The Ugly Fun

The Ugly Fun is the sonic alter ego of a Toronto-based artist raised in Dundas, Ontario, who’s spent the past 25 years quietly threading his way through the Canadian music scene. Drawing from a deep love of melody, haunting chord voicings, and syncopated rhythms, his sound merges synth-pop shimmer with indie grit and garage-rock edge. The result is music that’s emotive, off-kilter, and deeply human—crafted with both head and heart. Influenced by genre-defiers like Radiohead, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Dirty Projectors, RAC, The Police, and Depeche Mode, The Ugly Fun exists in a strange, sweet pocket between precision and chaos. Songs often begin fully formed in his head, with production goals that feel just out of reach—on purpose. The challenge is figuring out how to make them real. Lyrics emerge like confessions, often surprising even him. “The words tell me the truth, but only once I finish the song,” he says. “It’s like they know more than I do.” In May 2025, The Ugly Fun debuted his latest work live, opening for Peter Bjorn and John at The Great Hall in Toronto. It marked the first time this new iteration of his music met an audience—and the response was unexpectedly powerful. From garage synth anthems to emotionally rich bangers, The Ugly Fun is less about polish and more about presence. It’s the sound of someone telling their meandering story, one accidental truth at a time.