Oakville’s rising duo YASSiN & Sean Terrio are entering a new chapter with the release of their latest single, “Right Here Right Now” featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Charissa, available February 27 via Believe Digital. The track marks both their first collaboration with Charissa and their first step into the country music genre, blending heartfelt storytelling with the duo’s signature emotional connection and chemistry.
The collaboration began after the artists met at the Unplugged North Showcase, where Charissa’s powerful voice and storytelling-driven songwriting made a lasting impression. Since first meeting at Oakville’s legendary Moonshine Café open mic in 2019, YASSiN & Sean Terrio have built an impressive following, earning over 95 million views across social platforms, performing major festivals, and gaining recognition through programs like RBC x Music’s First Up.
With a full album set for release in Summer 2026, “Right Here Right Now” captures the moment before taking a leap of faith — a message about staying present, trusting the journey, and moving forward. We spoke with YASSiN, Sean Terrio, and Charissa about the new single, their collaboration, and what’s ahead.
First off, what have you been up to since our last chat?
Yassin: Hello! Since our last chat, we’ve done MANY things. Played a whole lot of shows, released a few singles, recorded what is turning out to be album two. AND I got married back in October. So it’s been a grand time.
Sean: I can confirm; we’ve been busy. It’s been another great year of shows and making music, we’re happy to be back and see what 2026 brings!
You’ve built a reputation for fearless genre-blending. What was it about “Right Here Right Now” that made you feel it was the right moment to step into the country music space?
Yassin: You know what, I don’t think we had a conscious thought about doing a “country song” Yeah, a few of our songs in the past have leaned more in that direction, but when writing we never really think “lets make a song like that” All we knew is, we wanted to do a song with Charissa, who is an absolute power house country singer. Then all the sudden we had a pretty country sounding song on our hands haha.
Sean: I agree, we’ve never really gone into writing sessions with a specific genre in mind. Often it seems that whatever we are jamming is almost telling us where it wants to sit. Once we began writing with Charissa and the song started to take form, it felt like a no brainer.
How did the collaborative process change with Charissa in the room? Did her storytelling-heavy style influence how you approached the arrangement?
Yassin: Not much really changed in the writing process with Charissa in the room with us. The only thing is, we probably showed up a little more prepared than if it was just Sean & I. Sean actually came in with a verse and chorus pretty much there on this one, but definitely as we wrote the rest of the song together, her writing style shines through. We don’t often have big bridge moments in our songs, but with her it just made sense! It’s one of my favourite bridges we’ve ever made!
Sean: Haha, yeah we wanted to put our best foot forward when we were in the room with her. Luckily it felt pretty seamless. We’ve known Charissa for a while now and rather instantly got along well, so opening up to each other and talking about the things we’d want to say in a song was easier.
You first met at the Unplugged North Showcase. In an industry that is often competitive, how important is the Toronto/Oakville indie scene in fostering these kinds of organic collaborations?
Yassin: I think it’s highly important for any music scene to be more open and less competitive! From Charissa, to everyone who plays in our live band; all of those relationships came from being open to trying something new and recognizing great talent around you without getting in your own way about it. I think it’s almost important to say, there’s no need to force anything when trying to work with people. We met Charissa 3 years ago and it was only recently we wrote this song! It came at the perfect time in both of our careers, and I don’t think the collab would have hit so well, if we didn’t have those years to get to know each other.
Sean: It’s such a big component, where you start-out and “cut your teeth”. It becomes a sort of home for you and when you come across folks in that orbit, there is instantly a connection and relating that happens. Nobody knows what the future will bring or where we will be in however many years, so finding a good musical home in your local scene keeps it fun and helps you all support each other.
Coming off the success of the RBC x Music’s First Up program and performing for Team Canada, how have those “big stage” experiences shaped the sound of the upcoming 2026 album?
Yassin: When we wrote the first album, we barely had any live show experience. Most of our career started in the studio before we ever played anything for anyone. But over the last few years we’ve played hundreds of shows, and with each one we’ve tweaked our songs to fit that space a little better. When writing and recording this new record, how it feels live was a big factor in every stage of creation. We basically thought, “how do we make this the most fun to play live” with every tune!
Sean: Totally! The experiences you have on a journey will help inform how you take your next steps. So with all this live experience, I feel we are better suited at making awesome moments happen and how to have more fun with it.
You recently raised $12K for the Daily Bread Food Bank through Rock The Halls. How does your commitment to philanthropy influence the music you choose to write and release?
Yassin: I think the fact that we can even make music, release it, and have people enjoy it; influences us to give back when we can. We really feel privileged to be doing what we love, and we know we’re not that well known yet, but I believe no matter the size of our platform, it’s important to do what you can for people in need. We hope that someone can see that a small band like us raised that much money for a charity and feel inspired to do something to give. PS we hope the Arkell’s will see this and be part of Rock the Halls next year to help us triple that amount we’re able to give back!
Sean: Any time we’ve been able to help someone have an awesome night at one of our shows or help them through a tough time in life with our music, we feel we’ve done a good job. Helping someone else actually helps YOU. With Rock The Halls we are pretty stoked we can extend our reach of helping other folks while putting on a show. At the end of the day, regardless of what happens around the world, people often only have the people around them, and nobody knows if they will one day need help themselves. I am seeing more how giving back is also receiving.
The song is a reminder to “stay present.” In the age of viral social media (where you’ve seen massive success), how do you personally find ways to stay grounded and “Right Here Right Now”?
Yassin: To be honest, I find it incredibly difficult. Especially with the pace of social media and the direction the music business is going. This is one of those songs that really feels like it showed up in my life right when I needed it. So really every time I listen to this song or play it live, I feel it telling me “hey everything is ok, you’re doing great, Be right here right now”
Sean: In this modern world it’s easy to become disconnected in a moment from your surroundings and to then get stuck there. Often we need a reminder to pull ourselves back into our own bodies or just away from the things we are stuck on. “Right Here Right Now” is one of those reminders to remain here in the moment and to not look too far ahead all the time. You’ll get to that future eventually