DEREK ORSI

ARTIST BIO

Montreal based singer/guitarist Derek Orsi pushes the boundaries of Alt Rock with his unique blend of melodic hooks, hypnotic rhythms and daring soundscapes. His music is an eclectic movement of wild frequencies, drawing inspiration from artists like Radiohead, Audioslave, The Smashing Pumpkins and Bjork.

Derek's musical journey began in 2001, playing guitar for the Nu Metal outfit The Shannon Index (stream here). The band released a self-titled EP in 2002 and built a strong grassroots following, with radio play in the US and Canada. He later joined forces with funk rockers Kamikaze Baby (stream here) and released an EP with the band in 2006, titled Identity Crisis.

After years on the road as a touring musician, Orsi shifted his focus and opened the Freq Shop recording studio in 2011 with partner Dave Traina. He went on to engineer, mix and produce records for The Damn Truth, We Are Monroe, John Jacob Magistery, Brittany Kennell, Family Man and Juno nominated artist The Franklin Electric. He was an engineer on The Damn Truth's album Now Or Nowhere, produced by Bob Rock, and earned an ADISQ nomination for Album of the Year in 2021 for his work on The Franklin Electric's LP Never Look Back. He also recorded guitar and toured with The Damn Truth (stream here), I Shot Samo (stream here) & Atomic Radio (stream here) during these years.

Derek moonlighted for over a decade as a resident Alt Pop DJ on the Montreal club scene, and his unique style landed him several performances at OSHEAGA's Artist World.

Orsiʼs debut solo LP FALLEN ANGELS (stream here) was released in the summer of 2021, supported by the singles Faire La Fenêtre and Crash & Burn. The record crosses the bridge of indulgence, with instrumentation ranging from violas and pianos, to distorted guitars and 808s. His sophomore LP ASTRAL YOUTH (stream here) was released on November 17th 2023, supported by the singles XXX, Daydreamer and The Witness. The record is yet another wild ride into musical adventure and diversity.

Music is the language of the soul, and Orsi unapologetically strives for honesty, integrity and individuality in all his productions.