This summer, Billy Raffoul has taken on the project of showcasing two sides of himself via two full-length albums. The first, Billy Raffoul, is an intimate acoustic story of connection after a trip to South Africa, combined with the power of affirming boundary-breaking music, which was released on July 18th. Today, he releases his second album, When I Cross The River, a rock-tinged collection of songs taken to the studio meant to be played loud. Ultimately, these two records showcase who Billy Raffoul is today as an artist.

On the album title track, Billy shares, "'When I Cross the River: This song is a homecoming in many ways. I left my hometown of Leamington, Ontario, at 19 for Nashville, TN. I went down there intending to make a rock and roll record instead; the music I would release for the next 10+ years would be predominantly acoustic recordings. It took over a decade, but I’ve finally made that rock record. The river I’m referencing in the track is the Detroit River; I cross it every time I came home to Leamington. Fun fact: I wrote this song with Linda Perry."

Nothing travels quite like music does. No spaceship, airplane, or automobile will ever match the speed of a song’s seeming hyper-jump from one place to the next. It might hop from the speakers of a pub in Germany to an outdoor gathering in Africa and back to a party in Ontario, Canada. Telling universal stories soundtracked by unshakable melodies, Billy Raffoul strikes an intimate chord, tapping into the feelings and experiences we all share, no matter where we call home. This relatability has consistently engaged listeners, yielding hundreds of millions of streams and sold-out shows around the globe for the award-winning Ontario singer, songwriter, and producer. 

When I Cross River begins with the heartwarming “Get Along,” a love song Billy wrote about meeting his girlfriend and how the age-old debate of The Rolling Stones vs. The Beatles may lead to a meeting with her father. 

Then there’s “Canadian,” a rock song about the experience of many immigrants who left their homes and everything they knew to build a life in a new country. The track is also dedicated to the place he calls home, his heritage, and his grandparents. Billy wrote this track nearly ten years ago after feeling inspired by the Kurdi family, seeking passage from Syria to Western Canada through Turkey and Greece in 2015. 

“Young” is the anthem of When I Cross the River, and Billy walks down memory lane, emphasizing the milestones of one's hometown, first relationship, friends one has fallen out of touch with, and ones they haven’t. “Young” was also co-written with Billy’s brother Peter Raffoul and Steve Molella. 

The album finishes with “Where the Skies are Blue,” which Billy wrote while on tour in the U.S. in November 2021, trying to figure out how to navigate the world after COVID.  Billy shares, “We got a flat tire on I-70 heading east through Kansas just west of Salina. I wrote the song on the side highway after I changed the flat. It’s a song about missing home and missing my band. It shares the same concept as WICTR and felt like an appropriate bookend.” 

To celebrate the news of his double album and new release, Billy is heading back on the road with a new U.S. and Canadian tour set to start this coming Fall 2025 with the first date on October 5 in Chicago at Schubas and will include stops in Baby’s All Right on October 14 in NewYork, Pearl Street Warehouse on October 19 in Washington D.C., Cat’s Cradle on October 21 in Carrboro, and then concluding in Toronto on November 19 at Longboat Hall.