Aidan Burke is Wide Open Country's Last Call Confessions promotion winner for his song, "Peace Of Mind."
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"I wrote 'Peace of Mind' about a relationship I was in a few years prior, where we both felt it was right to take some time apart, maybe indefinitely, to figure out life on our own," Burke told Wide Open Country. "Sort of a right person, wrong time type of situation."
"I wanted to capture the feeling of needing to take a break from something or with someone that you love, while also wishing nothing but the best for them too," he added. "All the while hoping they'll still be there when the time is right."
For Burke, the track is "bittersweet."
"It's exactly what you feel at the end of a fun evening, or in this case, the end of a great relationship," he said. "It's the feeling of not wanting something to end, but knowing it has to."
Read on to learn more about Burke.
Aidan Burke Q&A
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SONGWRITING? WHAT GOT YOU INTO MUSIC IN THE FIRST PLACE?
I've been songwriting for a little over four years now, though I've been playing music for a lot longer than that. My family, especially my brother, is the biggest reason I started playing music. I looked up to him for most things in my life growing up. Whatever he did, I wanted to try next. So when he picked up a ukulele when I was about 9 years old, of course I had to try. I've been playing guitar on and off ever since.
It wasn't until I was about 20 that I really tried singing, and a couple of years later I wrote, produced, and released my first song, "Lazy." Music has been a companion for me, both playing it and listening, for my whole life. Being able to write songs that can be that for other people is the best feeling in the world.
WHY DID YOU ENTER WOC'S LAST CALL CONFESSIONS PROMOTION?
I entered the Last Call Confessions promotion from an Instagram ad of all things. I read through the prompt and felt like my song could be a great fit. The idea of being able to reach such a large audience at such an early stage in my songwriting career seemed pretty awesome, so I submitted!
WHAT DOES WINNING THE CONTEST MEAN TO YOU?
It means the world! I love songwriting, and to know that a song I wrote made someone else feel as strongly or as deeply as I did while writing it, that's the best feeling ever! Songwriting is very subjective, and can feel like a shot in the dark sometimes. Winning this contest definitely helps put some of those thoughts to rest. I'm incredibly grateful for it.
WHAT SONGWRITERS DO YOU COUNT AS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS? WHY?
Oh gosh... The list would be endless, but a few of my biggest songwriting inspirations are John Mayer, Jack Johnson, James Taylor, and Jason Mraz. Their music feels timeless, from the production, to instrumentation, to lyric choices. I grew up listening to all four of them, and they're still in my daily rotation today. All of them are also wonderful guitar players in their own styles, and it really shines through in their songwriting. I definitely wouldn't be the artist or person I am today without their music.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PLANS IN 2026.
I have a ton of new music releasing this year, the first of which you can expect later this summer and fall 2026. (Keep an eye out on my instagram @aidanburkeofficial.) I'll also be playing some shows in the midwest and east coast around the same time.
Other than that, I'm looking to meet and write with as many people as possible! I got to do a co-write in Nashville for the first time last year. It was such a fun time!
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CAREER DREAM?
My biggest career dream is to make music for the rest of my life, whatever that looks like. I would love to fill stadiums and travel the world doing so, but making music that's genuine, from my heart, and that helps people the same way that my favorite songwriters have helped me throughout my life. That's number one. Though playing a sold-out show at the United Center in Chicago is definitely a close second.
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHER ARTISTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING ENTERING THE CONTEST?
Do it!! The opportunity to get your song heard by someone in the songwriting industry is incredible. I was hesitant to submit my work for most of last year, but I realized, you won't know what doors can open unless you try!
Photo by Liam Burke
