Kat Harlton
Photos provided via PR team
JUNO Award-winning Canadian alternative-rock duo Dear Rouge recently released their roaring new single “Goon” on March 8th via Pheromone Recordings / Cadence Music Group and all streaming platforms.
Produced by Gus van Go (The Beaches, Metric, Sam Roberts Band), “Goon”, stroppy and energetic, comes crashing into listeners’ ears and vividly captures the frustration of dealing with unwanted individuals that keep resurfacing in your life. Whether they’re an old business partner or an ex that did you wrong, this is the song you’ll want to play when you’re dealing with the annoyance of toxic encounters.
Dear Rouge is composed of Danielle and Drew McTaggart, who are partners both in life and in music. Formed in 2012, Dear Rouge burst onto the music scene with the release of their debut album Black To Gold (2015), followed by the release of PHASES (2018) and Spirit in 2022. Since starting out, the duo has solidified their position as one of Canada’s leading musical acts, earning eight Top 10 singles, five Top 5 singles and two #1 singles. They have accumulated an impressive 25 million streams to date and their song “Meet Me At The Rio” was the #25 Most Played track at Alternative Rock Radio for 2023.
Dear Rouge’s exceptional talent has been previously recognized with a prestigious JUNO Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year (2016), marking a significant milestone in their musical journey. Additionally, the duo won Group Of The Year at the 2022 CMW Jim Beam Indie Awards and has been nominated for several other awards, including the Western Canadian Music Awards, CBC Bucky Awards, CASBY Awards, and many more.
Dear Rouge has also had the privilege of sharing the stage with prominent names such as Vance Joy, Arkells, Metric, Lights, Our Lady Peace and Phantogram, and have had the privilege of performing at Ottawa Bluesfest, Osheaga Festival, Calgary Stampede, and the 2019 Grey Cup Festival in Calgary.
I had the opportunity to chat with Danielle about the duo’s musical journey, their new single and what’s next.
Kat: Can you share with us a bit about Dear Rouge and your music journey so far?
Danielle: Dear Rouge is a Vancouver-based alt-rock project, made up of myself (Danielle McTaggart) and my talented husband Drew McTaggart. We formed the band 12 years ago in 2012 and have been going strong ever since. Three full albums released, and many many shows all over the world and here we are today! We just released our brand new single “GOON”, our first new music in 2 years, with a massive new album on the way.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your new single “Goon”?
Danielle: The inspiration for the song came from a trip I went on to Europe with a friend of mine. We were cruising around the streets of Paris in the wee hours of the morning, and we landed in this pub somewhere near Notre Dame. These two guys would not leave us alone, to the point where we felt extremely uncomfortable. I ended up turning around and saying sternly, “GO AWAY!” As soon as I said it, a creative light bulb turned on, and I knew this experience needed to be put into a song. It got me thinking about how many times someone, or something, keeps popping up uninvited and unannounced. From there, I went on a writing retreat to Keats Island and finished the general idea and then brought it to Drew to finish the demo off. The song is energetic and edgy; the grit and gloss we so often describe our music as.
Kat: What do you hope fans take away from the song?
Danielle: I think we all deal with awkward frustrating relationships. We as individuals can act like Goons sometimes as well. I like to think of these moments around me and within myself to create art. It makes the unwanted moments useful. The music is a way to process, and I hope people can dance off those uncomfortable feelings. We’re in this strange thing of being human, together.
Kat: What do you find is the most challenging part of your creative process?
Danielle: The hardest part for me in the creative process is being boldly vulnerable. It’s so easy to make everything safe or water down lyrics because they are too personal. But once you do that in a song, that’s when they usually stand out. It’s hard though, and I feel like I will forever be on a journey of allowing myself to be vulnerable and bold.
Kat: What has been a career highlight for you so far?
Danielle: Sounds cheesy, but the first time we got played on the radio, it felt like a scene from a movie. Friends in the car, basically turning up the stereo so loud and blowing speakers. Those early days everything is a new world that you are being thrust into, so those moments stick out vividly.
Kat: What have you learned along the way? What would you like to share with other aspiring artists and creators?
Danielle: Don’t quit when things get tough, cause they will. And do it because you love it, not because of some other strange reason. This industry is hard on a dreamer, so you can’t let the shallow things affect your passion. It can get really draining when you run into so much cynicism and fear.
Kat: What else can fans expect from you for the balance of 2024?
Danielle: So much great music. Please keep an eye on all our socials, as we will be up to so much fun stuff this year, with an album and more songs soon to be announced.
Connect With Dear Rouge
Instagram: @DearRouge
Facebook: /DearRouge
Twitter: @DearRouge
Website: https://www.dearrouge.com