Edwin Raphael wrote his new album in his sleep

In this episode of Q with Tom Power, Montreal-based musician Edwin Raphael shares the deeply personal and surreal inspiration behind his new album, I Know It Garden. The album is rooted in a vivid dream where he awoke naked on a mysterious island, overwhelmed by urgency to find water and clean himself, only to realize he was missing the island's beauty—strawberries, wonder, and magic. That dream became the foundation for a fictional island that symbolizes his childhood memories of Kerala, India, where he felt both terror and awe in the jungle. Raphael reflects on how those early experiences, combined with his family's intuitive connection to nature—like his mother flying a dragonfly like a kite—shaped his sense of wonder and identity. He discusses how moving to Montreal helped him find a creative home in its vibrant music scene, and how writing songs about dreams and childhood memories has become a way to process emotion and reclaim a sense of belonging. The episode explores themes of memory, wonder, and the transformative power of dreams. Key takeaways include: 1) Dreams can be powerful sources of creative inspiration and self-discovery; 2) Wonder is not childish—it’s a vital, underappreciated way of engaging with the world; 3) Childhood experiences, especially those that feel strange or isolating, can hold profound meaning; 4) Nature and intuition can offer wisdom beyond logic; 5) Finding community in art can help heal feelings of displacement; 6) Embracing the inexplicable can lead to deeper emotional truth; 7) Music can be a bridge between memory and identity; 8) Sometimes, the most important thing is to pause and notice the beauty around you. The overall tone is reflective, heartfelt, and deeply positive, celebrating the magic in the mundane and the power of storytelling.