Mount Royal came alive with an unexpected musical gift last night when Patrick Watson and Charlotte Cardin surprised Montreal with an impromptu outdoor concert. Locals bundled up against the winter chill to catch the unannounced performance, which Watson shared through his social channels and was broadcast live on ICI Musique.
Under the starry sky, the pair unveiled their newest collaboration, “Gordon in the Willows,” a hauntingly beautiful track they crafted together last autumn at Watson’s hideaway in Lost River. The song begins with Watson’s fingers dancing across piano keys while Cardin’s voice weaves through the melody before fading into subtle waves of rhythm.
This isn’t the first time these Quebec favorites have joined forces—they previously worked together on “Next to You” from Cardin’s album released last year. When asked about their new song, Cardin smiled and said it felt “like the whisper of an old friend” the first time Watson played her his piano sketch. Watson, typically understated, mentioned they didn’t overthink it: “I wanted to create a song that felt like it came from a time long ago.”
Watch the video below:
The Mount Royal show itself was pure theatre—minimal lighting cutting through darkness, their voices floating down over rooftops. As they performed, social media buzzed with excitement as residents leaned out windows trying to spot where exactly on the mountain the music was coming from.
For Watson, this performance caps off a year of creative rebirth. After releasing “Silencio” with French artist November Ultra in late 2023, he’s been exploring new territory. That song emerged from a frightening period when Watson lost his voice completely for nearly three months—unable to speak, let alone sing. The experience pushed him toward collaborations where other artists could breathe life into his compositions.
Watson’s last full album “Better in the Shade” dropped in 2022, drawing inspiration from his literary obsessions. Interestingly, while crafting new material, his older work found new life—”Je te laisserai des mots,” released years earlier, suddenly exploded online, racking up streams into the billions and going platinum across multiple countries.
