After devoting her musical journey to process and express her own personal life and revelations, Canadian contemporary songstress Sheena Legrand proves on her newest release that she can flawlessly push the boundaries of her own artistry. Her latest single, “Heroes in the Making,” is an inspiring pop anthem that explores the innocence and resilience of becoming the hero in your own story.

Along with producer Bryan Livaudais, Legrand wanted to write a hero-themed song. After overcoming her own initial hesitation, the singer-songwriter decided she wanted to write a song about a hero inspired by classic contemporary artists like Mariah Carey and Enrique Iglesias - despite how cheesy she thought they could often be.

If there is a figure who established the foundation and represents Canadian music, Saukrates undoubtedly stands as one of the pioneers of his genre in the country. With a career beginning in 1994, his influence spans decades and categories, marked by a track record of successful releases and significant milestones. The Toronto-based artist is a 2024 Emmy nominee, a multi-Juno Awards nominee and winner, and an MMVA winner, proving his lasting impact and talent in the industry.

Looking ahead with renewed motivation, Saukrates is preparing astonishing projects that will be unveiled in the next months. Characterized by his signature eclectic hip-hop style, the artist is set to release a brand-new single on July 26th. Titled “My Pager Burnin Up (Easide of Thangs)” This joint features renowned artists Redman (New Jersey) and Masta Ace (Brooklyn), frequent collaborators with Saukrates since 1997.

On his new single “Echoes,” folk rocker Mike Bern guides you, like a soaring bird, over a stretching and breathtaking landscape where the sounds build in intensity and then become more vivid and enveloping.

In the valley
Where the ancient sounds reside
There’s a rhythm that echoes
Deep inside
From the past
They call out to me…
I feel so free

Bern is coming off yet another Top 10 on the Indigenous Music Countdown for his single “New World.” On this latest “Echoes,” Bern enlists the help of the drum group Muskrat Singers to create a richly textured and multi-layered soundscape meant to recreate the pounding of ash (the process of making ash baskets). The song shimmers, chants, builds and dissolves around the joyful rhythm of the ancient practice.

 Newmarket Roots Musician John Dawson Speaks To Life's Big Picture With "Things That I Meant To Say" From Outlier Album

One of life's bigger events is the birth of a child and the dichotomy that comes for parents. On one hand there's the joy of seeing a little bundle of joy while on the other there is the fear and stress of how to look after and care for that same little bundle of joy. For John Dawson, his latest single "Things That I Meant To Say" serves as a credo to tell his child of the wholehearted love and support they'll have regardless of what unexpected twists, turns or hurdles life has in store.

"The song essentially serves as a list of things I wanted to make sure my child knew no matter what challenges life presented to our relationship," Dawson says. "It is also the picture of the ideal parent I hope to be as I moved into this new adventure: an example of unconditional and unwavering love 'until my days are done.' Above all, I believe it's a song that serves as a reminder to me during those inevitably challenging times of that one thing which truly matters above all else: love."

Nanaimo, BC-based country rock musician Joel Lee found himself tiring of the standard topics of country songs. Whether it was the breakups, cheating, or the ballads of beer-soaked regret Lee was seeking something new, fun, and exciting. It sounds like his latest single "Jump Jump" more than satisfied that need for exhilaration.

Lee says the inspiration came from a quiet Saturday evening, one where he wasn't "pouring myself out like the cheap beer being consumed on the dance floor in front of me." The musician aspired to capture that feeling, being "right there at that moment" in a near-capacity watering hole with shouts for "Free Bird" audible from the back.

After more than four decades of touring, writing, and producing new music Frank Cosentino realized he needed to change his lifestyle.

“I overcame the challenges of addiction and got sober seven years ago,” he stated. “With renewed inspiration, I returned to songwriting with increased focus and energy.”

After working with producer Derek Downham at Studio Cardinal Toronto, Cosentino is ready to release his next album to the world.

The upcoming album, aptly titled ‘COMEBACK’, includes his soon-to-be-hit ‘VIBIN’, which will take over the airwaves on July 23, 2024.

Singer-songwriter Erika Kulnys’ new single “Black Swan” is aching and melancholy, with introspective guitar and deeply heartfelt vocals that go beyond typical grief or sadness.

The song was written after an abusive relationship, one in which Kulnys suffered physical and emotional abuse. “It’s about reckoning with despair and finding the dawn after the long night,” she says.

Between his various vocations as public speaker, television personality and adult contemporary/rock musician, Les Stroud has seen much in his life. Now with his latest single, the alternate mixed and mastered version of "When It's Gone," Stroud offers up a fulfilling, richly textured ballad that should strike a nerve or chord with listeners around the world.

"This was, in some ways, a difficult song to bring to fruition and finality," Stroud says of the track, which as a demo, "was a very Supertramp-ish sounding song." “That rendition contains a second half, completely missing from the final version, that was big and bombastic and powerful".

Producer Mike Clink helped him craft the arc and feel of "When It's Gone" into a moving, evocative track. "All of the piano parts were written by me but then Mike, in his wisdom, brought in Jamie Muhoberac to actually play the piano properly," he says. "Along with Tim Pierce they crafted that hauntingly beautiful and patient opening. It sets the mood for all that is to come in the sentiments of the tune."

Hailing from Toronto and enriched by his Chadian roots, emerging artist Senny Rolls presents his next single called “Midnight Drive”. With a sophisticated R&B style and reminiscences of worldwide stars like The Weeknd, the talented act shares a new project that will not leave anyone indifferent. Slow beats and passionate lyrics on top of an irresistible melody make this song a truly captivating experience.

With a smooth flow, “Midnight Drive” embodies the laid-back and creative environment in which it was conceived. The artist explains: “I was humming melodies that led to the start of a new production and collaboration with Kosheii. A melody, a tap to lock in the perfect tempo and a few ideas tossed back and

Canadian Roots Icon Lori Yates Bids Farewell to Grief with Heartfelt New Single "3 Sisters"

Normally, when an artist writes a song about the sudden and unexpected death of her mother and titles it “3 Sisters,” you can logically assume she’s paying tribute to the brave, bereaved children who have been left behind. But Canadian roots icon Lori Yates is up to something more personal and metaphorical on her latest single: The sisters she’s referencing here are the feelings of danger, heartache and sorrow that swoop down like vultures in the wake of life’s greatest losses. And her message to them—delivered one-by-one and with equal vehemence—is that she’d really like them to go.

Inspired by both the painting and Miles Davis’s seminal second quintet in its approach, “Colour Grid” – as well as the band’s upcoming debut album In the World’s First Summer – aims to exemplify communication and improvisation.

“Miles Davis’s quintet was a band that prioritized communication and improvisation, embraced lush and open harmonic soundscapes, and above all, placed the spirit of spontaneity at the center of everything,” muses trumpet leader Lex French.

French has been enthralled by the group ever since adolescence. “When I was about 16 years old, in 1998 or ’99, I bought a copy of Miles Davis’s 1967 album Miles Smiles and was immediately captivated,” he recalls. “Ever since that first listen, I’ve wanted to lead a group that followed in the footsteps of Miles’s second quintet.”

He found that in François Bourassa (piano), Morgan Moore (bass), and Jim Doxas (drums). “They are all improvising musicians of the highest order who can bring their individual and personal approaches to the music but also function as members of the group in order to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts,” French asserts.

Retribution; in-fighting; stalling; personal attacks; Sounds like a plot from HBO’s hit series Succession. Actually, it’s politics as usual these days. And just like that hit show, it’s hard to find a likeable character among our current elected officials. Toronto-based composer and vocalist Larry Folk follows up his moving song of goodbye (“Gathering of Friends”) with a to-the-point commentary on the current political climate called “Hey Politician!” Though never intended to be released publicly, the atrocious level of un-civility that exists in today’s politics begs for the song’s inclusion in his upcoming album Lessen the Blue (radio add date September 10, 2024). In the tradition of the great protest songs of the past, Larry’s view on the outrageous behavior is a biting statement on our divided reality. “Hey Politician!” is a fast, upbeat bluegrass scorcher that calls for a return to civility. In the words of Bob Dylan, “You gotta serve somebody.” When it comes to our public officials, that should be the people.

Toronto-based Americana-leaning singer-songwriter John Lewitt has been a busy artist in recent years. And the talented tunesmith keeps riding that momentum wave with "Grab Yourself A Cold One." It's the latest single out now from his new self-produced full-length studio effort One More Time.

Lewitt says "Grab Yourself A Cold One" was inspired in part by his daughter who makes her own preferential music stamp during car rides. "My daughter is a huge country fan," he says. "When we go anywhere she takes over the car radio, so modern country music seeps into my mind with little effort. 'Grab Yourself A Cold One' is a product of my daughter's listening habits!"

Whoever said “Thou shalt not covet” didn’t know much about making hits. Because the reliable old green-eyed monster is the motivating element of IILLAA’s “Boyfriend,” an irresistibly fervent pop plea delivered to a girl who has the perfect guy, from a girl who wishes she had him instead.

Laying out her case with an impassioned vocal and a halftime rhythm that lend the feel of a grand tragedy, our distraught heroine takes her rival aside and makes it clear just how much she’d prefer it if that fella she’s been swanning around lately were on a different arm. Namely, her own.

Sommer and Hines say they were driven to write and release the song by the banning of drag performances in Tennessee, which clearly hit close to home for this Kentucky-by-way-of-Quebec outfit. The context is made plain by the accompanying music video, which features a breathtaking transformation by Canadian queen KIARA that develops into a full-on Pride parade. But the breadth and purposeful ambiguity of the lyrics reflects HuDost’s belief that performative uproar is distorting and delegitimatizing a host of other important issues, including women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, faith, race, education, and politics in general.

“We live in a time of challenge,” the group says. “Debates on social media rage on every issue, with little consideration of who those debates affect. What if we hear the perspective of people whose lives are truly being affected? What if we share the stage instead of stealing the spotlight?”

When someone ghosts you, it hurts like hell. But pop artist Harriet Chung manages to make the whole thing sound glam – and even somewhat rock opera – in her whimsical and soaring new single “Popcorn Film.”

Accompanied by guitars, piano, and beautiful backup-singer harmonies, Harriet Chung sets up the premise of her “Popcorn Film” love story:
Our popcorn film seemed complete
We shared our favorite things to eat
Then took a stroll along a sandy beach
We held hands
Skipped rocks
Took some pics
Kissed in bright Muskoka chairs
A crack of thunder rumbled down from the sky

Avalon Stone, one of Canada’s promising alt-rock talents, has just released her latest single, "Shaking Me Up," and the track, produced by JUNO Award-winning Kevin Dietz, delves into the depths of a toxic relationship, capturing the complex emotions of being both stuck and defiant.

Avalon Stone is a dynamic force in the alt-rock music scene, known for her moody, mysterious, and magnetically passionate sound. With her roots from a young age performing classic rock and blues, and now at 20, her evolution to modern alt rock with grunge and metal influences, Avalon has quickly become a voice for those navigating the complex journey of self-discovery in today’s world. She is also a staunch advocate for mental health.

Andy Ellis’ new single “TV Queen” is a neon pop confection that pays tribute to the ’80s via a love letter to the glamourous leading ladies of prime-time past.

TV Queen
You’re up on my screen
Now I can pretend that you want me
TV Queen
You cut your new scene
Right into my heart cuz you know me
You don’t care if I was born to lose
You just wanna make sure that it’s you I choose

You’ll want to roller skate to this song like it’s 1984, you’ve perfectly feathered and AquaNetted your hair, and there’s nothing but lasers and a disco ball guiding your glorious glide.

Ever since popular music first recognized young people as its bread and butter, rejecting the siren song of “grown-up” servility has been part and parcel of its message. Now imagine the cathartic thrill of hearing an entire musical family of 9-to-5 refugees telling the workaday world where it can go.

The members of Nova Scotia alternative power-pop act Juicebox do just that on their nose-thumbing new single, “I Don’t Wanna Be Like You.” Brothers Zackery and Morgan Zwicker and their third cousin, Benny O’Toole, all ditched superficially promising “responsible” gigs to follow their creative muse—and to hopefully send a message to an entire generation of listeners that they can do the same.

At times artists propel their art forward by sounding as if they have been around for decades through their approach, lyrics and execution. For Edzi'u, known simply as Edzi'u, their latest single "Sugar" is out now and is a near-flawless track they've crafted from a variety of highbrow pop styles and synth-soaked influences. The result is a concise, uber cool creation that should only heighten Edzi'u's status in both indigenous and electro-pop music circles both nationally and internationally.

Edzi'u shaped "Sugar" almost perfectly. It's a timeless-sounding nugget bringing to mind icons such as Stevie Nicks and Kate Bush, critically acclaimed performers such as Lucius and Sharon Van Etten and Chicago-based dance duo DRAMA. It's a musician whose work you can't help but return to once hearing them for the first time.