Tag: Canada

Eleanor unveils her highly-anticipated debut EP, ‘A Late Bloom’

ELEANOR is a singer-songwriter with an R&B leaning sound, coloured in hues of soul and indie. She takes a narrative approach to songwriting, based on experiences of grief and overcoming to shape stories that are robust and deeply felt.

“I make music because it would be harder not to, it’s a very natural extension of my personhood,” says the artist, whose debut album, ‘A Late Bloom’, has come to fruition. “I hope that in being honest on this project, listeners will feel less alone.” Largely produced by 3x JUNO nominated artist John Fellner, stream it in full here.

The mini set includes previously released singles, ‘Make Sense’ (which claimed the Song of the Week title last December) ‘Waste My Time’, and ‘Former Friend’. With guitar plucks giving a rich soulful sound, debut single, ‘Make Sense’ chronicles a conversation with her mother, reflecting on the frustration that comes with not reaching certain milestones ‘on time,’ such as marriage and home ownership.

Processing a mesmerically hypnotic backdrop, ‘Waste My Time’ was inspired by a friendship that was tiptoeing into a relationship, whereas ‘Former Friend’ leans towards a folklore feel, reflecting on self-worth when a friendship comes to an end

The closing track, ‘Faintest Hope’, is both beautiful and unsettling, a cry for hope from a vacant and barren tundra.

‘A Late Bloom’ was released last Friday, 6th October across various music platforms below…have a listen below…

Must Listens: Make Sense, Former Friend, Bow, Faintest Hope

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Arlo Maverick shows gratitude for ‘Day Ones’ in new video

Canadian hip-hop artist ARLO MAVERICK is sharing a new video for his track, ‘Day Ones,’ a song of appreciation for all the people in his life that have supported him since the beginning. The soulful trap-inflected tune will appear on his forthcoming album, Blue Collar, slated for release 20th October 2023.

A detour from Maverick’s cerebral rhymes and biting commentary, he switches up his usual flow to flex his singing skills while offering a simple message: appreciate and hold the loyal people in your life close. The video features a montage of friends, family, and loved ones over the years. Appropriately arriving ahead of Thanksgiving weekend, it’s a tender show of thanks to the community that lifted him up – and the haters that made him stronger – in his quest to make something out of nothing.

“The music video features archival footage of people who were on or tied to a label we ran in the 2000s, called Music For Mavericks, including members of Politic Live, Kreesha Turner, and others,” said Arlo Maverick. “We were a family in a lot of ways and we all keep in touch so I thought it was fitting to centre this video around them. Everyone at the table is part of this legacy. With hip-hop celebrating 50 years, this video in some ways pays tribute to Edmonton’s hip-hop history by showing some of today’s leaders in the culture like K-Riz and Mouraine when they were first starting out.”

While the previously-released Blue Collar single, ‘Night Shift,’ revealed the hard work and sacrifice of those working to get ahead, ‘Day Ones’ shows the importance of appreciating the people who have stood by through it all.

As Maverick says, “For entrepreneurs, the road to success is extremely lonely, but there are always the handful of people who help you achieve your goals. This song acknowledges and celebrates them. I hope this song gets listeners into a thankful mood to show gratitude to the people that have always had your back.”

Check out the video for ‘Day Ones’ below…

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Song of the Day: Parallel Universe – Theo Tams

Fresh off the back of his most recent trilogy of covers, Uncovered (Volume 2), THEO TAMS shares his latest single, ‘Parallel Universe’ . On a recent trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, the artist teamed up with up and coming producer, Mahrow, to create a global anthem exploring the concept of soulmates and all the myriad directions our connections can go in.

“I get super inspired by travel and I was in the beginning stages of planning my wedding at the time,” explains Tams. “I just started thinking all of those thoughts like ‘What if we never met?’ What if I lived here instead? What would my life look like?’”

The song’s sultry production and vocals capture what Tams describes as that flirtatious energy that comes with travelling and being somewhere new, the feeling that you can be whoever you want to be when you’re out of your comfort zone. Listen to ‘Parallel Universe’ below…

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OUT TODAY: Aiza is claiming her own ‘sovereignty’ on her debut album

Montreal-raised, Toronto-based certified Afrobop queen, AZIA is claiming her own sovereignty on her debut album, out today (29th September)

Featuring 11 tracks which showcase her unique blend of soulful afropop and R&B, ‘Sovereignty’ is in the words of Aiza herself, “an ode to the many lessons I’ve learned to become the empowered and unapologetic woman I am today.”

“The album dives into my experiences dealing with heartbreak, healing my inner child, honoring my lineage and boldly owning the fact that I’m a star.”

Working with her longtime partner and producer, C The Reason, as well as an established team of collaborators including Divinity Roxx, Beyoncé’s former bassist and music director, Aiza has crafted a collection of songs that own her power.

Sovereignty features previously released singles, including the playful Afropop of ‘Majimbo,’ Aiza’s French language “eff around and find out” anthem, ‘Kité,’ the delectable and self-assured ‘Alright,’ as well as the album’s debaucherous and seductive lead single, ‘Cocoa Butter.’

During the three years it took to complete ‘Sovereignty’, Aiza explains that she “chose to bet on [herself] over and over again, even when [she] had no idea how it would come together.”

Have a listen to ‘Sovereignty’ below…

Must Listens: Cocoa Butter, Black Tea, Majimbo, Kité

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Watch Classified’s video for track, ‘People’

Prolific award-winning Canadian rapper CLASSIFIED releases a powerful new single ‘People’ via HalfLife Records / Big Story Entertainment and available via all streaming services.

Written and produced by Classified, ‘People’ is a commentary on the selfishness, divisiveness, and lack of empathy in society, suggesting that humanity is collectively responsible for the problems we face and that everyone needs to come together and unite as one. In the track Classified emphasizes the need to focus on the commonalities among people, rather than dwell on irrelevant differences.

“People was a difficult song to write, but I believe that its message needs to be talked about with the current state of the world,” says Classified. “I see so much separation in society stemming from arguments on race, religion, gender, orientation – and at the same time, so many bigger problems in our world being ignored because we are caught up in these differences. One day, I was just like ‘I’m sick of everybody’ and started writing this song. Even though it might come off as negative, I believe that people who actually pay attention to lyrics will understand that this song actually delivers a POSITIVE message, and I HOPE that it brings people together.”

The video for ‘People’ was shot in Classified’s hometown of Enfield, NS by Brothers Boyd (Classified and his brother Mike Boyd). Like the song, the video is evocative and emotionally resonant and urges for a change in perspective and a greater sense of unity for a better future.

‘People’ is the first release in a new partnership between Classified’s HalfLife Records and Big Story Entertainment. Based in Toronto, Big Story Entertainment is dedicated to providing a platform for unique voices in the music industry.

In 2021, Classified released Retrospected, an acoustic hip hop album covering his greatest hits and fan favorites. Retrospected turned into a 40-date sold-out tour across Canada, a win for Artist Innovator of the Year at the 2023 East Coast Music Awards, and a 2023 JUNO Award nomination for Rap Recording of the Year. Classified also launched his autobiography Off The Beat ‘N Path, which shot to No. 1 on Amazon’s Pop Biographies chart.

As one of the most influential hip-hop artists in Canada with over 250 million streams globally, the multiple JUNO Award winner hosted the 2014 JUNO Awards and has a combined 30 nominations and 10 wins between the MuchMusic Video Awards, JUNO Awards, and East Coast Music Awards.

Check out the compelling video for ‘People’ below…

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