NOBRO Interview & PUP Cover For SiriusXM Polaris Cover Sessions
NOBRO photo by Charles-Antoine Marcotte
Polaris 2024 Short List nominees NOBRO have covered PUP’s “Reservoir for the latest edition of the SiriusXM Polaris Cover Sessions.
A video performance of the song complete with an awkward civilian cameo and a celebratory side quest to a nearby bar is now available on the Polaris YouTube and Facebook channels. For those seeking an audio experience, the cover can be heard on the Polaris Soundcloud channel.
The “Reservoir” video was directed and edited by Alexandre Pelletier, with cinematography by Francis Leduc Bélanger, styling by Sarah Leblanc, sound engineering and mixing by Miguel Marcil-Pitre and mastering by Philip Shaw Bova.
Tickets for the 2025 Polaris Gala taking place at Toronto’s Massey Hall on September 16, 2025 are on sale now.
In total, 23 separate Cover Sessions have been commissioned by Polaris. Other acts who’ve contributed to the series include Jeremy Dutcher, NYSSA, Rae Spoon, Zoon, Kaia Kater, Corb Lund, Partner, Faith Healer, Pierre Kwenders, Jean-Michel Blais, Lindi Ortega, Weaves, Little Scream, Hannah Georgas, Les soeurs Boulay, Joel Plaskett, Zaki Ibrahim, Whitehorse, Sarah Harmer, Great Lake Swimmers and Arkells. These performances are available on the Polaris YouTube and Soundcloud channels.
Cover Sessions are presented by SiriusXM Canada.
Interview with NOBRO
Polaris: You covered PUP’s “Reservoir” for your Polaris Cover Session and you also performed this song live with PUP in 2024. What does this song mean to you?
Kathryn McCaughey: I remember hearing the song when it first came out and being like, “Woah, this band is gonna blow up!” To me, the song defines PUP and was the catalyst that kicked off everything for them. I feel like the message really resonates with me right now because we’ve gone through some changes as a band recently; both with the lineup and heading into heavier musical territory.
In the video, after you’re happy with the recording, you head out to party. Do you have any tips for how to party like NOBRO?
It oscillates between two extremes. Sometimes there’s zero party and we just go to bed and sometimes we get carried away and forget that we have responsibilities the next day. For party tips, put location share on your phone and drink a lot of water.
A very fluffy cat makes several appearances in the video. What is the origin story of the cat?
That’s my cat Chouchou! He’s the best. Chouchou made his way into my life and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. He’s named after the experimental band Xiu Xiu. He’s very social and you can take him outside on a leash. The “Reservoir” video is his second feature film, he was also in a movie with Barbie Ferreira! I’m so proud of him.
Your video also stars Anthony Montreuil as an bar awkward server who ends up back at the studio. Was that based on a true story? Is it a callback to your video for “The Kids Are Back”?
No, it wasn’t and I don’t think that was intentional. Karolane, our guitarist, has been obsessed with Sonic Youth videos and they always have this awkward-but-cool element to them. Alexandre Pelletier, the director, decided to bring in a comedian to make it awkward, but a bit serious at the same time. We felt like we were doing something special when we were making it. It was one of the most memorable times of making music for me because it was so easy, fun, and exciting.
People’s reactions to the cover can be broken into three categories: “fire,” “sick,” and “fuck yeah.” What percent “fire,” “sick,” and “fuck yeah” do you think your cover is?
I’m gonna say equal parts. [laughs]
Some people are saying that they like NOBRO’s cover better than PUP’s original. How does that make you feel?
Zack [Mykula], PUP’s drummer, said the same thing. I was like, “Dude, it will always be your song!” [laughs] It’s a huge compliment that we can do a cover that’s at 100 at all times and pull it off. For me, it means good things are on their way. It means we’re going in the right direction.
