When you think of Asian Canadian music artists, who comes to mind? Not many people know this but Tyler Shaw is of Chinese, Polish, and Ukrainian descent and was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada.
You may recognize him from his hit single “Cautious” (2018) and Double Platinum single “With You” (2018). Or you might’ve already heard his latest single, “Driving,” which was released on July 21.
Shaw rose to fame after winning the MuchMusic Coca-Cola Covers Contest in 2012. Shortly after, he released his debut single “Kiss Goodnight” and became a rising star, landing top spots in Canadian radio charts. His accolades include earning a JUNO Award nomination for ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’ in 2014 and ‘Pop Album of the Year’ in 2019 for his album Intuition.
Tyler Shaw at the CCYAA Celebrity Classic
Shaw was the special half-time performer at the 2023 Celebrity Classic. In a press conference for the CCYAA Celebrity Classic Basketball Game, Cold Tea Collective asked Shaw about his experience growing up as a mixed-race Asian in Canada.
“It took me a long time to realize who I was, and I don’t want that for my kids, or any mixed race [kids]…” says Shaw. “When I grew up, I was in a white-washed neighbourhood, and I identified as a white kid. And this whole other half of me was missing… a big piece that was missing. So when I realized that, it was a game changer for me. It opened up so many avenues and paradigm shifts.”
Inspiring the next generation of Asian diaspora
Shaw expresses that the most important aspect of events like the CCYAA Celebrity Classic is bringing the community together. He hopes his involvement with organizations like this and his work as a music artist will inspire the next generation of the Asian diaspora
“When I look down to my kids… I really want them to have a sense of community, especially the Chinese Canadian community as well.”
There is a lack of Asian representation in the Canadian music industry, and for Shaw “being involved in something like [CCYAA] but then also getting involved anywhere I can, locally is very important.” He hopes to use his platform to increase recognition of Asian talent like Alexandra Porat and Preston Pablo, to name a few.
See also: Asian Canadian Chefs Celebrated at CCYAA Freshfest In Toronto
Help us uplift Asian diaspora voices
Support Cold Tea Collective with a monthly contribution to help ensure stories for and by the next generation of the Asian diaspora are here to stay.
