Welcome to the tundra. Environmentalist/adventurer Les Stroud is once again singing the praises of his “Arctic Mistress,” a track from the forthcoming remastered and expanded vinyl edition of his 2019 album, Mother Earth. Check it out on YouTube here:

 An artifact of one of Stroud’s innumerable forays into the ancient wilderness, the seven-minute track begins with a lengthy throat-sung prelude influenced by the Inuit musicians of Canada’s Pond Inlet. That segues into a mesmerizing prog-pop number that exhorts us to “breathe the arctic air.” It’s a sentiment near and dear to the heart of Stroud, who has built up a sterling international reputation as an advocate for the natural world through his decades as a survival expert, filmmaker, composer, singer-songwriter and all-around champion of the wonders around us.

One of the hardest decisions a recording artist has to make is which single to pull to accurately represent their new album. For Indigenous, Sechelt, BC-based folk-popper Janet Panic, the ultimate answer was “Why choose?” That’s why she’s heralding her latest record, A Mighty Rip Through the Page of My Life, with a double-A-sided release that showcases two distinct aspects of her highly compelling musical personality.

On one side, we have “Goodbyes”—which, given the title of the album, might seem to portend a seriously bitter kiss-off. But this is actually an exquisite breakup song that’s exactly the sort of loving benediction you’d hope to receive from a partner when things finally reached their end.

Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/album/6jPUObW3Z4gIrBrX4TP27N

“May all the troubles that you spoke of/ Be blessings in disguise,” Panic coos, with the utmost sincerity. “And the obstacles you face/ They shrink as you rise/ And I wish you goodbyes/ Goodbyes”

It’s never too late to disassociate. So says New York City postpunk philosopher Gina Volpe on “Delete the World,” the latest track to drop from her debut solo album of the same name. Check it out on YouTube here:

 A hymn to the life-saving power of escapism, the song finds Volpe with daydreaming on her mind. A detuned, eighth-note chunky guitar riff ticks away like the steady march of time while the singer impatiently imagines missing out on a world that “could vaporize before our eyes.” Then everything explodes in an old-school rave-up that declares a path to victory over humdrum reality:

There’s needy, and then there’s just honest. And you can always count on the recording artist known as Billy the Kid to be honest. On her new single, “Fall in Love with Me, Please”—her second as part of the trio Billy the Kid & Your Funeral—the straight-shooting Billy Pettinger places a bid for affection that’s as plainspoken as it is heartbreaking. Check it out on YouTube here:

Making her own unique contribution to the “where is my man?” school of lonely hearts club songcraft, the Vancouver-born, Detroit-based Billy establishes that she, too, has been around the world and can’t find her baby—“the world” in this context extending from the neighborhood bar to the faces of past partners she now worries might have included the proverbial one that got away. It’s on the chorus, though, that the depths of her desperation truly become known:

Everybody should have more than one outfit, no matter how swank it might be. That’s why Melbourne, Australia-born; Dubai-based rapper Bently Boy is dropping three brand-new mixes of his sartorially oriented single “Alexander McQueen” featuring NLE Choppa and Elise Estrada — each version perfectly suited to its own particular occasion. Check it out on YouTube here: youtube.com/@BENTLYBOYOFFICIAL

There’s an amped-up club mix for when you wanna get on the floor. A funk mix to make your ride bump and rattle. And a sinister, sinuous trap mix that whispers “Time to creep.” As produced by Adam H. (DJ Khaled, Ne-Yo, Ray J), the three reimaginings on Alexander McQueen: The Versions couldn’t be more different from one another. But each one is just the right ensemble to throw on once you’ve decided what you’re in the mood for. No matter where you’re headed, the cut, so to speak, is always gonna be perfect.

What all three mixes have in common is a lyrical thrust that exalts the sharp-dressed man as a paragon of triumph over adversity:

Factions on the left, factions on the right … sometimes it seems as if the only thing we as a people can agree on anymore is to disagree. Loudly. 

British-Colombian folk/pop/roots act Stone Poets see the problem, and they refuse to be cowed by it. Lifting their voices in harmony to preach the virtues of… well, harmony, the trio of Cherelle Jardine, Scott Jackson and Marc Gladstone makes a soft-spoken yet impassioned plea for lowering the cultural temperature on “The Great Divide,” the first single from their new album, HUM∀N.

Check it out on YouTube here:

Music serves as the timeless conduit that unites us all. For Todd Green, executive director of Tomorrow’s Voices Foundation and dedicated music enthusiast, his love for music transcends mere admiration.

With an extensive collection of records and countless concert experiences under his belt, Todd now embarks on a new venture as a singer-songwriter, adding another dimension to his musical journey.

At the core of Todd Green's musical journey is Tomorrow’s Voices Foundation, a charitable children’s choir he established in 2017. With a passion for nurturing young talent, Todd founded the organization to provide aspiring singers across Canada with a platform to showcase their voices. Today, the foundation operates in six cities and three provinces, impacting the lives of over 200 children.

The Celtic Tenors have been acting as musical ambassadors for a quarter-century now, applying their immense vocal talents (and uniquely Irish charm and personality) to material that ranges from classical arias and acapellas to traditional Celtic harmonies and popular contemporary songs. They’ve sold over a million records worldwide, winning over legions of fans with their unmatched ability to harmonize both musically and personally.

That they mesh so well as a unit stems in part from the firm pedigree each member brings to the table. Tenor Matthew Gilsenan was classically trained by some of the great Irish and Scottish teachers and later sang in Ireland’s National Chamber Choir. James Nelson is an honors graduate in music from University College Dublin, with a résumé that includes over 60 oratorios and more than 50 operas and operettas performed on stages across the globe. Daryl Simpson has degrees in music from multiple institutions in Ireland and Scotland, as well as an extensive history of appearances with prestigious opera companies and orchestras in the U.K. and Switzerland.

PaulStar, a.k.a. Paul Napash, the multi-talented Cree musician, artist, and producer hailing from Chisasibi, Quebec, is set to make a significant impact on the music industry with the release of his first full-length album, "Bring It All Together" – check it out on YouTube here:

 With a blend of influences from his Indigenous roots and his love of alternative rock, pop, and hip-hop, the versatile artist's newly released record is a testament to his musical evolution. When creating “Bring It All Together”, PaulStar underwent an introspective journey, propelled by his passion to elevate the voices of Indigenous people while taking inspiration from his favourite bands.

Every track on the album showcases a different facet of PaulStar's identity and creative vision, drawing from his own experiences and the hardships encountered by Indigenous communities.

MoZaic’s 3-track Undeniable EPpacks stirring social commentary while holding the listener close. The EP is led by her “Love Undeniable”single, which playfully challenges social norms around sex and gender. The track includes upbeat instrumentals and polished backup vocals that offer an appealing listener experience. Audiences will be both startled, and comforted. Check it out YouTube here:

It isn’t always a wise move to cover an all-time classic. But if you want to know you’ve done it justice, there are certain signs you can watch for. Like looking out into the audience and seeing everybody on their feet.

That’s the reaction Canadian folk-country troubadour Lisa Richard received after she had performed a heartfelt rendition of Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind” to a crowd of 4,000 at the 2023 Stan Rogers Folk Festival.

“It was a moment I’ll never forget,” Richard says. “I was surrounded by not only a beautiful crowd but other incredible musicians with whom I shared the stage. I could see tears in the eyes of the audience members in the front rows, as well as my peers on stage.

“You could hear a pin drop during the song, but what followed was an eruption of cheers and standing ovations from the thousands of people in the crowd. I was truly so touched by the positive and emotional response that I decided to make it official.”

Pop artist Harriet Chung is no stranger to the spotlight and the release of her latest single “Dawn Till Dusk” only comes as another one of her many creative accomplishments. Check it out on YouTube here:

While Chung spent her childhood singing, dancing, and playing the piano, her time in the spotlight came when she was cast in a Toronto production of The Phantom of the Opera. The Toronto-based multi-faceted artist went on to receive several artistic accolades to the likes of receiving Outstanding Actress awards for the internationally acclaimed musical film Golden Lotus and performing in the most successful show in German history, Cats.

Mesa, AZ-based Gene Moran, the “musician who shouldn’t be a musician,” is establishing himself as the modern rebel Americana singer/songwriter with his newest song, “Dead Man’s Guitar.” Check it out on YouTube here:

“Dead Man’s Guitar” tells the true story of the first guitar Moran ever owned, which he received when his uncle Andy Arias passed away. Moran describes his uncle as the “best guitarist in Yuma AZ,” and credits his lifelong love of the instrument to the time they spent working on guitar together. Today, Moran finds his sound somewhere between the Hank Williams school of lonesome, the more experimental landscape of alt-rock, grunge and fuzz, with a sprinkle of unmistakably Arizonan desert rock. Though he’s now a seasoned live music professional, many may find it hard to believe that Moran once struggled with stage fright!

“There’s no rule that says you can’t issue a career retrospective after only four years—especially when it isn’t just your own past you’re looking back on. With his new compilation, 2019-2023, Dublin singer-songwriter Conor Furlong recaps his achievements not only as an artist in his own right, but as a curator of our shared musical memories.

 The 22-song collection is a crash course in Furlong’s expert command of styles ranging from grunge-infused rock to spaced-out ambient pop. And its release is being heralded by a double-A-sided single that brings together two of the best examples of his ability to pay homage while honing a sound that’s uniquely his own. On one side is “Teenage Fantasies,” the first single from his 2021 album, Recurring Dream; on the other is “Alien,” the spotlight track to 2019’s Rapid Eye Movement. Both songs share a grand flair for heart-rending emotion, with Furlong’s reverberating voice floating soft syllables above arrangements dripping with lush yet unforced majesty.

Rules Of Engagement: Collaborating With Tantric’s Hugo Ferreira Is All In The “Game” For Novel Rocker MDMP

Let other groups hamstring themselves with irony and self-conscious cynicism. Belfast’s Unquiet Nights are going all-in on sincerity with “Diamond and the Missing Son,” the fervently rocking spotlight track from their just-released third studio album, Seasons in Exile. Check it out on YouTube here:

You can’t get more direct than singer/guitarist/songwriter Luke Mathers as his blessedly unaffected voice emits an anthem of solidarity that feels as earnest as a pinky swear:

You are the only thing that keeps me hanging on
And on and on
There’s nothing else could ever come between us
‘Cause we are
The diamond and the missing son

16-year-old budding pop sensation Sydney <3 is ready to introduce herself to the world with electric feel-good anthem “Picture Perfect.” Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, the artist is known for a unique sound that adeptly blends the soaring synths of Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers with Korean pop music, bridging the sonic gap between Taylor Swift and MAMAMOO.

Collaborating with 5x Grammy Award Winner Orlando Calzada (known for his work with Lady Gaga, One Direction, and Destiny’s Child), and produced by Adam Hurstfield, Sydney <3 recorded “Picture Perfect,” her first ever single, in both English and Korean, with the latter translation of the song was done by noteworthy names in the K-Pop world: Seung-Hyun Kim (MC the Max, Lee Eun Mee) and Kang Minseo (BASTIONS, JTBC Girls on Fire).

The track is a certified pop earworm tied together by a heartfelt message that’s sure to resonate with young audiences: the mental fallout from unrealistic societal expectations brought forth by social media — and what we can do to move forward despite.

Music can shape lives through the simple thought of it. That is how the pop singer SunnyStone, a new voice in Canada, lives life. From the peaceful village of Kondapi, nestled in the heart of Andhra Pradesh, India, SunnyStone's musical journey takes flight.

From modest origins, SunnyStone's journey from a small-town enthusiast to a blossoming musical talent in Canada is truly remarkable. At just 14 years old, SunnyStone unearthed his musical gift while singing in the corridors of PPS, his school in Andhra Pradesh.

Though met with opposition from his family, he remained determined, finding encouragement and support from teachers who helped him develop his musical abilities.

Despite trying to focus on another career, he found himself thinking about life and listening to "Do or Die - Remix by Thirty Seconds to Mars & Afrojack" and suddenly decided that was the moment to change his life. "I need to become a Pop singer and I want to move to any English-speaking country so I can do that", he mentions.

Calgary, Alberta-born, Toronto, ON-based singer-songwriter and pianist, Michael Anthony Sawers, solo artist of The M.A.S. Project, has released his latest single, “Scared Fearless”. Check it out on YouTube here:

This powerful and emotionally charged new song explores Sawers’ journey. Filled with heartfelt lyrics and dynamic melodies, it serves as a moving portrayal of overcoming his struggles with OCD and his therapeutic process.

“Scared Fearless is a song I wrote about going through something very difficult - therapy!” says Sawers. “I have OCD, so this is a song about facing these OCD fears head-on until my brain is so desensitized to them that I’ve been scared into feeling fearless about them.”

The annals of pop and R&B aren’t exactly lacking in heavy-breathing come-ons. But never let it be said that Vancouver soul-barer Calvyn Cass does things the old-fashioned way. His new single, “Ménage à Trois,” is a literal banger of the sort that have been making folks do the deed since time immemorial. It’s just that this time, there happen to be three of them. Check it out on YouTube here:

 “So what are you cravin’?” Cass lustfully inquires, on behalf of himself and a partner who’s equally hot to trot with an alluring stranger. “We got a room waitin’/ Let’s take a bae-cation.”

The gauntlet duly thrown, our clever little Lothario makes the picture even clearer with some basic math:
So tell me what it’s gonna be
You plus us adds up to three