EXCLUSIVE: Shawn Desman Talks New Music, New Tour & Upcoming Secret Collab

For anyone who tuned into MuchMusic religiously, it's safe to say you still know the lyrics (and dance moves) to Shawn Desman's first hits.

Now, fans will be able to sing to them alongside Desman himself as the Toronto-born star embarks on a Canada-wide tour.

The Canadian artist first came to prominence in the early 2000s following the success of his hit songs "Get Ready" and "Shook" — Desman's debut singles that solidified his status within the Canadian music scene.

Taking the industry by storm, Desman went on to release four studio albums and managed to climb the charts thanks to hits including "Electric," "Night Like This," and "Nobody Does It Like You."

Following a hiatus from the stage, Desman is bringing it way back with new songs inspired by his old-school sounds and fans are in for a ride.

MTL Blog sat down with Desman, who gushed all about the new tour, new music and an upcoming collaboration that he couldn't share too much about.

Desman dropped his first single in years, titled "Beautiful Day" earlier this month, sparking questions as to whether the singer would be releasing new music soon.

"Yeah! Lots of music coming," Desman told MTL Blog.

"We were in the studio and I was getting tons of messages from people being like 'We want Shawn Desman to make OG Shawn Desman music, like what he sounded like back in 2002-2003,' and no one is really doing that and it comes so naturally to me. We got into the studio and we got "Beautiful Day" done in three hours."

Desman made it clear that when it "feels right, it feels right." From the first few seconds of his new hit single, it's apparent that the energy must have felt just right while crafting the new pop track.

In addition to "Beautiful Day", Desman also has three new songs that are nearly done and while they may not be ready for the first leg of the tour, fans may be able to get a listen during Desman's time in the west coast this spring.

"We have three songs that are coming up and they're incredible," Desman said. "I am in a groove right now and I have to keep creating while I have this magic happening."

If "Beautiful Day" is any indication of what's to come, then please let Desman groove as much as his heart (and vocal cords) desire.

As for what fans can expect, Desman's signature sound will still very much be incorporated in his upcoming releases.

"Everything from "Beautiful Day" forward is going to have those sonics — very R&B leaning, still pop, of course, since anything I do always has a pop element. I'm excited," Desman said.

Fans will be able to see Desman perform both old-school and new songs, including "Hooked" a recent release from Montreal-based singer Zeina, who sampled Desman's original hit, "Shook."

Desman confirmed that Zeina will be joining him on stage in both Montreal and Toronto. While fans were able to get a sneak peek at the twos elevator mash-up on social media, the in-person energy will without a doubt be next level.

When asked how Desman feels about new artists sampling his older music, the singer beamed with gratitude.

"For me to be able to now inspire this generation of artists is super cool. It was such a great experience. When she hit me up and played me the version of the song, I was like 'Girl, you have my blessing.'"

Desman also admitted to being surprised that younger artists view him as "cool" but it's no secret that Desman's coolness factor never really went anywhere. In fact, Desman isn't just keeping it cool, the singer is redefining what being cool is and anyone who follows Desman on TikTok or Instagram would agree.

"Honestly, I feel like 'Do I really deserve all of this love?' I ask myself sometimes. It's so crazy and I'm living the dream right now," he told MTL Blog.

As if a new tour and new music weren't enough, Desman has also got a secret collaboration cooking up.

Although he couldn't share too much about what's in the works, it's evident that Canada just might be getting a Portuguese moment between him and another "female Portuguese-Canadian artist." Uh, Nelly Furtado, anyone?

"I can't say too much about it at this moment," Desman shared. "But, there's a certain female Portuguese-Canadian artist who I am going to be in the studio with this weekend and we are going to try and cook something up."

While Desman couldn't confirm Furtado's involvement, we still tried to get the 411. "Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know," he said laughingly. If there's one thing Desman is going to do is keep us all on our toes. And happily so.

Shawn Desman's tour kicks off in Waterloo tonight and will be making its way to Montreal on February 22, 2024, at Club Soda.

The singer will then hit up the remainder of his sold-out performances in Ottawa, Toronto, London and Peterborough.

Following an influx in demand for Desman, the singer released nine additional dates on the West Coast with shows in Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Winnipeg and more throughout May and June.

Canada — Shawn Desman is back, baby.