Andy Shauf (born 21 June 1986) is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Regina, Saskatchewan,"Andy Shauf Channels His Inner Awkwardness for 'The Party'". Exclaim!, 20 May 2016. who records and performs both as a solo artist and as lead singer of the indie rock band Foxwarren. He plays several instruments, including guitar, drums, and clarinet.Carla Gillis, "Andy Shauf moves to Toronto". Now, 15 November 2016.
Early life Shauf was born in Estevan, Saskatchewan, grew up in Bienfait, and later moved to Regina. His parents ran an electronics and music store, giving him access to a variety of instruments. He played Christian music with his parentsRon Johnson, "Toronto singer-songwriter Andy Shauf on his latest album ahead of his Virgin Mod Club show tonight". Post City Toronto, 22 November 2016. and was a drummer in the Christian pop punk band Captain until 2006.
Career
After two self-released albums in 2006 and 2007 respectively, Shauf released two albums on Hopeless Records: Darker Days (2009)"Andy Shauf, The Party's Gracious Host", Paste, 26 May 2016. and Waiting for the Sun to Leave (2010). These were followed by the self-released EP Sam Jones Feeds His Demons (2012).
He released the album The Bearer of Bad News independently in 2012."Bad News Bearer", Portland Mercury, 4 February 2015. The album was re-released in 2015 on Tender Loving Empire and Party Damage Records. The song "Wendell Walker" from the album was shortlisted for the 2016 SOCAN Songwriting Prize."SOCAN Songwriting Prize Finalists Announced", Exclaim!, 9 June 2016.
In 2015, Shauf signed to Arts & Crafts Productions in Canada and ANTI- internationally, releasing the non-album single "Jenny Come Home" as his first release on both labels."Andy Shauf Signs to Arts & Crafts/Anti-, Shares New Song", Exclaim!, 16 October 2015. "Jenny Come Home" was Shauf's breakthrough on Canadian radio, charting on both CBC Radio 2's Radio 2 Top 20"Radio 2 Top 20 January 8: Alessia Cara kicks off the new year with a new number one" , CBC Radio 2, 8 January 2016. and CBC Radio 3."CBC Radio 3’s top 103 Canadian indie songs of 2015" , CBC Radio 3, 22 December 2015.
Through early 2016, he toured Europe as an opening act for the Lumineers,"Good news keeping rolling in for Andy Shauf". Regina Leader-Post, 17 June 2016. and he moved from Saskatchewan to Toronto in April that year.
Shauf's album The Party was released in May 2016. After some experimental recordings with a group of musicians, Shauf ended up playing almost all of the instruments on the album himself,Ben Rayner, "Andy Shauf doesn't play well with others", Toronto Star, 21 November 2016.Mike Usinger, "Andy Shauf found out that he’s better off alone sometimes", The Georgia Straight, 12 October 2016. with the exception of the string arrangements, which were written and performed by Colin Nealis. The album was a shortlisted finalist for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize"Saskatchewan's Andy Shauf makes the 2016 Polaris Music Prize long list", CBC News, 16 June 2016.Devin Pacholik, "Andy Shauf: A bigger profile, same humble songwriter", Regina Leader-Post, 6 October 2016. and has since been noted by some as the first album to win Shauf widespread recognition. Following the album's release, Shauf toured throughout 2017 with a five-piece band.
In 2018, Shauf released an album with D. A. Kissick, Avery Kissick and Dallas Bryson, under the band name Foxwarren."Andy Shauf Announces New LP with Foxwarren", Exclaim!, 5 November 2018. The self-titled album was released on 30 November 2018 and received a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2020.Melody Lau, "Alessia Cara and Tory Lanez lead the 2020 Juno nominations", CBC Music, 28 January 2019.
On 23 October 2019, Shauf announced that a new album, The Neon Skyline, would be released 24 January 2020.Allie Gregory, "Andy Shauf Announces New Album 'The Neon Skyline,' Hits Canada on World Tour", Exclaim!, 23 October 2019. A single, "Things I Do", was released the same day. After the release of The Neon Skyline, Barack Obama featured the title track on his 2020 summer playlist. Commenting on this honor, Shauf stated, "It’s cool to think that Obama, or the Obamas together, have listened to my music. It’s a really nice feeling to think my music has gone that far."
On 24 September 2021, Shauf released the album Wilds, a collection nine songs written and recorded at the same time as The Neon Skyline and described as a "companion piece" to it.
On 10 February 2023, Shauf released Norm. The concept album follows a stalker. The album was longlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize."2023 Polaris Music Prize long list: Feist, Jessie Reyez and more", CBC Music, 13 June 2023.
In May 2025, Foxwarren released the album 2.Ethan Shanfeld, "How Foxwarren Made a Folk Rock Album With a Hip-Hop Ethos". Variety, May 30, 2025.
Discography Albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions CAN USHeat Love and the Memories of It Released: 2006 Label: self-released — — Grandpa Songs Released: 2007 Label: self-released — — Darker Days Released: 19 May 2009 Label: Hopeless — — Waiting for the Sun to Leave Released: 18 September 2010 Label: Hopeless — — The Bearer of Bad News Released: 2012 Re-released: 30 January 2015 Label: TLE — — The Party Released: 20 May 2016 Label: Anti- — — The Neon Skyline Released: 24 January 2020 Label: Anti- 91 23 Wilds Released: 24 September 2021 Label: Anti- — — Norm Released: 10 February 2023 Label: Anti- — —"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
EPs Tour EP (2009) Four Songs (2009) Sam Jones Feeds His Demons (2012)
with Foxwarren Has Been Defeated (2011) Foxwarren (2018) 2 (2025)
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee/Work Result Ref 2013 Western Canadian Music Awards Producer of the Year Andy Shauf 2016 SOCAN Songwriting Prize English Songwriting Prize "Wendell Walker" Polaris Music Prize Best Full-length Canadian Album The Party 2017 Juno Awards Breakthrough Artist of the Year Andy Shauf Adult Alternative Album of the Year The Party Recording Engineer of the Year "The Magician" "To You" Canadian Independent Music Awards Album of the Year The Party Songwriter of the Year "The Magician" & "Quite Like You" Western Canadian Music Awards BreakOut Artist of the Year Andy Shauf Pop Artist of the Year Producer of the Year The Party Recording of the Year Songwriter of the Year "The Magician" 2020 Juno Awards Alternative Album of the Year Foxwarren 2022 Juno Awards Adult Alternative Album of the Year Wilds
Melody Lau, "Alessia Cara and Tory Lanez lead the 2020 Juno nominations". CBC Music, 28 January 2020.
References
External links Official website