Julian Taylor has released a new single which gives a good indication that his upcoming solo album will be another strong outing to stand beside the widely lauded ‘The Ridge.‘ ‘S.E.E.D.S‘ – which stands for Somehow Everyone Eventually Dreams Someday is a deceptively quiet seeming song that protests in a calm but firm manner against injustices. Specifically the treatment of Canada’s First Nations, and the ongoing scars of racism as Julian explains: “It was the morning after the announcement in Kamloops where 215 uncovered remains of buried Indigenous children were discovered at a former Residential school. I remember waking up to a text from my cousin that read “George Floyd and Kamloops – They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.” Both events were about a year apart and weighed heavily on my heart, mind and soul. It’s a crushing feeling seeing genocide continue to happen all over the world. When I look at my family, I see a group of undeniably strong people with stories to share, and that’s when I started to write this song.”
The Toronto based troubadour has a, if not unique then less common perspective – and Julian Taylor is conscious and proud of his mixed Black and Mohawk heritage. He explains that “I come from two strong oral traditions and cultures. One was stolen from their land and brought here and the other had their land stolen. It’s been an uphill battle ever since and the fight is far from over… I did not grow up on a reservation. I have strong roots in Kahnawake, which is a reservation in Quebec, Canada. I have family there and I’ve been visiting since I could crawl.“
Julian Taylor was twice nominated for the 2021 JUNO Awards – ‘Contemporary Roots Album of the Year’ & ‘Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year’, and was the winner of the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards for ‘Solo Artist of the Year’.
