Shawn Desman is riding a rising tide of renewed popularity, and he deserves it. A radio/video mainstay in the 2000s, Desman stepped away from the music business in 2015 for a variety of reasons; most notably, he wanted to help take care of his wife and family when his wife was experiencing some serious health problems.
But over time, Shawn started to dip his toes back in the water. In 2020, during the pandemic, he collaborated with his friend Tebey on a new project called RadioClub and they released a cover of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” which racked up millions of streams.
Shawn Desman at the Bronson Centre, February 2024. Photo by Marc Lepage.
In 2022, Drake made Desman part of his annual OVO Festival, as a nod to the Canadian artists who paved the way for Canadian hip hop and RnB. Desman’s set at the festival was wildly successful, and the writing was on the wall, the time was right for Shawn to make a comeback, and so he started working on new music, releasing singles “Maniac” in 2022, and “Love Me With the Lights On” in 2023. Fast forward a little, here we are in early 2024, and Desman is touring around Canada on a sold-out tour, which included Friday night’s show at the Bronson Centre Music Theatre.
Opening act Sofia Camara delivered an outstanding set, especially given that she said she had recently recovered from a lung infection. Nobody would have guessed, as her vocals were on point and she clearly had her own loyal followers in the house, singing along and even giving her a bouquet of flowers.
Sofia Camara at the Bronson Centre, February 2024. Photo by Marc Lepage.
As fans waited for Desman to hit the stage, the Bronson Centre was packed to capacity, and even as technicians and roadies did their work on stage, fans erupted in screams as soon as any shadowy figure appeared on stage, whether it was to move a drum kit or tape down a setlist.
Desman’s band emerged and fans screamed their approval, getting even louder as he made his way to the stage, dressed in a blue sequinned jacket, white pants and shirt, and matching fresh kicks, getting things started with the “Let’s Go,” “Night Like This” and “Get Ready,” with Shawn’s solid vocals and smooth dance moves on display from the start.
Desman is one of those artists where you don’t realize how many jams he’s written until you hear them back to back to back. The hits kept coming, and the set also included a nod to Canadian icon Bryan Adams, with a cover of “Everything I Do (I Do It For You).” Friday night’s show was probably the most packed, most jumpin’ crowd I’ve ever seen at the Bronson Centre. His set was fun and interactive, as he grabbed fans’ phones to do video selfies as he sang, signed something for a fan, and even gave a shout out to local singer Jamie Fine, who was his guest and watching from the side of the stage.
Shawn Desman at the Bronson Centre, February 2024. Photo by Marc Lepage.
The meaning of nights like this was not lost on Desman, who stopped between songs to say that he has been humbled by this experience, and that it’s hard to believe that it’s real life – “I’m here because of you guys! I was done, I was retired on my couch,” to uproarious applause from the audience.
He gave it 110% all night, singing and dancing without missing a beat, closing the night out with the encore, Electric.
Considering his first album came out in 2002, at a time right before I became a parent, those older tracks remind me of a much younger version of myself, when things were simpler and relatively carefree. But it’s the being a parent part of it that makes me respect Shawn’s path away from music and back to it again. If anyone deserves a comeback, it’s Shawn Desman—dedicated family man, and world-class performer.
His tour continues to dates across Canada over the next few months, and his most recent single “Beautiful Day” is available wherever you stream music.
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