[Cover photo credit to Nadya Kwandibens]
On September 10th, 2026, in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day, Adrian Sutherland released a new music video and accompanying track, “Left Behind.” The song “shines a light on the mental health challenges faced by many in isolated communities, where services and support often fall short.”
Sutherland, who has spoken openly about his own mental health struggles over the years, shares:
Mental health can be a struggle for people in remote First Nations. It’s sometimes difficult for those who are struggling to find the help they need, and it’s heartbreaking to see so many slip through the cracks. I wrote this song to acknowledge those who are struggling, and to validate them as human beings who are having a hard time.
The accompanying video was filmed in Vancouver when Sutherland was out west for the 2025 Juno Awards, and footage for “Left Behind” was captured in different urban settings to “symbolize the uncertainty and chaos of ever-changing environments.” The message in the video is “that it’s okay to be struggling, and you have not been forgotten. It’s in the journey of returning to the water, the land, and to yourself, that peace is ultimately found.”
The video was produced and co-directed by Sutherland’s longtime manager RoseAnna Schick, with co-director and cinematographer by Cliff Hokanson, and Sutherland as executive Producer. It was edited by Bethany Fontaine, and Tony Wytinck completed the colouring. This is the same creative team behind several of Sutherland’s previous videos.
The song “Left Behind” was produced and mixed by Colin Linden in Nashville, and mastered by João Carvalho in Toronto.
Adrian Sutherland is a Roots-Rock artist from the remote village of Attawapiskat in Ontario’s Far North. He melds Roots, Rock, Folk, and Blues and is inspired by his life, his homelands, and his Cree language and culture.
Sutherland’s first book, The Work of Our Hands, was published by Penguin Random House Canada in December 2025. It offers a glimpse into his life in Attawapiskat, “while gently reclaiming the often-negative media narrative about his home.”
Adrian Sutherland and his team would like to acknowledge and say thank you for travel support from Air Creebec, his regional northern airline. Chi-Meegwetch, Air Creebec! He would also like to acknowledge and say thank you for support from the Canada Council for the Arts. Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien.
