New Song and Video

by Hardwood Records

“Make Believe” is a new song I wrote with my friend, novelist Colin McAdam. Over the last couple of years, Colin would send me chapters as he wrote and I would send him back music based on his ideas. Titled Black Dove, the book will appear in Fall 2021. “Make Believe” is about finding the beauty in truth, its bruised melody also acknowledging that as much as we need to stay on the ground and be honest, we will always make things up.

You’ll notice this new song is released under my full name, Hayden Desser. Please follow this full name on your favourite streaming service to keep up with new music. The song is available now on all streaming and digital services.

Like many of us lately, I’ve been confined to small spaces. I made the video by hanging my nephew’s green picnic blanket on the wall next to my dining table, conjuring images of cities and trees out of nowhere. It’s about the heartache we feel and the magic we crave, living in the real world and wanting to fly above it.

You can watch the video for “Make Believe” here.

Thanks for listening.

Stay well,
xo H

Dream Serenade 2019 Line-up Announcement

by Hardwood Records

Toronto’s annual Dream Serenade benefit concert is back for its sixth year supporting and celebrating the Toronto community of children with developmental and/or physical disabilities and their caregivers. This year, on Saturday, November 2 at 8pm, the concert will feature sets from Matt Berninger (lead singer of The National), July Talk, Barenaked Ladies, Hayden, Shad, U.S. Girls, Donovan Woods and very special surprise guests. Once again, Dream Serenade will take place at Roy Thomson Hall, sister venue to its regular home at Massey Hall while it undergoes an historic revitalization.

Tickets for Dream Serenade are on sale now at the Roy Thomson Hall box office, by phone at 416-872-4255 or web at roythomsonhall.com.

Dream Serenade has become one of Toronto’s most highly anticipated annual events, combining a celebration of a hard working community while raising money and awareness for schools and services for children with developmental and/or physical disabilities and their caregivers. The popular annual event has now expanded to support other like-minded schools and care-centres in the GTA and raise funds that directly assist Toronto area families with a large summer camp bursary fund. This past summer, Dream Serenade audiences helped send 100 children to summer camp and/or specialized summer programming.

To support Dream Serenade with a tax-receipt eligible online donation, please visit us here.