Tag: Canada

Song of the Day: Life Waters – Jaz Valentino

Out now via Canadian indie label and collective Day7 Records, JAZ’S BLUES (SIDE A) is the brand new sophomore album from Toronto hybrid artist, songwriter, and musician JAZ VALENTINO. The 8-track album is the second full-length project in two years from the Grenadian-Serbian native, following last year’s introductory album Day 7, which led to Jaz Valentino reaching the milestone of garnering his first million streams on Spotify alone.

The melodic rap and R&B fusion album Jaz’s Blues (Side A) was preceded by two well-received lead singles that were released to open Jaz Valentino’s 2022 – the Buckroll Beats-produced ‘Snowflakes’, which has garnered over 100,000 plays online, and the recently released introspective offering produced by Arcane Beats titled ‘Wild Weeds’, which is currently being supported by Live Nation’s Ones To Watch, 1883 Magazine, Earmilk and Word Is Bond Magazine, among others.

Jaz’s Blues (Side A) opens with ‘Farmers Land’, a tribute to Jaz Valentino’s father, who passed away from liver cancer when Jaz was only 13, before digging deeper into his trust issues on ‘Eunoia’, addressing his friendships on songs like ‘King City’ and ‘Like Minds’, refocusing on his faith on ‘Blue F’, and closing out the album with ‘Life Waters’, which is about starting over with a clean slate, and features Jaz’s grandmother, who practically raised him.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the album, Jaz Valentino says, “‘Jaz’s Blues (Side A)’ is me baring my soul in the music about the last three years of my life and what I’ve been going through. Flowers come out of the growth process, but no one talks about the pain the bud or seedling go through in the process, and this is what the album represents. I wrote these songs through the pandemic, through finding my feet in the music industry, through countless rejections and breakups.“

Born and raised in Canada, Jaz Valentino’s music blurs the line between the classic warm tones of R&B and the dynamism of modern hip-hop, while still leaning on his special connection with R&B and rap music. Notable for his evocative sounds, lush melodies, layered texture, captivating hook and introspective lyrics, Jaz Valentino has long been able to connect with listeners on a deeper level, using his ‘less is more’ philosophy to make sure his mixes are not overly crowded, and his songs feel spacious and lush, with plenty of room for his songwriting to stick out.

Now it’s time for you to check out the official video for Jaz’s ‘Life Waters’ below…

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Song of the Day: Making Out With Vampires – Amanda Frances

AMANDA FRANCES is a post-pop artist, songwriter, videographer and Web3 innovator hailing from Toronto. The multidisciplinary artist is also COO of Sadboy Records, one of Canada’s fastest growing indie labels.

Frances has quickly turned heads with her razor sharp wit and glitchy pop productions. Featuring cheeky one-liners, her single, ‘making out with vampires came to light after she learned what love should, and shouldn’t be, and how to protect her own energy.

With a six -track visual album set to drop this year, Frances demonstrates a drive to innovate by dropping her genesis NFT project with decent.xyz for the upcoming debut EP, attachment theory, produced by JUNO-nominated producer, Father Bobby Townsend.

Have a listen to Amanda’s ‘making out with vampires’ below…

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Watch Theo Tams’ Video For FBG Featuring Karma Rivera

Lifted from his brand new EP, ‘Trilogy III’, THEO TAMS shares his single, ‘FBG’ (F**k Boy Games) with an accompanied video.

Carrying an infectious electro R&B vibe ‘FBG’, featuring rapper Karma Rivera, is an upfront and hook-filled middle finger to anyone who has done you wrong. This track embraces self-worth, drawing on the experience of finally getting to a point where you no longer feel the need to accept inexcusable treatment by a partner.

Why not check out the video for ‘FBG’ below…

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Nezsa Takes Revenge On An Ex-Lover On Alt-R&B Single, ‘Trouble’

Having recently been selected as the next ‘Africa Rising’ artist by Apple Music, on the back of the success of her latest single ‘Break’, which has garnered over 100K plays online, and been spotlighted on Apple Music’s ‘New Music Daily’ and ‘R&B Now’, and Spotify’s ‘Fresh Finds’ and ‘Mood Ring’, alternative R&B singer and songwriter NEZSA is back again with an exquisite new single titled ‘Trouble’.

Taken from her anticipated sophomore EP To All The Heartbreakers, which arrives in the summer, ‘Trouble’ is a brilliant genre-bending R&B offering, driven by Nezsa’s enchanting voice, layered harmonies and vivid storytelling lyrics. The ethereal track sees the Canada-based Nigerian rising star standing up to a toxic ex-lover, and pushing back against their cheating, gaslighting and lying ways, over lush synth keys, infectious 808 drum patterns, and a glorious saxophone arrangement that perfectly punctuates the track.

Speaking about the inspiration behind ‘Trouble’, Nezsa says, “‘Trouble’ came to me so naturally. Gbeduboss sent me the beat and I was immediately enthralled by the heavy baseline and overall dark vibe. The story is inspired by some of my own experiences, but it’s also dedicated ‘To All the Heartbreakers’, just as the EP is named. It’s a very empowering song because it’s about standing up to those who’ve hurt you and reclaiming your agency, finally showing them that you’re not weak. In a way, it’s dark because it seems to celebrate revenge, but I think that functions as a therapeutic form of expression in showing myself and also my listeners the extent of our capabilities”.

Noteworthy for her effortless fusion of alternative R&B and neo-soul, her distinctly unforgettable vocals, and her intricate lyricism, Nezsa first burst onto the scene in the summer of 2019 with her debut tracks ‘Lost’ and ‘Like This?’, which quickly attracted global listeners, and caught the attention of emPawa. Partnering with the Mr Eazi-founded label service, Nezsa released her debut EP Bitter-Sweet last summer to rave reviews from fans and critics alike, before taking a hiatus last year to work on her sophomore EP, which arrives in the summer, led by ‘Break’ and the brand new ‘Trouble’. Check it out below…

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Shades Lawrence Goes Back To Her Roots With Latest Single, ‘No Return’

When it comes to pride, there are few more empowered and emboldened by their homeland than SHADES LAWRENCE, and these badges of humility and coat of pride are worn boisterously in the Quebec-based artist’s new single, ‘No Return’.

Shades Lawrence is a queer, Montreal-born hip-hop artist of mixed British, Jamaican, Irish, and Scottish descent. As she’s progressed through the journey of finding her sound, Shades Lawrence has performed over 40+ shows as a spoken word poet and hip-hop artist and shared the stage with a variety of artists — including Princess Nokia, Big Freedia, Cakes da Killa, and more.

Since stepping onto the scene, Shades Lawrence has released three full-length albums — Trust Takes Time (2022), 4th Quarter (2021), and East West Road (2020 — in addition to three EPs — Formidable Time EP (2017), Mind Right EP (2019), and Second Life EP (2019); the latter of which was also featured on Bandcamp’s homepage in their New & Notable section.

Looking through her own history, as well as that of those around her, Shades Lawrence stepped forward into her new project. A journey inspired by the story of refugees and immigrants who have found their way to Canada, in one way or another, Shades Lawrence’s lyricism drives this uplifting single while keeping environmental justice at the forefront.

“This song is inspired by my story — coming from a background where three of my four grandparents were immigrants to Canada,” she shares. Why not check it out below…

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