With his new single, “Hurt A Bird,” St. Catharines-based artist Joe Lapinski delivers a fierce and poignant anthem against intolerance. Rooted in New Wave Rock with a touch of punk spirit, the track channels Lapinski’s anger toward the adult bullying of transgender and non-binary youth. Lapinski offers a solution: through love and kindness, you too can truly be free as a bird.

Co-produced with Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Gord Downie’s Country of Miracles), the song’s tight, punchy arrangement emerged through a collaborative effort to refine Lapinski’s initial, lengthier version. Inspired by late ’70s and early ‘80s New Wave icons, “Hurt A Bird” features Elvis Costello-style synths and XTC-inspired basslines, creating a track that is both catchy and emotionally charged.

I wrote this song on a day when some so-called ‘adults’ were protesting against transgender and non-binary students being allowed to use their chosen pronouns and bathrooms. It made me furious—these kids already have a hard enough time navigating their identities. To have adults from their own community dehumanizing them is just cruel.

Co-producing this track with Dave Clark was a transformative experience. He pushed me to cut the fat and shape the song into a concise, powerful statement. The result is a sharp, no-nonsense New Wave rock song that hits hard and fast. – Joe Lapinski