AWARD-WINNING ARTIST SEBASTIAN GASKIN RELEASES COMPELLING NEW SINGLE “BROWN MAN” AHEAD OF NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH & RECONCILIATION
WINS VINCE FONTAINE INDIGENOUS SONG AWARD AT 2024 SOCAN AWARDS
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27 SEPTEMBER 2024 (TORONTO, ON) – Sebastian Gaskin – Toronto-based, Tataskweyak Cree Nation-raised multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer – releases his most personal new music to date with single “Brown Man” out today via Ishkōdé Records/Universal Music Canada. The compelling new single “Brown Man” was self-produced by Sebastian Gaskin alongside Murray Pulver (Alanis Morissette, No Doubt, Doc Walker). Gaskin also provides guitar on the record.
WATCH THE OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO FOR “BROWN MAN” HERE
“Brown Man” arrives just ahead of National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, with Gaskin reflecting deeply on his own identity through heart-wrenching lyrics. “I am a brown man, my skin ain’t white, they could pull me from the wreckage and still shoot me in the light,” sings Gaskin. “I’m not an animal, I’m not a savage, I’m just a human being who needs to heal from the heartache and the sadness.”
Gaskin wrote “Brown Man” in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd. About the song, he says, “How do you navigate a world that’s been built to work against you? The people who are put in power are the same ones that will put you in the ground with a slip of the tongue. Why do I feel the need to mask my emotions in every room I walk into? I am involuntarily reminded to check my facial expressions in public every few minutes to avoid frightening people I pass by. I reduce myself to become more palatable within modern society. I Am A Brown Man. My Skin Ain’t White.”
The song arrives alongside an official music video filmed in Gaskin’s community, Tataskweyak Cree Nation in Winnipeg. Directed by NSTY (Chief Keef, Chxrry22, Sexyy Red), the video concludes with Gaskin being wrapped in a star blanket, one of the most significant honours in the Cree community. The video premieres globally tonight during Etalk’s broadcast and will be shared publicly on September 30.
“Brown Man” follows the success of “Cherie Amour,” which recently debuted on Canadian Top 40 radio at #48 and has charted on the Indigenous Music Countdown at #40. Earlier this year, Gaskin released “Ghost,” which reached #1 on CBC Music’s Top 20 chart and was ranked #4 on IndigenousTV’s Top 50 Songs of 2024. His debut single “Medicine,” released in 2023, peaked at #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown.
Last week, Gaskin took his live show to the global stage, performing at Reeperbahn Festival in Germany. Recently, he headlined “Come Toward the Fire” in Vancouver, a festival celebrating Indigenous community, culture, and creativity, and also performed at the Toronto Jazz Festival this summer. In November, he will take the stage at the Tkaronto Music Festival, performing alongside artists including The Halluci Nation and more. Buy tickets here.
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. Recently, Gaskin won two prizes at the 2024 SOCAN Awards, including the Vince Fontaine Indigenous Song Award for “Medicine,” as well as a recognition for “Ghost” reaching #1 on CBC Music’s Top 20 chart. Stay tuned for more new music from this ground-breaking 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, he gets comfortable with the outcome, then gets to work sculpting his experience into a song. It’s the mark of an artist unafraid to look deeply into themselves— through the process, he creates 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 his grandmother, a respected community leader, belted out Southern gospel classics. Gaskin’s cousin introduced him to Metallica’s iconic sound and heavy riffs, which influenced him to pick up a guitar for the first time. As a teenager, he 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 him to work with Evan Miles (dvsn, renforshort) and Milano (Icona Pop) to reimagine the potential of each genre he explores. He has performed at venues and festival stages around the world, supporting artists ranging from Common, T-Pain, and others. His forthcoming debut album will be released on the Indigenous-owned music company, Ishkōdé Records and Universal Music Canada.
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