UH OH, A COLLECTION OF NEW SONGS AFTER LOSING HIS
VOICE AND NOT KNOWING IF HE’D EVER SING AGAIN,
OUT SEPTEMBER 26 ON SECRET CITY RECORDS
FEATURING ANACHNID, CHARLOTTE CARDIN, CHARLOTTE OLEENA, HOHNEN FORD, KLÔ PELGAG, LA FORCE, MARO, MARTHA WAINWRIGHT,
NOVEMBER ULTRA, AND SOLANN
LISTEN TO “THE WANDERING” WITH MARO HERE
SET A REMINDER FOR THE YOUTUBE PREMIERE AND AFTERPARTY ON FRIDAY HERE
PRESAVE UH OH HERE
PRE-ORDER UH OH VINYL HERE
SUMMER PERFORMANCE DATES BEGIN JUNE 20
Photo Credit: Lawrence Fafard // Simão Castro Pernas // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
Today, singer-songwriter, film composer and pianist Patrick Watson has released “The Wandering”, a new collaboration with Portuguese artist MARO. A ghostly duet of wordless harmonies, eerie orchestration, and a subtle bossa nova groove, the new track is featured on Watson’s forthcoming album Uh Oh, out September 26 via Secret City Records. An official music video will premiere on Watson’s YouTube Channel this Friday at NOON ET, with an afterparty available for premium users, a conversation between him and director Jacob Jonas. Watson announced the new LP earlier this month with the single/video for “Peter and the Wolf”, a composition inspired by the ghosts of New Orleans.
Widely known for her appearance in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest representing Portugal, MARO imbues “The Wandering” with a gorgeously cinematic luster, her smoky vocals supporting Watson’s sensitive tenor with grace and strength.
“The Wandering” is accompanied by a music video directed by Jacob Jonas and filmed in a Los Angeles warehouse with a dozen dancers. Patrick Watson and MARO can be seen dancing in the otherworldly video.
Speaking about the new track, Patrick Watson noted: “I’d like to introduce you to ‘The Wandering’. It’s inspired by the feeling I’ve had since I was 16: touring and traveling the world playing music, and that unique sense of being a ghost, quietly watching the world go by. I first experienced this feeling as a kid, taking the train to school, and now, as a touring artist, I still feel it: like a ghost observing everything around me. This song is about that feeling, but also about the ghost becoming a companion on your journey. It’s a love song about the kind of company you keep with yourself, and how it can turn into this mysterious, guiding force that leads you on all kinds of adventures.
“Everyone knows how much I love Portugal. So when I first heard MARO’s voice, with its smooth, silky tone, it reminded me of the beautiful melancholy you feel while walking through the cities and spirits of Portugal. I was so excited to ask her to join me on this track, and it was an honor to have her lend her voice. Her charisma and charm brought something truly special to the music.”
Watson adds about the Jacob Dance Company, who directed the video project: “They are like family to me. This isn’t the first time we’ve worked together, and every time we collaborate, it’s a thrilling experience. They always blow my mind with their creativity. This time, the timing was just perfect - when I knew I’d be in town to shoot with MARO, Jacob needed music for a dance show. One week later, we found ourselves in a beautiful warehouse, making this chaotic and wonderful dance video together. A huge thank you to all the dancers who were so open and generous with their energy. It was honestly a dream come true, I’ve always wanted to be a dancer for a day, and working with them felt like I was back in high school, visiting my parents’ workplace just to try it out! Much love to everyone involved.
“The music was written with Mishka Stein and Olivier Fairfield. Fun fact - Mishka played the drums, and Olivier brought the chords and vibe on guitar for this song, swapping their instruments for this song. We recorded most of it in one take, with just two mics, in this strange mansion in the hills of Los Angeles.”
Says MARO: "I still remember when Patrick sent me the song for the first time - I thought there was something magical about it and immediately got excited to be a part of it and his sonic bubble, overall. I’ve known Patrick’s music for many years now and it’s truly a dream to collaborate.”
LISTEN TO “THE WANDERING” WITH MARO HERE
SET A REMINDER FOR THE YOUTUBE PREMIERE AND AFTERPARTY ON FRIDAY HERE
MORE ABOUT UH OH
The 11 new original songs on Uh Oh find Watson meditating on the idea of life being a series of “uh ohs”: a little phrase uttered in response to everything from childhood accidents to our most overwhelming anxieties. For Watson, it came to mind when faced with the biggest “uh oh” that a singer could endure he lost his voice. Unsure if or when he would be able to sing again, his new album took a new shape, a collection of collaborations with friends and strangers; artists that he wanted to hear sing. Uh Oh represents a vision that Watson has chased for his entire life, the culmination of 20 years of musical exploration and lived experience that enabled him to translate the films in his mind to the sounds and words swirling in your ears.
WATCH / SHARE “PETER AND THE WOLF” HERE
BUY / STREAM “PETER AND THE WOLF” HERE
Most of the songs on Uh Oh see Watson and his long-time bandmates, collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Mishka Stein, Olivier Fairfield, and co-vocalist Ariel Engle (La Force) joined by a guest singer. The featured vocalists range from the iconic voices he’s idolized for years – Martha Wainwright – to ones he discovered through Instagram scrolling like Solann and local Quebec favorite Klô Pelgag, and include international phenoms MARO, Hohnen Ford, November Ultra, JUNO Award winner Charlotte Cardin, Félix award winner Anachnid, and a friend he met when she worked the counter at this local coffee shop, Charlotte Oleena. “Every singer has these different magical powers on this record, and each song kind of represents that,” Watson says.
Watson has previously shared three songs from Uh Oh: “Silencio” with French artist November Ultra, “Gordon in the Willows” with fellow Montrealer Charlotte Cardin, and “Peter and the Wolf”. “Silencio” was the first preview of this new project, with Watson first revealing the loss of his voice, and among other impressions, finding the power of silence. It was recorded at Studio Rubin Alterio, an old artist’s loft in Paris. “Gordon in the Willows” was written and recorded by Watson and Cardin in a small lakeside village in Quebec, and around the song’s release last winter, they performed it during a surprise appearance on the top of Montreal’s Mont Royal. Inspired by the ghosts of New Orleans, “Peter and the Wolf” was accompanied by a pulse-pounding new video directed by Patrick Watson and SAM WOY and shot in the Quebec countryside.
WATCH / SHARE “GORDON IN THE WILLOWS” (LYRIC VIDEO) HERE
BUY / STREAM “GORDON IN THE WILLOWS” HERE
MORE ABOUT PATRICK WATSON
Patrick Watson composes, performs, and records his albums with his long-time bandmates, collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Mishka Stein, and Olivier Fairfield. The Canadian artist reached gold and platinum status in multiple countries (including five certified gold albums in Canada), and his shows sell out around the world. Over the course of his career, Patrick has retained the uncanny ability to coexist in mainstream pop-culture spaces and on the avant-garde fringes. Patrick’s songs have been featured in primetime crowd-pleasers like Grey’s Anatomy and This Is Us, as well as in multiple arthouse films from Denis Villeneuve (Polytechnique), Wim Wenders (Perfect Days), Philippe Falardeau (C’est pas moi, je le jure!) and more. He’s an artist who’s as comfortable performing impromptu pop-up shows on the train tracks in a Quebec mining town as he is leading the BBC Orchestra at London’s prestigious Barbican. He’s an in-demand composer with over 15 film scores under his belt. He was awarded the prestigious inaugural Impact Award at the 2024 Canadian Sync Awards. Watson’s viral single "Je te laisserai des mots" became the first French song to accumulate 1 billion streams on Spotify.
WATCH / SHARE “SILENCIO” FT. NOVEMBER ULTRA HERE
BUY / STREAM “SILENCIO” FT. NOVEMBER ULTRA HERE
MORE ABOUT MARO
MARO is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer from Lisbon, Portugal. After graduating from Berklee College of Music (Boston) in 2017, the Portuguese artist officially debuted her career in 2018, releasing five albums and an EP. She later joined Jacob Collier on his 2019 DJESSE World Tour as part of the band. In those years, MARO opened for artists including Jessie J, Gipsy Kings, Charlotte Cardin and The Paper Kites.
During the pandemic in 2020, ITSAME, MARO! was born—a project dedicated to promoting collaboration across distances. This series includes 100 episodes featuring artists from various musical genres, such as Pablo Alborán, Lizzy McAlpine, Madison Cunningham, ANAVITÓRIA, Ivan Lins, Vitor Kley, Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Maria Gadú, Mayra Andrade, Rui Veloso, Lionel Loueke and Lennon Stella.
In 2022, MARO won the Festival da Canção and represented Portugal at Eurovision with "saudade, saudade," securing a spot in the top 10. She later released can you see me?, an album blending influences from pop, trap, world, and folk music.
Her latest album, hortelã (April 2023), presents an intimate, stripped-down version of her recent songs, showcasing a folky acoustic presence. Recorded in trio with the Catalan guitarists Darío Barroso and Pau Figueres, the album, mostly sung in Portuguese, won the José Afonso Award, as recognition of Portuguese Album of the Year.
The collaboration with NASAYA on the EP PIRILAMPO marked the beginning of their sonic exploration, expanding MARO’s musical journey. This creative partnership evolved further in 2024 with the release of her 8th Album, LIFELINE bringing a fresh perspective to the electronic landscape.
MARO has been touring the world for the past 3 years, performing to sold-out venues globally with both acoustic trio and electronic duo. After sharing the big stage with Jacob Collier, Odesza, and Parcels, MARO will take on the big stage on her own, as she prepares to open Shawn Mendes’ tour this August.
TOUR DATES
June 20 - Saint-Casimir, QC - Festival la Commission B
July 3 - Saguenay, QC - La Noce
July 25 - Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Music Festival
August 9 – Reese, DE – Haldern Pop Festival
August 29-31 – Wentworth-North, QC – Live at Lost River
October 5 - Las Vegas, NV – RiSE Festival
October 28 - Toulouse, France - Bikini
October 29 - Bordeaux, France - Rocher de Palmer
October 31 - Nantes, France – Stereolux SOLD OUT
November 1 - Rouen, France - Le 106
November 2 - Lausanne, Switzerland -Théâtre De Beaulieu
November 4 - Paris, France - Zenith La Villette
November 5 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur
November 7 - London, United Kingdom - Troxy
November 10 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Concertgebouw de Vereeniging
November 11 - Brussels, Belgium – BOZAR SOLD OUT
November 12 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Carre Theatre SOLD OUT
PRESAVE UH OH HERE
PRE-ORDER UH OH VINYL HERE
UH OH TRACKLIST
1. Silencio - Patrick Watson & November Ultra
2. Peter and the Wolf - Patrick Watson
3. The Wandering - Patrick Watson & MARO
4. Choir in the Wires - Patrick Watson
5. Uh Oh - Patrick Watson & Charlotte Oleena
6. The Lonely Lights - Patrick Watson & La Force
7. Ami imaginaire - Patrick Watson & Klô Pelgag
8. Postcards - Patrick Watson & Hohnen Ford
9. House on Fire - Patrick Watson & Martha Wainwright
10. Gordon in the Willows - Patrick Watson & Charlotte Cardin
11. Ça va - Patrick Watson & Solann