Canadian Indie Artist Lisa SQ Battles Her Inner Saboteur on Bouncy New Single "Make It Up to You"
• LISTEN TO + SHARE “MAKE IT UP TO YOU” HERE •
• WATCH + SHARE OFFICIAL VIDEO HERE •
Do you struggle with self-sabotage? Are you addicted to the drama of personal turmoil? In her buoyant yet bittersweet new single, “Make It Up to You,” Hamilton-based indie rock artist Lisa SQ wrestles with the inner saboteur, the irresistible urge to blow things up, and the hope that there’s still time to repair the mess left behind.
“Make It Up to You” is duking it out with your inner saboteur. “Make It Up to You” is resisting the urge to push the red button. “Make It Up to You” is touching the hot stove, even when you know better. “Make It Up to You” is grovelling. “Make It Up to You” is digging out of a deep hole. “Make It Up to You” is one final shot.
Listen to “Make It Up to You” HERE. Watch the official video HERE.
Recorded live at Toronto’s Dwaynespace with a trusted circle of collaborators, the track begins with the sunniest of guitar riffs from Dave Dalrymple (Wax Atlantic) and a playful body-percussion loop by Adam Hindle (Dwayne Gretzky) – created from couch slaps and self-smacks – before erupting into a full-band groove driven by Michael Brushy’s (Dwayne Gretzky) explosive drums. Nintendo-like keyboards (Simeon Abbott) and shimmering autoharp (Adam Hindle) add whimsy, while producer Ian Docherty (July Talk) ran everything through tape for just the right touch of drunken floatiness.
The inspiration? Lisa SQ’s porch-sitting neighbour, whose stories of drama, missteps, and resilience sparked musings on why some people seem to thrive in the chaos of their own undoing. “Tyler Kyte (Dwayne Gretzky) and I were talking about people who always invite drama into their lives, and I kept picturing these classic tragic heroes, doomed but relatable,” Lisa explains. “The song grew out of that and my own pacing, daydreaming, and writing in the attic.”
Everyone sneaks, tries to catch a peek
Got their heads cranked back, trying to look discrete
But with flashing lights and these yellow streamers
The show is hot and the tickets come cheap
Born in Montreal, QC, and now based in Hamilton, ON, Lisa SQ is a multidisciplinary artist whose music blends indie rock and art pop with a nostalgic yet avant-garde edge. Influenced by Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf, David Bowie, and El Perro del Mar, she crafts playful, disarming songs that celebrate the beauty in human clumsiness. Her work has been featured in films and web series screened at festivals including Austin and Cannes.
Her forthcoming debut full-length album – recorded at both Toronto’s Dwayne Space with Tyler Kyte and Ian Docherty, and at Chale Abbey Studios on the Isle of Wight with producer David Granshaw – captures the warmth, laughter, and collaborative spirit of her creative community. “Make It Up to You” offers an early glimpse: bouncy, beachy, a little bruised, and impossible not to move to.
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