Reid MacMaster, a musician in the Toronto indie scene and lead vocalist of Fade Awaays, has died. He was 23.
MacMaster passed away suddenly on Saturday (July 30). No cause of death has been made public as of this writing.
Born December 30, 1998, he attended high school at Etobicoke School of the Arts and went on to study Independent Music Production at Seneca College. MacMaster supported his dream of pursuing a career in music by working as a model after being discovered at a bus stop.
His obituary describes him as "the consummate musician" — working at his craft on a daily basis, "constantly improving, growing, experimenting and bringing joy to the world through music, touching the lives of countless bandmates, mentors, friends and fans."
Fade Awaays formed in 2013, relentlessly touring even while members were finishing high school and college. They went on to play shows with the likes of Wolf Alice and the Beaches, and the four-piece were included in Exclaim!'s Class of 2018 concert series and the Exclaim!-curated Sunday Socials concert series in 2019.
MacMaster's family will be holding a private celebration of his life, but welcome donations in his name to the Etobicoke Humane Society (because he loved all animals), Community Music Schools of Toronto, or the Canadian Cancer Society in memory of his father John.
UPDATE (8/5, 9:12 p.m. ET): Fade Awaays have shared a statement on the loss of their bandmate via Instagram, writing:
It is with profound sadness that we must announce the tragic loss of our beloved bandmate and brother Reid MacMaster.
Reid was a creative force to be reckoned with. His passion for his band, his friends, and his family were unmatched. His soul was based in kindness and compassion, always putting friends at the forefront of his life.
Reid was a shining star for everyone around him and brought a charisma that lit up every room he entered. His creative endeavours went far beyond that of the public realm. What Reid has given us as friends, brothers, bandmates, and as people will be with us forever.
We are going to be taking the time to grieve and honour his life. We have nothing to address about the future of the band at this point. However, the journey we started is not done.
Make sure to take the time to be with the ones you love. Be honest with those you love and do not hold anything back, they truly want to know what you are dealing with, no matter what the situation. You are never alone and you are always loved.
We will forever remember this beautiful person for all that he was. He will live on through us all.
For Reid, forever ❤️
MacMaster passed away suddenly on Saturday (July 30). No cause of death has been made public as of this writing.
Born December 30, 1998, he attended high school at Etobicoke School of the Arts and went on to study Independent Music Production at Seneca College. MacMaster supported his dream of pursuing a career in music by working as a model after being discovered at a bus stop.
His obituary describes him as "the consummate musician" — working at his craft on a daily basis, "constantly improving, growing, experimenting and bringing joy to the world through music, touching the lives of countless bandmates, mentors, friends and fans."
Fade Awaays formed in 2013, relentlessly touring even while members were finishing high school and college. They went on to play shows with the likes of Wolf Alice and the Beaches, and the four-piece were included in Exclaim!'s Class of 2018 concert series and the Exclaim!-curated Sunday Socials concert series in 2019.
MacMaster's family will be holding a private celebration of his life, but welcome donations in his name to the Etobicoke Humane Society (because he loved all animals), Community Music Schools of Toronto, or the Canadian Cancer Society in memory of his father John.
UPDATE (8/5, 9:12 p.m. ET): Fade Awaays have shared a statement on the loss of their bandmate via Instagram, writing:
It is with profound sadness that we must announce the tragic loss of our beloved bandmate and brother Reid MacMaster.
Reid was a creative force to be reckoned with. His passion for his band, his friends, and his family were unmatched. His soul was based in kindness and compassion, always putting friends at the forefront of his life.
Reid was a shining star for everyone around him and brought a charisma that lit up every room he entered. His creative endeavours went far beyond that of the public realm. What Reid has given us as friends, brothers, bandmates, and as people will be with us forever.
We are going to be taking the time to grieve and honour his life. We have nothing to address about the future of the band at this point. However, the journey we started is not done.
Make sure to take the time to be with the ones you love. Be honest with those you love and do not hold anything back, they truly want to know what you are dealing with, no matter what the situation. You are never alone and you are always loved.
We will forever remember this beautiful person for all that he was. He will live on through us all.
For Reid, forever ❤️
