New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Today, as the culmination of its 25th Anniversary campaign, Secretly Canadian joins forces with Vans to launch a charitable collaboration that furthers the record label's commitment to building bigger communities and a better future. After sixteen months spent sharing new music, forming new partnerships and raising funds for the local non-profit and emergency housing solution, New Hope For Families, a limited-edition Sk8-Hi shoe, specially created to reflect the spirit of SC25, will help Secretly Canadian to achieve its underlying mission of ending homelessness for families living in its hometown of Bloomington, IN.
Designed by Secretly Group's Mike Brennan, the SC25 Vans embody the mantra that has guided all aspects of Secretly Canadian's sweeping anniversary initiative: "Every Light On This Side Of The Town." Taken from a line in Jason Molina's Songs: Ohia classic, "Farewell Transmission," the eight words nod to one of the label's most iconic lyrics and formative, artistic relationships. Colored in the long, dark blue that Molina sings of in the song's climax, the lyrics are woven into the heels of each sneaker, while the sun and moon illustrate the imagery portrayed in the rest of the opening verse:
The whole place is dark
Every light on this side of the town
Suddenly it all went down
Now we'll all be brothers of the fossil fire of the sun
Now we will all be sisters of the fossil blood of the moon
Available for pre-order now via the Secretly Store and Bandcamp, the SC25 Vans will be officially released this Friday,
September 2nd. All net proceeds will continue to benefit Secretly Canadian's $250,000 fundraising goal for New Hope For Families, the only place in Bloomington and the greater Monroe County where families with children can find emergency shelter together, inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Pre-order the SC25 Vans and learn more about all parts of the SC25 campaign here: https://ffm.bio/sc25
To further the efforts of aiding families experiencing homelessness in Bloomington, on
September 2, Secretly Canadian will also re-release all two dozen installments of the SC25 Singles series as one definitive, digital compilation. Available exclusively on Bandcamp, with all net proceeds benefiting New Hope For Families, fans can purchase the commemorative collection of original songs, covers and special collaborations that have been released in honor of the label's 25th Anniversary over the past year. Featured artists include Secretly friends and family such as Bartees Strange, Beach Fossils, Bright Eyes, Cassandra Jenkins, Current Joys, Dirt Buyer, DJ Python, Empath x
Spirit of The Beehive, Goose, Green-House, Hatchie, Kathleen Francis, Jim James, Madison McFerrin, Manu Grace, Meernaa, NNAMDÏ, Phoebe Bridgers, Porridge Radio, Skullcrusher,
Stella Donnelly, Sylvie, Tasha & Gregory Uhlmann and Wednesday.
Linking its past and present to a newly imagined future, Secretly Canadian's 25th Anniversary has been a celebration of purpose, place and imagination, while showing how and why the company has risen from a Bloomington basement to "one of the most respected independent labels in the world" (Variety). Additional initiatives encompassed by the SC25 campaign, which was nominated for the A2IM Humanitarian Award at the 2022 Liberas, have included the SC25 Editions of classic album reissues, a limited edition backpack made with Topo Designs, the Secretly Society podcast, Secretly Frequencies playlists, exclusive merch and more.
On the culmination of SC25, Secretly Canadian Co-Founder Ben Swanson says, "Now that we're at the end of our 25th Anniversary project, I'm pleased to find ourselves on a good path towards reaching our goal of raising $250k for New Hope For Families - a local Bloomington organization that focuses on housing-first solutions for our local families of all shapes and sizes experiencing homelessness. To cap the year off with our collab with Vans couldn't be more exciting. I can't wait to see these shoes out in the wild."
"We were delighted when Secretly approached us for this amazing collaborative opportunity about a year ago," adds Justin Lewis, Global
Music Marketing at Vans, who have also donated shoes to the families at New Hope. "Our team is excited to join forces with Secretly on a cause focused on the unhoused in Bloomington, as well continuing the growth of our relationship and championing them for their work as a label."
