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Francis Baptiste

Click here to check out the new Album,

Sənk̓lip, the Trickster

Heritage On the Mend

A washed-up, divorced, recovering alcoholic and drug addict tries to balance being a single father and being a middle-aged musician, living under the poverty line in East Vancouver.

Francis Baptiste is an Indigenous songwriter who covers topics of cultural reclamation, addiction, and fatherhood. CBC has said "Francis Baptiste is unsparingly candid." Of the single Lazy Lake, CBC called it "lushly hypnotic."

In 2022 Indigenous songwriter Francis Baptiste released his debut album, Sneqsilx (Family), an album that features songs sung in his native language Nsyilxcən [nah-silk-sen], the endangered language of the Syilx [see-ilks] people. The 10-song album was his effort to preserve and connect with his heritage. The chance to reconnect with his roots helped him through turbulent times.

In 2024, Baptiste released his second album, Senklip, the Trickster. The 10 new tracks covered topics like Oral Traditions, the struggles of being a recovering addict and a father simultaneously, and intergenerational trauma. “As an Indigenous father, passing things onto the next generation can be both a blessing and a curse,” Baptiste says. “You want to teach them as best you can, but it’s hard to protect them from family trauma.”

The Georgia Straight says: "Baptiste packs a lot of perspective into his music, sung in a mix of English and Nsyilxcən. His vulnerable folk rock songs about addiction and self-discovery are bluesy, bruised, and blossoming."

Baptiste grew up on the Osoyoos Indian Band Reservation, a small Indigenous community of only 500 members. However, he has lived in East Vancouver for 20 years. With the release of Senklip, the Trickster, came the realization that Baptiste has now spent as many years off-Reserve as he has on-Reserve (20 years each)--a life split down the middle, lived in two different worlds.

His new album, Lived Experience in East Vancouver, focuses solely on his battle with addiction. Baptiste has been an addict his entire life. It’s an on-going struggle to this day. Currently, Baptiste works in the Downtown Eastside for a men’s health organization called the DUDES Club (https://dudesclub.ca/).

Praise for Sənk̓lip, the Trickster

"Baptiste packs a lot of perspective into his music, sung in a mix of English and Nsyilxcən. His vulnerable folk rock songs about addiction and self-discovery are bluesy, bruised, and blossoming."

-The Georgia Straight

"Francis Baptiste is unsparingly candid on his new album, Sənk̓lip, the Trickster, especially on the lushly hypnotic, '90s-style alt-rock single, 'Lazy Lake,' an ode to his origins, Osoyoos Indian Band. It's nostalgic and dreamy but there's an undercurrent of tension in the low hum of the strings."

-CBC Music

Praise for Sneqsilx (Family)

"A deeply personal record that holds immense cultural weight at its heart"

-Exclaim Magazine

"Baptiste’s tone and gravitas suggest hope in Nsyilxcən’s revival while acknowledging that its extinction never had to happen."

-Dominionated

Press

June 20, 2025 / Canadian Beats: Francis Baptiste shares new single, “Aspirin for the Soul” (Interview)
June 19, 2025 / Cashbox: Francis Baptiste Trades Heartache For A Hangover On Raw, Soulful New Single
June 19, 2025 / Record World International
June 19, 2025 / Tinnitist - "Aspirin for the Soul"
June 18, 2025 / Find Your Sound - "Aspirin for the Soul"
March 21, 2025 / Penticton Herald: IGNITE: Music has healing powers
March 6, 2025 / Georgia Straight: Vancouver’s scrappy music scene can’t succeed without support
February 26, 2025 / Range Magazine Interview
February 14, 2025 / Vancouver Guardian "Five Minutes With..."
November 21, 2024 / Time Chronicle Article
November 16, 2024 / Penticton Herald Article
October 2, 2024 / SADCAST interview
September 25, 2024 / CBC Music Songs You Need to Hear
August 30, 2024 / Album Mention in the Georgia Straight "Van Jams"
March 20, 2024 / Music Y Mezcal Interview
April, 2023 / Album Review in Discorder Magazine
November 24, 2022 / TimesChronicle Article
July 28, 2022 / Album Review in Permanent Rain Press
July 20, 2022 / Interview in New Feeling
June 23, 2022 / Album Review by YouTube channel Wilternative
June 16, 2022 / Digfest performance and interview on CITR
June 14, 2022 / Interviewed in Vancouver Sun article
May 11, 2022 / "22 Albums You Shouldn't Have Missed in April" in Exclaim! Magazine
April 13, 2022 / Single, “Nknim Qaym Ncut (Sing, Dance)”, reviewed by Domintioned
April 5, 2022 / Feature Article in Discorder Magazine
March 2022 / Featured in New Faves section in Exclaim! Magazine

Videos

Performances

August 31 2025 / Drug Overdose Prevention Day / Penticton, BC
August 30, 2025 / Penticton Farmers Market / Penticton, BC
August 15, 2025 / Vine Arts Festival / Vancouver, BC
July 27, 2025 / The Bell and the Beacon / Toronto, BC
July 24, 2025 / Avant-Garde Bar / Ottawa, BC
July 5, 2025 / Khatsahlano Festival / Vancouver, BC
July 1, 2025 / Canada Day Celebration / Penticton, BC
June 22, 2025 / Rise and Shine / Okanagan Falls, BC
June 21, 2025 / The Hub / Penticton, BC
June 14, 2025 / Arts in the Garden / North Vancouver, BC
May 31, 2025 / Crescent Hill Winery / Penticton, BC
May 24, 2025 / Portside Pub / Vancouver, BC
April 29, 2025 / Guilt & Co / Vancouver, BC
April 17, 2025 / New West Hospice Society / New Westminster, BC
April 12, 2025 / Fest of Ale / Penticton, BC
April 11, 2025 / Fest of Ale / Penticton, BC
April 4, 2025 / Rec Room Granville / Vancouver, BC
March 30, 2025 / Ignite the Arts Festival / Penticton, BC
March 29, 2025 / Ignite the Arts Festival / Penticton, BC
March 20, 2025 / CITR Radio / Vancouver, BC
March 14, 2025 / Aperture Coffee / Vancouver, BC
January 14, 2025 / Music & Mezcal - Gastown Sessions / Vancouver, BC
December 6, 2024 / Shindig at Red Gate (finale) / Vancouver, BC
November 24, 2024 / Dream Cafe / Penticton, BC
November 22, 2024 / Giant's Head Brewing / Summerland, BC
November 18, 2024 / Shindig at Red Gate / Vancouver, BC
October 26, 2024 / Arts New West / New Westminster, BC
October 12, 2024 / Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival / Vancouver, BC
September 21, 2024 / Sun Dog Festival / Vernon, BC
August 31, 2024 / Overdose Awareness Day Concert / Penticton, BC
August 30, 2024 / Okanagan Wine Village / Oliver, BC
August 28, 2024 / Sounds of Summer / Surrey, BC
August 27, 2024 / Music in the Plaza / Vancouver, BC
August 26, 2024 / Evergreen Arts / Coquitlam, BC
August 10, 2024 / Summerlight Festival / Vancouver, BC
August 9, 2024 / Vancouver Mural Fest / Vancouver, BC
July 31, 2024 / Everygreen Arts / Coquitlam, BC
July 27, 2024 / New West Craft Stage / New Westminster, BC
July 20, 2024 / Firehall Brewery / Vancouver, BC
July 15, 2024 / Guilt & Co / Vancouver, BC
July 11, 2024 / Red Bird Brewing / Kelowna, BC
July 10, 2024 / Wednesdays on the Wharf / Salmon Arm, BC
July 6, 2024 / Khatsalno Festival / Vancouver, BC
July 1, 2024 / Canada Day Celebration / New Westminster, BC
June 29, 2024 / Silver Star Summer Music Series / Vernon, BC
June 21, 2024 / Indigenous People's Day Celebration / New Westminster, BC
June 19, 2024 / Lanlou's / Vancouver, BC
May 26, 2024 / Arts in the Garden / North Vancouver, BC
May 25, 2024 / Arts in the Garden / North Vancouver, BC
May 19, 2024 / Spring Festival / Osoyoos, BC
April 24, 2024 / First People Creative Coucil / Penticton, BC
March, 31, 2024 / Ignite the Arts Festival / Penticton, BC
March 30, 2024 / Ignite the Arts Festival / Penticton, BC
March 3, 2024 / Baby Jams / Victoria, BC
March 2, 2024 / Baby Jams / Victoria, BC
January 27, 2024 / Bird House / Vancouver, BC
January 5, 2024 / Elevate Project at the Biltmore Cabaret / Vancouver, BC
November 22, 2023 / Guilt & Co / Vancouver, BC
September 23, 2023 / Shipyards Festival / North Vancouver, BC
September 16, 2023 / Come to the Fire at the Chan Centre at UBC / Vancouver, BC
September 15, 2023 / Barnside Harvest Festival, Ladner BC
September 13, 2023 / Cliffside Cider / Squamish, BC
August 22, 2023 / PNE / Vancouver, BC
August 20, 2023 / Sneaky Pete's / Vancouver, BC
August 19, 2023 / Rogue Arts Festival / Gibsons, BC
August 15, 2023 / FPCC Summer Language Series Conference / Nanaimo, BC
August 10, 2023 / Water St Cafe / Vancouver, BC
August 9, 2023 / Wednesday on the Wharf / Salmon Arm, BC
July 27, 2023 / Water St Cafe / Vancouver, BC
July 14, 2023 / Music in the Park / Kelowna, BC
July 13, 2023 / Water St Cafe / Vancouver, BC
June 29, 2023 / Water St Cafe / Vancouver, BC
June 15, 2023 / Water St Cafe / Vancouver, BC
June 10, 2023 / Indigenous Marketplace on the Boardwalk / New Westminster, BC
June 1, 2023 / Water St Cafe / Vancouver, BC
May 20, 2023 / Purple Linings at Burnout Cafe / Vancouver, BC
January 4, 2023 / The Medicine Show on CITR FM / Vancouver, BC
December 16, 2022 / Root Dwellers Showcase at the Anza Club / Vancouver, BC
December 4, 2022 / Now Society at 8EAST / Vancouver, BC
December 2, 2022 / Creative Mornings / Vancouver, BC
November 25, 2022 / Venables Theatre / Oliver, BC
November 19, 2022 / Surrey Tree Lighting Festival / Surrey, BC
October 15, 2022 / Marc’s / Chilliwack, BC
August 23, 2022 / PNE Metro Vancouver Stage / Vancouver, BC
August 4, 2022 / Firehall Brewery / Oliver, BC
July 9, 2022 / Khatsalano Festival / Vancouver, BC
July 1, 2022 / Vancouver Jazz Fest with Talking Stick Festival / Vancouver, BC
June 25, 2022 / Burnaby Art Gallery / Burnaby, BC
June 21, 2022 / Alliance Francaise Vancouver at Beaumont Gallery / Vancouver, BC
June 16, 2022 / Shindig at CITR FM / Vancouver, BC
June 5, 2022 / Music Waste Festival at the Wise Hall / Vancouver, BC
April 29, 2022 / 2nd Floor Gastown at Water St Cafe / Vancouver, BC
April 23, 2022 / Princeton Pub / Vancouver, BC
March 30, 2022 / Patina Brewery / Port Coquitlam, BC
March 18, 2022 / Firehall Brewery / Oliver, BC
January 18, 2022 / Guilt & Co / Vancouver, BC
October 30, 2021 / Venables Theatre / Oliver, BC
October 20, 2021 / Guilt & Co / Vancouver, BC
October 16, 2021 / Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival / Vancouver, BC
September 21, 2021 / 2nd Floor Gastown at Water St Café / Vancouver, BC
June 19, 2021 / Music Waste Festival / Vancouver BC
April 30, 2021 / Talking Stick Festival at the Cultch / Vancouver, BC