One Pentictonite feels its time to part ways with the USA.

Upset over the tumultuous relationship between the United States and Canada, a local musician has written a breakup song to the southern neighbour.

Philip Solman has been writing and releasing his music for years and said that, unfortunately, President Donald Trump is his muse at the moment.

"I don't particularly want that to be the case," he added. "Dear America felt like something I had to write. It's a breakup letter. I'm originally from the UK, but I'm very, very proudly Canadian."

"Now I'm very thankful this country gave me a home. I'm married to a wonderful Canadian woman, I'm the luckiest man alive as far as I'm concerned. But when Donald Trump threatens us, it makes me both sad and angry."

Dear America was created in February, when Solman was participating in February Album Writing Month, where songwriters all around the globe get together online and try to write 14 songs in the month's time.

"I managed seven this year. Normally, I write between seven and 10 in February, and there's always duds in there, but this was the last one I wrote, and it just felt special," Solman said.

"It's mostly about resonating with people, I think a breakup letter from Canada, but also from other countries, to America, I think it will resonate with lots of people."

Solman said that he feels Canada has been a huge friend to America.

The song did resonate, as when it was released in mid-April, it was quickly picked up by radios across Canada and internationally.

Unsigned BC on Co-op Radio in Vancouver made it their song of the week and said in their review, it was “a haunting love letter turned lament - a slow-burning elegy to a country once idolized, now estranged."

"It's been played on a couple of stations in Ontario. It's been played in my original hometown, Coventry, in the UK. It just recently got played in Australia as well, on a little radio station," Solman said.

As a self-described "musical nobody," Solman said he hopes other musicians will pick up the songs and share their versions of them.

"With this song, I released it under Creative Commons, which means any artist can take my song, record it, and release it, they don't pay me anything. "

One positive, Solman said he's seen come out of the uncertainty around tariffs and the economy is Canadians coming together, supporting local.

"I want to see the continuing strengthening of pride in Canada and connection between Canadians, and more trade between our provinces and more investment in what we do up here," he added.

"We've got to really build our own country up and make it as strong as we can."

Somlan releases his songs as The English Assassin. The free download of the song, plus lyrics and chords, is available at tinyurl.com/DearAmericaABreakupSong or at theenglishassassin.com

Photo: Contributed

Dear America (A Beakup Song) was written by Pentictonite Philip Solman