Singer-songwriter and actor Tyler Shaw shares his pride in his Chinese Canadian heritage

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.”

Tyler Shaw performing at centre court — Photo credit: Drew Yang

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.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @tylershawmusic

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.

Alicia Cheung

Alicia is a second-generation Chinese Canadian based in Toronto. She is a data-driven marketer who is passionate about storytelling and creating content. When she’s not working, she spends her time staying active, reading, indulging in all things matcha, and adding to her extensive list of places to eat around the city.