Revered Canadian indie-rockers Whitehorse (a.k.a. Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet) have already had quite the year.
Doucet was thrown, last-minute, on stage for Bryan Adam’s tour in South America. They recorded their first NPR Tiny Desk Concert, backing Sarah McLachlan. They played live on-stage with Joni Mitchell.
And, closest to their hearts, they have a new album, All I Want Is All Of It, and a “family band” tour that will soon commence.
“It’s been a pretty big year of Forrest Gump-like experiences, where we find ourselves going ‘what? What are we doing? This is crazy!’ says Doucet.
Despite the glamour and excitement, making music together is still what matters most, they say. “The records we make and being Whitehorse is ultimately what it’s all about for us,” says Doucet, “This is where our hearts go.”
Soon they’re hitting the road as a family band of four, with Chloë, 30, and Jimi, 11.
But first, a few stories from a very storied year.
In February, Doucet received a call from Bryan Adams.
“He called and said, ‘can you learn 26 songs and be in Puerto Rico in 72 hours?’ I thought, ‘this is crazy … what?’”
Adams’ guitar player, Keith Scott, had left the tour suddenly for medical reasons. There wasn’t time for Doucet to rehearse a single song with the band.
“Bryan would say, on stage, “you’re killing it, it sounds great, we appreciate you so much,’ and then, like the flip of a switch, he’d turn to me and say ‘it doesn’t go like that!’ and literally instruct me on how to play a song properly in front of 12,000 people.”
It was exhilarating and terrifying, he says.
“I’m just in the twilight zone, cortisol spiking off the inside of my skull and I don’t know what the hell’s going on. It was total insanity.”
To add to the story, Doucet and McClelland were meant to be leaving to perform in South Africa when he got the call from Adams. Luckily, Doucet’s daughter Chloë jumped in and headed to South Africa with McClelland.
“It was really a magical experience,” says McClelland. “We got to hang out just the two of us and go over songs together. It was a beautiful precursor to the family band thing.”
Back together, McClelland and Doucet also took their turn at NPR’s famous Tiny Desk Concerts, backing Sarah McLachlan.
“At first Sarah didn’t really know what it was, she was wondering why we were so nervous,” laughs McClelland. “We said, ‘Sarah! This is iconic!’”
Backing Joni Mitchell on stage during the Juno Awards was also a major moment.
“Any time I caught a glimpse of her face that night she was just beaming. And I love that. What an incredible thing to experience,” says McClelland.
And now, for the next memorable part of their year, they’re taking their whole family on tour.
Both Chloë and Jimi grew up playing on stage with Whitehorse. As Chloë’s own career as a musician developed, she focused on her own path.
“We finally broke her,’ laughs Doucet.
“We’ve been asking her for years to open for us or play with us on tour and she’d say, ‘I don’t want anything to do with your stupid band,’ and we’d always reply, ‘okay, fine, totally get that.’”
Jimi, at 11, is already an accomplished musician as well. He plays the Wurlitzer and Hammond organ on their recent album.
Despite all the excitement 2026 has already held, they’re most looking forward to this tour.
“I can’t wait to go on the road, just us, because we’re pretty loose, we’re super hippie when it comes to Whitehorse,” says Doucet. “We just play it however it feels good.”
“I Want the Milk” from All I Want Is All Of It:
