Andy Shauf

Shauf was born in Estevan, Saskatchewan, grew up in Bienfait, and later moved to Regina.[2] His parents ran an electronics and music store, giving him access to a variety of instruments.[2] He played Christian music with his parents[3] and was a drummer in the Christian pop punk band Captain until 2006.[2]

Shauf performing in Belgium, 2018

After two self-released albums in 2006[4] and 2007,[5] respectively, Shauf released two albums on Hopeless Records: Darker Days (2009)[6] and Waiting for the Sun to Leave (2010).[7] These were followed by the self-released EP Sam Jones Feeds His Demons (2012).[8]

He released the album The Bearer of Bad News independently in 2012.[9] The album was re-released in 2015 on Tender Loving Empire and Party Damage Records.[9] The song "Wendell Walker" from the album was shortlisted for the 2016 SOCAN Songwriting Prize,[10]

In 2015, Shauf signed to Arts & Crafts Productions in Canada and ANTI- internationally, releasing the non-album single "Jenny Come Home" as his first release on both labels.[11] "Jenny Come Home" was Shauf's breakthrough on Canadian radio, charting on both CBC Radio 2's Radio 2 Top 20[12] and CBC Radio 3.[13]

Through early 2016, he toured Europe as an opening act for The Lumineers,[14] and he moved from Saskatchewan to Toronto in April of that year.[2]

Shauf's album The Party, was released in May 2016.[6] After some experimental recordings with a group of musicians, Shauf ended up playing almost all of the instruments on the album himself,[15][16] with the exception of the string arrangements, which were written and performed by Colin Nealis.[17][18] The album was a shortlisted finalist for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize[19][20] and has since been noted by some as the first album to win Shauf widespread recognition.[21][22] Following the album's release, Shauf toured throughout 2017 with a five-piece band.[23]

In 2018 Shauf recorded an album with D.A. Kissick, Avery Kissick and Dallas Bryson, under the band name Foxwarren.[24] The album was released on 30 November 2018,[24] and received a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2020.[25]

On 23 October 2019, Shauf announced that a new album, The Neon Skyline, would be released 24 January 2020.[26] A single, "Things I Do," was released the same day.[26] After the release of The Neon Skyline, Barack Obama featured the title track on his 2020 summer playlist.[27] Commenting on this honor, Shauf stated, "It’s cool to think that Obama, or the Obamas together, have listened to my music. It’s a really nice feeling to think my music has gone that far."[28]

On 24 September 2021, Shauf released the album Wilds, a collection 9 songs written and recorded at the same time as The Neon Skyline and described as a "companion piece" to it.[29][30]

On 10 February 2023, Shauf released Norm. The concept album follows a stalker, and has been praised for its use of unreliable narrators and its sinister undertones.[31][32][33] The album was longlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize.[34]