Dead Defined is the solo project of Canadian musician Craig Ewan. Blending emotionally driven vocals with hard rock grit, the project has gained millions of global streams since launching in 2018. Based between Uxbridge and Toronto, Craig writes music that digs deep into personal battles, mental health, and the realities of love, loss, and resilience. After a three-year break from releasing new music, his latest single “Better off Alone” marks a bold return. It’s \heavier, more honest, and more refined than ever.
Introduce us to the band! What are your names and what do you do in the band?
Dead Defined is a one-man project: it’s just me, Craig Ewan. I write, sing, and play guitar. In the studio, I collaborate with one of Toronto’s top producers and session players who help me bring the bigger vision to life, but the core ideas, the voice, the feeling, that’s all mine.
Where do you call home?
Home’s kind of a split for me. I live between Uxbridge and Toronto, Ontario. Uxbridge gives me the quiet and space I need to think and write. Toronto keeps me connected to the pulse of the music world. It’s a good balance, small town roots with a city mindset.
How long have you been together as a band and how did you find each other?
Dead Defined started in 2018 as an outlet for stuff I didn’t know how to say out loud. I had just been through a lot emotionally and I needed a way to process it all. I’ve worked with different people over the years, but the studio team I have now came through a mix of networking, persistence, and being in the right places at the right time. It’s not a typical band story, but then again, nothing about this project has ever been “typical.”
Do you have a special songwriting recipe you follow?
There’s no perfect recipe. Sometimes it’s a riff that won’t leave me alone, sometimes it’s a line that hits me in the middle of the night. I usually write from a place of pressure or emotion when something’s heavy enough that I can’t ignore it. I let the music tell me where it’s supposed to go, and I build around that. Lyrics come last more often than not because I want them to mean something, not just fill space.
How would members of your family describe your music to someone that hasn’t heard it?
They’d probably say something like, “It’s loud, emotional, and kind of intense but it’s Craig.” My mom’s proud, but I know she doesn’t fully get the heaviness of the sound. To them, it’s more about seeing how far I’ve come and how honest I’ve stayed with my art.
What do you have on your (Spotify) playlists you would be embarrassed for others to see?
I wouldn’t really say I’m embarrassed, but I’ve got a couple of deep-cut Backstreet Boys tracks that somehow stayed on a playlist from years ago. No shame though, we all grew up on different stuff. And sometimes you just need a pop chorus to clear your head.
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
I try to find a quiet corner and ground myself. No big group chants or fist pumps just deep breaths and checking in with myself. I think about what the songs mean, where they came from, and who I’m singing them for. Then I hit the stage and let it go.
Who have you met that has left you starstruck?
Meeting the guys from Sevendust left a real mark on me. I’ve followed their career for years their sound, their work ethic, the way they carry themselves on and off stage. I ended up at the bar with them after a show and had the chance to buy them a round of drinks. We talked music for a bit, and they were some of the most down-to-earth, genuine people I’ve ever met. No rockstar ego, just solid guys who live for what they do. That night stuck with me.
What do you consider your greatest achievement as far as a band?
The fact that I’ve racked up millions of streams as an independent artist blows my mind. I’m just one guy writing in my room, working with the right people when I can. To know that people around the world are connecting with these songs, that’s the achievement. That’s what keeps me going.
What key elements do you believe makes up a successful song?
Truth. A great song has to be honest and it doesn’t matter if it’s heavy, soft, fast, or slow. If it doesn’t come from something real, people feel that. I also think dynamics are huge. Give people a reason to stay for the ride. Don’t play it safe.
When writing, how do you know when it is finally done?
When I can sit with it and feel nothing left to fix. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect it just means it finally says what I needed it to. Sometimes I’ll live with a demo for weeks or months before deciding if it’s done. And sometimes, I just have to walk away and trust the moment.
What song of yours are you most proud of?
“Better Off Alone” no question. That one came from a place of confrontation and clarity. It’s about realizing you’ve had enough with someone, with yourself, with a cycle that keeps repeating. After a few years of silence, it felt like the most honest way to come back.
Is it possible to be on the road and not eat junk food? How do you keep it leveled out?
You can try… but gas station snacks and fast food are always around. I try to balance it when I can with protein bars, fruit, coffee instead of energy drinks. But let’s be real, it’s not easy. You just do your best to not feel like garbage by day three.
Are you able to write while on the road or do you need a calm familiar space like home?
I jot down ideas and melodies on the road, but the real writing happens at home. I need that quiet headspace. Being on the move is chaotic, and sometimes that chaos gives you the seed of something. But finishing it? That takes stillness.
What’s the most embarrassing thing to happen on stage or on tour?
One time, mid-song, I tripped over a loose cable and basically went down like a sack of bricks. Knocked over a mic stand and nearly took out the drummer’s monitor. I kept playing, but yeah… not exactly a rockstar moment.
What can BleachBANGS do to help you in any way?
Keep doing what you’re doing by supporting independent artists, giving us a platform, and helping us reach new ears. Even just sharing the music or spreading the word means more than most people realize. That’s how movements grow.
How can everyone keep up with everything you have going on? Where can they get albums/merch?
Everything you need is at https://craigewan.fanlink.tv/DeadDefined. Music, merch, links to all my socials, it’s all there. I post updates regularly and try to stay connected with everyone who listens. You can stream my new song “Better off Alone” on your preferred streaming platform here https://deaddefined.fanlink.tv/BetteroffAlone
