Border Insecurity: Canadian musicians face volatile tour life under Trump
TORONTO – Canadian country singer Robert Adam recorded their new album in Nashville, but under the political tumult of U.S. President Donald Trump, the musician doesn't plan to travel stateside to promote it.
The Calgary-based non-binary artist says they contemplated their decision for several months, weighing past negative experiences as a queer person visiting the United States against the importance of the U.S. market for emerging musicians.
But after hearing about the obstacles faced by some transgender musicians in obtaining U.S. working visas, Adam said they are confident they've made the right decision to skip the country on their upcoming tour.
'(I'm) pretty non-binary presenting, pretty femme … it's hard not to see that I kind of stick out,' they said in a phone interview.
'I don't want to spend my life stressed out over whether I feel like I have to … tone down my image, or what I have to say, just to exist and play a show.'
An order issued in January by the Trump administration declared that the United States will only recognize two sexes, male and female, and that government documents must reflect the one assigned at birth.
This would mean trans and non-binary entertainers might have to misgender themselves in hopes of getting approval.
Some Canadians also have an X gender marker on their passport, and while Adam doesn't, they said the possibility of invasive questions about their gender or being detained at the U.S. border far outweighs the upside.
And so, they will tour elsewhere.
After several Canadian dates, Adam plans to head to the United Kingdom and Japan, where they feel their brand of queer country music will be more warmly received.
'It's important to me that we go to spaces where I can do those things freely and … inspire others to do the same,' they added.
Other Canadian artists, both within the LGBTQ+ community and outside it, are asking themselves whether touring the United States is worth the ethical compromise or safety risks it may present.
Last week, the Canadian Independent Music Association held a virtual town hall to address the growing concerns about performing stateside.
More than 200 musicians, managers and other industry players attended a panel that included two U.S. immigration lawyers who specialize in visas for the arts community.
'I think everybody is right to be anxious, worried and concerned about coming into the U.S. right now,' said Will Spitz, a lawyer in the performing arts division of New York-based firm CoveyLaw.
'It seems like every day there's a new horror story of someone getting detained, hassled or deported.'
Despite heightened tension at the border, Spitz noted 'not that much has changed' for most travellers who are not trans, gender non-conforming or intersex.
Many visa rejections, which may seem like Trump-era actions, are actually due to common paperwork errors, he noted.
'Does that mean it can't change tomorrow? No,' Spitz added.
'I think there's a very real chance that they expand their focus to include anyone who's been vocal in support of Palestine and other issues the current administration doesn't like.'
Statistics Canada data suggests that many Canadians have soured on going stateside. In March, the number of those returning from the United States by car was down nearly 32 per cent compared to last year, marking the third consecutive month of year-over-year declines.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows the number of Canadian citizens turned away at the land border also fell 44 per cent in the same month. In March, 1,747 people were found inadmissible — for reasons as varied as criminal records or improper documents — compared to 3,126 a year earlier. It was the fourth consecutive month of declines.
Still, many are worried. Amid the turmoil, some musicians are choosing to stay silent over fears that any negative comments about the American administration might wind up in a Google search by a border agent.
Nearly a dozen musicians and managers declined to be interviewed for this story, with some explaining they couldn't risk losing access to the lucrative U.S. tour circuit.
'They're terrified of getting stuck at the border and being interrogated for social media posts,' said Eric Alper, a publicist representing several performers who wouldn't speak out.
'A lot of the Canadian artists are leaning towards just surviving.'
Others are thinking more about how to better prepare for their U.S. tours.
Khalid Yassein of Toronto folk act Wild Rivers said his band is upgrading the status of everyone on their team to an O1 visa, which recognizes workers in the arts. Before, some of them held O2 visas, which are for assistants to O1 workers.
The band hopes it will streamline the process and eliminate potential hurdles, he said. They also plan on crossing into the United States at the same time.
'We're having conversations with our team on how to be extra prepared,' he said.
'It's a huge, important music market for us. Granted, we're excited every time we come home because we're a little bit less stressed out.'
Indie rock newcomer Drew Tarves, who performs under the moniker Young Friend, took a different approach. In March, he announced he was cancelling plans for shows in New York and Los Angeles to promote his debut album 'Motorcycle Sound Effects.'
The Vancouver musician said he would dedicate his energy to 17 Canadian dates across six provinces instead. Tarves blamed Trump's tariff war and his aspirations to annex Canada as deciding factors in why he chose to focus on his home country.
'I didn't feel great about going down there,' the 26-year-old said in a recent interview.
'It was a hard decision,' he added. 'Playing there in the past has always felt pretty key to being a developing artist. It's like the hub for music.'
Last month, pop singer T. Thomason also announced he was backing out of U.S. shows after concluding 'it does not feel safe to attempt to cross the border' as a trans person.
His decision came shortly after fellow trans singer-songwriter Bells Larsen cancelled a U.S. tour over new policies that suggested he would likely be denied a visa based on his gender identity.
Those boycotts still seem to be rare, according to Liana White, executive director at the Canadian Federation of Musicians. She said the interest expressed by Canadian musicians in touring the United States remains 'huge,' even with the current unpredictability.
She advises travelling artists to take extra precautions when planning their U.S. dates. For instance, visa processing times have slowed in recent years, an issue that predates the current Trump administration.
Musicians should account for those delays by planning further ahead, she said, and budgeting to pay a premium that expedites approval.
Other things to consider: carry medication in prescription bottles, purchase vitamins south of the border and keep food in its original packaging.
'If it is possible to fly, I would recommend that,' White added, noting it's easier to withdraw a request to enter the United States at many airports, because the person is still on Canadian soil.
Even with the extra hurdles and turbulent political climate, some Canadian musicians say they couldn't imagine abandoning U.S. audiences.
Montreal feminist punk act Nobro, whose debut album was partly inspired by a concert they played hours after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned abortion rights, said performing stateside isn't just about promoting their music but empowering their fans.
'We don't play big shows, we play 200-capacity gigs, and there are a lot of kids out there that can actually afford our tickets,' said bassist Kathryn McCaughey.
'It's really important to uplift those communities and for them to feel like they're being seen and heard and especially just to have fun.'
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Toronto band the Beaches recently hit the stage at California music festival Coachella and last year played in Florida, a conservative state with several anti-LGBTQ laws.
Keyboardist Leandra Earl said the band felt it was essential to 'go down there and meet all of our fans who really need an escape from life sometimes.'
'I personally, as a queer woman, think it's really important for us to keep playing in all of those cities that are looking for representation,' she added.
'Wherever people want us, we'll go there.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2025.
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