Shawn Desman
Ryan Donn: So, Shawn Desman, you’re coming to Kelowna Community Theatre with your new album. Is this a fairly extensive tour?
Shawn Desman: We’re coming on tour in support of the new album ALIVE and the movie (same name). We’re just going across the country, Montreal to Vancouver and back, and just really excited about it. We’re doing a lot of small towns, which I think will be really fun and, of course, the big cities.”
RD: I gather you have a movie featuring the music from the album. What’s the concept here?
SD: It’s actually a scripted piece about a young girl from Fergus, Ontario who wants to become a dancer. It’s the first time anybody has ever done anything like this in this country and it’s really just designed to give people a different way to hear the music. Everybody has seen music videos, this is just another way to experience music.
RD: But why a movie?
SD: Well, we pitched it to MuchMusic and they were on board. We were just thinking how do we get people engaged and get music to them that’s different than just putting out music videos? …I recorded a bunch of songs, sent the writers the songs and then they sat down and were like: ‘We can work with this.’
The album is very inspirational; it’s a happy record. I was in a good place when I was making it. I had just come off a massive album, travelling across the country doing shows, and so it came out happy.”
RD: You must need to push the boundaries after working in the industry for this long. How did you get into music so young?
SD: I was about nine years old when I started as Shawn Fernandes and I just kept making records. I made four as Shawn Fernandes and, from there, it’s all about the people you meet.
RD: Do you remember what made you want to do this?
The school talent competition in Grade 2. That’s the moment when I remember it all started. I was in a talent competition and performed New Kids on the Block, My Favourite Girl.
RD: You have a fair number of tattoos, when did you get your first one?
SD: I believe my dad had to come and sign for me, so maybe 16. My brother Danny (singer Danny Fernandes), has no space left on his body. I only have three or four.
RD: Will you get another one?
SD: Probably. I just haven’t decided what I want yet. I want them to mean something to me.
RD: Who inspires you?
SD: Michael Jackson. To this day, I just think there is no one who has done it better than MJ.
Shawn Desman comes to Kelowna Community Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available through KeyNote Productions,
Bonus: Here is a video and interview from Shawn Desman’s show in Oshawa.
