Winnipeg's Begonia and Royal Canoe release new summer single Fussin'

Winnipeg music scene darlings Royal Canoe and Begonia are taking their relationship to the next level with the brand new single Fussin'.

Released Friday, the track is the first formal collaboration between the two acts, after more than a decade of songwriting and performing together.

"We've been collaborating together forever. Matt and I since we were teenagers," said Begonia's Alexa Dirks. "We're kind of two little band families at this point."

Dirks has done backup vocals for almost all of Royal Canoe's albums, and band members Matt Schellenberg and Matt Peters have helped with Dirks' solo projects as well.

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"It's a collaboration that has been private forever and ever and ever, and now we're just putting her officially featured on a song," said Schellenberg.

The track was released with a music video shot at a recent bike jam in Winnipeg and is about a spat between a couple.

"[It's] that playful moment when you kind of know each other way too well, and somebody wants to go home and the other person doesn't. The sort of moments we've all had out late at night in summer," Schellenberg said.

Dirks said the band approached her with the basis of a song and then they worked together to tweak and polish it.  

Both Dirks and Royal Canoe are working on new albums, and Royal Canoe is planning a number of joint singles with other artists before their next release.