Status/Non-Status

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Status/Non-Status
Status/Non-Status photographed in Montréal, Québec, Canada at the Diving Bell Social Club.
Background information
OriginGuelph, Ontario
GenresAlternative, Folk
Years active(2009 (2009)–present)
LabelsOut Of Sound Records, You've Changed Records
Members
  • Adam Sturgeon (vocals, guitar)
  • Kirsten Kurvink Palm (guitar, synth, vocals)
  • Jessica O'Neil (guitar, synth)
  • Steven Lourenço (bass, vocals)
  • Eric Lourenço (drums)
Websitehttps://statusnonstatus.bandcamp.com

Status/Non-Status, formerly known as WHOOP-Szo, is a Canadian alternative rock band from Guelph, Ontario, led by Anishinaabe-Canadian singer-songwriter Adam Sturgeon.[1] The band is most noted for its 2019 album Warrior Down, which was longlisted for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.[2]

Background[edit]

Sturgeon was born on March 19, 1984, in Erin, Ontario, and is the son of former National Hockey League player Peter Sturgeon. Like his father, Sturgeon was a hockey player in the Ontario Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League before his career was ended by an arm injury.[3]

History[edit]

WHOOP-Szo[edit]

WHOOP-Szo was founded in Guelph, Ontario in 2009 by Adam Sturgeon and Kirsten Kurvink Palm.[4] The band's original name came from Margaret Craven's I Heard the Owl Call My Name.[5] When the band relocated to London, Ontario, several years after their formation, they expanded and incorporated three new members: Joe Thorner, Andrew Lennox, and Eric Lourenço.[4]

In 2014, WHOOP-Szo released the two-part album Qallunaat/Odemin. The record was inspired by the band's year long stay in Salluit, Quebec, working with indigenous youth.[6]

In March 2019, as part of Juno Week for the 2019 JUNO Awards, WHOOP-Szo opened for Canadian metal band Voivod.[7] In November 2019, WHOOP-Szo put out their album Warrior Down through You've Changed Records, which made the 2020 Polaris Music Prize longlist.[8][9] Warrior Down features Sturgeon's grandfather on the cover, a survivor of Canada's Residential School system.[10]

WHOOP-Szo was set to embark on a North American tour in 2020.[11] In mid-March 2020, after playing only a handful of shows, the band was forced to cancel the remainder of their tour due to COVID-19 restrictions.[12][9]

Status/Non-Status[edit]

In 2021, Sturgeon announced that he was changing the project's name to Status/Non-Status, calling attention to the political and legal distinction between status and non-status indigenous people in Canada.[1] Concurrently, he released the EP 1 2 3 4 500 Years,[1] which was recorded in 2018 during a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico.[13]

Adam Sturgeon performing with OMBIIGIZI in London, Ontario.

On September 23, the band's sophomore album Surely Travel was released.[14] The band released a surprise EP on January 3, 2023, titled January 3, consisting of three songs that were held back from making the cut for Surely Travel.[15]

Collaborations[edit]

Sturgeon has also collaborated with Daniel Monkman of Zoon in OMBIIGIZI, releasing their debut collaborative album Sewn Back Together in 2022 and were shortlisted for the 2022 Polaris Music Prize.[16][17]

Discography[edit]

WHOOP-Szo[18][edit]

  • Citizen's Ban(ne)d Radio (2016)
  • Warrior Down (2019)
  • Warrior Remixes (2020)

Status/Non-Status[edit]

  • 1 2 3 4 500 Years (2021)
  • Surely Travel (2022)
  • January 3rd (2023)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Matt Bobkin, "Status/Non-Status, Formerly WHOOP-Szo, Tells Complicated Stories of Indigeneity". Exclaim!, April 28, 2021.
  2. ^ Lau, Melody (June 15, 2020). "Daniel Caesar, Jessie Reyez, Caribou and more make the 2020 Polaris Music Prize long list". CBC Music.
  3. ^ Alex Hudson, "Adam Sturgeon of Status/Non-Status and OMBIIGIZI Reflects Back on His Professional Hockey Career". Exclaim!, March 11, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Bobkin, Matt (2018-01-16). "Meet WHOOP-Szo, Ontario's Fuzz-Rocking Community Healers". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  5. ^ Danahy, Kaely (2014-08-27). "The Conflict of Being Whoop Szo". Vice. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  6. ^ Trapunski, Richard (2018-01-17). "For WHOOP-Szo, there's more at play than just performing - NOW Magazine". NowMagazine. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  7. ^ McSweeney, Madison (2019-03-16). "Voivod / Whoop-Szo @ Toboggan". Musings by Madison. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  8. ^ Eggertsen, Chris (2020-06-17). "Polaris Music Prize 2020 Long List Includes The Weeknd, Jessie Reyez, Daniel Caesar". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  9. ^ a b Gordon, Holly (2020-03-13). "'One day at a time': what it's like for Ontario band Whoop-Szo to tour during COVID-19". CBC. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  10. ^ Mullin, Morgan (2019-11-28). "The wonder of Whoop-Szo". The Coast Halifax. Retrieved 2020-07-06.
  11. ^ Gregory, Allie (2020-02-19). "WHOOP-Szo Map Out Massive North American Tour". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  12. ^ Gregory, Allie (2020-05-05). "WHOOP-Szo Share New "Nshwaaswi" Video". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  13. ^ Holly Gordon, "How a new EP and name are helping Status/Non-Status interrogate the effects of colonization". CBC Music, June 8, 2021.
  14. ^ "Status/Non-Status Announce New Album 'Surely Travel,' Share Video for Lead Single "Mashkiki Sunset" | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  15. ^ "Status/Non-Status Drop Surprise 'January 3rd' EP | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  16. ^ Alan Ranta, "OMBIIGIZI Make Noise with a Purpose on 'Sewn Back Together'". Exclaim!, February 9, 2022.
  17. ^ "2022 Short List". Polaris Music Prize. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  18. ^ "whoop-szo music | Discogs". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
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