Francis Baptiste Strikes a Raw Chord With Indigenous Folk-Rock Testament “Locked in for Life” – Roots Music Canada
October 21, 2025
Francis Baptiste, the Syilx singer-songwriter whose voice has become a vessel for Indigenous truth and lived testimony, presents his latest single “Locked In For Life,” a searing portrait of survival in East Vancouver. The track arrives as Francis continues to build momentum toward his third full-length album, Lived Experience in East Vancouver, and confirms his place as one of Canada’s most vital Indigenous folk-rock artists.
“Locked In For Life” is stark in its honesty, a song that confronts the rising cost of living and the precariousness of survival in a city that often feels indifferent to its artists. Francis delivers both guitar and vocals, joined by Rob Thomson on bass, Max Ley on drums, Feven Kidane on trumpet and Ricardo Pequenino on vocals. The ensemble creates a soundscape that is urgent and resonant — one that embodies the tension between exhaustion and endurance.
