R.I.P. Canadian Music Supervisor David Hayman

Shad, Sean Leon and Raine Maida have paid tribute
R.I.P. Canadian Music Supervisor David Hayman
By Calum Slingerland
Published May 20, 2020
David Hayman — a Canadian music supervisor who oversaw sonic aspects for television shows, film, advertisements and more — has died. Hayman's passing was confirmed today in a statement from Toronto's Supergroup Sonic Branding Co., where he was chief music supervisor and creative director. Hayman's cause of death was a heart attack, according to family members and industry colleagues.

"Yesterday we said goodbye to our fearless leader Doc David Hayman," the statement reads. "When he created the Supergroup he created a family based on passion, curiosity, authenticity and a pinch of crazy. An incredible talent with an even bigger heart David leaves behind not only an impressive legacy of work but also leaves his mark on the people of the film and music industry. Thank you all for your continued support. Follow your passions, keep it authentic and please be kind to one another."

As Hayman told Vice in 2014, he first took an interest in music supervision while attending film school, upon realizing "that music in film was reaching me far more than anything else."

"Whether it be music in The Sopranos or the use of Sia's 'Breathe Me' in the Six Feet Under finale, it was those moments that hit me in the gut the hardest," he explained. "There's so much baggage that a song brings and so much pop cultural beauty that it can bring to a scene and I just wanted to be a part of that."

In his career of over 15 years, Hayman's Canadian television credits include music supervision for shows including Utopia Falls, Letterkenny, Schitt's Creek, Kim's Convenience and Nirvanna the Band the Show, while film credits include work on Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band, Chet Baker film Born to Be Blue, and 2016's Giants of Africa, centred on Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri.

Hayman had also applied his sonic skill to advertisements from Telus, the Pan Am Games, the Canadian Football League and more. A personal bio also points to involvement as vice president of the Guild of Music Supervisors of Canada, and work as a part-time faculty member at Toronto's Humber College.

"I've always seen music and film as the same thing. I see music. I visualize everything I hear. I always have," Hayman explained to Vice. "Even when I was a kid, my friends used to make fun of me when I used to close my eyes at concerts. The audience just isn't as interesting to me as being in my own head, so as much as I think it's the need to fill a spot on film, it's more that I just see music. I see it as the soundtrack to my own life. I'll look at someone on the street and find his or her song. I love sound tracking moments for other people."

A GoFundMe campaign to help Hayman's family can be found here.

Canadian artists such as Shad, Sean Leon, Rose Cousins and Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace have joined Hayman's collaborators and contemporaries in sharing tributes, which you can find below.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

RIP David Hayman! 😢I Don't Even Know Where To Start. I Just Want To Say Thank You. You've Helped Countless Canadian Artists Place Their Music And Always Made Sure Canadian Hip Hop Got A Spotlight. You Got Me My First Placement In A Movie (Young People Fucking- Ride Clean) Almost 15 Years Ago. I Was A Baby But U Saw Potential In What Me And My Partners Were Building. We Recently Reconnected And I Played U "Back From The Dead" And Gave U A Red "Era" Hat. You Said "Era Nobody Ever Gives Me Anything." We Laughed. I Left. Then You Sent Me This Picture To Let Me Know U Were Rocking The Hat And It Wasn't Just Sitting On Ur Desk. I've Been Lucky Enough To Work With A Lot Of Amazing People In The Music Industry. You We're Easily One Of Them. Hard Working, Humble, And Just An Overall Great Human Being. You Weren't Really Big On Attention But I Hope You Get All Of Your Flowers Brother, You Will Be Missed. Rest In Paradise. 🙏🏿💯😢Condolences To David's Family. Travel Safely Big Dawg!

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