AWARD-WINNING ARTIST SEBASTIAN GASKIN RELEASES CINEMATIC NEW SINGLE “GHOST”
“MEDICINE” – DEBUT SINGLE BACKED BY UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA/ISHKŌDÉ RECORDS – REACHES #1 ON INDIGENOUS MUSIC COUNTDOWN
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12 APRIL 2024 (TORONTO, ON) – Sebastian Gaskin – Toronto-based, Tataskweyak Cree Nation-raised multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer – releases their new single “Ghost” today via Universal Music Canada, the country’s leading music company, and Ishkōdé Records. This marks Sebastian Gaskin’s first new single of the year, directly following the chart-topping single “Medicine” from 2023.
LISTEN TO “GHOST” HERE
WATCH LYRIC VIDEO HERE
The second song released by Sebastian Gaskin since co-signing with Universal Music Canada and Ishkōdé Records, “Ghost” is an expansive, cinematic track diving deep into Gaskin’s loneliness and heartbreak. The powerful self-written single was co-produced by Gaskin, JUNO-Award winning producer Hill Kourkoutis (Aysanabee, Digging Roots, Amanda Rheaume), and Justin Meli (Crown Lands, Dizzy).
“Ghost” is a vocal tour-de-force from Sebastian Gaskin, who also provides guitar on the record and co-programmed the track. They unpack their emotions in the lyrics, singing, “Tell me do you find it easy? Picking up piece by piece/Used to find peace in leaving, now it won’t let me sleep.” The chorus reaches a crescendo as Gaskin sings, “Now I’m alone, I’m so lost without you in my home/I’ve been running ‘round in circles on my phone/Why’d you leave me down here with the ghost?”
About the new single, Gaskin says, “’Ghost’ is a song about grief, especially after the loss of someone very near and dear to you. It speaks upon the anger, and the confusion that often accompanies that grief, and the ways that we like to escape and distract ourselves from it. ‘Ghost’ is a catharsis.”
The single arrives a few months following the release of Gaskin’s debut single backed by Universal Music Canada and Ishkōdé Records, “Medicine,” which reached the #1 spot on the Indigenous Music Countdown, a weekly show on NCI FM in Winnipeg, MB that spotlights the best Indigenous music across various genres. “Medicine” also enjoyed a long run in CBC Music’s Top 20, peaking within the Top 3 for several weeks.
Across the last few months, Sebastian Gaskin has performed show-stopping live sets at the Drake Underground as the headliner of School Night, at the Royal Ontario Museum as part of their After Dark series, and more. Stay tuned for more upcoming live performances to be announced.
Gaskin is coming off a momentous couple of years, earning a Western Canadian Music Award in 2021 for R&B Artist of the Year, the Kevin Walters Songwriting Award in the same year, and a selection to attend the Allan Slaight JUNO Masterclass. Stay tuned for more new music from this ground-breaking and award-winning artist in the coming months.
Photo Credit: Norman Wong
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ABOUT SEBASTIAN GASKIN:
How does an emotional aftermath evolve into a creative epiphany? For award-winning Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter and producer Sebastian Gaskin, first, they get comfortable with the outcome, then get to work sculpting their experience into a song. It’s the mark of an artist unafraid to look deeply into themselves— through the process, they create a sonic offering designed to embrace our many broken pieces, all the while reminding us that love and vulnerability are acts of resistance.
Growing up in Tataskweyak Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba in the early 2000s, Gaskin’s mother kept the radio dialled to country stations and their grandmother, a respected community leader, belted out Southern gospel classics. Gaskin’s cousin introduced them to Metallica’s iconic sound and heavy riffs, which influenced them to pick up a guitar for the first time. As a teenager, they found endless inspiration sifting through music forums on Tumblr, wandering down rabbit holes of British indie rock, or becoming enchanted with Chief Keef’s 808s.
Intentionally genre amorphous, Gaskin’s music is grounded in bold intuition and gut instinct. At once, conjuring the timeless spirit of Bill Withers and the musical virtuosity of John Mayer, with the mischievous wordplay of Post Malone and Pro Era. A dynamic producer and arranger, Gaskin’s ear for collaboration has led them to work with Evan Miles (dvsn, renforshort) and Milano (Icona Pop) to reimagine the potential of each genre they explore. They have performed at venues and festival stages around the world, supporting artists ranging from Common, T-Pain, and others. Their forthcoming debut album will be released on the Indigenous-owned music company, Ishkōdé Records and Universal Music Canada.
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