JP Saxe talks feeling conflicted over success of If The World Was Ending and relationship with Julia Michaels in lockdown

The Canadian singer-songwriter admits he felt "conflicted" about celebrating the song's success during a global pandemic.

Among the many stars that have to align for a new artist to catch their big break, timing is one of the most important - and the one you probably have the least control over.

JP Saxe is all too familiar with this. The Canadian singer-songwriter's stirring ballad If The World Was Ending was released in a pre-COVID world in October 2019 and steadily found an audience, entering the Official Singles Chart Top 100 in January. All signs were pointing to it being a minor breakthrough moment.

But as the impact of COVID-19 was fully felt across the world, the song's success propelled - its lyrics fitting for the mood of many as lockdown separated us - or pushed us closer - to loved ones. At the time of writing it's spending its ninth week in the Top 40, 22nd overall in the Top 100.

MORE: The Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2020 so far

Adding to the song's already heavy emotional weight was that he co-wrote it with hit singer-songwriter Julia Michaels, whom he got into a relationship with shortly after finishing the track. The pair are currently in lockdown together in Los Angeles.

We called up JP over Zoom to talk about the song's unexpected journey to success, his relationship with Julia in lockdown and plans to break out of ballads for his next single. Watch below: