About Nobody Leaves
Scalawag’s new single “Nobody Leaves” is an honest confession about family dynamics and leaving home
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A cinematic, atmospheric lament born straight from the heartfelt reminiscing of Singer- Songwriter Teo Saefkow’s experience of leaving his small home-town in northern BC, and influenced by the folky-atmospheric confessional style of artists like Lucy Dacus and Sufjan Stevens, Scalawag’s newest single creates a solid soundscape out of subtle synth, acoustic guitar and double bass, then fills the track with nostalgic, heartbreaking lyrics.
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Nobody Leaves closely follows Scalawag’s summer EP release ‘Runaway,’ (Reviewed “From bone-deep sadness to floating happiness and body moving rockabilly realizations, he has you hooked to his varying sounds and scrambling to add each track to your favourite playlists.” By The Other Side Reviews, and “Scalawag manages to tie it all together with his nostalgic crooning, to create a smooth and cohesive soundscape.” by Music Crowns) and is a track meant for anyone who needs a cathartic experience after leaving home and being on their own.
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As a fitting origin to this sad song, the guitar line around which the song is based was written the day that writer Teo Saefkow was leaving on tour for a few months. “I was writing guitar parts while my partner was getting ready to go to work. I knew that I wouldn’t see them for quite a while, but we got into a small fight right before they left, and that’s when I wrote the line; ‘like it or not we all have those days where we hurt those we love.’ The line and the situation broke my heart so I had to let it ruminate for a while and come back to the song later” says Teo Saefkow (aka Scalawag)
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Scalawag began production of the single in May of 2020 at his home studio, then scrapped everything when in October 2020 he started renting a room in a basement suite where he restarted and self-recorded a full-length album worth of material. Nobody Leaves is the third single slated for release in the run-up to a full-length album set to release in the early summer of 2022.
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‘Nobody Leaves’ releases everywhere on October 8th, with accompanying music video directed by Matthias Falvai.
Teo Saefkow (aka Scalawag) is a Bi, multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter who brings his Northern BC music festival roots to Vancouver. His sound Harkens to the folky multi-instrumentalism of Sufjan Stevens and the broody intricate lyrics of Hozier. With the goal of disregarding genre constraints, and simply creating whatever may come.
Scalawag Brief
Scalawag Bio
With an eclectic mix of genre, and distinct vocals, Scalawag takes you on a journey of imagination. Teo Saefkow is a multi-instrumentalist, playing Trumpet, Saxophone, Percussion, Bass, Piano, Ukulele and Guitar. His sound is described as a mix between Hozier, Sufjan Stevens, and a young Leonard Cohen, Teo, AKA Scalawag, is sure to both make you nostalgic for things you've never experienced, and keep your head bopping and your torso grooving.
Teo Saefkow grew up in the small town of Smithers, B.C. in a very artistic household: his Mother, a painter, writer, and magazine publisher; his dad, a graphic designer, set designer and guitarist/singer. From an early age, he was exposed to live music, attending concerts and music festivals around northern B.C. He started playing music when he received his first guitar at age 7 and continued throughout elementary and high school where he played tenor saxophone and trumpet in several school bands, and sang in the jazz and choral choirs.
His career in music began the year after he graduated high school when he and long time friend, Zak Windle, started writing music together under the name Ranger Smash. They co-produced and released their first 10-track album together in June, 2016.
During this time, Teo also attended the conservatory acting program at Studio 58 in Vancouver where he honed his crooneresque style, and developed his vocal technique. After graduating, he went on to write, record and self-produce his first solo album under the name Scalawag, released in March, 2019, during his Album release tour.
More recently, Scalawag released a 5-track EP ‘Runaway’ in July, (“The silky smooth articulation...We are in love!” -Tonemill, "There’s a kind of intimacy to this recording that you rarely find in music today. It feels... for lack of a better word, “organic.” I am definitely glad to have found the charming, endearing style of Scalawag.” -Ear to the Ground music) and has been streamed on Spotify 29,000 times. He also released three accompanying music videos that have a collective 17,000 views. This is the first of two EPs set to be released in the run-up to a full-length album slated for release in the summer of 2022.