Julian Hunt: Where 80s dream-pop nostalgia meets whimsical, modern storytelling
Toronto-born artist Julian Hunt seamlessly blends his musical theatre roots with a background in creative writing to craft narrative-driven pop. After gaining international airplay with his debut single, “Sharks In The Pool,” he is currently recording new projects at Vancouver’s Boutique Empire Studios. Julian’s latest single, “Marine Drive,” released on January 23, 2026, showcases his signature storytelling style inspired by 2010s pop and queer artistry.
Written during a move to a new city, “Marine Drive” is a song that details moving through your life and looking back on a moment you wish could last forever. The looping nature of the song’s structure and lyrics are supposed to reflect something you dream about again and again, using Marine Dr in Vancouver as the one place where this nostalgia still exists.
The storytelling has clear images, “my red eye flight”, “high like kites”, and statements, “time for our biggest mistakes”. Moving away and starting a new chapter of your life can be incredibly inspiring and make you feel there are endless possibilities, but this song is a feeling you keep going back to and hope you can experience again.
The nostalgia in this song is reflected in the dream-pop, 80s inspired production. Writing the music and lyrics was done in July 2024, before bringing it to the studio. The first demo was made in a few hours with a keyboard and simple beat in February 2025, and finished at the end of the year. With several vocal stacks and a soft delivery, the tone is textured and whimsical. Synths, programmed drum machines and electric guitars take turns in accompanying a simple melody, creating a soundscape that feels alive, fresh and classic.