Vivek Shraya, is touring a few select Canadian dates in support of her upcoming visual album Baby You’re Projecting, out May 12 via Mint Records. Produced by and co-written with frequent collaborator James Bunton (Donovan Woods, Ohbijou), it’s described as a break-up album that explores Vivek’s tenuous relationships with men. 

The tour announcement follows the release of the single, “He Loves Me Until He Hates Me” in which Vivek exposes the underbelly of male affection against a backdrop of sharp strings by producer Drew Jurecka (Dua Lipa, Rose Cousins). 

“Misogyny is a recurring theme in my work but writing this song allowed me to tap into a facet I hadn’t tapped into before—the way that being worshiped by a man (which on the outside looks oh so perfect, even enviable) ultimately can be quite dangerous because pedestals are never a healthy foundation for any relationship. But more specifically, being loved by a man can actually feel scary because of how easily love can turn to hatred, especially when he feels neglected or judged,” Vivek shares.

The ballad is also the title track of Vivek’s 12-minute longform music video set to songs from the record and directed by award-winning cinematographer Gabriela Osio Vanden, who explains, “Taking inspiration from such 90’s classics like The Bodyguard and erotic thrillers, He Loves Me Until He Hates Me creates a meaningful (and playful) look at the unpredictability of masculinity—how it can fluctuate in insidious ways within a relationship, how one can be worn down in this type of power dynamic, and worse, how that can turn into lateral violence towards other women. The choice to shoot both film and digital was important for me to communicate the shift in perspective, how memories can change as we change. In this story, the romance of film presents the rose-coloured memories which then turns into a stale digital world to reveal the memories for what they are.”

Multi-disciplinary artist Vivek Shraya has a body of work that crosses the boundaries of music, literature, visual art, theatre, and film. Among her list of accomplishments is an impressive catalog of music—including the Polaris Prize-nominated Part-Time Woman with Queer Songbook Orchestra (2017) and Angry by her band Too Attached (2018), which CBC described as one of “Canada’s most incisive, radical and galvanizing albums.”

After twenty years of releasing music independently, Vivek makes her label debut with Baby, You’re Projecting. Unlike her previous musical offerings, which were more sonically compartmentalized, Vivek endeavoured to create a genre-fluid album. Inspired by great female-fronted pop records (including janet. by Janet Jackson, Sheryl Crow’s self-titled album, and Lemonade by Beyoncé), Baby, You’re Projecting holds the breadth of Vivek’s sound and style in one space. Ranging from house to hip hop to country, Vivek’s singular voice and songwriting holds the record together and resonates in every genre. 

The danceable “Good Luck (You’re Fucked)” is an empowering pop anthem for women and femmes clapping back at male fragility. The twangy “Colonizer” circles around the unique complexity of being in an interracial relationship. The record also features performances by Alanna Stuart (Bonjay), Christine Bougie (Bahamas, Amy Millan) and Kimmortal. 

Baby, You’re Projecting is available for pre-order, both digitally and on vinyl, via Mint Records here

Tour Dates Tickets are on sale now.

May 12 – Montreal @ Diving Bell Social Club

May 14 – Toronto @ Music Gallery*

May 15 – Hamilton @ Mills Hardware 

May 16 – Victoria @ Victoria Events Centre 

May 17 – Vancouver @ The Fox Cabaret*

June 11 – Halifax @ Alderney Landing 

*featuring a screening of the accompanying longform music video He Loves Me Until He Hates Me

 

About Vivek Shraya

Vivek Shraya is an artist whose body of work crosses the boundaries of music, literature, visual art, theatre, and film. Her album Part-Time Woman was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, her music was featured on the acclaimed HBO Max show Sort Of, and her best-selling book I’m Afraid of Men was heralded by Vanity Fair as “cultural rocket fuel.” She is also the founder of the award-winning publishing imprint VS. Books, which supports emerging BIPOC writers. A seven-time Lambda Literary Award finalist, Vivek has been a brand ambassador for MAC Cosmetics and Pantene. She is a director on the board of the Tegan and Sara Foundation, and is currently adapting her debut play, How to Fail as a Popstar, as a digital series with CBC.

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About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.