Celest & The Torontonians: Life In A Northern Town
A star in Asia, the soulful Singaporean singer now resides in the northern town of Toronto. Aided by an ace local cast, she puts a fresh spin on The Dream Academy hit, and Unison benefits from the project.
By Kerry Doole
Celest & The Torontonians - "Life In A Northern Town" (Independent): Written as a tribute to late folk great Nick Drake, "Life In A Northern Town" was an international hit for The Dream Academy in 1985. Three decades later, it has been brought back to life by Celest, a singer from Singapore who now finds herself living in a northern town, Toronto.
She has assembled an all-star group, the Torontonians, featuring singer/songwriters Julian Taylor and Chris Birkett, plus Young Wolf Hatchlings' Jarrel Young and MC Jetset. The crew assembled at the Canadian Film Centre recently to perform the track, filmed live in 4k with three cameras for the WANTED Live! channel.
Celest's vocals are strong and soulful, and a free-styled rhyme by Jetset adds a fresh new twist to the compelling song. Given Nick Drake's long battle with a depression that took his life at a young age, it is fitting that a donation was made on behalf of the collective to the Unison Benevolent Fund, the Canadian music industry's method of supporting members in distress.
Celest is a major star in Asia (she sang for Singapore at the Beijing 2008 Olympic opening ceremonies), as a supermodel and actress as well as a singer/songwriter. In a bid to crack the North American market, she is currently writing and recording her debut English-language album and will be releasing singles soon. Stay tuned.
The Weeknd at Rogers Centre in Toronto on August 8, 2025.Hyghly Alleyne, Courtesy XO Records