Dondréa reminds us why you can’t go home again (but can’t stop going home again) on her bittersweet new single Northern Roots — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
The latest single from the Ottawa-raised, L.A.-based singer-songwriter elegantly and intimately expresses the love-hate / push-pull relationship we all have with our hometowns (not to mention former selves, old lovers and button-pushing family). Accompanied by a creaky jack-in-the-box banjo, a skittering hick-hop backbeat and a glistening steel guitar, Dondréa starts unpacking her emotional baggage before she’s even in the door: Her sugar-spun spiderweb vocals kick in on the third beat of the track, like someone quickly and nimbly trying to evade a nostalgic hug by gently insisting that they won’t be staying long. But ultimately, she’s just trying (and failing) to convince herself that she’s moved on:
“Being home never felt so good
Except the fact it haunts me every time
It’s hard to see the life I could’ve lived
And it pains me to know what could’ve been
Yeah, I’m reminded of who I used to be
Yeah and it kills me
“In another life
I’ve seen how this plays out
I think you’d be thrilled with how it ends
I can’t have regrets
Always know I’m tethered to you
It won’t matter how long I’ve been gone
I’ll find my way back to you
And my northern roots.”
Known for emotive and vulnerable tunes that explores themes of self-discovery and life in the present, Dondrá draws inspiration from nature and her everyday surroundings. Her own musical roots go back to her days playing in a pop-punk band, before she transitioned into music supervision. Dondréa spent over a decade licensing music for television and film projects like Degrassi. But her passion for songwriting rekindled her love for creating music, and in June 2023, she released her first single in over 12 years. Fittingly, it was called First Time, and shared her journey of reconnecting with herself after experiencing intense burnout.
In 2024, Dondréa opened for Michael Bernard Fitzgerald on his cross-country Canadian Farm Tour. Her music is co-written and produced by Matt Bauer (Memory Spells) and mastered by Juno-winning engineer Dajaun Martineau.
Check out Northern Roots above, hear more from Dondréa below, and visit her on Instagram.
