The Story Behind the Music
The Band
Fish in a Birdcage is Dustan Townsend — cellist, songwriter, and one of the most emotionally precise voices in the independent folk scene. Based in Calgary, Alberta, rooted in Victoria, BC.
The fish is an able bodied creature with the potential to fly — just not in that environment.
— Dustan Townsend, on the name “Fish in a Birdcage”
D
Dustan Townsend
Cellist. Songwriter. Storyteller.
Born in Red Deer, Alberta, Dustan has been playing music since the age of two. His mother played piano; music was always the language of the house.
He studied vocals at Red Deer College before discovering the cello — an instrument that would become his signature voice. Once he picked it up, there was no going back.
Years of busking — from the streets of Victoria BC to the rooftops and basements of Canada, to a two-year solo adventure through Europe — shaped his sound into something both deeply personal and universally felt.
Now signed to Nettwerk Music Group and releasing music that spans chamber pop to electronica, Dustan continues to break whatever cage he finds himself in.
The Name
Fish in a Birdcage
A fish is capable. Strong. Built to move. But placed in a birdcage — the wrong environment — it cannot do what it was made to do.
Dustan felt that. As an artist navigating an industry, a world, a life not built for the kind of music he makes — he found the metaphor honest.
But the project is also about breaking through. Finding the cracks. Learning to breathe differently.
The Sound
Modern Renaissance
Cello at the Centre
Every arrangement is built around the cello — raw, bowed, looped, layered.
Chamber Pop Meets Electronica
String arrangements that breathe alongside synthesized textures.
Contemporary Folk Storytelling
Lyrics that feel like journal entries read aloud in a cathedral.
Instruments & Skills
The Craft
The Journey
Timeline
2014
Debut EP Released
Fish in a Birdcage EP drops November 2nd — four rules, four songs, one bold introduction. Recorded at Monarch Studios, Vancouver.
2016
Through the Tides
The first full album. Recorded with a full band including fiddle, guitar, synth, and harmonies. Artwork by world-renowned James Picard.
2018
Street & Stage
Two years busking through Europe — Spain, Germany, the UK. Music stripped back to its most essential: one man, one cello, one voice.
2020
Waterfall
A meditative third album. Eight rules about flow, surrender, and what it means to keep moving. Released during a year that felt like standing still.
2022
Man-O-War
Nautical and restless. Dustan sets his gaze on open water and writes his most cohesive album yet — eight rules that feel like one long exhale.
2024
Mentors + Nettwerk
The fifth album arrives. Simultaneously, Fish in a Birdcage signs to Nettwerk Music Group — a milestone decade in the making.
Common Questions
FAQ
Why is every song called a Rule?
What does Fish in a Birdcage mean?
Is Fish in a Birdcage one person?
How can I see Fish in a Birdcage live?
Where can I stream the music?
Collaborators & Team
The People Behind the Music
Tom Dobrzanski
Producer & Engineer
Monarch Studios, Vancouver. Produced Through the Tides, Waterfall, and the EP.
Mack Shields
Fiddle & Percussion
Appeared on Through the Tides — his fiddle lines defined the chamber folk sound.
James Picard
Visual Artist
World-renowned LA/Vancouver artist responsible for the iconic album artwork.
Nettwerk Music Group
Record Label
Signed in 2024 — the global independent label that now carries the Fish in a Birdcage catalog.
Connect
Stay in the Birdcage.
Join the community. Follow the Rules. Come to a show.