Dylan Sinclair has been building this story in public for a while. He first emerged as a teenager with Red Like Crimson in 2018, and every release since has pushed things forward without breaking the thread. Proverb in 2020 brought his first JUNO nomination, No Longer in the Suburbs in 2022 landed on the Polaris longlist, and FOR THE BOY IN ME in 2024 marked another step forward, both in how the music sounds and in how clearly he seems to know himself.
What makes his run interesting is that it has never really depended on one big spike. The growth has been steady, the audience has stayed, and the work has kept sharpening. By 2025, that started showing up on a bigger scale too, from Black Music Month work with Amazon Music and Leon Thomas to a sold-out hometown show at The Danforth Music Hall and an international run across Europe.
Coming out of Toronto, he knows exactly what kind of R&B lineage he is part of. But the way he talks about his own path is less about hype and more about staying rooted, getting better, and letting the music grow with him.
You’ve grown up in Toronto, which has such a strong identity when it comes to R&B. Where do you feel like you sit in that space right now, and what do you want to do differently?
From PARTYNEXTDOOR to Daniel Caesar, Drake and The Weeknd, I’m proud of my city and everything it has to offer when it comes to R&B. Those are genuinely some of my favourite artists, period. When it comes to where I fit in, I definitely feel respected as the next one to do it. People always tell me they see a bright future for me and that definitely keeps me going, knowing that they wanna see me win.
There’s a real sense of honesty and warmth in your music. At a time when everything moves so fast, what makes you hold on to that?
Not sure. I was just raised in a genuinely loving environment where I was encouraged to be open and honest. I think that’s shaped the type of person I naturally am today.
Your newer work feels clearer and more self-assured. What changed for you between your earlier and latest records?
I’m older now. I’m more mature. More responsible and accountable. The music’s gonna reflect that.
A lot of artists today break through one big moment online, but your journey has been steadier. What has that kind of growth shown you about the people listening to your music?
Yeah, I’m very grateful for every last one of my listeners. They’re loyal and they have great taste if I do say so myself. I’m cool with being the “if you know you know” guy. That viral moment will come and it’ll hit way more because I’ve been growing a solid foundation for a minute now.
When you’re writing now, do you usually know exactly what you’re trying to say, or are you figuring it out as you go?
I used to write out all my lyrics before getting in front of the mic. Now, I produce all my demos, so while I’m finding chords and cooking up a beat, I’ll wait for that moment to catch where I find a concept that fits the feel of the music, and once I find that, I run with it.
I punch melodies in and figure out lyrics as I go, but I usually record it all myself cause it all happens very quickly. It’s thoughtless.
When you think about what’s next, what does that actually look like for you—and what would make it feel like you’ve really made it?
Bigger stages, stronger sets and expanding my sound while remaining rooted in what’s gotten me here. Especially now that I have my U.S. visa, touring is all I can think about. I’ll know I’ve made it when I don’t have to question if this is sustainable anymore.. when music fully supports my life and I’m moving with intention rather than survival.
What can you tell us about your upcoming releases?
I produced all the demos, so the music’s very me. No half songs.
What do you think about the Future of Music in Canada?
Man…Canada’s always produced the best artists and that’ll never change.
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