London, ON’s Folk Roots Collective MAGGIE’S WAKE Release New Holiday Song “Christmas Is Coming For You”
It’s a tongue-in-cheek Christmas for London, Ontario’s preeminent folk-roots collective Maggie’s Wake. Their new single “Christmas Is Coming For You” is out everywhere on November 9th!
“Christmas Is Coming For You” is not your typical holiday single. Maggie’s Wake’s frontwomen Tara Dunphy (The Rizdales, Luther Wright and the Wrongs) and Lindsay Schindler (Rant Maggie Rant, Trent Severn) aren’t afraid to get candid about the ever-expanding holiday season– and how hard they often find it not to roll their eyes.
Listeners will relate to their quippy lyrics about spotting Christmas decorations pre-Halloween, accidentally overspending on gifts, and having to create “a gluten-friendly, vegan, pescatarian” meal the whole family can enjoy. But that doesn’t mean Maggie’s Wake has penned a new anthem for Ebenezer Scrooge!
And then you start to feel it growing in your heart
The thing that they’ve been selling from the very start
It’s not about presents or the spending sprees
It’s the magic of the moment and the memories
“Somehow, despite my best efforts to barricade myself from the hype,” Dunphy concedes. “I find myself falling for it every year and on Christmas day I just let the magic that they’ve been force feeding us envelope me. It turns out I’m a sucker and that’s the moral of the story.”
Indeed, “Christmas Is Coming For You” is a song for practical people who can’t help but get swept up in holiday cheer, and is sure to spark smiles as a welcome addition to everyone’s holiday playlists.
Maggie’s Wake is a Canadian contemporary folk group, that creates a new sound from traditional roots. Founded in 2022 by seasoned folk musicians Tara Dunphy and Lindsay Schindler, both veteran performers contribute fiddle and vocals, with Dunphy throwing in tin whistle, flute, guitar, and banjo. Their powerhouse backing band includes Stephan Szczesniak on percussion, Andrew Kosty on bass, Dean Harrison on piano and accordion, and Kenneth Palmer on guitar.
Be sure to catch Maggie’s Wake performing “Christmas Is Coming For You” and more holiday tunes on their Spirit of the Season tour, kicking off December 1st at Hugh’s Room Live in Toronto. Whether you’re a holiday enthusiast or a bit of a Grinch, Maggie’s Wake gets it, and celebrates you.
Maggie’s Wake Tour Dates:
Dec 1, Hugh’s Room, Toronto, Ontario
Dec 2, Aylmer Town Hall, Aylmer, Ontario
Dec 3, Revival House, Stratford, Ontario
Dec 9, Roxy Theatre, Owen Sound, Ontario
Dec 10, The Gibson Centre, Alliston, Ontario
Dec 17, Aeolian Hall, London, Ontario
Care to introduce yourself?
My name is Tara Dunphy and I’m the singer and multi-instrumentalist in Maggie’s Wake, a band I formed in 2022 with my musical partner, Lindsay Schindler, who handles the fiddle and harmony vocals. She writes the tunes, I write the songs (which overlap sometimes) and we’re creating a new traditional sound in folk music.
Tell us about the process of recording “Christmas Is Coming For You”?
This was an interesting process because it’s the first time I’ve ever recorded a project completely separately from a band. I wrote the song and sent a demo to everyone then piece by piece, everyone contributed little parts. Over the course of a few weeks, we managed to add layers and fun little elements until we came up with this poppy little Christmas number. In my mind, it’s a holiday tune I could imagine Nick Lowe covering (wouldn’t that be a dream?!), and every time I sing it, I end up with a big smile on my face, so it’s safe to say I’m quite happy with the finished product!
What’s it like being musicians in London?
We’re fortunate to have some great venues left in London, like Aeolian Hall, The Richmond Tavern, and the London Music Hall, among others. There is a space for everyone, no matter the size of your following or the style of music you’re playing. The best part of being a musician in the London area is the support from music fans. We’ve only been a band for about a year and a half, yet we have played packed houses to enthusiastic crowds in town, including the Aeolian, Home County Festival, the Grand Theatre, and the new Good Foundation Theatre. London has recently been designated a Unesco Music City, and so long as these amazing fans keep supporting the music scene, London will continue to thrive.
Who was the first and most recent Canadian artist to blow you away?
Over the years I’ve been knocked out by amazing Canadian bands like Shadowy Men from a Shadowy Planet, The Sadies, The Backstabbers Country String Band, Corb Lund and my good friend, Luther Wright, who I’ve been fortunate enough to play with for the last ten years or so. Most recently, I fell in love with a folk group from Winnipeg called Leaf Rapids. They have an album out called Citizen Alien with a song called Virginia that just stopped me in my tracks. Gorgeous lyrics, beautiful music, a perfect combination.
You’ve been making music for a bit of time now, what’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
Music is fun but it’s hard work. The old adage about investing 10,000 hours isn’t a joke – be prepared to put in the time, practice, listen, practice again, listen again. Learn from the best and learn from the worst – figure out what they’re doing right and what they’re doing wrong and don’t make the same mistakes. But also, don’t lose the spark that got you into this in the first place. Music is a gift and if you have it in you, you need to share it. So even if you’ve traveled a long distance to get to a gig that’s only got a handful of people, remember they’re there to hear you, so play like you mean it. It’s worth it!