Juno Award winning musician David Myles sworn in as MP for Fredericton–Oromocto

Katie Kelly chats with N.B. musician David Myles and newly elected Member of Parliament.

After two decades on Canadian stages, acclaimed singer-songwriter David Myles is now settling into a very different kind of spotlight — as the newly elected Member of Parliament for Fredericton–Oromocto.

Myles, a Juno-winning artist says the transition from music to politics was fueled by a deep sense of purpose and concern for the country’s future.

“I started to feel for the country in a way that I hadn’t in my life,” Myles said in an interview with CTV Atlantic’s Katie Kelly. “It wasn’t that I studied political science. It was that I felt like I actually knew the country, and I loved the country, and I had faith in the people of this country, and that was honestly the motivating force.”

Myles says his background as a touring musician has been useful in his new role. “The intensity of the job, the schedule of the job, obviously the public part of the job, too,” he said.

He officially took office following a win supported by more than 250 campaign volunteers.

“It hit me all at once. This is real. I’m going to be an MP,” he said. “This is a full-time, very serious job, and I want to do it well.”

Myles says he’s fully committed to representing all constituents — even those who may not share his views.

“People love musicians. Politicians? Not so much,” he said. “But I ran to represent everybody. That’s how I approached my music too. I never wanted to just play to like-minded people — I wanted connection across the board.”

His first few weeks on the hill have been memorable. Just days after being sworn in, Myles found himself sitting in the House of Commons for the first time and watching King Charles deliver an address to Parliament.

“It was wild. One minute I’m at the market in Fredericton, the next I’m watching the King speak in Ottawa,” he said.

While his calendar is now dominated by politics, Myles isn’t ruling out returning to music for charitable causes like Singing for Supper, a holiday tradition he holds dear.

“I won’t be doing gigs, not while this job demands so much,” he said. “But I’ll still play at night — to soothe my soul.”

As for his long-term goal in office, Myles says it’s all about staying grounded.

“I want to build bridges — between urban and rural, between people with different perspectives,” he said. “And I want to stay connected to the community that sent me here.”