Canyon City is the moniker of modern folk artist & producer Paul Johnson. Since its inception in 2015, the project has become known for its distinctive whispery vocals layered over intimate acoustics orbiting candidly emotional storytelling. Off the heels of his first record, 2016’s Midnight Waves, essential cut “Firework” was added to Spotify’s Fresh Finds: Six Strings playlist and has since culled more than seven million streams. But that’s just scratching the surface. In total, Johnson now has over 1.5 million monthly listeners, and other songs like “Alone with You” and “Lost Sparks” (the latter from 2019’s Bluebird record) have amassed 20 and 17 million streams, respectively. His cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You” stands over 32 million.

It’s quite easy to see exactly why Johnson is a streaming giant. His songwriting, fusing the work of Noah Gundersen and Tallest Man on Earth with a pinch of Tom Petty and Neil Young, is rich in emotional detail. He’s also won praise from media like NPR (“Paul Johnson’s warm, bright folk-pop songs feel like letters from a friend.”), American Songwriter  ("a lullaby with a gentle elegance”) and Atwood  Magazine ("Canyon City weaves a perfect balance of ‘indie folk’ fabric through haunting melodies and sweet, delicate harmonies that delight the ears and quiver the soul.”) to name a few.