Canadian singer Daniel Powter was in Malaysia to attend the third season of the Knights Award. Photo: Daniel Powter/Instagram
It all started when Daniel Powter took a ferry ride from Victoria to Vancouver, Canada.
The Canadian singer-songwriter was on his way to record a new song when he came across a poster that read, “Are you having a bad day?”
Inspired, lyrics began flowing in his head, and the 53-year-old quickly jotted down the words that fit with his melody.
“For the rest of the song, I tried poking fun at myself... almost like whining about the things that are going wrong in life.
“It took me 10 minutes to finish the whole thing,” Powter recalled to StarLifestyle in this exclusive interview in Petaling Jaya.
Little did he know, this spontaneous creation, aptly titled Bad Day, would turn him into an overnight sensation.
Powter was in Malaysia to attend the third season of the Knights Award, which celebrates the exceptional achievements and contributions of outstanding individuals in their respective fields. He was honoured with the International Timeless Singer of the Year (North America) award for his significant contributions to the music industry.
Powter (2nd from left) was awarded the International Timeless Singer of the Year (North America) laurel at the Knights Award in Malaysia. Photo: Handout
When blue skies fade to grey
Powter’s musical talents were evident from an early age.
He started playing the violin at four and was already penning his own songs at 13.
The singer met producer Jeff Dawson in 1997 and released his inaugural album I’m Your Betty three years later.
His big break came in 2005 with the release of his debut single Bad Day, which sold over 25 million copies and has more than 613 million streams on Spotify.
Not only did Bad Day become the first song to sell two million digital copies in the United States. It also topped charts in over 40 countries – including Canada, China, Malaysia, Japan and more.
The song’s global success earned Powter a Canadian Juno Award for New Artiste of the Year in 2006 and a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 2007.
But behind the fame and accolades, the whirlwind of celebrity life left Powter feeling overwhelmed, and he found himself falling into a state of depression.
“When you’re a songwriter, all you want to do is write and perform. As the years went by, that became the last thing I was doing. It was all about selling records,” he said.
Long stretches of time spent alone in hotel rooms during relentless tours also left Powter feeling isolated, causing him to turn to substances and alcohol.
“I was in such a bad place... It got to a point where I couldn’t remember what was happening. Then one day, I woke up and decided it was time for me to change my life,” he shared.
Powter managed to achieve sobriety in 2010, though it wasn’t without its struggles.
Along the way, the Free Loop singer was also served with divorce papers from his wife.
“I was touring so much back then.
“Every time I came home, my daughter would be another two inches taller. That’s when I started to re-evaluate what I was doing. It took years for me to fix my relationship with her.
“I did what I had to do to for my career but it was at the expense of my family. It was hard on them and on me,” said the father of three, who took a break from showbiz in 2011 to rebuild his life.
Turning his life around
After a year away from music, Powter returned with a new single Cupid, followed by his fourth album Turn On The Lights.
Over the years, the singer released various songs and collaborated with different artistes – including Chinese pop group The Untamed Boys and Japanese singer Ayaka Hiraharai.
However, these projects didn’t match the global phenomenon that was Bad Day.
“It cast a shadow over subsequent releases. You want to move on to new music, but this song never went away.
“I began exploring different styles of music, and in doing so, came to terms with the song.
“After some time, Bad Day just became a reminder for me to stop whining about things when there’s so much more happening in the world,” he said.
Earlier in April, Powter made his Canadian television debut as a guest performer on Canada’s Got Talent.
When asked why he hadn’t appeared on a Canadian show before, Powter said it’s because his labels were more focused on the larger music markets.
“I made a mistake not speaking up for myself and pushing for promotions in Canada.
“Still, I’m glad I finally got to check this off my list because my mum’s getting older, and it meant a lot that she got to see me perform on TV in my home country,” he added.
Powter is scheduled to release his first album since 2018 next year. Photo: SAMUEL ONG/The Star
Today, Powter has found peace with his past and a healthier way of dealing with life’s lows.
Instead of turning to destructive habits, the singer boxes, surfs, exercises and stays away from processed foods.
“I feel like I’ve already achieved most of what I wanted in my personal life, so I just want to be present in the moment now.
“I love fishing, so I want to explore the coastal regions next... just find a boat and get out there, you know,” he added.
Powter is currently preparing to release his first studio album since Giants in 2018.
Coinciding with the album’s release is a world tour that is expected to kick off in South-East Asia after Chinese New Year in 2025.
When asked if he’s hoping to make a breakthrough once more, Powter said he’s over his heydays.
“Do I want to achieve No.1 hits? Not really, but I do think pop music nowadays is very homogenised, so I want to introduce music I think is missing in the marketplace,” he said.
