Rising Canadian country artist Paige Rutledge is having a breakthrough moment. Fresh off her emotionally charged new single “Hate How I Love You”—released October 24 via New Motor Records—the Ontario singer-songwriter continues to carve out her place as one of the most exciting new voices in Canadian country. With over 600,000 streams on her debut EP Break Up Rules, festival performances across the country, and two 2025 CMAO Award nominations, Rutledge is proving she’s a force to watch. We caught up with Paige to talk about the late-night spark behind her new single, the healing that came with writing it, her creative partnership with Dayna Reid and Jessica Sole, and her brand-new honky-tonk twist on a Christmas classic.
Your new single “Hate How I Love You” is incredibly emotional and honest. What was the first spark that led you to write this song?
“Hate How I Love You” is probably one of the most personal songs that I have ever written. It’s no secret that breakups suck and sometimes there are a lot of unresolved feelings left at the end. That is what “Hate How I Love You” is supposed to capture. I think a lot of people can relate to that feeling of trying to move on but not knowing how and that is what inspired this song. It was experiencing those same feelings that led me to this idea.
You mentioned the idea began in a quiet late-night moment. Can you take us back to that moment and what inspired you to jot down the title in your notes app?
I think like many other people, I tend to overthink a lot haha! And that overthinking tends to happen when I am about to go to bed but then that also leads to song ideas that I always try to jot down quickly in my notes app or as a voice memo. This idea came VERY shortly after a breakup and I was feeling a little sad one night, so I just wrote down that title in my phone. I was not sure when I was going to actually write the song, but I knew that it was something I wanted to say when I was ready to write it.
This song was written with Dayna Reid and Jessica Sole. What made them the perfect collaborators for such a personal track?
There’s something very special about writing songs and making music with your friends. I have known both Dayna Reid and Jessica Sole for a number of years and not only are they both insanely talented, but they are two of my favourite people as well. I knew that with an idea this personal, I wanted to write it with two people that knew me on a deeper level than just an artist. Because they both already knew what I was feeling when I brought this idea into the writing session, we were able to just be fully vulnerable with each other, and I think that’s what makes this song so special to me- the real raw emotion and vulnerability that you can feel in it.
How did the three of you approach shaping the story and emotions of the song during the writing session?
It was really important to me that we captured the vulnerability when we were writing this song. Nobody wants to be vulnerable BUT I think with a song like “Hate How I Love You,” it was important that the listeners could feel exactly what I was going through. The three of us really drew from what I had just gone through and what everyone else had been through in the past to make sure that the emotion was captured in the lyrics. I made a promise to myself that I would always be 100% honest in the songs that I was putting out and it was no different when we were writing this one.
You’ve said “Hate How I Love You” came from a real place and helped you heal. In what ways did the writing and recording process become therapeutic for you?
Music has always been something that I have leaned no matter what I was going through in life and I think a lot of people can relate to that. Because the feelings were new and fresh when I was writing and recording this song, I was really able to lean into every single lyric and in doing that, it was a sense of relief. I remember finishing up recording vocals for the song and turning to my producer, Matt Koebel, and saying that I feel so much better haha. It really was a therapeutic process for me because I was able to just get out absolutely everything I was feeling, which making a song means so much to me.
Breakup songs hit listeners differently depending on their own experiences. What do you hope people going through a difficult time feel when they hear this single?
I totally agree and think that’s why music is so special. There truly is a song for everything that people are going through, and I hope that when listeners hear “Hate How I Love You,” they are able to feel heard and know that it is ok to not be fully over something right away. It takes time to heal and that is why it was important that we had that message in the bridge of the song. I also hope that listeners blast this in their car and scream the lyrics because that does help with getting over someone, I promise haha!
“Hate How I Love You” is your second release with New Motor Records. How has signing with them influenced your creativity and momentum this year?
Having a team that believes in you and trusts you is everything!! It has also allowed me to really focus on what I want to say as an artist. Knowing that you have a group of people behind you and supporting you allows for so many doors to be opened to new listeners and for that, I am very grateful! I have always believed in that everything takes a village of people working together, and to see what we were able to do with just two releases makes me very excited for what is coming next.
Your previous single “Whatcha Gonna Do” earned over 200,000 streams and airplay on SiriusXM. How did that success help set the stage for this new release?
“Whatcha Gonna Do” is such a special song to me! Hearing it on the radio or watching people sing along while we play it live will never get old and I am always so grateful that people are listening to my music. I do believe that because of the positive response we got with “Whatcha Gonna Do,” it made listeners excited for what was coming next. It’s always important to me that we push ourselves to be better with each song that comes next. I had the same excitement about releasing Hate How I Love You as I did with “Whatcha Gonna Do,” so I was hoping listeners would feel that same way too.
You’re known for authentic storytelling and powerful vocals. How do those strengths come through in this track compared to your earlier work?
I think what makes the newer tracks different than my earlier work is that I’ve learnt to be a lot more honest with myself. Over the past year or so, I’ve really pushed myself to focus on what I want to say and what feels the most true to me and I think listeners can tell when artists are doing that. The more that I believe in what I am saying and singing about, so does the audience.
Congratulations on your 2025 CMAO Award nominations for Breakthrough Artist and Album of the Year! How did it feel to receive that recognition at this stage in your career?
Ah thank you so much!! This was a very special moment for me in my career. I have been attending the CMA Ontario awards for a number of years and have always loved getting to be a part of that community. Being recognized at this stage, right after releasing my EP Break Up Rules, felt incredibly special because I was really proud of that body of work. That EP felt like a really big turning point for me- we had a sold out release show, people were resonating with what I was saying- and then the nominations just felt like an extra piece of validation that I was on the right path.
You also just released a lively, honky-tonk twist on “Blue Christmas.” What inspired you to flip such a beloved classic into something playful and fresh with new lyrics?
Oh I love “Blue Christmas!” When Matt Koebel and I were in the studio coming up with what we could record for a Christmas song, we were both on the same page that the cover had to feel very much like me as an artist. If you’ve listened to “Whatcha Gonna Do,” it has a very fun, playful, flirty energy which I would say is very representative of my live show as well. We were kind of messing around with ideas and it was Matt’s idea to flip the lyrics to make the song more “Paige.” We recorded it and both were like we have to at least try it! It could’ve been a little bit of a risk changing lyrics on a traditional Christmas song but it has been really well received by listeners and I am really proud of how the song turned out!
With growing festival appearances, a successful EP, and a wave of new music, what can fans expect from you next as you continue this exciting chapter?
SO much music in 2026!! I spent a good chunk of this year writing songs that I am extremely proud of and will be releasing next year. I really spent 2025 pushing myself to figure out exactly what I want to say as Paige and as an artist and the collection of songs that we will be putting out I think will really resonate with listeners. I’m extremely grateful for what 2025 has taught me and opportunities that I have been given and I am excited to continue with this momentum into next year and see what comes next!
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Paige Rutledge is clearly an artist in motion—one who knows how to turn personal moments into powerful storytelling while still finding room for joy, reinvention, and country charm. With “Hate How I Love You” showcasing her emotional depth and her honky-tonk “Blue Christmas” revealing her playful side, she’s proving she’s not just rising—she’s ready to claim her place among Canada’s next wave of country standouts. Fans can look forward to even more honesty, heart, and musical surprises as Paige gears up for what’s shaping up to be her biggest year yet.
