With his latest album Bannatyne, Ariel Posen offers listeners a glimpse into both his evolution as an artist and his strong connection to his roots. Fresh off an album release performance in his hometown, Winnipeg, Posen reflects on how Bannatyne is shaped as much by where he’s been as where he’s headed next.
“Every part of me is attributed to how I developed as a person and an artist, and that was done in Winnipeg,” Posen explains. “It’s the idea of wearing home on your sleeve and really just appreciating it, not trying to run away from it.”
Named after an avenue in Winnipeg, Bannatyne is a record about revisiting the past to fully appreciate the present. It builds on Posen’s signature blend of rock & roll, R&B, and amplified roots music, as introduced in 2019’s How Long and expanded with follow-ups Headway and Reasons Why. Bannatyne also features appearances from fellow Canadians City and Colour and Kathleen Edwards, collaborating on “Empty-Handed” and “More Me With You” respectively. As a whole, the album highlights Posen’s impactful lyricism and songwriting, ear for harmony, and masterful guitar work.
“I definitely intentionally played more guitar on this record, which was fun,” Posen says.
It’s not as though Posen’s musicianship has been a secret. After a JUNO Award-winning tenure with Winnipeg’s The Bros. Landreth, he continued building his reputation as a premier instrumentalist through collaborations with heavyweights including John Mayer and Tom Jones. His Mile End project yielded three LPs’ worth of improvised guitar instrumentals between 2022 and 2025. Performances at Eric Clapton‘s Crossroads Guitar Festival and his own Fender Stratocaster signature model cemented his status as a “modern-day guitar hero,” according to Rolling Stone.
As far as Posen himself is concerned, however, his playing is only part of his identity as an artist. “I’m just a guy who plays guitar and uses guitar as a tool,” he explains. “It’s all about the songs.”
Many of Bannatyne’s twelve songs have been in rotation at Ariel Posen’s live shows over the past two years. As he looks ahead to upcoming dates in Switzerland, the United States, and back home in Canada, Posen says he’s excited to continue sharing songs with both new and returning audiences. He’s also determined to honour his past while enjoying the present, pointing to “Meridian,” the album’s penultimate track, to describe this theme.
“When we’re chasing a goal or going for something, we get tunnel vision,” Posen explains. “We never really think about what got us there, and we don’t enjoy the ride…It’s a reflective theme of looking back while trying to enjoy this whole thing while you’re doing it.”
Learn more about Ariel Posen’s new album and upcoming tour dates here.
Watch Ariel Posen perform “Meridian” live below.
