Ajax, ON’s The Rockin’ Krolik Confesses the Joys and Pangs of Middle Age on Raw, Relatable EP Shedding Skin
Nearly three years in the making, Shedding Skin, the new six-song EP by Ajax, ON-based The Rockin’ Krolik (a.k.a. J.F. Perotin) is a raw examination of past relationships, personal growth, loss of loved ones, and addiction. It’s the kind of album you make when you’ve turned 52, as Perotin did this year, and you have some of the hard-earned wisdom and maturity to formulate something deeply meaningful – and relatable.
“I wrote songs letting go of filters, self-judgment, Imposter Syndrome, and all that BS,” Perotin says of Shedding Skin, which he began writing back in 2022.
With its mellow rockin’ groove, “W.Y.K.Y.K.” (“When You Know, You Know”) pays tribute to emotional intelligence and listening to one’s gut to get the right answers. “In short, it’s being tuned in to the energy of the universe and what you perceive when interacting with people – it’s all magnetism,” Perotin muses. “Ebbs and flows, tension and release.” And then the song brings in the strings for an epic, purifying ending.
It’s difficult to reach middle age without at some point contemplating your own mortality. On the jangly, moody “Tie Me Up,” Perotin contemplates the constant ticking of the clock. “It’s about coming to a point in your life where you know there is no stopping it or slowing it down,” he explains.
“Say It” examines those moments in life when we can’t find the courage to say the things we want to say. It’s about missed opportunities and lost loves and the little wistful pangs inside the heart of anyone who’s lived for a while. A choir breathes extra life and soaring poignance into the track, turning it into a tearjerker.
The soulful, percussive “Numb in the Rain” contemplates addiction and numbing escape. “We all have our demons, and all have stuff going on in our lives that we think we can’t cope with,” Perotin acknowledges. “There is a way out, although the song doesn’t give that sense of hope – on purpose.” The song brings back the tension of the album’s opener “WYKYK,” urging the listener to embark on some of their own soul searching.
Written in half a day, “I Need A Change” captures the restlessness of feeling stuck or tied up in chains, a common sentiment for any artist. “Really drives me mad to feel I’m being held back,” Perotin admits. “I support myself and my family with a 9-to-5 job but my heart is with my art 98 percent of the time.” The song’s urgency and honesty is its own catharsis, falling into a gliding groove that morphs frustration into motivation.
Shimmering with a naked bravery reminiscent of James Taylor, “The Sand On My Toes” is a song Perotin always gets emotional singing. “Yeah, I know I’m weird crying to my own song, eh?,” he says, chuckling. But it’s a deeply personal piece, infused with conflicting feelings of love and resentment for his father, who passed. “Because he’s gone, although some questions are left unanswered there’s acceptance of the discomfort and ultimately no denying he lives in me somehow.”
The Rockin’ Krolik is a French-born Canadian singer/songwriter. Pearl Jam, The Cranberries, Alanis Morrisette, and Tracy Chapman are among the artists who inspired him to pick up a guitar and start his musical journey in his twenties. He always wears his heart on his sleeve, whether he writes or performs live. He strives for meaningful connections with people by leaving a piece of himself in every song he crafts, with personal and vulnerable lyrics.
In 2021, The Rockin’ Krolik was nominated by the OMAs for “Singer-Songwriter of the Year” for his song “More Than Enough” inspired by Gwen Tuinman’s novel We Are Enough.
Care to introduce yourself?
Hi, I’m JF, short for Jean-Francois. The Rockin’ Krolik is my artist name. Let me explain :
Rockin’ because, well that’s my music’s main genre and Krolik is a Polish word that means bunny. My wife is Polish and that’s my nickname. Et voila! Secret revealed!
I moved from France to Canada in 2008. Ever since my first visit to Toronto in 98, I knew Canada was home for me.
I’ve been singing as long as I can remember, enjoying performing anytime I could. I picked up a guitar quite late in life one would say, as a means to an end, to essentially sing and perform. I was 23 when I got my first guitar.
I’m a jack of all arts so it took me a while to narrow my focus down on music.
Wanting to songwrite was heavily influenced by artists like Tracy Chapman, Alanis Morrissette, The Cranberries, and Pearl Jam in the 90s. But there are so many more artists that shaped me as a songwriter and musician…Across many genres and eras!
Tell us about the process of recording “W.Y.K.Y.K.”?
First of all, it was fun. I worked with Devon Lougheed( Altered by Mom) on this record and really had a blast with this collaboration. W.Y.K.Y.K. is a 90’s influenced and infused track. It had that vibe from the start when I first wrote it, so producing it was just enhancing that. Devon drums and bass work is really cool, especially in the second verse, supporting the tension and release feeling.
For arrangements, the strings felt natural as one of the main elements but the way they build up and push the song at the end is epic. I have no other word for it. That’s the first word that came out of my mouth when I first heard it. It gets me every time! I just recommend blasting it on your stereo!
What’s it like being an artist in Ajax, ON?
Ajax is a good place to live with my family but it’s missing venues for artists to perform. In fairness, it’s a small town. So I have to travel to perform. I’m flexible though, my priority is to play. Whether it’s cover gigs to entertain and finance my solo career or any opportunity to sing my songs, I do it all. From coffee shops to pubs, songwriters open mics, backyards to corporate parties and birthdays, weddings to celebrations of life!
Who was the first and most recent Canadian artist to blow you away?
That’s a great question, because coming from France, we get a lot of French Canadian singers and some of the most famous English Canadian bands/artists don’t make it across the pond. Before immigrating, I had never heard of ( in no particular order) The Hip, Blue Rodeo, Matthew Good, Sloan, City and Colour, Alexisonfire, Lowest of the Low, Gordon Lightfoot, Finger Eleven, and so on.
But to answer the question now( laugh), Alanis Morrisette who I was introduced to in 95 via a mixed tape an American friend made for me, has been an undeniable influence and probably the first Canadian artist that had an impact on my musical path.
After that, when I arrived in Canada, I felt like I was offered a treasure chest filled with new music and I had a lot of catching up to do! City and Colour’s “Sleeping Sickness” was one of the first songs that caught my attention, and then moved to The Hip, Wheat Kings and Bobcaygeon becoming Canadian anthems for me. I also discover indie artists on a regular basis, such as Sarah Harmer, Skye Wallace, and Cassie Noble who have been on my playlist rotation lately! There is so much music out there!!
You’ve been making music for a bit of time now, what’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
Very nice of you to ask this question that I never feel qualified to answer! But I will try my best.
I’d say that for someone who feels strongly about expressing themselves through music and songwriting, to start writing and never stop.
Build the writing habit into a daily routine, and never leave home without a way to take notes or record an idea. Fill pages without second thoughts or judgment. There will be gold in there!
The second is to do what feels right for them and not try to create what they think people are going to like…
Be themselves and if they don’t know yet, believe they will find out by trying and doing…And failing, which I believe is an inevitable part of the ongoing process of growth, whatever you do in life.