Q with Tom Power How Adam Sturgeon went from being a pro hockey player to a rock musician
Apr 2, 2026
Adam Sturgeon, Anishinaabe musician and frontperson of Status/Non-Status from London, Ont., who also works in community service. He talks about the new album Big Changes and its poppier snapshots. He reflects on leaving pro hockey for music, living and recording in a converted church, and how development and identity shape his songwriting.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Development Signs Sparked an Album About Costs
- Adam Sturgeon wrote Big Changes after seeing municipal signs that read “big changes are coming,” using them to question who benefits from development.
- He contrasts infrastructure fixes with human cost, asking what good a fixed sidewalk is if someone is sleeping on it.
Living And Recording In A Converted Church
- Adam lives in a converted century-old church that became his home studio and contains relics like Russian newspapers and Odd Fellows crests.
- He and his partner secured housing before the market spiked, which allowed a reclusive creative life and space to amplify his music.
90s CanCon Sound Shaped The Record
- The new record intentionally embraced 90s lo-fi alternative and CanCon influences to capture immediacy and hooks.
- Collaborating with idols like Julie Doiron turned youthful dreams into real mentorship and friendship.