These days, Royal Wood is royally happy

Singer Royal Wood has to catch himself at one point, describing how happy he is. He doesn't want to "sound all Tony Robbins."

But he likely has the same effect to anyone sitting near him as he does a couple of interviews at a Toronto coffee shop. He writes some sad songs. He doesn't always smile in photos. But make no mistake, Royal Wood is one chipper guy.

"Each day is a success," he says. "I mean, I go to bed excited, I wake up excited. You have setbacks. It's not like you get to think positive thoughts and your life's going to be great. You've gotta go for it.

'If you actually dig deep, that last push, that's the thing that gets you all the rewards in life. I push myself and have very lofty goals, but I'm loving the trip."

The glass-half-empty observer might wonder why Wood isn't a bigger star by now after 12 years of accolades, international tours and even that holy grail for singer/songwriters - a tune on Grey's Anatomy (A Mirror Without).

But the glass-half-full outlook, which Wood shares, has him right where he's supposed to be: A slow, steady climb to Canadian stardom. It brings him back to Jackson-Triggs Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake Saturday, where he'll be joined by the Niagara Symphony and Emilie-Claire Barlow.

"I am more excited now than I've ever been about my career," he says. "I'm so in love with my life, what I do, and what I get to do. I'm definitely in a moment of gratitude."

Even as the conversation turns to his 2013 divorce from Canadian singer Sarah Slean, there isn't a trace of bitterness in Wood's tone. He and Slean parted as friends, and - as he describes it - their time together was as long as it was meant to be.

"I think every story has an ending," he says. "It can happen at any time in your life. You know, I've watched grandparents bury their partner of 60 years. There's always an ending. You don't have to work at change, you just have to work at progress.

"I've experienced a lot of love since that divorce. A lot of reasons to have passion in my life, joy in my life. I don't think about the past to the point of it being detrimental. I know it's informed decisions in my life, and I think I'm more buoyant and more excited because of the past. You've got to have that background if you want a foreground."

The son of the former treasurer for Chatham Hydro, Wood was raised on a Lakefield, Ontario farm which he now owns. At four, he was playing piano by ear, and once he started music lessons he was adept at guitar, drums, and trumpet.

His debut EP and first full-length release, 2004's Tall Tales, earned raves for their retro pop sound and melodic production. A decade later, 2014's The Burning Bright and its single Forever and Ever brought him his biggest chart success.

This year's Ghost Light, his seventh album, is a melting pot of every relationship he's ever had.

"Not just my marriage, but every relationship of my life informed it. At the time of writing, different ones at the time of recording, and there's a brand new relationship in my life right now."

And with every new relationship comes the hardship of Wood being on tour weeks at a time. After Niagara-on-the-Lake, he has three more North American shows before heading to Switzerland, The Netherlands and Ireland for 10 shows in 11 days. He then returns for a Canadian tour wrapping up Oct. 15 in Chatham.

"That's the most difficult part," he says. "For what we as touring musicians do for a living, you have to be away from your family and loved ones. The ones who are meant to be by your side, they're going to understand that.

"I'll tell you one thing about being a touring musician, though: You never lack in passion in your life, because when you come home it's pretty amazing!"