Rue Saint-Denis: Lorenzo Guevarra’s Love Letter to Montreal

Out July 31 on all streaming platforms

Inner West-based singer-songwriter Lorenzo Guevarra is back with a heartfelt new single, Rue St Denis, dropping July 31.

The indie folk artist, known for his emotionally raw lyricism, draws inspiration from a transformative trip to Montreal, crafting a track that feels like both a memory and a love letter.

"Rue Saint-Denis just fell out of me," Guevarra says of the song's origins.

"I wrote it on my last day in Montreal, in a hotel room on Saint Denis Street. It was a moment of reflection, where I felt this mix of melancholy and gratitude — like I had completed a chapter."

The title was taken directly from the voice memo that held the first demo — timestamped, tagged, and quietly telling him where the story began.

The track marks a departure from the darker tones of his previous single Côtes du Rhône, which featured deep echoey vocals and a thunderous soundscape, and introduces a new, dreamier, lighter, and more nostalgic sound.

Rue Saint-Denis, however, leans into a dreamier, lighter, and more nostalgic sound. "It's the closest thing I have to not depressing," Guevarra laughs. "It came from a peaceful place."

Guevarra recalls redoing the guitar parts for hours, haunted by a ghost note only he could hear. "I tried everything — EQ, compression — but it stuck out. So I redid it, remixed it, and played it on a different guitar. It was a hassle, but I'm glad I did it. Now it behaves," he says with a smile, showcasing his dedication to his craft.

Visually, Rue Saint-Denis also marks a shift. Known for earth-toned photos in bushland and coastal settings, Guevarra takes a different approach with the single's cover art — an abstract, hand-drawn rendering of Montreal's metro lines in blue and orange. "I couldn't find a photo that felt right," he says. "But I saw this map every day on public transport, and it just stuck with me. It became part of the story."

Written in the wake of a personal loss — the passing of Guevarra's Montreal friend — the track doubles as a quiet tribute. "He was 82, lived a good life, but I just wish he could've heard this," Guevarra says. "In a way, I still hear him in the overtones of my guitar."

Guevarra sees Rue Saint-Denis as part of a larger body of work. "It's definitely connected to other songs I wrote in that same era — my time in Canada," he shares. "I don't know what the EP will be called yet, but it's all part of the same story." Given Guevarra's track record, it can be speculated that the title will be something French.

With a growing interest in ambient textures and diegetic sounds — clinking wine glasses, the low murmur of a bar — Guevarra hints at more intimate and cinematic work to come. "I've got demos where I'm playing with wine glass clinks and bar ambience. It's about bringing people into the room with you," he says.

Regarding live performances, Guevarra acknowledges that "Rue Saint-Denis" is a more delicate track to translate on stage. "There's no chorus or bridge — just two verses. It's going to evolve with every show. I don't want to get bored of my own songs. They need to keep surprising me too."


With the promise of more music on the way, Rue Saint-Denis is a quiet standout in Guevarra's growing catalogue — a gentle postcard from a trip that clearly left a mark. It's available on all streaming platforms from July 31.

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Folk in the heart of the Inner West – A Lorenzo Guevarra Profile