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Top 10 Canadian music videos shortlisted for the 2023 Prism Prize

Eric Alper
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Top 10 Canadian music videos shortlisted for the 2023 Prism Prize

The top 10 Canadian music videos selected as finalists for the Grand Prize at the 2023 Prism Prize, an annual awards event that recognizes outstanding artistry in music video production, were announced today. Voted by a jury composed of more than 135 creatives leading and innovating the Canadian music, film and media arts scenes, the artist and director behind the Grand Prize-winning video will be awarded $20,000, the largest cash prize in the world for music videos. The winning music video will be crowned at a live screening and awards presentation on Thursday, July 6, 2023 in Toronto.

The 2023 Prism Prize Top 10 (in alphabetical order):
Tanya Tagaq – Colonizer (Directors: Leah Fay Goldstein & Peter Dreimanis)
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Damn Right (Director: Sterling Larose)
Amanda Sum – Different Than Before (Director: Mayumi Yoshida)
Dan Mangan – Fire Escape (Director: Lester Lyons-Hookham)
MorMor – Here It Goes Again (Director: Adrian Villagomez)
Jessie Reyez – Mutual Friend (Director: Peter Huang)
Jean-Michel Blais – Passepied (Director: Adrian Villagomez)
BAMBII – Ride With Me (Directors: Kit Weyman & BAMBII)
Tanya Tagaq – Teeth Agape (Director: David Seitz)
PUP – Totally Fine (Director: Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux)

All of the Top 10 finalists are also eligible for the fan-voted Audience Award, supported by Stingray, which comes with a $5,000 prize for the winner. Members of the public can now view all of the Top 10 videos and cast their vote for their favourite through Thursday, June 15, 2023 at PrismPrize.com. The winner will be announced on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at the awards presentation.

“Since the inception of the Prism Prize, Canadian music videos have continuously pushed the boundaries of artistic expression and have become an important vehicle to showcase the immense talent and diversity in our country’s music scene,” said Louis Calabro, Vice-President, Programming & Awards, at the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and the Founder of Prism Prize. “Through their creativity and innovation, the Top 10 videos are not only entertaining but serve as inspiration for other emerging artists to challenge themselves and explore the endless possibilities of music video production.”

More than 300 eligible Canadian music videos are reviewed each year by the Prism Prize jury, where evaluation on originality, style, creativity, innovation and effective execution helps determine the votes for the Top 10. Only one can be named the Grand Prize winner and take home the $20,000, however, the Top 10 nominated filmmakers (directors and producers) will all receive complimentary memberships to the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, courtesy of Telefilm Canada.

Along with the Grand Prize and Audience awards, the Prism Prize annually recognizes a class of Special Award recipients who are honoured for their achievements and contributions to the music industry, both in Canada and abroad. Recipients for the following awards will be announced in the lead-up to the 2023 Prism Prize awards presentation taking place on July 6:

  • The Hi-Fidelity Award (supported by FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters) established to recognize recording artists who utilize music video in innovative ways;
  • The Lipsett Award, established to celebrate a unique approach to music video art;
  • The Special Achievement Award (supported by The Slaight Family Foundation) established to recognize an exceptional contribution to music video art on the world stage;
  • The Willie Dunn Award (supported by Telefilm Canada) presented to a Canadian trailblazer who has demonstrated excellence within the music, music video and/or film production communities, in the lead-up to the presentation.

View the Top 10 Canadian music videos of the year eligible for the 2023 Prism Prize at PrismPrize.com.

The Prism Prize is an annual event that recognizes outstanding artistry in music video production through a slate of awards including the Grand Prize, which carries the largest cash prize in the world for music videos. Established in 2012, this annual honour gathers a jury of more than 130 Canadian arts professionals who vote to crown one video as best of the year. Previous winners of the Grand Prize have included Mustafa for his self-directed music video Ali (2022), Theo Kapodistrias for Haviah Mighty’s Thirteen (2021), Peter Huang for Jessie Reyez’s Far Away (2020), and Emily Kai Bock for Arcade Fire’s Afterlife (2014).

The Prism Prize is a division of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, an organization that shares the common goal of promoting and supporting homegrown Canadian creative projects while inspiring and developing the next generation of talent.

Prism Prize proudly acknowledges its Lead Partners, Telefilm Canada, FACTOR and the Government of Canada, and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters, and The Slaight Family Foundation, as well as its Supporting Partners, William F. White International Inc. and Stingray.

First Up With RBCxMusic Program Adds 20 Emerging Canadian Music Artists To Its Roster

Eric Alper
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First Up With RBCxMusic Program Adds 20 Emerging Canadian Music Artists To Its Roster
Today, RBC announced a new roster of talent to join First Up with RBCxMusic – a program developed to showcase and elevate emerging musicians and recording artists from across Canada. The new Featured Artists will benefit from unique performance opportunities, mentorship, funding, as well as media and promotional marketing support from RBCxMusic. The program is one example of RBC’s ongoing commitment to the arts, which through the RBC Foundation and RBC Emerging Artists, has invested more than $119 million in support of over 35,000 artists since 2007.

RBC believes that supporting the arts helps foster vibrant communities with strong economies. Since its inception in May 2020, First Up with RBCxMusic has supported more than 200 artists across an array of genres and backgrounds that reflect Canada’s eclectic cultural mosaic.

Live Nation Canada, the country’s leading live entertainment producer and promoter, will continue to provide valuable performance and exposure opportunities for Featured Artists. This year, artists will receive the opportunity to be opening acts at Live Nation-produced shows at theatre-level venues across the country like RBC Echo Beach (Toronto, ON), Danforth Music Hall (Toronto, ON) and Commodore Ballroom (Vancouver, BC).

“As an emerging artist, being part of First Up with RBCxMusic is a huge step towards bringing my career to the next level,” said Sage Harris, 2023 First Up with RBCxMusic Featured Artist. “With RBCxMusic’s support, I’m excited for my music to reach new audiences and to grow my fanbase.”

Other key partners and program offerings in 2023 include:

  • AWAL, the music industry’s leading alternative to traditional music label deals, supported with the talent identification and selection component of the program. AWAL joined as a partner of First Up with RBCxMusic in 2022.
  • Canadian nonprofit, Conscious Economics, will also return as a First Up with RBCxMusic partner to co-host an artist summit with the Featured Artists later this year. Building on the summit’s success in 2022, the event will guide Featured Artists through a variety of experiential learning seminars, development programs, networking opportunities, financial therapy and more.
  • Yangaroo, the largest North American network for music promotion, will provide educational resources for First Up with RBCxMusic Featured Artists while working with them to distribute their music to radio and TV broadcasters.
The full roster of Featured Artists who join the First Up with RBCxMusic program in 2023 include: (in alphabetical order)
  • AVRY – Toronto, ON
  • Benja – Toronto, ON
  • Charlie Houston – Toronto, ON
  • Clerel – Richelieu, QC
  • Eric Ryan – Toronto, ON
  • J. Hutton – Claremont, ON
  • Jared Daniel – Calgary, AB
  • Joseph Sarenhes – Wendake, QC
  • Katie Tupper – Saskatoon, SK
  • LIZA – Toronto, ON
  • Luna Elle – Mississauga, ON
  • Nick Earle – St. John’s, NL
  • NORTER – Summerside, PE
  • PRIMO – Toronto, ON
  • Ray Reaves – Halifax, NS
  • Sage Harris – Toronto, ON
  • Saveria – London, ON
  • Syd Bomek – Winnipeg, MB
  • the della kit – Nelson, BC
  • The Free Label – Richmond Hill, ON
RBCxMusic recognizes and celebrates diverse artists across Canada, which was demonstrated by the exceptional list of candidates in the latest talent search. Beyond the list of Featured Artists selected, RBCxMusic also supports a runner-up list of up-and-coming artists with performance opportunities throughout 2023.

Gordon Lightfoot’s Final Album ‘At Royal Albert Hall’ To Be Released July 14, 2023

Eric Alper
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Gordon Lightfoot’s Final Album ‘At Royal Albert Hall’ To Be Released July 14, 2023

The final album from revered Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, who passed away on May 1, 2023, at age 84, simply entitled At Royal Albert Hall will be released on July 14th, via Linus Entertainment, the Canadian independent label that released Lightfoot’s last studio album with his band, Harmony, in 2004. You can pre-order it here.

Recorded live in concert in London England at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall on May 24, 2016, the double album set is an unembellished live mix of that night’s performance, without edits, overdubs, remixing, or re-sequencing. It captures every song performed in the order they were played, right down to the encore, by Gordon and his band – Rick Haynes on bass, Barry Keane on drums, Mike Heffernan on keys, and Carter Lancaster on guitar. It features Lightfoot’s best-known hits, and songs never previously appearing on a live album, including “The Watchman’s Gone”, “Sea of Tranquility”, “Now And Then”, “All The Lovely Ladies”, “Drifters”, “Beautiful”, “Did She Mention My Name”, “Sweet Guinevere”, “Never Too Close”, “Don Quixote”, “Minstrel of the Dawn”, “I’d Rather Press On” and “Waiting For You”.

After 50 years of hit making and with international album sales well into the multi-millions, Gordon Lightfoot is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012, his songs have been recorded by Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, Barbra Streisand, and hundreds of others. His own recordings of “Early Morning Rain,” “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Carefree Highway”, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “Sundown” are still among the most performed songs on radio in North America.

A lifetime spent performing live with his band, Gordon Lightfoot singled out London’s Royal Albert Hall as one of his favorite venues. In the final weeks prior to his passing on May 1, 2023, Gordon Lightfoot insisted that this live album be released as soon as possible, approving the cover artwork, and making it clear that no changes were to be made to the recording.

Track Listing:

Disc One

The Watchman’s Gone (4:38)
Sea of Tranquility (3:34)
Now and Then (3:22)
All The Lovely Ladies (3:05)
Drifters (3:27)
A Painter Passing Through (4:11)
Christian Island (1:59)
Rainy Day People (2:07)
Shadows (3:15)
Beautiful (3:02)
Carefree Highway (2:22)
Did She Mention My Name (1:37)
Ribbon of Darkness (1:41)
Sundown (3:43)

Disc Two

Sweet Guinevere (2:40)
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (6:50)
Never Too Close (3:04)
Don Quixote (4:15)
Minstrel of the Dawn (2:41)
I’d Rather Press On (3:32)
Let It Ride (4:12)
If You Could Read My Mind(3:59)
Restless (3:50)
Baby Step Back (3:44)
Early Morning Rain (4:11)
Waiting For You (3:33)

10th Anniversary of South Coast Jazz in Brantford and Port Dover Announces Alex Pangman, Mark Kelso, Charu Suri and More

Eric Alper
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10th Anniversary of South Coast Jazz in Brantford and Port Dover Announces Alex Pangman, Mark Kelso, Charu Suri and More

The 10th Anniversary of South Coast Jazz August 11-12-13, 2023 in Brantford and Port Dover have announced this edition’s lineup plus an expansion into two locations.

The festival is expanding into the Sanderson Center for the Performing Arts 1100 seat theatre in Brantford for their main event concerts. Buy tickets for Saturday Aug 12 on southcoastjazz.com or direct from the Sanderson Center.

The festival has multiple venues, a diverse line-up and is very accessible for everyone. This includes our affordable prices! Note: FRIDAY and SUNDAY are CASH ONLY EVENTS.     

“10 Years, 10 Decades of Music” will take you on a musical journey from the 1930’s with Canadas’s sweetheart of swing Alex Pangman, through to the 50’s -70’s with Le Trio Parisien featuring Juliet Dunn into the 80’s with 12X platinum selling artist Mark Holmes of Platinum Blonde, into today with 2X Juno nominated Mark Kelso and the Jazz Exiles and award winning, internationally acclaimed pianist and composer Charu Suri and more.

Enjoy free and ticketed concerts. Full schedule below and on southcoastjazz.com. Follow us FB Twitter @southcoastjazz1 and on Instagram @southcoastjazz for up to the minute updates and prize giveaways. See www.southcoastjazz.com for more information and festival program with talent bios and sponsors. 

Come make a memory at South Coast Jazz that will last a lifetime. Made possible by Ontario Creates, Baby Charlotte. 92.9 The Grand.  Aug 13th free family programming is sponsored by Elements Casino Brantford and OLG. For a full sponsor list please see our website and social media. Without them, the festival wouldn’t be possible, Thank you!

SCHEDULE BELOW: (subject to change stay tuned regularly)  

Friday August 11th Port Dover Community Center 801 St George Street, N0A1N0                                         

Doors open 5 PM. Seating is First Come First Served. This is a local stage showcase.  Route 6, The Feds and more tba. CASH ONLY EVENT.  Buy tickets on southcoastjazz.com or on Showpass for this event.

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Saturday August 12 Sanderson Center for the Performing Arts Brantford  MAIN Headliner EVENT. 88 Dalhousie St Brantford, N3T2J2  

Buy tickets for Saturday on southcoastjazz.com or direct from the theatre here https://tickets.sandersoncentre.ca/       

Doors 5 PM. Charu Suri, Mark Kelso and the Jazz Exiles, Mark Holmes of Platinum Blonde. Special guests include  Carla  Muller, Dave Griffin, Ryerse Jazz Singers, Thom Adkins. Emcee Rock’N’Ray Michaels and more! 

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Sunday August 13th Harmony Square Brantford (outdoor event BYO Chair) 89 Dalhousie St Brantford, N3T1N3 Bring your own chair and enjoy the music Free family programming.                                                                         

1 PM Le Trio Parisien featuring Juliet Dunn, Gail Obediah, Alex Pangman Band, Kontirennonoron and more tba.  Licensed area available 19+  CASH ONLY EVENT or scan the QR codes to buy tickets for Friday and Saturday

Live Nation Launches Festival Weekend: $99 All-In One Day Tickets To Over A Dozen Festivals As Expansion Of Annual Concert Week

Eric Alper
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Live Nation Launches Festival Weekend: $99 All-In One Day Tickets To Over A Dozen Festivals As Expansion Of Annual Concert Week

For the first time ever, Live Nation is expanding its popular Concert Week promotion to include festivals. Festival Weekend builds on the excitement and success of Live Nation’s long-running Concert Week by bringing fans another unbeatable deal:  $99 all-in 1-day tickets to a variety of 2023 festivals, with performances featuring a diverse array of artists spanning from country and rock, to hip hop, afrobeats, and more.

Over a dozen festivals across North America will have a limited amount of $99 all-in 1-day tickets available for purchase as part of Concert Week’s Festival Weekend, including Gov Ball, FORMAT Festival, Broccoli City, lavender wild, and more, each with their own unique on-site experiences and lineups.

How to Buy Festival Weekend Tickets: Tickets will be available starting Friday, May 19 at 10 AM ET through Monday, May 22 at 11:59 PM local time, or while inventory lasts, at LiveNation.com/FestivalWeekend. Festival Weekend tickets are all-in, meaning all fees are already included upfront in the $99 price. Once the onsale has started, click on “Select Tickets” for the festival(s) you’re interested in to be taken to the purchase page for that event. Add the ticket(s) to your cart and proceed to checkout.

This offer is available for a limited time only and on a first-come, first-served basis – fans are encouraged to act fast and secure their tickets as soon as possible starting May 19th. Once Festival Weekend ends, all tickets will go back to standard pricing.

PARTICIPATING FESTIVALS:

  • Adjacent Festival – Atlantic City, NJ – May 27-28
  • Afro Nation – Miami, FL – May 27-28
  • Broccoli City Festival – Washington, DC – July 15-16
  • Catbird Music Festival – Bethel, NY – Aug 19-20
  • FairWell Festival – Redmond, OR – July 21-23
  • FORMAT Festival – Bentonville, AR – Sep 22-24
  • Gov Ball – New York, NY – June 9-11
  • Greenville Country Music Fest – Greenville, SC – Oct 20-22
  • lavender wild – Toronto, ON – June 4
  • One Fine Day Festival – Philadelphia, PA – September 9
  • Roots Picnic – Philadelphia, PA – June 2-4
  • Sound on Sound Music Festival – Bridgeport, CT – Sept 30-Oct 1
  • TidalWave Music Festival – Atlantic City, NJ – Aug 11-13

MORE TO KNOW: 

  • $99 all-in 1-day tickets include all fees upfront.
  • Taxes will be added as applicable by city and state. Shipping costs will be added where applicable.
  • $99 all-in 1-day tickets are available for select Live Nation festivals, while inventory lasts. Not all Live Nation-produced festivals will be included in this offer.
  • Select days of each festival will be included in the $99 all-in 1-day ticket offer. Dates available will vary by festival and will be specified for each festival on LiveNation.com/FestivalWeekend.

Nameless Friends Rocks Hard With “Need” On Climate Change And Economic Inequality

Eric Alper
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Nameless Friends Rocks Hard With “Need” On Climate Change And Economic Inequality

Nameless Friends think big. Big music. Big sound. Big ideas. Go big or go home. Which is part of the reason why the ferocious rock band from London, Ontario, wrote their new single “Need” about the biggest problem of the modern world: climate change and its relationship to economic inequality.

Fun times, right? But Nameless Friends is not a dour band. Far from it. This is also the band who put out a live album of Queen covers, recorded in front of a sold-out crowd at Toronto’s Horseshoe Tavern—because they’re the kind of band that can actually pull off a Queen cover set, with all the musical chops and sense of camp that requires.

The forthcoming new album by Nameless Friends is called Blasphemy, and in their own words, “it’s a high concept record about intense, personal subjects.” They’re likely the only commercial rock band in the world to write a song about reproductive and menstrual rights (“7 Years of Blood”). Their debut EP, 2018’s Mezzanine, was a song cycle about grief. The songs by this female-fronted, multicultural, queer-inclusive band have struck a powerful chord with audiences, including a recent hometown crowd of 15,000 people.

Despite their serious subject matter, “Joy, hope and love are also intense personal experiences,” says the singer, producer, guitar-maker and founding member known only to the outside world as Number One. “We’re trying to present those truths with as much courage as the hard stuff. We’re trying to make music about the justice we want to see in the world, that’s also really bloody fun to listen to.”

Blasphemy is out on May 19, 2023. It was mixed by Andrew McLeod (Sunnsetter) and mastered by Darcy Proper (first female engineer to win a Grammy). Nameless Friends are touring Ontario and Quebec in May and June, and head to Western Canada in fall 2023.

Alt.Pop/EDM Rising Star Mikalyn Releases “Never Mine”

Eric Alper
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Alt.Pop/EDM Rising Star Mikalyn Releases “Never Mine”

Canadian alt-pop/EDM prodigy Mikalyn continues to shift gears with her new single “Never Mine”, out now.

Well-known for her haunting, soulful vocal delivery on uptempo collaborations with EDM artists such as Machine Drivers, Öwnboss & Zerky and Röde, Mikalyn slows things down with “Never Mine” for a sultry, sorrowful track that sheds light on the modern dating world and the struggles that accompany it.

It’s another bold move away from her EDM roots, continuing a trend she started with her 2022 single “Ready to Love You.”

“This song is especially relevant to those who find themselves in situation-ships, sneaky-link or friends with benefits situations,” says Mikalyn of “Never Mine”, “and to those who lay in bed at night creating false scenarios that they are trying to wish into existence.”

Co-written and produced by her long-time friend and collaborator Chris Grey, Mikalyn says the song had two main inspirations. Having released a number of songs and EPs since 2017, Mikalyn is already a veteran of the music industry at just 20 years old. But like many at her age, the Guelph, Ontario resident has spent the last few years as a university student.

“It’s about real life as a university student,” Mikalyn says of the new song. “Where people come in and out of your life quite a bit, and there’s always the fantasy that it could be something more.”

She also points to the Netfilx show Twenty Somethings: Austin, during which two people, Abbey and Kamari, developed a “thing” while each insisted they didn’t want a relationship. As the show progressed, though, Abbey became upset when Kamari would shower attention onto other women.

“Chris and I watched the whole season over a week,” recalls Mikalyn, “and we stopped halfway through to write ‘Never Mine’ as their relationship reached its climax. It’s about the struggles of being a romantic with an active imagination, the acceptance that maybe having a bit of someone for a moment in time is enough.”

Accompanied by a swelling synth line, Mikalyn sings of that acceptance coming somewhat reluctantly.

“You’ve got a hold, I can’t explain it, we’re unsustainable, but where’s the harm in walking on the edge,” she laments. “It’s dangerous, you’re like a drug, I need another hit.”

It’s about imagining what a future could be like but knowing that it will never happen. However, when you spend time with them, no matter how short, you allow yourself to pretend that they are yours and that it will last longer than it will.

“We’re gonna ***k it all up, ignore the risk that I could fall,” continues Mikalyn, “we can pretend we’re in love, then just forget about it.”

Grey backs up Mikalyn’s forlorn, longing vocal delivery with richly layered beats and majestic background sonics, creating an expert chill-out track.

On “Never Mine”, Mikalyn comes across at the same time as both a young, fresh artist and a world-weary old soul. At times she can remind one of a young Beth Orton or Tracey Thorn. Her mature, confident and haunting voice belies her young age, but that’s been true of Mikalyn since she first started posting piano-and-vocal versions of songs by Norah Jones, Hozier and Amy Winehouse on YouTube as early as eight years ago.

“Never Mine” is the first single off an upcoming EP set to be released in late October, 2023. Mikalyn says the collection will follow the trials and tribulations that she has found in her complex relationships (both friendship and romantic), while coming into herself and out of a long-term relationship over the last few years.

Expect more tracks from the EP to drop in late May, early July, late August, and September.

James Brown’s Historic Full Show at the Boston Garden, April 5, 1968 Is Now In 4K And FREE To Watch Online

Eric Alper
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James Brown’s Historic Full Show at the Boston Garden, April 5, 1968 Is Now In 4K And FREE To Watch Online

On April 5th 1968, James Brown gave a free concert at The Boston Garden which became a thing of legend. Only 24 hours earlier civil rights activist Dr Martin Luther King had been assassinated resulting in widespread violence across the United States. The mayor of Boston was persuaded to let the concert go ahead and it was broadcast live across the city by WGBH-TV. Featuring inspiring speeches and legendary performances, James Brown’s concert is said to have contributed majorly to maintaining calm and peace throughout the city that night.

Seen here for the first time fully remastered and restored.

Setlist

00:00 Intro
01:57 If I Ruled The World
05:40 James Brown Speech
12:55 Tom Atkins Speech
17:45 Kevin White Speech
20:59 That’s Life
24:22 Kansas City
28:45 Soul Man (Bobby Byrd)
31:08 You’ve Got To Change Your Mind (feat. Bobby Byrd)
35:51 I’m In Love (Bobby Byrd)
38:22 Sweet Soul Music (Bobby Byrd)
40:23 Mustang Sally (Bobby Byrd)
43:36 Medley: It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World / Lost Someone / Bewildered
57:30 Tell Mama (Marva Whitney)
59:36 Check Yourself (Marva Whitney)
01:05:02 Chain Of Fools (Marva Whitney)
01:07:38 I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Marva Whitney)
01:10:24 Maceo Parker Comedy Routine
01:20:20 Get It Together
01:27:30 There Was A Time
01:38:40 I Got The Feelin’
01:42:40 Try Me
01:45:35 Medley: Cold Sweat / Ride The Pony / Cold Sweat
01:57:20 Maybe The Last Time
02:01:32 I Got You (I Feel Good)
02:02:04 Please, Please, Please
02:04:34 I Can’t Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)

#JamesBrown #BostonGarden #1968

Toosii’s Debut Album, Naujour, Set For June 2 Release

Eric Alper
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Toosii’s Debut Album, Naujour, Set For June 2 Release

On the heels of making his late night television debut on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Toosii announces the June 2 release of his debut album, NAUJOUR, via with South Coast Music Group/Capitol Records/Universal Music Canada. Today, as the album pre-order / pre-save launched, he shared a stunning new version of “Favorite Song” with multi-Platinum global superstar Khalid. The voices of the two artists blend beautifully and Khalid adds a poignant verse, pledging his steadfast support to someone aching for love and peace. Listen to “Favorite Song”(with Khalid) [Remix] HERE. Pre-order / pre-save NAUJOUR HERE.

Toosii said, “I’m excited to have Khalid join me on this track. He has such a dope and unique voice and I think it really takes an already amazing song to the next level. I’ve been wanting to collab with him on the right track for a while and I think we picked the perfect one. Hope y’all enjoy!”

The RIAA Gold-certified “Favorite Song” is Toosii’s first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, where it currently ranks at No. 13*. In an early round-up of contenders for “Song of the Summer 2023,” Billboard observed, “Toosii has a bonafide solo hit on his hands… the woozy R&B hook of ‘Favorite Song’ is definitely worthy of a breakthrough moment.”

The track hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Streaming Songs chart, entered the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs tally and is currently in the top 10 at rhythm radio. Combined global streams of the song have surpassed 112 million while the audio has been featured in over three million global TikTok creations, earning more than 28 million combined views. View the official video HERE. Watch Toosii performing “Favorite Song” on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” HERE.

Born Nau’Jour Lazier Grainger in Syracuse, NY, Toosii tells jarringly honest tales of street life and lost love, detailing his journey from a lost kid surrounded by tragedy to a national sensation full of promise. Now based in Raleigh, NC, the 23-year-old was hailed by Complex  as “One of music’s brightest stars” and Teen Vogue said, “if you’re not in his orbit yet, you need to tap in.” Ebony noted, “[Toosii] shows a vulnerability in his music which he embraces wholeheartedly.” VIBE observed, “[Toosii] has never shied away from his feelings, and promotes how strong it makes a man to embrace them… [Toosii] has an innate ability to capture his personal experiences in a way that makes them sound like specific situations everyone has endured.”

Khalid, who has been called a “pop prodigy” by Rolling Stone has been streamed globally over 30 billion times across all partners. In 2017, he released his GRAMMY® nominated debut album, American Teen. His sophomore album, Free Spirit, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was declared a New York Times “Critic’s Pick,” TIME named Khalid one of the “Most Influential People of 2019.” He has collaborated with some of music’s biggest stars including his No. 1 singles “Love Lies” (with Normani), “Eastside” (with Halsey and Benny Blanco) as well as hits with artists Billie Eilish, Shawn Mendes, Marshmello and more. Khalid will be touring North America with Ed Sheeran this summer.

Summer Walker Reveals Tracklist For ‘Clear 2: Soft Life’ EP

Eric Alper
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Summer Walker Reveals Tracklist For ‘Clear 2: Soft Life’ EP

 With just four days until the May 19th release of CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP, the reigning empress of modern-day R&B, Summer Walker reveals the hotly anticipated project’s tracklist. For the big reveal, Summer has partnered with Spotify’s RapCaviar playlist for the official announcement post. Plus, she enlists Sukihana of Love & Hip Hop and “Pound Town” rapper Sexyy Red for a hilarious, sitcom-style promo video in which the three bask in the perks of their newfound fame and fortune, including a first try of caviar, or as you might be soon saying, “cavinar.” CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP is the sequel to Summer’s 2019 four-track release, CLEAR. Watch HERE.

Just moments ago, Summer also unveiled a 60-second exclusive sneak peek of the EP’s song “Pull Up” on TikTok. Actor Myles Truitt, known for his roles in BMF, Netflix’s Stranger Things and The New Edition Story, features in the preview clip. Plus, fans who have already pre-ordered CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP can expect an additional surprise: a digital download link to the full “Pull Up” track will arrive in their inboxes today. Several heavyweights also lend their talents to CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP, including Childish Gambino (“New Type”) and production work from Solange, Steve Lacy and John Kirby (“Aguyu’s Revelation”). Find the full CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP tracklist below.

As she readies the new material, Summer Walker keeps winning. “Karma,” a 2018 release that went viral last year thanks to a sped-up version and dance from TikTok influencer @whereisreese, is No. 2 on urban radio. The millions of streams it’s generated pushed “Karma” to platinum status, and members of LVRN presented an official plaque to Summer at the Strength of a Woman festival this weekend. The “Karma” success sparked a full revamp of her 2018 masterpiece Last Day of Summer as an entire sped-up album, Last Day of Summer (Sped Up). The project is the first sped-up album from a major recording artist and is a result of the singer listening to her devoted fanbase, who found pleasure in revisiting the classic album in a reimagined way.

Likewise, Summer has strengthened her connection with her loyal fans through high-profile and electric festival performances in recent weeks. This past weekend, the multi-platinum hitmaker rocked the stage in her native Atlanta at Mary J Blige’s Strength of a Woman festival, alongside R&B superstars including Ms. Lauryn Hill, Muni Long and Lucky Daye. Before that, she joined the all-star lineup at Lovers and Friends in Las Vegas, the Pharrell-led Something in the Water and the legendary Dreamville Festival in North Carolina. Thanks to these appearances, Summer brought her music and artistry to her ever-increasing fanbase and cemented her reign as one of the most in-demand live acts in the industry today.

CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP is now available for pre order exclusively at www.summerwalkermusic.com.

 

Tracklist

  1. “To Summer, From Cole”
  2. “Hardlife”
  3. “How Does It Feel”
  4. “Mind Yo Mouth”
  5. “Pull Up”
  6. “New Type” – featuring Childish Gambino
  7. “Finding Peace”
  8. “Set Up (2017)”
  9. “Aguyu’s Revelation” – produced by Solange, Steve Lacy and John Kirby

 

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 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.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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