Toronto-based singer-songwriter Julian Taylor returns with “Drive,” a thoughtful new song that reflects on the uncertainty of the world around us while encouraging listeners to keep moving forward.
Built around themes of hope, compassion, resilience, and connection, “Drive” arrives as a reflective response to a time Taylor describes as filled with stress, confusion, and hurt. Rather than dwelling on those emotions, the song looks for a more positive direction, encouraging people to keep working toward something meaningful even when the path ahead is unclear.
Taylor’s inspiration came from observing the growing tension between people and wanting to create something that could counter that negativity. His worldview has been shaped by writers, thinkers, and teachings including Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou, Handsome Lake, and The Giving Tree, all of which helped inform the song’s message of kindness, understanding, and positive change.
The title “Drive” carries that idea at its core. After considering several names, Taylor settled on the title as a personal reminder to keep pushing toward meaningful goals. The song speaks to the internal motivation that keeps artists, thinkers, and everyday people moving, particularly when circumstances make it difficult to see exactly where the road leads.
Musically, “Drive” brings together the timeless qualities of folk and Americana songwriting with the fuller energy of a folk-rock band. The song initially began as a stripped-back acoustic idea, but Taylor and his collaborators continued working on it until they found a bigger arrangement that matched the weight of its message.
That evolution is something Taylor clearly embraced. “We took a long time fine-tuning this track,” he explains. “It started off acoustically but ultimately we chose to go with a full band and I am glad we did.” The resulting arrangement gives “Drive” warmth and movement while allowing its reflective songwriting to remain at the centre.
Taylor has spent much of his career refusing to stay within a single musical lane. A familiar presence in Toronto’s music scene, he has moved between roots, rock, soul, R&B and folk throughout a career spanning more than two decades and 10 albums. His music has also found its way into television shows including Kim’s Convenience, Haven, Private Eyes and Elementary, while his live career has taken him to two Olympic Games.
Of West Indian and Mohawk descent, Taylor first gained wider recognition as the frontman of Canadian rock band Staggered Crossing. The group emerged from his earlier band The Midnight Blues, which he formed while still in high school in 1995. Staggered Crossing eventually secured a publishing deal and released its self-titled debut in 2001, producing four rock radio singles including the top 10 hit “Further Again.”
Following the band’s amicable split in 2007, Taylor began developing his identity as a solo artist, moving toward roots-oriented material while continuing to perform extensively. In 2014, he launched the Julian Taylor Band, opening the door for his diverse musical influences to come together through modern pop, vintage R&B, soul, rock and roots music.
The Julian Taylor Band released albums including Tech Noir, Desert Star and Avalanche, while Taylor also returned to his solo work with 2020’s contemplative The Ridge. Away from music, he expanded his creative journey into radio, becoming the afternoon-drive host at Toronto’s Indigenous radio station ELMNT FM after its launch in 2018.
That varied background makes “Drive” feel like a natural addition to Taylor’s catalogue. It carries the warmth of his roots influences but also reflects the broader perspective he has developed throughout his career.
At its heart, “Drive” is about continuing to move. It is a reminder that uncertainty does not have to mean giving up, and that compassion and personal growth can still provide direction when the world feels unsettled. For Julian Taylor, the song becomes both a reflection of the present moment and a personal call to keep going.
