DUNNVILLE—In the stillness of a pond on family land, a song took shape – crafted not from chords alone, but from the voices of 250 young people who understand water’s worth better than many ever will.
Those voices, gathered over the course of several months through a series of conversation circles, form the heart of We Are The Water, a new single by Rob Lamothe and Logan Staats set for release on May 30, 2025.
What began as a community outreach initiative has since transformed into an artistic journey across cultures, generations, and geographic boundaries.
Lamothe, a veteran singer-songwriter, discovered the opportunity through Waterlution, a Canadian non-profit that promotes water awareness.
“They were looking to raise awareness about water,” he explained. “I think it was mostly geared toward young people, through art of any type – music, dance, even pottery.”
Waterlution’s “Great Art for Great Lakes” grant was the catalyst.
Lamothe and his wife Fran joined an information session in Six Nations of the Grand River, where they learned more about the program and began imagining a project that would bring art, water, and youth together.
Alongside longtime collaborator Logan Staats and Indigenous Education Teacher Consultant Suzie Miller from the Grand Erie District School Board, a vision took root.
Their plan? Visit local schools, not to lecture, but to listen.
“We thought maybe we could go in, talk to the young kids about the treaties that have been in place here – this area being Haldimand, Six Nations, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation – and talk a bit about water,” said Lamothe.
Over time, they held conversation circles at Emily C. General School in Six Nations, Thompson Creek in Dunnville, Lloyd S. King Elementary in Mississaugas of the Credit, and JL Mitchener in Cayuga, along with one at the Dunnville Farmers’ Market. Close to 250 students took part.
“We had people with us that documented everything the kids said,” Lamothe recalled. “They had so many ideas and so many thoughts about water.”
Those words, phrases, and emotions became the lyrical foundation for We Are The Water, as Lamothe and Staats worked beside a pond on Logan’s family’s land.
“We took all of those recordings and documentation, and we made a song out of it,” Lamothe said.
The song’s earliest version was performed live at a Six Nations community centre in 2019. That performance, part of the funding requirements, was followed by a long pause.
“We were busy making Logan’s record and playing festivals all over Canada,” said Lamothe. “And then the pandemic hit.”
For a while, the song existed only in informal YouTube clips, until a group of drama students at Welland Centennial Secondary School stumbled upon one of those videos in 2023. They created an award-winning play composed of dance and movement, inspired by the song. There was no dialogue, with the only voice coming at the climax when student Mila Bolgar sang the song’s chorus.
“It was incredible,” said Lamothe.
That performance caught the attention of Niagara MP Vance Badawey, who invited the students to perform the piece in Ottawa at a St. Lawrence River Day event.
More recently, a school in Bradford incorporated the song into its culminating year-end presentation.
“Somehow, this song is creating these ripples,” Lamothe said. “It’s what we talked about: young voices sharing their words with the world.”
Lamothe, who previously worked as program manager at the Dunnville Youth Impact Centre and ran a songwriting camp near Parry Sound for 16 years, is no stranger to working with youth. But these sessions stood out.
“We didn’t have to go in and teach them anything about the value of water,” he said. “They already had this intuition and knowledge.”
The students offered phrases like “save the turtles” and “every drop of this river is just another good day.” These fragments became parts of the evolving song, which they also sang and danced along to during school visits.
“They were so keen to jump up and dance with us,” said Lamothe. “It was incredible. It gives me hope for the future.”
The title itself was inspired by a remark from a Grade 2 student. As the children spoke about camping trips, swimming in Lake Erie, and wading in the Grand River, one child simply said, “We are the water.” Lamothe and Miller looked at each other and immediately knew they had found the core of their song.
For the new studio version, Lamothe assembled a trusted group of collaborators. His son, Xander Lamothe, who also plays in Staats’ band, took the lead on drums. Hamilton bassist Justine Fischer, who had played an acoustic bass in early versions, recorded a new electric bass part. Staats’ sister, Layla, contributed as well, opening the track by singing the Mohawk Water Song in her native language.
“That was pretty special to have on this version,” said Lamothe.
Initially, Lamothe intended to sing the entire track himself, but later invited Staats to contribute alternating vocals.
We Are The Water will be released as the second single from Lamothe’s forthcoming album. The record, still untitled, is being produced in collaboration with an England-based label that has allowed him full creative freedom.
“I imagine in the next three or four months I’ll be done,” he said, estimating that seven or eight tracks are already complete.
Lamothe, who has released several albums since launching his solo career in 1996, views this project as a full-circle moment.
“I get to collaborate with people who I really care about and who I really love. That’s such a luxury,” he said. “This album is really a celebration of love.”
We Are The Water will be available May 30 on all major streaming platforms.
