Christian Hansen is a Canadian new wave artist who moved from Vancouver to Edmonton in 2001. He released his debut solo record, The Super Awkward Album, in 2006 before forming the band Christian Hansen & the Autistics in late 2007. The original lineup included Molly Flood, Scott Shpeley, and Ava Jane Markus. In March 2009, the group was awarded a 10,000 dollar development grant from Rawlco Radio for Edmonton artists. They used the funds to record their first full-length album, Power Leopard, which was released later that year. The single “Cocaine Trade” was named Song of the Year by the Edmonton Journal. The album was also included on the honorable mention list for the 2010 Polaris Music Prize. The band released the four-song EP Swans on June 4, 2010. Following Hansen and Flood’s relocation to Toronto in 2011, the group officially shortened its name to Christian Hansen in 2012. Their second studio album, C’mon Arizona, was released in 2012. The band’s discography further expanded with the EP Small Fry in 2014.
