Toronto-based singer-songwriter Madisyn Whajne presents her new single ‘Sweet Talk’, the latest taster of her debut long-play ‘Save Our Hearts’, recorded live to tape with engineers Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, The Barr Brothers) and Shae Brossard (Bahamas, The Dears) at Montreal’s famed Hotel2Tango Studio.
Invigorating and bittersweet, Whajne’s music demonstrates resilience and survival in the face of pain and heartbreak. Inspired by bands like the Go Go’s and the Vaccines, Whajne’s music blends elements of such artists as Alvvays, Snail Mail, Rilo Kiley and Real Estate.
Madisyn Whajne (pronounced Wayne) has spent most of her life searching: for her purpose, for her family, for herself. Taken from her parents before the age of two as part of the infamous Sixties Scoop, in which the Canadian government forcibly rehoused tens of thousands of native children, Whajne grew up without knowing her real name, to say nothing of her heritage. Not surprisingly, her life has been shaped by a hunger for truth and understanding, a yearning that lies at the core of her extraordinary debut ‘Save Our Hearts’.
Whajne’s band is comprised of longtime friends—producer Jay McBride on bass, James Gray (of Soft Set) on guitar, and her husband Bobby Bulat (of Basia Bulat) on drums. While Whajne rarely wears her emotions and details her life journey in explicit narrative terms, her story is written between the lines in this LP as she navigates love and trust, reunion and rejection, faith and fate.
“’Sweet Talk’ was the first song I wrote for this record. It started as a sad love song, but after bringing it to the band it took on a new meaning. Not one where I sat with my sadness and longing, but instead where I took some power back; to remind myself that I can still stand tall in the face of adversity and loss. Whether we are left heart broken or not… all of our hearts keep beating,” says Madisyn Whajne.
“This video was shot over two nights with my good friends Laura Keightley, David Gruer and Bobby Bulat. The original concepts for all my videos changed due to the pandemic, so I had to keep an open mind and be willing to go with the flow. Laura and David are both really talented Art Directors and they turned an average living room and bedroom into two really fun sets. Laura directed this one and I am so happy with how it turned out. We were shooting test shots on a Friday night and ended up using them for most of the video! I have had to really push myself out of my comfort zones and let me tell you, playing guitar on a bed outfitted with oversized cushions was no easy task… but we had fun doing it and I think it shows.”
‘Sweet Talk’ is out now, available across online stores such as Apple Music and streaming platforms like Spotify. It can also be ordered directly from the artist via Bandcamp. The full ‘Save Our Hearts’ album will be released on December 11.
CREDITS
Madisyn Whajne: B3 Organ, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals & Back Up Vocals
James Gray: Electric Guitar & Back Up Vocals
Jay McBride: Bass, Acoustic Guitar & Back Up Vocals
Brittany Clarke: Back Up Vocals
Bobby Bulat: Drums and Auxiliary Percussion
Produced by Madisyn Whajne & Jay McBride
Recorded and Engineered by Howard Bilerman & Shae Brossard at Hotel2Tango in Montreal
Additional recording by Jay McBride at E5 Studio in Mississauga
Mixed by Shae Brossard at Hotel2Tango
Mastered by Harris Newman at Gray Market Mastering in Montreal
All songs written by Madisyn Whajne & James Gray and published by Madisyn Whajne
Photos by Jen Squires
“With indie pop vibes and a mildly alternative edge that would win her a comfortable place among Canada’s best music talent, Whajne’s music is upbeat, fun and infectious. Making great music as a form of resilience, her music is grounding while also offering the listener genuine pleasure. This is pristine pop music” ~ Big Takeover Magazine
“Catchy guitar riff and driven drum line, as her silky, bubbly vocals take the lead” ~ Indie 88
“Whajne walks a delicate tightrope between indie rock charm and punk bravado on the album, balancing hope and despair in equal measure as gritty guitars and muscular percussion mix with dreamy production and intoxicating hooks” ~ Muskrat Magazine
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