The World Provider Unleashes "Tears" l Watch the Music Video
“Fraser has a knack for the hooks that last forever” - Sean Michaels, The Globe and Mail
“catchy and stinking of talent … a whole lot of goddamn fun … feels like a memento from a happy experience, a reminder of an innocently joyous childhood fantasy” - Exclaim
May 21, 2025 – The World Provider, the musical alter ego of Montreal’s Malcolm Fraser, returns with “Tears” signaling a new creative chapter and a glimpse of more music to come. Synth-driven and guitar-laced and cathartic, the track arrives alongside a vivid, stylized music video directed by longtime collaborator James Villeneuve. This marks Fraser’s first release following the Old Dreams EP from 2018 and the History of Pain LP in 2011.
With its shimmering rhythm section and raw emotions, “Tears” features contributions from a stellar cast of musicians including modular synth virtuoso from New York, Eric Schewe delivering a blistering synth solo, acclaimed Montreal musician Tim Kingsbury on guitars, and Kevin Laing of The Besnard Lakes on drums.
Amidst its grand instrumentation, the song’s thematic and emotional core is vulnerable and introspective. Speaking of the single, Fraser shares:
“Someone asked me if the song was about ‘a doomed relationship.’ I never thought of it that way, although I strongly believe that a song is about whatever the listener thinks it is. To me, the lyrics are more abstract, but fundamentally I guess it’s about struggling with anxiety – regrets, having trouble understanding others and an inability to communicate.”
Shot in a decommissioned airplane hangar in North Toronto, the video is a vibrant, new wave-inspired ride directed by James Villeneuve, packed with animated backdrops, sharp edits, and playful energy. Starring The World Provider, the visuals come with a choreographed dance sequence created by Fraser himself together with Montreal choreographer Katie Ward.
About The World Provider
The World Provider is the superheroic musical alter ego of mild-mannered Montreal Malcolm Fraser. With a rotating cast of collaborators, The World Provider has been providing the world with mind-sticking melodies, low-budget synth rock, and theatrical spectacle since 1999.
Born of the same fertile Toronto music community that spawned Peaches, Feist, Chilly Gonzales, Mocky and Taylor Savvy, The World Provider has been based in Montreal since 2001. Since then, the World Provider has released six records, toured internationally, and collaborated with musicians from Montreal and beyond.
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