Career Highlights
• Created the World's First Music Video for the Deaf
• NOW Magazine Critics’ Pick for NXNE Festival
• First Place National Anthem Song Contest
• Best Documentary Short Film, Hilltop Film Festival
• Best Documentary Film, EduFilm Fest
• Raised $10 000 USD for accessibility-focused StopGap Foundation by organizing a charity fundraiser through NTT IndyCar’s Road to Indy series at the Honda Indy in Toronto in partnership with Fat Boy Racing and technology company Surgere
• World War II documentary film "War Music" featured on CBC, BBC, Toronto Star
• Olympic Torchbearer Nominee, Beijing Summer Games
• Raised $3600 for the Canadian Women’s Foundation on solo fundraising music tour featuring over 25 independent and unsigned musicians, half being women.
• Performed at top music festivals such as CMJ (New York), Havnekulturfestival (Denmark), Music City North, NXNE, Indie Music Week, Acoustic Edinburgh (UK), and Canadian Music Week.
• Shared the stage with many talented artists, including Emm Gryner, Peter Katz, Simeon Ross, Matthew Barber, Ryan Isojima, Neverending White Lights, Lindy, Matt Norris and the Moon, and Nellie McKay.
• Indie Music Week Finalists, performing lead guitar with Uniter
• Porteous’ song “Darling” is the theme song of the popular Decoding The Man Podcast
• CBC Radio 2 debut at the age of 14
• Multiple honourable mentions in the Billboard Song Contest
• Wrote music for the HBO pilot “Life”
• Received full scholarship to obtain a BA in Documentary Film in Paisley, Scotland
• Honours Diploma in Sound Engineering at the Harris Institute
• Produced over 100 music releases for other artists and 30+ solo releases
“Leaders in Action” feature in SHE Magazine after Porteous headlined a successful charity tour to raise money and awareness for the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Porteous help raise over $3600 for the charity.
award winning musician • documentary filmmaker • photographer • audio/video engineer • graphic design
Biography
David Porteous is an award winning Canadian solo singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, documentary filmmaker, audio/video engineer, photographer, graphic designer, comedy writer and retired magician originally from Toronto, Canada.
There are few artists who can legitimately call themselves professionals in multiple creative disciplines, and Porteous is one of those few.
Whether it’s recording lead guitar in Portugal with Simeon Ross and Boz Boorer of Morrissey, filming and writing music on-location in a WWII-era foxhole, producing records for dozens of other artists, performing magic tricks for David Copperfield, playing guitar, bass, drums, mandolin, piano or singing, operating a photographer at motorsports events such as the infamous Baja 1000, or even designing an IndyCar’s Road to Indy race team logo, this Canadian artist is at home when and wherever he is being creative.
For Porteous, art isn’t about fame, it’s about living one’s life purpose and unifying people through art. And in following through with that vision, he has amassed a career of remarkable accomplishments. But if you ask him, he feels like he’s just scratched the surface.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL BIOGRAPHY (pdf)
Press
Homemade headshot
"...a talented singer/songwriter and documentary filmmaker."
Janice Forsyth, BBC
"David Porteous has released another great CD."
Tegan and Sara
"...left the crowd speechless."
The Shield, review of CMW Showcase
“A very beautiful film.”
Hilltop Film Festival of Diversity & Inclusion
"David's soulful voice, combined with his passionate guitar playing ended with the audience loudly demanding several encores."
BlickPunkt, review of concert in Germany
"An inspiring and innovative Canadian artist whom utilizes his seemingly endless talents to give back to the community. Canada is lucky to have him!”
Death-by-Digital
"It's so compelling and intriguing...
it takes the musical experience to a whole other level."
Asha Tomlinson, Host of CBC News
David Porteous presenting Luke Anderson, co-founder of accessible focused charity StopGap Foundation, with a $10 000 oversized cheque after a successful series of fundraiser organized by Porteous at the Honda Indy in Toronto in partnership with FatBoy Racing, Surgere and the Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires.
CBC News Interview regarding David Porteous’ World’s First Music Video for the Deaf whereby Porteous translated audio to a visual, allowing the deaf community to experience what it is like to listen to recorded music.
NXNE Music Festival, Toronto
Showcase Performance, Copenhagen
David Porteous playing lead guitar with Simeon Ross at Indie Music Week, MOD Club, Toronto
Philip Selway (Radiohead) and David Porteous at Fort York Library, Toronto with the drum kit Porteous donated in memory of drum tech Scott Johnson who was killed hours before Radiohead were scheduled to perform.
Writing and recording music in a WWII-era foxhole in Foy, Belgium. Screenshot from Porteous’ documentary film “War Music”.
Recording piano and vocals at Sigur Ros’ studio in Iceland for the album
“Leaving April”, released 2015.
Special guest performer for student of the Governments of Canada & Japan student exchange program.
Porteous handing over monies raised for Poppy Scotland after charity concerts Porteous organized in the U.K. Poppy Scotland provides financial and direct support for Veterans