Sam Drysdale might write about heartbreak, loneliness, and the lessons that come with losing yourself, but don’t let the heavy subject matter fool you. The Toronto-born singer-songwriter is, in his own words, “a goofball,” with songwriting serving as a window into the more serious side of his mind that he usually keeps guarded. That contrast is exactly what makes Purgatory Cove so compelling.
Released on October 23 via ONErpm Nashville, Drysdale’s debut album is less a collection of heartbreak songs than an entire emotional landscape, built around a real-life retreat on Ontario’s Lake Huron that became both a creative sanctuary and a metaphor for a particularly isolating chapter of his life. Blending folk’s “brutal honesty” with country, Americana, alternative, and soul influences, the 13-track project finds beauty in the complicated in-between moments of healing — from the hopeful heartbreak of “Love You Into Loving Me” to the deeply personal “The Cage,” which gave him the freedom to finally put depression into words.
But perhaps the biggest surprise is that the very album born out of isolation ultimately became his way out. “The secret is that I made it out of Purgatory Cove,” Drysdale tells Celeb Secrets, reflecting on how creating the record brought him a newfound sense of joy and confidence. Now, he’s hoping listeners will find their own reasons to return to it, whether it’s a favorite lyric, a familiar feeling, or simply the perfect soundtrack for “Sunday nights in autumn for the rest of their lives.”
In honor of the release, Drysdale opens up to us about the real stories behind his songwriting, the beauty of making music surrounded by nature, learning to embrace life’s complicated emotions, and why he’s more interested in building entire worlds than chasing a single moment.
Keep scrolling to read our full Q&A with Sam below, and don’t forget to let us know if you’re loving his new album by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
Celeb Secrets: For readers who are just discovering you through this album, how would you introduce Sam Drysdale beyond the singer-songwriter they hear on a record?
Sam Drysdale: “Honestly – he’s a goofball. The not-so-secret secret is that, despite all of the songs about heartbreak, loneliness, and hard life lessons, Sam Drysdale is actually a pretty goofy guy. All my closest friends would tell you that. Songwriting and my artistry have always been a place to introduce people to the more serious parts of my mind, which I typically keep guarded in my daily life.”
CS: Your sound lives in this really interesting space between country, folk, Americana, alternative, and even a little soul. When you’re creating, do you think about genre at all, or are you more interested in following whatever sound fits the story you’re trying to tell?
SD: “As I’ve gotten older, timelessness is the most important aspiration for me when creating music. I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve created plenty of music that hasn’t aged as well with me, and I really want to create art that I’ll love in ten years. I never really like to put myself in handcuffs with words like ‘genre,’ but I do think that certain genres wear more consistently over time. Folk music has always felt like home for me because it’s rooted in brutal honesty. I also love spending time in nature, and I love trying to craft songs that will pass the campfire test.”
CS: There’s something very conversational and unguarded about your songwriting. When you sit down to write, are you usually pulling from something that has happened to you personally, or do you ever find yourself building characters and stories that aren’t necessarily your own?
SD: “I do both! I definitely lean personal more often than not, but I have a great admiration for writers who can be a bit more abstract. Over the last couple of years, broadening my lyrical approach has actually been a really concentrated effort of mine. I think the highest echelon of songwriting takes a little bit of decoding. Walt Grace’s Submarine Test 1967 (John Mayer) is a great example of this. It’s a very personal song but told through the lens of a completely made-up character.”
CS: Let’s talk about Purgatory Cove. The title comes from a real place in Ontario, but you’ve also described it as a place you created in your own mind while processing heartbreak and isolation. When did that physical place start to become this bigger emotional world for the album?
SD: “So the real place in Ontario is about 3 hours north of Toronto, and it’s where John (my producer) and I actually wrote and produced most of the album. As the songs started to come together, I just realized that there were two very clear themes: Loneliness after heartbreak, and an appreciation for nature and finding peace in simple things.
I realized one day while listening to the first 8ish songs that Purgatory Cove was a perfect metaphor for the place I’d been in my personal life for the last few years. I’d really isolated myself, in ways that might not have even seemed obvious to my inner circle, in an effort to heal from some heartbreak and hard-earned lessons. I’d also come to really appreciate spending time in nature in a different way than I ever had before. When I was going through times that felt unimaginably difficult and complicated, I could go out on a camping trip with my friends and find beauty in the smallest moments.
I really liked the idea of an album paying homage to this part of my life, and the title track basically narrates my journey out to Purgatory Cove and then the realization that I can’t stay there forever and need to let myself move on.”
CS: You actually turned your mom’s cabin at Purgatory Cove into a studio and returned there throughout 2025 and 2026 to make this record. What did that environment unlock creatively that you might not have found in a traditional studio?
SD: “Just the freedom to create at any time of the day. Lyrics are paramount to me, and there are lots of times where I just don’t have anything to say. Constricting myself to a four-hour writing session has just never been conducive to me creating my best art. I like to wake up slow, take the dog for a walk, have a coffee, have another, and then ask myself how I feel about the world.”
CS: “The Cage” feels like a different side of the record, especially in the way it explores having a lot to be grateful for while still knowing something inside you isn’t okay. What did writing that song teach you about giving yourself permission to feel complicated emotions?
SD: “‘The Cage’ really chronicles the first time I ever felt truly depressed, which, for me, manifested itself in horrible insomnia. Depression was a word I was very scared to say for a long time, and giving myself permission to talk about it in a song felt pretty liberating. I’ve had a few really good conversations with people about that song in particular and how it resonated with them, and that kind of harkens back to what is so beautiful about genuine, authentic lyric writing. It’s almost never you feeling the way you are.”
CS: If Purgatory Cove were a place we could actually visit, what would it look and feel like? And is there a song on the album that you think best captures the experience there?
SD: “From the pictures I’ve seen, I think some of the beaches in the Northwest (Oregon, Tofino, etc.) would be a pretty good visual representation of what I’ve imagined. Beautiful, cinematic beaches with evergreen tree lines and overcast skies where the sun occasionally peeks through. It’s a lonely place but also a stunning place which tempts you to stay for longer than you should. Purgatory Cove, the song, is definitely my best effort at giving it a proper sonic identity. A Place would be a great soundtrack for those days when the sun peeks through.”
CS: As you step into this next chapter, what do you hope people understand about you by the time they reach the final song on Purgatory Cove?
SD: “I hope they understand that I’m an artist who is interested in building whole worlds, rather than just individual songs or moments. I’d like for this album to be one that they can revisit. Maybe it’s not their “album of 2026,” but their album for Sunday nights in autumn for the rest of their lives.”
CS: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets from making “Love You Into Loving Me” or even Purgatory Cove that we wouldn’t know just by listening?
SD: “The secret is that I made it out of Purgatory Cove. The very creation of this album has brought me so much joy and confidence that just getting all of these songs out of me ended up being the boat ticket home. It is hands down the best work I’ve ever done, and I have never been so excited to keep making more music.”
LISTEN TO “PURGATORY COVE” HERE:
