WATCH / SHARE “MILLION DOLLAR TICKET” HERE
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PERFORMANCE DATES BEGIN APRIL 24
Photo Credit : Cayllan Cassavia // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
summersets, the duo of Kalle Mattson and his childhood friend and long-time bandmate Andrew Sowka, return with their new single “Million Dollar Ticket”. The new track follows in the footsteps of their previous single “If You Were A Stranger”, which rose up the CBC Music Top 20 earlier this year. The idea for “Million Dollar Ticket” came to Mattson after “driving past a convenience store sign in Sault Ste. Marie last summer that said ‘million dollar ticket sold here, beer’ (it’s also on the single cover). The sign struck me as incredibly funny, sad, and hopeful all at once, and this idea of playing the lottery as your retirement plan or only way to move ahead came to me. I ended up writing the song about a couple who are getting passed by, born in the wrong generation, but still have each other.”
WATCH / SHARE “MILLION DOLLAR TICKET” HERE
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MORE ABOUT SUMMERSETS
Previous single “Move Back Home” is about “the housing crisis in Canada, and specifically how our generation (millennials) have had to settle for a life that looks markedly different from the ones our parents led,” says Mattson. “The characters in the song are a composite of so many of our friends in their early 30s who are moving back to our hometown (Sault Ste. Marie, ON), after living in larger cities, because “moving back home” is their only real option of ever owning a home or starting a family. I’ve made peace that I will probably never own a home, what was an option for previous generations is not one for me, but I wanted to put that reality into a song where the characters are ‘settling’ and ‘settling down’, both for each other and in the larger context of their lives.”
WATCH / SHARE “MOVE BACK HOME” HERE
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On “If You Were A Stranger”, Mattson says “Since 2021 I’ve taught songwriting in the music department at Carleton University. Teaching at any level was certainly not something I ever thought I would do, but in teaching songwriting, it’s opened up a lot more areas in my own writing (what’s the saying ‘the best way to learn is to teach’? I think they also say ‘those that can’t do, teach’ but whatever). Every songwriter I know admires John Prine, but only until you try and write like him do you realize how hard it is to be genuine and funny all at once. ‘If You Were A Stranger’ was my attempt at writing a genuine love song for my partner (with a splash of humour), and I think it features some great understated playing from Jim Bryson, Christine Bougie, and Peter Von Althen, one of our favourites.”
WATCH / SHARE “IF YOU WERE A STRANGER” HERE
BUY / STREAM “IF YOU WERE A STRANGER” HERE
summersets is the new duo from JUNO Award and Polaris Music Prize nominated singer-songwriter Kalle Mattson, and longtime collaborator Andrew Sowka. Influenced by the storytelling of John Prine and delivered with the delicacy of Simon & Garfunkel, their debut full-length, small town story, was produced by Jim Bryson (Kathleen Edwards, The Weakerthans) and nominated for both a 2024 Ontario Folk Music Award and a 2025 Canadian Folk Music Award. They are currently in the studio working on their followup LP once again with Jim Bryson, Peter Von Althen (Skydiggers) and Christine Bougie (Bahamas), due out later this year.
PERFORMANCE DATES
April 24 - Elgin, ON - Elgin United Church
May 16 - Almonte, ON - Almonte Old Town Hall (Folkus Concert Series)
July 12 - Ottawa, ON - Ottawa Bluesfest w/ The Lumineers and Leif Vollebekk