Hey Major’s new single, “Sun and the Moon,” out now via Indica Records
Hey Major—multi-instrumentalist brothers Mikaël Fortin and Rafaël Fortin—release “Sun and The Moon.” In partnership with producer Jace Lasek (The Besnard Lakes) and writing partner Franz Schuller (Indica Records), it accompanies lead single “Our World” and its video, both of which are carried by the percussive rhythms of Raphaël, the saturated keyboards of Mikaël, and invigorated by the guitars and arrangements of Jace. Built on strong British rock influences, their unique sound is created by the duo’s explosive chemistry. “Our World” is a letter written to future generations, denouncing society’s mistakes in a request for forgiveness.
“I met a girl and she was wearing a sun and moon necklace,” Mickaël explains about the new single. “I fell in love but knew she was gonna break my heart in the morning… She (and her necklace) was the inspiration. Those fleeting moments and connections we make are there for an instant but leave a mark.”
Raised in a family where the golden age of Supertramp, David Bowie, or Elton John was the soundtrack of their childhood, Mikaël and Rafaël eventually grew to lean towards Coldplay, Karkwa, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Black Keys, and Radiohead as the mood-board for their lives. Those influences were ultimately carried to the studio and guided the musical imagination of what would become the art-rock of Hey Major.
Hailing from Sherbrooke, the brothers first formed Orange O’Clock and won the 2015 CBC Searchlight Award. Eventually, they became Hey Major, evolving their sound defined by Mickaël’s keyboards and piano. Signed to Indica Records (Half Moon Run, The Franklin Electric, Ivytide), their first single, “Brother,” dropped in 2018 to critical and radio acclaim, capturing the primary essence of the band: the brothers’ fraternal, if not symbiotic, chemistry that gives us a song as embodied as it is unabashed, setting the tone for the best, yet to come.
Their first official LP, The Station, appeared in 2019 and was supported by a string of singles—”The Station” and “Goldfellas”—that landed on college and commercial airwaves while seducing an ever-growing public transfixed by the fearless and deeply emotional electricity between the boys on stage touring in Canada and Australia.
During the pandemic, the studio became their sanctuary and the deep breath needed to return to their roots for a first-ever francophone album. Aerial sounds, themes of wandering, inner flight, and inner tension that eventually give way to resilience and a sense of empowerment make up the tracks on this album. Feu intérieur includes the radio hits “Sur un ficelle” and “Le gouffre” which are still playing on commercial radio.