Exclusive Artist Interview: Paradise Ablaze

Originally born back in 2021 with a different lineup, Paradise Ablaze took a short hiatus and came back in 2023 better than ever. I call it alternative shoegaze, but frontman Trent calls it a mutt of all the boys’ music tastes. “There’s no specific genre we’re aiming for, the one we use is mainly just what fits best overall for everyone to grab onto”, he shares. Paradise Ablaze, now made up of Trent Nastiuk (vocals and guitar), Dillon Moxley (bassist), and Caiden Hawkins (drums) put their heart and soul into their music. Their passion for what they’re doing and their goal to connect with their listeners on a deeper level is plain to see.  

Besides being down-to-earth and well-spoken for how young they are (two of the three members are still in high school), these guys exude talent. They touch on the importance of staying true to themselves, and this shines through when you watch them perform. 

Before I sat down with the guys as a band, I had the opportunity to have a deep chat with Trent, which aside from being a huge Paradise Ablaze fan, led me to want to interview these guys in the first place. “The majority of bands are always hyperfocal on individual growth and not what music is made for: human connection and being able to share experiences with one another without having to say it. Musicians/bands/artists/whatever the hell you wanna call them; they all forget that without people to support them they’d have nothing, and without the musician creating something to make people feel less alone in how they feel inside. There would be no industry, there would be no connection to music, music wouldn’t matter as much as it does.” This guy could talk for hours about his passion for this project, and it’s super admirable. 

Shutter 16 had the opportunity to kick it with all of Paradise Ablaze to get the whole band’s insights on all things, well, Paradise Ablaze. You can listen to the full interview below. 

Paradise Ablaze is cooking things up in the studio and working diligently on breaking into our local scene. This is absolutely, without a doubt a group to keep an eye on. Keep up with the guys here.