry point into a record that finds Ingram examining the space between who he used to be and who he has become, all set against the specific backdrop of Southwestern Ontario.
“Sour Candy” grew out of Ingram’s move from his twenties into his thirties, and the realisation that finding himself meant letting go of the instinct to please everyone around him. Rather than framing that shift as a loss, the song treats it as an essential trade, developing a firmer sense of self to reach the sweeter parts of life waiting on the other side. At its core, like much of Ingram’s catalogue, it doubles as a love song for his wife, tracing how staying true to himself has only brought the two of them closer.
Listen on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2tA0GB4KgdyHEimZBcacXW
That balance runs through the entire album. Ingram began writing ‘Silly Things’ shortly after receiving an ADHD diagnosis, using the songs to explore how it shapes his daily life and to revisit past relationships and events with fresh understanding. Rather than dwelling on stigma, Ingram set out to celebrate the creativity and momentum his ADHD brings him alongside its real challenges, giving the record a grounded, hopeful throughline even as individual songs sit with conflict or uncertainty before resolving it.
“Sour Candy” uses the bittersweet metaphor of its title to capture the growing pains of adulthood, trading youthful people-pleasing for the confidence that comes with knowing who you are. Through witty, self-deprecating lyrics like “Used to be so sweet ’til I turned sour” and the playful refrain “Sour candy, taste it on me,” Stephen Ingram reflects on aging, anxiety, changing priorities and learning to embrace imperfections, ultimately revealing that becoming a little “sour” has made room for healthier relationships, deeper self-acceptance and a love that feels more genuine than ever before.
Check out Bandcamp here: https://stepheningram.bandcamp.com/
Written and recorded entirely in London, Ontario, ‘Silly Things’ leans further into folk textures than Ingram’s 2023 debut, ‘Fridge Magnet Symphony,’ which introduced his storytelling-forward songwriting and earned him an early feature with Canadian Beats Media. For the follow up, Ingram assembled an all-star ensemble of fellow London musicians, including cellist Anna Grigg, violinist and mandolin player Jesse Grandmont, guitarist Peter Karle, bassist Aidan Wasse and percussionist Mark Swan, giving the largely acoustic arrangements room to breathe. The album was co-produced by Ingram and Dean Nelson, mixed by Nelson and mastered by Kristian Montano.
A Hamilton native who moved to London over a decade ago to study at Western University’s Don Wright Faculty of Music, Ingram found his way from music into live theatre, where he has made his career for the last decade. Because of this long-standing connection to live theatre, he brings a strong instinct for narrative to everything he writes, drawing comparisons to Canadian songwriting touchstones including Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot and Joel Plaskett. That local specificity, right down to references scattered throughout the record, gives ‘Silly Things’ a strong sense of place even as its themes of growth and self-acceptance reach well beyond Southwestern Ontario.
With “Sour Candy” now out and ‘Silly Things’ arriving in September, Ingram brings the material to audiences across Ontario throughout the summer, building toward an album release show in London this fall.