Ottawa sparkles with the hues of celebration on July 1st, as the country comes together to celebrate Canada Day. Amidst the festivities, new Canadian citizens experience a heartwarming welcome at LeBreton Flats Park, where multi-Platinum-selling artist, Tyler Shaw, prepares to grace the stage with several other Canadian artists.
Shaw, whose melodic journey kicked off with his Platinum hit ‘Kiss Goodnight’ in 2012, has consistently been carving his place in the music industry, striking chords with listeners worldwide. He has a number of Platinum and Gold tracks to his name, including ‘House of Cards’ and ‘Wicked,’ which led to a JUNO Award nomination for ‘Pop Album of the Year’ in 2019. On this monumental day, Shaw is set to deliver an unforgettable performance, further establishing his indelible mark on Canadian music.
“I didn’t realize initially that my performance was tied so closely to the citizenship ceremony, but learning that, it’s incredibly humbling,” Shaw shares. “What better place to celebrate Canada Day than in Ottawa? It’s such an honor to provide the musical backdrop for these individuals becoming citizens, an incredibly pivotal event in their lives.”
Tyler Shaw and Josiane rehearse for the 2023 Canada Day ceremonies in Ottawa, to be held on July 1. Source: Tyler Shaw, Instagram.
In a refreshing shift, Shaw is ready to debut a new rock-inspired song called “Out of Sight,” in addition to performing a bilingual version of his hit song “With You,” alongside Dieppe, New Brunswick artist Josiane. “As an artist, when you release music, you can only hope for a positive reaction,” he says. “But when I wrote ‘Out of Sight’, it was one of the most exciting sessions I’ve ever had. I’m looking forward to laying my heart on the line because this song really means a lot to me.”
His evolution from a pop artist known for love ballads to embracing a rock-inspired style is something Shaw is particularly excited about. “Growing up, I used to listen to a lot of rock music, from Tool to Nickelback to Rage Against the Machine,” Shaw reveals. “So, with ‘Out of Sight,’ I’m digging into that lane a bit, going back to my rock band days.”
Reflecting on the creative process behind “Out of Sight,” Shaw illuminates how the song is the result of both new inspirations and his innate musical instincts. “It was accumulated from listening to new music, discovering new artists, and simply listening to what my heart wanted to say. The creative process is very easy-going and simple for me. It was such a fun session that came so naturally,” Shaw shares enthusiastically.
Shaw’s next album signifies a departure from the love-themed specificity of his previous works. “I’ve made it broader,” he says. “Some songs tell a bit of a story, but mostly it’s up to the listener’s interpretation. They’re not very specific, allowing listeners to relate it to their own lives.”
For Shaw, family is at the heart of everything. It’s his grounding point, his inspiration, and his primary source of joy. In 2020, Shaw and his wife welcomed a new member into their family, a baby girl. He recalls, “When we had our daughter in 2020, things got put into perspective. Her grandparents aren’t getting any younger and we wanted our daughter to have a relationship with them. We just wanted to spend more time around family.”
Recently, the family made a significant decision, they moved to Ottawa, the Canadian capital. Shaw smiles as he adds, “Besides, the additional help with the kids is definitely a bonus.”
Their little one, who will turn three in December, is already showing interest in music, a fact that makes Shaw gleam with fatherly pride. “She’s always asking to play the piano, sing on the microphone, and she even tries her hand at playing the guitar in my studio,” he says. However, Shaw also emphasizes that while he encourages her interests, he isn’t pushy. “If she doesn’t end up going down the lane, then that’s totally fine. Whatever she’s happy with.”
Shaw’s journey has led him to share stages with big names in the music industry like Shawn Mendes, Selena Gomez, and Alessia Cara. When asked about his experience, Shaw responds with surprising humility. “To be honest, it’s like any other show. Obviously, there’s a bit more energy because there are larger crowds, but you just want to connect with the audience. You just want them to feel like they are a part of something.”
Shaw’s creativity isn’t confined to his original songs. His unique rendition of Gayle’s “ABCDEFU” found massive popularity on TikTok, an unexpected success he embraces with humor. “I saw Gayle’s version on TikTok, thought the lyrics were kind of mean, and flipped it around. And it blew up. It really just took off. People love it.”
Even amidst his blossoming career, Shaw never shies away from new opportunities and collaborations. He describes his recent collaboration with Josh Ramsay on his solo album project as a “full circle, dream come true moment.” Shaw reveals, “I’ve been a fan of Mariana’s Trench since I was a kid, so when Josh called me, I said, absolutely.”
Shaw’s latest collaboration with Sasha, “Confidence,” is a song with a powerful message. He feels the messaging is particularly significant now that he has a daughter. “It’s basically saying, ‘you have confidence inside you, it just takes a moment to find it’. And that journey is totally fine.”
When it comes to celebrating Canada Day this year, Shaw has a packed schedule. “I’m doing my performance in Ottawa at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time, and then I hop on a flight to Toronto and do an evening performance in Markham.” He adds, his family will be there, at least for the Ottawa performance.
This Canada Day is shaping up to be a milestone in Shaw’s career – a day of connection, celebration, and an affirmation of his journey thus far. As the nation unites to celebrate, Shaw’s music provides a soundtrack of unity and hope, resonating with the heart of every Canadian.
Shaw’s performance with Josiane at the citizenship ceremony will be available for viewing on CBC, CBC Gem, ICI Radio-Canada Télé,and ICI RDI starting at 11:00 a.m. ET | 12:30 p.m. (Newfoundland time), and also features Pierre Kwenders, Delhi 2 Dublin, Diyet, Katia Rock and Marie-Josée Dandeneau.
Other performers at the Canada Day festivities, which will be spread across the country, include Jann Arden, Les Louanges, Clerel, Roxane Bruneau, JoJo Mason, Madison Violet, Aysanabee, Dubmatique, Josh Q and France D’Amour, Dax, Josiane and Preston Pablo.
Evening performances on Canada Day, held in Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, and Charlottetown, will be broadcast live on CBC, CBC Gem, ICI Radio-Canada Télé, and ICI Tou.tv at 8 p.m. (local time), 9 p.m. (Atlantic time), and 9:30 p.m. (Newfoundland time).
For more, visit the official Canada Day website: canada.ca.
