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Multi-platinum pop singer songwriter Shawn Hook announces the release of his eagerly awaited new single Bigger Than The Night, available January 26 via Infinity & Recordings / Universal Music Canada. With a new lease on life following a harrowing battle with tonsil cancer, Hook will release Bigger Than The Night exactly one year after he was initially diagnosed, bringing the journey full circle and celebrating now being in remission.
The lyricism in Bigger Than The Night reflects Hook’s perspective on cultivating relationships,
emphasizing a desire for meaningful connection rather than casual encounters, though jumping back into writing initially took some self-work. “I had a bit of a mental hurdle to get back into it. I was feeling that if I went in and wrote something that wasn’t good, that I would get discouraged,” shares Hook. “I just had to do it for myself. I started writing with my guitar in my living room, and then I slowly made my way to the studio to record it, got my ideas down, and then it led to the next song and the next song and now I'm fully back immersed and inspired. Hopefully, 2024 will be the start of my next chapter career-wise.”
Despite the challenges of his lengthy treatment plan which included a tonsillectomy,
chemotherapy, radiation and more, and the intensive recovery that followed, Hook has taken his diagnosis in stride. With the help of vocal exercises, physiotherapy, and holistic treatments, fall of 2023 saw his return to the studio to lend his voice to a cover version of Wham’s celebrated hit “Last Christmas” put on by Virginia To Vegas and Friends, with proceeds from the track benefitting the Canadian Cancer Society. The news of his remission was cause for another celebration – Hook excitedly proposed to his girlfriend not two weeks after finding out. With everything he went through over the course of 2023, it only seemed natural to put pen to paper and start crafting what will ultimately be his new EP, set for release in summer of 2024.
Raised in rural British Columbia, Hook’s dreams reached beyond his small-town upbringing, and he started his musical journey studying piano, eventually signing his first songwriting deal with ABC / Session 5 Music. Known for writing and producing songs for hit TV shows like Eli Stone, Greek, and Samurai Girl, She Could Be You, gained prominence in the ABC Family series Kyle XY. Today, his global audience extends to hundreds of millions of listeners, with musical milestones that include multi-platinum singles “Sound of Your Heart” and “Reminding Me” featuring Vanessa Hudgens, multiple JUNO Award nominations, and the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour at Canada’s Walk of Fame, given in recognition of young Canadian artists inspiring people around the world with past recipients including his fellow colleagues Drake, Alessia Cara and Jessie Reyez. With the release of Bigger Than The Night, Hook marks the launch of a new phase both personally and professionally, with even more exciting moments still on the horizon.
