Cashbox Canada recently announced the inaugural competition of North2North, The Artist Gateway between Canada and Sweden.

We are happy to announce that industry icon Eric Alper joins the Team as an Adjudicator for North2North Competition, a Canadian indie artist competition, that is open now. Artists will have the opportunity to have top notch adjudicators hear, listen and provide feedback on each and every submission, a value that creates winning no matter what the final decision is for the chosen participants. The winners will travelling in a Canadian contingency to appear at Lilla By Festivalen, in Rinkaby, Sweden, June 12 and 13, 2026. In addition, the winners will receive great prizes right here in Canada.

“For artists, entering this is worth it even if they do not win because each submission will be reviewed by programmers, journalists, promoters, and judges who remember strong artists for future bookings, features, or opportunities,” says Alper. “Being shortlisted, longlisted, or simply selected to compete gives artists a resume line that helps with press pitches, grants, and booking conversations. And this also makes artists to potentially in the future refine their sound, visuals, and story. That process alone can sharpen their direction and makes their next release stronger.”

Eric Alper’s enthusiasm, encyclopedic knowledge of the past and present have made him the go-to for music in Canada. He is also host of one of the top-rated SiriusXM shows “ThatEricAlper”. With over one million followers, friends and connections across his social media platforms, it’s clear to understand why he has been named a “must follow” by Billboard, Paste and National Post among others.

He has been a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 155 JUNO Award nominated-albums (and 14 in 2023), including 43 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, and 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums, and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Past and present clients include Ringo Starr, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Barry Manilow, Bob Geldof, Pete Seeger, Jerry Garcia, Monty Python, Randy Bachman, Nickelback, Sinead O’Connor, Steve Miller, The Smashing Pumpkins, Little Big Town, Black Label Society, Osheaga Music Festival, NXNE, Lasso Montreal, Natalie MacMaster, DJ Khaled, Carole King, Jimmy Webb, Harmonium, Billy Ray Cyrus, Curt Smith, Rita MacNeil, Dr. John, Dwight Yoakam, Fred Eaglesmith, Joey Alexander, Ani DiFranco, Harry Shearer, Dan Zanes, Opeth, Cradle Of Filth, Jordan Knight, Chickenfoot, Men Without Hats, Sean McCann, Bush, Duran Duran, Jeff Dunham, A-Trak, Judy Collins, Ashanti, Supersuckers, Joan Baez, Slash, Andy Kim, Robert Palmer, Rival Sons, Denise Donlon, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Alex Chilton, The Drifters, Colin James, Kathy Valentine, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Pussy Riot, Steve Gorman (Black Crowes), Lori Cullen, Murray McLauchlan, MonkeyJunk, Lee Aaron, Jane Bunnett, Jason Blaine, Dan Talevski, Gloryhound, Steve Vai, Big Sugar, Jesse Winchester, Liona Boyd, Sweet Honey In The Rock, Joan Armatrading, Wanda Jackson, Gordon Lightfoot, Amy Ray, Jake Clemons, Kevin McDonald, Matt Andersen, John Prine, Jesse Cook, Of Montreal, Kris Kristofferson, Eva Avila, Snoop Dogg, Robert Munsch, Bilal, J. Dilla, Allman Brothers, Ben E. King, Fred Penner, Sue Foley, Kenny Shields and Streetheart, Sesame Street, Jeremy Hotz, Xzibit, The Wiggles, Bill Wyman, Sass Jordan, Midge Ure, Holly Cole, Sasha & Digweed, Jimmy Rankin, Light Of Day Canada, Arrested Development, Paul Reddick, Alpha Blondy, Unearth, Kiran Ahluwalia, Public Enemy, Joe Budden, Mobb Deep, Sly and Robbie, Taking Back Sunday, Ziggy Marley, Underworld, The Wild, Quasimoto, Barney Bentall, Yesterdays New Quintet, Mayer Hawthorne, Lunch At Allen’s, Kensington Market Jazz Festival, The Cadillac Lounge in Toronto, Crystal Shawanda, The Mission UK, Cracker, Daniel O’Donnell, Madvillain, Frank Black, BadBadNotGood, Diana Panton, KRS-One, Aloe Blacc, Pete Rock, 54-40, Bonnie Bramlett, Janis Ian, 98 Degrees, Sundy Best, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Paul Oakenfold, Jake Miller, Solomon Burke, Devin Townsend, J Rocc, The Black Angels, Megadeth, Carl Cox, DJ Dan, Barbara Cook, David Archuleta, Downchild Blues Band, John Zorn, Leeroy Stagger, Ghostface Killah, DJ Drama, Slaughterhouse, Shooter Jennings, Everclear, Cormega, Andre Rieu, Dearly Beloved, Carole Pope, The Standstills, Diemonds, Secret Broadcast, Die Mannequin, Steve Earle, Dillinger Escape Plan, Raekwon, Matt Dusk, High On Fire, Slum Village, Christina Martin, Indian City, Autorickshaw, Bif Naked, Carl Dixon, Ori Dagan, The Smithereens, Carol Welsman, Bruce Cockburn, Hatebreed, Streetlight Manifesto, The Mahones, The Game, Thursday, Eric Bibb, Mick Fleetwood, The Prodigy, Third World, Duke Robillard, Heather Bambrick, Michael Kaeshammer, Jay Douglas, Max Parker, Myles Goodwyn, The Spoons, Madlib, Dio, Deborah Cox, Honeymoon Suite, Ian Anderson, Kim Mitchell, Pop Evil, In Flames, Amy Helm, Barbra Lica, Polina Grace, Maestro Fresh Wes, Katharine McPhee, Lorraine Segato, Tom Wilson, Ministry, Miss Emily, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Ray J, RJD2, Jurassic 5, DJ Z-Trip, Alchemist, The Kings, Chali 2NA, Steven Van Zandt, Gino Vannelli, The Boxer Rebellion, The Irish Rovers, King Crimson, Jean-Michel Jarre, Michel Petrucciani, Steve Hackett, Mastodon, All Time Low, Madness, The Cult, Jim Jones, Tom Russell, The Guess Who, Turbonegro, Charlatans UK, Master P, Asking Alexandra, The Trews, Los Lobos, Steve Forbert, Jesus Jones, Howard Tate, Electronic, Freddy Cole, Stereolab, Tim Booth, The Nylons, Christine McVie, RZA, The English Beat, Porcupine Tree, MF Doom and hundreds more.

Eric has been named to Billboard Magazine, Paste Magazine and The National Post’s best on social media, and honoured to be on Canadian Music Week’s Advisory Board and The City of Toronto’s Music Industry Advisory Council. I’m also the host of (wait for it) @ThatEric Alper’s Show on SiriusXM, Channel 167 on the Canada Talks Channel. One of the go-to music commentator across Canada, I’ve been honoured to serve on jury panels for Canada’s Walk of Fame Emerging Artist Music Mentorship Program, CBC’s Searchlight, The Rockie Awards, Canadian Country Music Awards, and The JUNO Awards, among dozens of others across North America. 
North2North is produced and presented by Cashbox Canada, Lilla By Festivalen, Rise & Rein and EMG Collectives, uniting Sweden and Canada once again.

The selected stellar Adjudicators are:
Eric Alper – That Eric Alper PR
Ryan Farley – Hubris Entertainment Grant Writer
Ashley Andrews – Rise & Reign, The Reign Method
Vance McKenzie – VanceWorldMedia Video & Recording Studio
Malin Osth – Lilla By Festivalen, Bara Jonson and Free
Jonas Tancred  – Lilla By Festivalen, Bara Jonson and Free
Sandy Graham  –  Cashbox Canada, Record World International & Cashbox Radio

For more on Eric Alper visit: thatericalper.com/