Everyone has their own coping mechanisms for dealing with their personal pain. Even if they aren't necessarily considered healthy to some people, you can't blame someone for wanting to feel something other than pain for a little while. Lagos, Nigeria-born, Ottawa, ON-based hip-hop artist Banggz puts his vices on full display in his new single "Placebo Effect".  Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/3NX1OcCB50kkMivHwdwGfu

The song opens with an electronic sounding hip-hop beat before Banggz comes in with the song's witty chorus, which describes leaning on a lover to make his pain easier to deal with.

"Okay okay the Gemini Gem just Began again
Okay okay tryna find balance in between the pain
Okay okay she hit my line just to show me love again
Okay she took things just to open up again
I feel great already"

Anna Goldsmith, the rising pop star from Innisfil, Ontario has collaborated with Dutch composer and producer Jan Jansen to release their third original single, “Go” – check it out on YouTube here:

The twosome met through Instagram and have teamed up to release originals such as “Follower”, and “Miracle” and covers that include, “One Way or Another” by Blondie and “Father Christmas” by the Kinks. The dynamic duo has several more originals in the works and plans to release an entire album together.

The newly released Go was composed and recorded by Jansen while Anna wrote the lyrics and then recorded the vocals. The new energetic and powerful anthem reflects Anna’s outgoing and confident personality and her desire to empower her fans to truly love themselves as who they are.

James Gray brings us heartfelt stories and tales for a new dawn with his single 'Sleepless' from his new album 'New Friends That Talk Like Old Friends' released late last year.

James is a traveling folk singer that spends half his years living in his cabin in Muskoka, Ontario, in peaceful nature, composing music and allowing himself to breathe. The other half of his life takes him worldwide, including tours of Canada, Europe, and Australia, with more countries and continents on his roster. His natural fingerstyle guitar work and haunting vocals bring visions and sounds of The Band, Townes Van Zandt, and Bonnie "Prince" Billy, with a healthy dose of folk, Americana, and alt-country all being the foundations of his song-crafting style. There is a sad and honest sound that James brings us with his particular sound, and with this album, it’s easily recognized.

The new Pop/AC Single and video from Calgary, Alberta band Mystery Romance is “So Far Away,” taken from their recently-released album Flying Thru The Moon (Current Records). Mystery Romance enjoyed mainstream success in the early 1990's charting three singles.

Check it out on YouTube here:

International touring artist and award-winning singer-songwriter Matt Epp will release his 13th album, “Rolling Wave,” and its new single, “Live Free” – check out on YouTube here:

The Toronto-based troubadour has found himself on the forefront of the Canadian music scene for more than a decade. Epp’s confessional songwriting and intimate performance style have gained him a worldwide following and a 2017 Grand Prize win at the International Songwriting Competition. His songs, which draw on folk, blues, and Americana, have garnered regular rotation on CBC, Sirius XM and community radio.

One thing about rock music that some people forget is that it is an amalgamation of different genres including such as country and blues. For music artists who know this, they have the potential to bridge the past and present by bringing the roots of rock music to a contemporary sound. This is the case with psychedelic folk and classic rock singer Gary Edward Allen and his new single "Final Surprise". Check out YouTube here:

Italian pop singer Filomena Croce’s new single “Renaissance” is out now on all streaming platforms.

Recorded in Toronto, Ontario with producer Roy Hamilton III (Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, NSYNC, Joe), “Renaissance” fittingly marks a new beginning for the singer/songwriter, who moved to Mexico in 2022 and on the way to setting down in Turkey this month.

“I had just come out of a difficult period and felt the need to express my will to give life another chance,” says Croce. “l felt positive, empowered, energetic, and both the lyrics and the rhythm of the song reflected this renewed mood.”

On “Renaissance”, Croce celebrates a renewed focus, another opportunity to take life by the horns and live it to the fullest.

“I want to live, I want to give this life another chance,” she sings. “I want to feel free like the wind.”

Check out “Renaissance” on YouTube here:

Canadian electronic folk-pop artist Adrienne Nye will soon release her new EP, These Winter Skies, which she has teased audiences with through a handful of singles. “Stardust” was her most-recent drop, a song that the Montreal-born, Vancouver-based said holds deep meaning for her.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/track/6OK8TUSI5uipcSB36DjNCR

“The song is an anthem of change, and it really became an outlet for my frustration as a woman who still feels like I have to fight to have a voice in this industry, especially as I get older,” Nye explained.

She teamed up with Cody Taylor of Fiend Recordings to produce “Stardust.” Taylor also helped the artist produce other tracks on These Winter Skies, such as “The River” and “I Need The Light,” which have both already been released as singles. Nye launched her own boutique indie record label in December 2022 - Yaletown Records - and it’s behind the artist’s upcoming EP.

When inspiration seems far away, sometimes all you really need to do is look no further than the one you love. Kingston, ON singer-songwriter Christopher Jackson chronicles that moment of divine realization in his new single "Only You" Watch it on YouTube here:

“I was going through a period of ‘writer’s block,’” Jackson recalls, “And could not come up with any music or lyric ideas. I was feeling stuck and frustrated until my partner Nicole told me to snap out of this funk and just write whatever I’m thinking about. I chirped back ‘the only thing I’m gonna write about is you.’ That line sprouted the single.”

EIGHT was formed in Toronto by singer Geof Childs and guitarist Dom Spina.

After writing countless songs and mastering their craft, they met drummer Capps and bassist Anthony Caetano.

The band is currently in the studio with Micahel Sarracini at Mono Road Music, who has worked with Frozen Ghost, Honeymoon Suite, and Alfie Zappacosta. Their lead-off single "Without You" has already been added by FM radio and Online radio in Canada, USA and Germany, and their new single "Take It Back" is sure to exceed that international success.

Check out “Without You” on YouTube here:

EIGHT's debut album Sleepless In Toronto, will be released in the Summer of 2023, and will surely be heard around the world.

eightband.com

Submitted by Cashbox Canada

Charlie Winston hits Canada this week to Vancouver, Quebec, City, Sherbrooke, Trois Rivieres, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver,

April 26, 2023
Bronson Centre
Ottawa

April 27, 2023
Palais Montcalm
Quebec City

April 28, 2023
Theatre Granada
Sherbrooke

April 29, 2023
Salle J. Antonio-Thompson
Trois-Rivieres

May 1, 2023
Corona Theatre
Montreal

May 2, 2023
The Great Hall
Toronto

May 13, 2023
Hollywood Theatre
Vancouver

As I Am is Charlie Winston's 5th album.

Love can and will conquer all. It can be used as a guiding light towards a path for deeper connections with the people who are closest to you. This love-inspired creation is beautifully illustrated by the talented Israeli pianist and vocalist, Tzvika Force on his latest single, “I am moon” – Check it out on YouTube here:

This powerful and energetic ballad by Tel Aviv-based Tzvika Lorber - aka Tzvika Force, paints an emotional, yet vulnerable piece about the desire and need for connectivity with someone else. “Summer came up too fast. Never hold it that way. I feel I can barely glow. But I believe that you can,” he begins. These words express a sense of uncertainty with the sudden change but strive for the feeling of comfort that comes when everything falls into place.

"I trust your lips, but not your eyes".

As notable Canadian singer-songwriter Rosanne Baker Thornley gains more ground and visibility with her newly released album “Sorry I’m Late”, comes an acoustic version of her single “Because of Me”, a single that was released earlier this year.

“Because of Me” is released Friday, April 21st. You will find the video here -

Katelyn Lehner leads us into a new country-pop single by slapping us in the face with clicky hooks, memorable lyrics, and a catchy chorus. The new single “10 Bucks” doesn't hold any punches when it comes to not taking itself too seriously and, at the same time, manages to touch on a classic subject matter we've all experienced: The Breakup.

Check out “10 Bucks” on YouTube here:

Hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the country artist is taking us on a new music career journey that has had her as North Sask Music Zine's 2022 Artist of the Year alongside opening for acts like Dean Brody, George Canyon, Blue Rodeo, and Tenille Arts. Her ability to meld that classic country and western sound with contemporary pop is effortless, having enough of each genre to please both sides of the fence, like early Taylor Swift, Faith Hill, and Shania Twain.

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils mark their 51^styear by bringing their past, present and future together into “Jackie Blue 2,” a newly-recorded version of their iconic song. Available today on all major streaming platforms, “Jackie Blue 2” updates the 1975 hit with the vocals of Molly Healey, who has been performing the fiddle, cello and backing vocals with the Daredevils since 2012.

Check out “Jackie Blue 2” on YouTube here”

Originally released in 1975, “Jackie Blue” rose to #3 on Billboard magazine’s Hot 100 chart and reached #1 on the Cash Box and Record World magazine charts. A departure from the roots-infused sound of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, the song has remained popular around the world ever since with its breezy melodies that belie a sad tale.

Shaking things up and radically diverging from one’s comfort zone requires a steely resolve and a ton of courage, and folk/roots artist Sharron Katz captures that situation’s fear, exhilaration, and grit in her single “Leaving Eden”. It’s inspired by the Biblical tale of Adam and Eve, which Katz began to interpret anew after a seismic life change. Check it out on YouTube here:

"This song is dedicated to anyone with the courage to travel off the beaten path,” Katz says. “I love the story of Adam and Eve. I see it in a new light and offer up an alternate story.”

When you start getting romantic feelings for someone, you might feel a surge of passion that comes from feeling a strong connection with them. Miss Tammy Darling can distinctively be found in the rockabilly world, but for “Electric Love,” she’s expressing these buzzy feelings of romance in authentically sliding into the RnB and Soul genres. Check it out on YouTube here:

At the start of the song, smooth horns, and Darling's passionate vocals slither into the listener's ears. Once the first verse kicks in, so does the guitar. When combined with Darling's vocals and the horns, the guitar's casual strums seem to gently dance along. This enhances the song's feel-good romance mood.

Nanaimo, BC-based singer-songwriter Laura Kelsey is writing modern mythology with her debut EP Hunting Season released on April 29, 2023.

With a powerhouse voice like Evanescence's Amy Lee and a timeless vibe like Stevie Nicks, prepare to be enchanted by Kelsey's captivating soundscapes and mystical lyrics. Whether she's casting a banishing spell after receiving an ex's friend request on "Your Stormy Ways" or singing a unique creation story on the title track, Laura effortlessly infuses earthy magic into her musical storytelling.

Check out “Stormy Ways” here on YouTube:

‘Our Mother the Earth’ is a collaboration between legendary Chippewa/Anishinaabe Elder Dr. Duke Redbird and Sultans of String. It is the third single of the upcoming album entitled ‘Walking Through the Fire’ (Sept 22, 2023 release), a CD and concert of collaborations with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists across Turtle Island.

Watch and listen on YouTube here:

Redbird was inspired by the idea that every country has a national anthem, yet there is no anthem for Our Mother the Earth.  Redbird said, “if people included an anthem to the Earth along with their national anthem at every event, it would serve to acknowledge our identity, values, and sense of pride in the fact that we are all children of the Earth.”  With this idea in mind, he wrote the poem Our Mother the Earth.

Our Mother the Earth

Benjamin Hackman’s ensemble “The Holy Gasp” is back again, creating another theatrical, thought-provoking, and genre-disrupting musical album as they release their 3rd album – “…And the Lord Hath Taken Away,” available now. It marks their first album since 2018, when they released “The Love Songs of Oedipus Rex,” a 27-person concept LP about a troubled marriage further burdened by the death of the husband’s father.

Watch  The Holy Gasp - "Devil Oh Devil" - (Official Music Video) here:

Toronto-born founder of The Holy Gasp, Benjamin Hackman, along with fellow composer, Anthony William Wallace, and Maestro Robert W. Stevenson, continue their undefinable style, aiming their artform towards the intersection of words and music on the newly released album, “…And the Lord Hath Taken Away.”