One of my favorite pastimes is diving into Spotify's Discover Weekly playlist because there's an infinite amount of music out there to find! One day I opened it and was on a search for some new tunes I could add into my rotation when I found "Way Back Home" by Portair. Instantly I thought, "Oh, Spotify knows me WELL," since the energy and composition of the song were just my kind of sound. I then deep-dived into his discography and couldn't wait to know more about the artist!
Portair (also known as Drew) is an LA-based artist who combines ambient textures and introspective songwriting to create his indie/folk sound. He has contributed music to many streaming platforms like Netflix, NBC, MTV, CBS, and more! If you are a fan of Grey's Anatomy, you can even hear his song "Way Back Home" featured in a recent episode!
Not long after I had found Portair's music, I joined Music Scene Media and immediately knew who I wanted to chat with! Read on as we dive into his music journey
MSM: What’s the story behind the name Portair, and how does it connect to who you are as an artist?
PORTAIR: I had a vintage Guinness shirt lying around, and it had some Irish Gaelic words written on it. One of them was Portair, and I thought it sounded beautiful, so I chose it! I think it means something along the lines of "porter," which is the style of beer, but apparently it also could mean a ferryman. I liked the two separate meanings when broken apart—Port > harbor, Air > atmosphere/sound. It felt fitting to my music style.
You are currently opening for a couple of tours right now, one being in Europe. How are you faring with all the travel? Is there anything you make sure to do to keep yourself in shape mentally and physically to continue with all the shows and travel?
Touring is amazing, but it’s definitely a strange lifestyle. You’re constantly moving, and it gets very exhausting. I’ve learned that having small routines really helps keep me grounded.
I try to keep things simple: exercise when I can, even if it's 10 minutes; get outside during the day; drink way more water than I feel like I need; and protect a bit of quiet time before shows. Mentally, I think it’s about remembering why I am doing it. When I step on stage and see people singing my songs' lyrics in a place I've never been before, it reminds me why I do it. That being said, I've been touring nonstop for three years now, and this last tour has taught me that I need a bit of a break to focus on a normal lifestyle for a bit.
“Way Back Home” continues to resonate deeply with listeners, including myself. Looking back, what does that song represent to you now? Do you have a personal favorite from your catalog, and has that answer changed over time?
“Way Back Home” is special to me because it was created with my co-writer and bandmate Ed Prosek in such a natural and organic way. I remember when we wrote it, and everything just sat so well. To me, it represents finding the space to feel grounded for someone like myself that constantly changes. I've learned that whilst I often don't have a normal 'home' these days, my home is my mental state and who I surround myself with. My favorite song changes over time for sure; at the moment I've been enjoying my song 'Starring' because I've added it into my sets and it's really fun to play. It's very dreamy, which I love.
As you work on your debut album, what themes or emotions are shaping the project? Does it feel like a continuation of your earlier work or a new chapter entirely?
It feels like both. The emotional core is still the same—introspective, reflective, and a lot about memory and relationships—but the scope of the songs feels bigger now and maybe more coherent.
I’ve spent a lot of the last few years traveling and living in different places, and that sense of movement has definitely seeped into the music. A lot of the songs explore change and loss. How people grow apart, how places evolve, and how you try to hold onto certain moments even when life keeps moving.
So it feels like a continuation in spirit, but also the start of something more fully formed.
What have you been listening to lately that’s influencing your creative direction, whether consciously or subconsciously?
I tend to go through phases where I listen to very different things at once. Lately it’s been a mix of atmospheric indie and a lot of instrumental electronic music.
Sometimes I’ll get really inspired by production choices like the way space and texture are used in a track (I love that stuff) rather than the songwriting itself. I think that subconscious influence ends up shaping the emotional tone of what I make more than I realize at the time.
Was there a defining moment when you realized music could be more than a passion? If not, what path did you originally imagine for yourself?
I would say it grew over time, but if I had to give a defining moment, it was when I moved from Melbourne to Los Angeles in 2017. I knew that was a big step for me, and I had so much excitement that I was able to channel into determination. Since then I've been living off music, and although it hasn't always been easy, I'm eternally grateful.
How does seeing your music placed in television or film change the way you view your work? Does it feel different than connecting directly with listeners?
It’s definitely a different experience. When a song is placed in film or television, it becomes part of a visual story, which is really fascinating because it can give the music a whole new context, but connecting directly with listeners, especially live, feels more personal. When someone tells you that a song helped them through something or reminds them of a specific moment in their life, that’s a very human kind of connection that’s hard to replicate anywhere else.
When you sit down to write, does the process begin with a feeling, a melody, a lyric, or something else entirely? Has your process evolved as your audience has grown?
Most of the time it starts with a feeling or a small musical idea, maybe a guitar progression or a melody that carries a certain mood. From there the lyrics usually grow out of that emotional space. My process hasn’t really changed because of the audience. If anything, I try to ignore that part when I’m writing. The best songs tend to come from being honest and following an idea wherever it wants to go rather than thinking about how it will be received.
What’s the funniest or craziest thing that’s happened to you during a live show?
I once had my gear overheat 30 seconds into my set, so everything stopped working. I had to improvise and perform the rest of my show acoustically. The crowd was great, though, and everyone was very supportive and receptive!
Is there something about your music or this upcoming chapter that you hope fans truly understand?
I think the biggest thing is that the songs are meant to be open. I don’t try to define exactly what they mean because I like the idea that listeners can place their own memories and experiences into them. With this upcoming chapter and the debut album, I hope people feel like they’re stepping into a world that’s both personal and familiar, something that feels like it belongs to them as much as it does to me!
