Shad and Sam Tudor connected during last year’s Dawson City Music Festival and seized a unique filming opportunity
Between its vast natural landscapes and historic sites such as the Palace Grand Theatre, Dawson City makes a breathtaking filming location. That’s what London-Ontario–born rapper, Shad (born Shadrach Kabango); and Sam Tudor, a cross-Canada, folk-music collective leader who is also a music-video director, figured when they were up in the North for last year’s Dawson City Music Festival.
“I knew Sam a bit before shooting but also knew him by reputation as a creative, talented, quality guy,” says Shad. “When he reached out, I just had a really good feeling about what we could make together.”
The video came together spontaneously, according to Tudor. The two had been up late the night before, watching bands perform at the festival, and used a window of around two hours before having to catch their flights out of the territory. With a goal of capturing the magic feel of Dawson City by rushing around to various locations to shoot improvised scenes, the process was off the cuff and even chaotic at times. But Dawson City was the perfect place to shoot a video for Shad’s song “Rain,” off of his latest album Start Anew.
“Shad sent me a few songs from his new album that he thought would be suited to a video,” explains Tudor. ‘Rain’ immediately stuck out for its natural, airy feel and sense of movement. We knew we’d be in this natural environment, and the samples in the song feel very organic. Something cool about the project is that the track has production from our mutual Vancouver friends, Big Kill.
“Then, of course, there is the actual theme of the song, connecting to land and community instead of pursuing some hierarchical notion of success.”
Shad himself agrees that Dawson City, as a backdrop, fits the message of the song, but points out that the scenery is somewhat incongruous with typical hip hop styles. For him, though, the video will also always serve as a reminder of a standout moment in his career this far.
“The video partly kinda captures a really cool, really memorable time up there for both of us,” he says. “The unique landscape, buildings and history make it special. But also the artists and other community members that got to gather in that specific place and time, and that made that video possible.”
Both Shad and Tudor have the highest praises for Dawson City—not only for its natural beauty, but also for its history and community.
“Dawson City is a tight-knit community, and the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation have lived along the Yukon River for thousands of years, so the themes echoed all around us,” says Tudor. “The town is intersected by numerous industries such as mining and resource extraction, the arts, tourism … There are different balances and tensions there. I think that is part of what ‘Rain’ is about. Plus, it’s a short track, which was good because we didn’t have much time to film in-between our sets.”
The music video for “Rain” was released in early January and can be seen on video-streaming platforms now. Start Anew is also available across music-streaming platforms. Visit shadk.com to keep up with Shad’s releases, shows and more. And visit samtudormusic.com to stay up to date with Tudor’s artistic endeavours.
“I hope the song and video make people feel lighter, even as they absorb the deeper messages,” Shad says. “I want people to feel good, feel inspired, feel a sense of hope.”
