Lindasson Has Ottawa On Lock
There’s a certain bliss a person feels while getting thrashed around in the first couple of rows of a concert. It’s as if your soul transcends your physical being, and then watches you from above as you throw elbows and disregard everyone else in the room’s personal space. The need to get as close to the excitement as possible overrides any thoughts of politeness or healthy communication, with conflict resolution taking the form of pushing and shoving until you burst through into the next clear space just to start the process over again.
This feeling was one of the many casualties of the pandemic as concerts were made obsolete or transformed beyond recognition throughout much of Canada. With mandates now lifted, it seems as if there’s a race to experience everything that we’ve missed in the past two years all at once.
This was nothing but the case on Mar. 25, 2022, as party people packed into City at Night, an Ottawa bar, for an evening of evident madness perpetuated by the FMG Collective and the return of their Lock’s Party.
I arrived late to the scene but still found time to smoke the necessary pregame doobie and made my way downstairs into the crammed basement nightclub. I was met by over a hundred sweaty bodies, bouncing off the walls and each other like booze-soaked pool balls. The all too familiar smell of spilled liquor and second hand weed smoke filled the air, and my shoes stuck to the ground a little bit. It felt too normal.
I was there for one reason only. I don’t usually frequent night clubs on the sober tip, but that Friday night was special because I finally had the chance to see Lindasson perform as a headline act. To my surprise, Lindasson had two special guests take the stage with him. Lia Kloud joined the headliner for a couple of tracks, an exciting event as she is also someone the city’s eyes are fixated on. Night Lovell also made a very special and rare appearance, offering his assistance with the first verse on their collaboration ‘A Lot’.
Young Ottawa legends Lindasson (right) & Lia Kloud (left), photo credits: @01.pov.ice
Lindasson had become a bit of a legend in my eyes. I had heard the story about his Cranium Festival 2021 performance where he brought so much hometown pride with him that he essentially shut the show down before the remaining acts took the stage. I was unable to attend this show but have never had a case of FOMO so badly.
I had the opportunity to catch his performance as an opener for Smiley’s 2021 performance in the city as well. This is where my understanding of the magnitude of his reach in the city began. It was at this show that I saw his following show out for the rising star emerging from Ottawa’s underground scene.
It is a fact that Lindasson has the whole city backing him. He claims this started years ago with his dedication to basketball, something that allowed him to play D1 in the states. Ball was what turned people’s heads towards the artist, who at that point had few musical aspirations.
When I asked how it felt to seemingly have the city’s undivided and unwavering support, he answered:
“It feels humbling. Growing up and trying to do this music stuff, I had to bet on myself. And when no one else believed in it, or seen what I seen, I had to believe in myself. It’s a blessing to now realize and see that people are starting to see what I see. Even though this is just the beginning of what I got coming out and what I have to offer the city.”
Only one full length project into his short career, the rising artist has his foot on the neck of the city. After the 2021 release of his single ‘A Lot’, complete with a Night Lovell and FTG Reggie feature that has garnered over 3.5 million views on Youtube, Lindasson dropped another defining track, ‘Accepting My Flaws’. These two tracks have gripped the city, becoming unofficial anthems for anyone who knows what’s good in Ottawa.
“It’s overwhelming to know that people like what I’m making in terms of different types of music because when I’m in my crib I just make whatever that I’m gravitating towards. Sometimes I be on melodical, sometimes it’s on the grungy type music like ‘A Lot’.” Lindasson replied when I asked him how it felt to have been the creative force behind the two heaters.
Night Lovell enticing the crowd into a near-riot during his verse, photo credits: @01.pov.ice
He continued, “[When I was] First hearing it, I was like ‘Awhhh this is different, I don’t know how they’re going to feel about it…’ and to release it and see the reaction of people and seeing they actually fuck with it was overwhelming. Having two tracks that people rock with heavy, it’s nice to know I’m doing something right.”
His reach does not stop with these two tracks though. His entire album has become a cult classic in the city. I know this because I was one of the many who was singing much of it word for word in the tiny basement club.
This following has been formed for the right reasons, though. In my humble opinion, Lindasson pairs a diversity in creativity that comes across as almost mystifying with an approachability that is unmatched. By this I mean no two Lindasson songs sound the same, but you know what you are going to get as soon as you press play, even if you haven’t heard it yet. Even in his most melancholy of songs, it seems as if he greets you with open arms.
“Personally, I believe I’m bringing creativity and comfortability in being yourself, in terms of artistry and in terms of music. I’m just being myself and trying different things out and gravitating towards some things that aren’t necessarily the most popular,” he replied when I asked what it is he brings to the city.
Lindasson is unapologetically himself — something that makes it incredibly easy to grasp on to what the capital city native has to offer. You cannot ignore the tidal wave that Lindasson is growing into, ready to crash ashore at any moment and take us all with him. With this being said, be ready for a big year from an artist who doesn’t seem to have an understanding of boundaries when it comes to this industry.
Hit the links to listen to Lindasson on Spotify or Apple Music
Written by: John Balser
All photos credits thanks to Isaiah Gaceta: 01.pov.ice
