• MONOWHALES
    Artists,  Ontario

    Artist Spotlight: MONOWHALES

    Fueled by a passionate desire to create a sound as unapologetic and powerful as the personalities within the band, MONOWHALES have taken the experiences gained fighting their way up the ranks of Toronto’s music scene and barrelled headlong into the creation of their new EP Control Freak. Exploding onto the scene with a DIY ethos and an unforgettable live show, MONOWHALES first made waves with their breakout single Home in August 2016. The band would go on to share stages with Dear Rouge, K.Flay, Matt and Kim, Coleman Hell, and many more. The band’s new EP Control Freak, released in June 2018, was produced by AL-P (MSTRKRFT, Death From Above…

  • kimmortal
    Artists,  British Columbia

    Artist Spotlight: Kimmortal

    Kimmortal is a queer filipinx second generation settler based on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples: the Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish, and Musqueam nations. Recognized as “a voice to be heard” by Exclaim magazine, Kimmortal has been making waves with their multifaceted approach to music. Incorporating song, visual art, rap, and frequently collaborating with poets and dancers, Kimmortal strives to make an impact with their live performances. Their new album “X marks the Swirl” was a two year long process of creation that was ranked 1 of 40 in the Polaris 2019 longlist. Kimmortal’s music and art have been featured on CBC’s show “Exhibitionists”, the Queer Women of Colour festival…

  • SF ARTIST DATABASE
    Artists

    A longish list of cis and trans women, trans men, and non binary artists and bands

    When we talk about the idea of gender representation at festivals, bookers often say they “just can’t find” bands or artists, that “there aren’t enough women/trans/non-binary artists,” that they’ve “tried but it’s reeeeeeally hard.” These comments make those bookers look out-of-touch and bad at their job, but we figure that having a database of artists or bands made up of trans and cis women, trans men, and non-binary artists might be helpful, especially to bookers who are looking to improve their lineups and aren’t looking for excuses. So it took us a while, but finally it’s here! Secret Frequency Database of Cis and Trans Women, Trans Men, and Non-Binary artists…

  • PIQSIQ
    Artists,  Northwest Territories,  Nunavut

    Artist Spotlight: PIQSIQ

    With a style perpetually galvanized by darkness and haunting northern beauty, sisters, Tiffany Kuliktana Ayalik and Kayley Inuksuk Mackay, come together to create Inuit style throat singing duo, PIQSIQ.  Performing ancient traditional songs and eerie new compositions, they leave their listeners enthralled with the infinity of possible answers to the question “what is the meaning of life.”  With roots in Nunavut’s Kitikmeot and Kivalliq Regions, the sisters grew up in Yellowknife, NWT, where endless sunlight shines for two short summer months and deep, wintery darkness consumes the rest of the year.  These environmental extremes had a huge impact on Tiffany and Kayley’s overall aesthetic and the pair have always engrossed…

  • Laila Biali
    Artists,  Ontario

    Artist Spotlight: Laila Biali

    Multi award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist Laila Biali has toured with Chris Botti, Paula Cole, Suzanne Vega and Sting. She has headlined festivals and venues spanning five continents including Carnegie Hall. Her accolades include a 2019 JUNO Award for “Vocal Jazz Album of the Year”, “SOCAN Composer of the Year” and “Keyboardist of the Year” at Canada’s National Jazz Awards, a JUNO nomination for her studio recording Tracing Light, and a spot on DownBeat Magazine’s “Best Albums of the Year” list for her follow-up Live in Concert. In 2015, Laila released her first album of entirely original music, House of Many Rooms – an indie-pop project featuring a star-studded lineup…

  • Block Heater
    Grade A Festivals

    Block Heater

    Block Heater February 20-22, 2020WebsiteFacebookInstagram Calgary Folk Music Festival presents the fifth annual Block Heater (Calgary, AB) February 20-22, in the heart of Calgary’s Inglewood and East Village. Over thirty artists — from the homegrown to the far-flung — perform in concerts and collaborative sessions at five uniquely Calgary venues: the Central Library, Festival Hall, Gorilla Whale, Ironwood, King Eddy, and Studio Bell. Cure your winter cabin fever and wander from stage to stage featuring everything from the truest folk to the newest hip hop! Visit their website for tickets and lineup info!

  • Elisapie
    Artists,  Nunavut

    Artist Spotlight: Elisapie

    Director, composer, singer-songwriter and activist, Elisapie Isaac comes from the Arctic. “The North is not at the other end of the world. It’s at the heart of mine.” Through myriad projects, Elisapie has established herself as a true Inuit icon. She was first discovered in 2003 as the director of her documentary If the Weather Permits, a film which thrust viewers into her own origin story. The following year, she released her first album with the duo Taima, winning a Juno Award for Indigenous Music Album of the Year. She has since released two solo albums, There Will be Stars (2009) and Travelling Love (2013). The most recent one was…