About “When I Become Confused”:
Offering a compassionate lens on Alzheimer’s and dementia, David Leask’s “When I Become Confused” is a moving and empathetic look at the inner world of someone navigating memory loss. Drawing inspiration from a poem by longtime friend Rob Keiller, written after the passing of his mother from Alzheimer’s, Leask drew upon his own lived experience as a caregiver for his mother-in-law as she progressed in the disease. Bridging Adult Contemporary and Jazz, “When I Become Confused” is delivered with quiet grace and lyrical depth, using Leask’s tender vocal performance, thoughtful phrasing, and musical space that allow the track to envelop the listener. Backed by a stellar ensemble of Canadian session players including Justin Abedin, Aaron Davis, Davide Di Renzo, and Drew Birston, the track was recorded live off the floor at Canterbury Music in Toronto, creating a delicate yet powerful soundscape. Paired with a beautifully animated video by artist Paul Willis, the song’s emotional core is brought to life through delicate visual storytelling. More than just a tribute, the piece serves as a tool for empathy, offering comfort to caregivers and insight to those outside the experience. Released in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society of Peel, “When I Become Confused” is both a musical offering and a call to awareness, reminding us of the power of music to reach beyond memory, into shared human connection.
Quote: “The depth of emotion embedded in this song was only possible through living and journeying with my mother-in-law as she experienced dementia. I try to empathize with the growing confusion and changes, while embracing the person who is still there.” – David Leask
Upcoming Shows:
May 24 2025 – Erin Mills Town Centre – Walk for Alzheimer’s Closing Ceremony – Event Information
May 24 2025 – Free Times Cafe – Toronto, ON – Tickets
Biography:
Originally from Scotland, David Leask has spent the last 30 years of his artistic career as a multi-award-winning songwriter, a veteran live performer with over 3000 shows since moving to Canada and a sought after songwriting mentor and facilitator. His music draws from Folk, Pop, Jazz, and Blues to create a sound all his own. Songwriters Magazine has referred to him as “the most consistent Canadian songwriting competition winner”, most recently taking home the “Songwriter of the Year” award from Mississauga Music, while also being named Performing Artist of the Year. Leask has been profiled in a SOCAN Words & Music Magazine article which called him a “lifer who has worked outside the commercial boundaries, earning a decent living and immense respect from his peers.”
His last album, “Voyageur in Song”, was nominated for Canadian Folk Music Association Contemporary Album of the Year and reached #8 on the Canadian Roots Music Chart. The album is a unique concept record inspired by the pieces and their stories from the Six String Nation Guitar – a guitar made up of 64 pieces of Canadian culture and history, nick-named Voyageur. The Toronto Star described “Voyageur In Song” as, “Possibly the most Canadian album on Canada’s most historic instrument.” The UK’s Rock ‘N Reel Magazine called it, “That rare thing, a genuinely inspiring album.”
Leask has learned firsthand about music’s healing power through playing in various health care settings for patients and their families, across different age ranges and different levels of care, and was recently asked to perform at the opening of the National Music Care conference for professional caregivers. His latest single and video, When I Become Confused, is a song that was inspired by these experiences of musical healing, but also ones that were close to home.
Connect with David Leask:
