Karl Wolf says much of his success is owed to his breakout hit 'Africa,' which is why he's decided to revisit the track with a new remix to mark its 15th anniversary.
Karl Wolf poses on the red carpet as he arrives at the Juno awards show, Sunday, April 2, 2017 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
He hopes his latest remix will go a step further by appealing to younger listeners who've stumbled across his social media profiles, where he dives into the specifics of his creative process. The song arrives as Karl Wolf, born Carl Abou-Samah, embarks on his whirlwind countrywide tour starting on Nov. 24. The DIY tour will pack 19 shows into 25 days as he brings a version of his recording studio to the stage,giving fans a glimpse of how he creates music.
He says the DIY tour was inspired by his journey from being an immigrant in Canada to becoming an established musician. "I was like, 'Man, this is cool,"' he said. "And then I just thought to myself, 'Wouldn't it be cool to remake an '80s record?"' Before the success of "Africa," Abou-Samah honed his skills as a producer and songwriter for other artists such as Quebec band Dubmatique and pop duo Sky, later becoming the lead singer for the latter's third iteration.