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Vancouver’s Persian Powerhouse Tissa Rahim Debuts Soulful Acoustic Retelling of Heartbreak In “Done, Done, Done”

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Powerful vocals accompanied by heartfelt acoustic expressions are what make Vancouver’s Tissa Rahim’s newest single, “Done, Done, Done” such a gem.

Tissa’s emotional dumping about a one-way relationship comes off as an authentic and empowering anthem as a slew of seasoned musicians paint the canvas for a soulful retelling.

Featuring Berlin’s own Dominique Fricot, Tissa and Dominique approach the idea of processing heartbreak and manipulation, bringing each respective artist’s own experiences into the studio as they produced this smashing retro-soul single. Tissa’s vocals on “Done, Done, Done” can be affectionately compared to the love child of Amy Winehouse and Corrine Bailey Rae’s stylizations.

Tissa is known as the Persian Powerhouse, but more appropriately as the established West Coast musician with a 40-city North American tour under her belt. With a slew of venues under her belt, Tissa has seen stages such as House of Blues in New Orleans, The Gramercy Theater in New York, and Vancouver’s quintessential jazz and soul club, Guilt and Co.

Recently listed as 24 Magazine’s “24 under 24,” Tissa’s collaborators include producers such as 100 Monkey’s Jackson Rathbone. As a solo artist, Tissa has found a unique ability to express herself freely, exploring Tissa’s natural divination in Soul/R&B, infusing it with traditional Persian music – repeating a generations-long family tradition.

Since 2019, Rahim has built up an enticing catalog as a solo artist, consisting of digital releases, videos, and collaborations with artists in Vancouver and beyond. Fresh off of a West Coast tour, Tissa is back in the studio recording original music, funded by Creative BC, FACTOR, and SOCAN.

TORI AMOS Announces Ocean to Ocean US Tour This Summer

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Today, trailblazing musician, author and activist Tori Amos announced a US tour this summer to continue celebration of her highly acclaimed 2021 album, Ocean to Ocean. Following a sold-out World Tour throughout 2022, Tori will once again be performing with long-time collaborator bassist Jon Evans and renowned UK drummer Ash Soan, with special guest support to be announced. She will also be making stops at venues like The Greek Theater in Los Angeles, Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, and a special stop at Wolf Trap in Virginia, where Amos grew up attending shows.

“I am truly excited to be coming back to the US on the Ocean to Ocean Tour this summer with my amazing bandmates Jon Evans and Ash Soan,” Tori says. “We are so looking forward to playing iconic venues once again such as The Greek in LA, Red Rocks and especially Wolf Trap, where I saw so many shows growing up in neighboring Maryland. As I write this, I’m training hard as we head to Europe in March before then heading back to the States in June.”

Ocean to Ocean received widespread acclaim by fans and media alike, earning support from Pitchfork, Entertainment Weekly, Stereogum, SPIN, NPR, PBS NewsHour Weekend, and many others. The record debuted at #2 on the Billboard Current Alternative Albums Chart and #6 on the Billboard Album Sales Chart, marking her tenth Top 10 appearance.

The album is Amos’ most personal work in years – bursting with warmth and connection, with deep roots in her earliest song writing. As communities around the world suffered the loss of life, live music, travel, and much at all to observe, Tori had a difficult time during the pandemic. She descended to an emotional state lower than she had been to for a long time – but the depths became creative, forcing a return to the kind of introspection she recognised from her debut album Little Earthquakes. The new collection is an expression of kinship and love, of emotional and geographical dislocation. It explores environmental concerns, the restraints of the pandemic for those on the cusp of adulthood, empowerment, loss & healing delivered with Tori’s trademark urgency and passion.

Amos recently released her new graphic novel Little Earthquakes: The Graphic Album, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her breakthrough album, Little Earthquakes. Released in partnership with Z2 Comics, the project is a sequel to her first graphic novel, Comic Book Tattoo. The book demonstrates the lasting influence of Amos’ debut album, which established her iconic thematic voice, as well as her live intensity behind the keys, with unflinching lyrics and songs that would inspire generations of artists and musicians. The graphic novel demonstrates her lasting influence with 24 stories inspired by the 12 songs on the album, as well as 12 ‘B-sides’ that accompanied the album.

North American Tour Dates:
June 17 West Palm Beach, FL @ Kravis Center
June 18 Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
June 20 New Orleans, LA @ Mahalia Jackson Theater
June 22 Birmingham, AL @ Alabama Theatre
June 23 Atlanta, GA @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
June 24 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
June 26 Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
June 28 New York City, NY @ Beacon Theatre
June 29 New York City, NY @ Beacon Theatre
July 1 Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
July 2 Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Center for the Arts
July 5 Vienna, VA @ Filene Center at Wolf Trap
July 6 Hershey, PA @ Hershey Theatre
July 8 Lewiston, NY @ Artpark Mainstage Theater
July 9 Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
July 11 Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
July 12 Louisville, KY @ The Louisville Palace
July 14 St. Louis, MO @ Stifel Theatre
July 15 Omaha, NE @ Orpheum Theater
July 17 Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
July 18 Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium
July 19 Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Arts Center
July 21 Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
July 22 Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Amphitheatre
July 23 San Diego @ Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay
July 25 Saratoga, CA @ Mountain Winery
July 26 San Francisco, CA @ The Masonic
July 28 Seattle, WA @ TBD

Spotify Launches ‘GLOW’ – New Equity Program Celebrating & Amplifying LGBTQIA+ Artists, Creators & Community

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Music and culture have long been shaped by the LGBTQIA+ community: on stage, behind the scenes, and in culture overall.

Committed to using the power of Spotify’s platform to elevate, uplift and spotlight voices that have been historically marginalized, we’re launching GLOW – a new global music program developed to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community.

Supported by the Creator Equity Fund – Spotify’s commitment to fostering equity in the audio space – GLOW will join sister programs like EQUAL and Frequency. Their commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community will amplify voices and stories through:

  • The GLOW Hub, a dedicated space on Spotify to highlight audio offerings of LGBTQIA+ voices for queer and ally users.
  • Global Flagship Playlist, GLOW, which will be refreshed monthly and highlight tracks by LGBTQIA+ artists.
  • A 360 program providing editorial and partnership capabilities, marketing support, and charitable components.

To launch GLOW, they’re spotlighting LGBTQIA+ artists including: Arlo Parks, Bruses, Jean Seizure, Joesef, Leland, Liniker, Natalia Lacunza, Pabllo Vittar, Sam Smith, Tove Lo  and Villano Antillano.

Nominations and New Performers Revealed for The 2023 JUNO Awards

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The nominees for The 52nd Annual JUNO Awards were announced today by The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) at a press conference attended by media and industry notables inside the CBC’s Canadian Broadcasting Centre, in downtown Toronto. This year’s winners will be unveiled in Edmonton, Alberta at The JUNO Opening Night Awards Presented by Music Canada on Saturday, March 11 and The JUNO Awards Broadcast on Monday, March 13, broadcasting live on CBC and produced by Insight Productions (a Boat Rocker company).

CARAS also revealed today that three more of this year’s nominees will join the lineup of performers taking the stage at The JUNO Awards Broadcast – award-winning rock band Alexisonfire (Rock Album of the Year), multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer songwriter Aysanabee (Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year) and multi-platinum R&B powerhouse Jessie Reyez (Contemporary R&B Recording of the Year and Music Video of the Year).

Canada’s biggest night in music, hosted for the second year by global superstar Simu Liu, will broadcast and stream live across the country from Rogers Place in Edmonton at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen, and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages.

Canada’s Starboy The Weeknd sweeps this year’s nominations with a total of six including: TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Pop Album of The Year. Pop punk legend Avril Lavigne and Albertan singer-songwriter Tate McRae followed with five nominations each, showcasing the enormous talent that reinforces Canada’s global reach. Avril is nominated for TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Pop Album of The Year; while Tate is up for TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Pop Album of The Year.

First-time nominees honoured with three nominations include acclaimed singer/songwriter Preston Pablo for TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year and Breakthrough Artist Of The Year; and dance-pop icon Rêve for TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, Breakthrough Artist Of The Year and Dance Recording Of The Year. Canadian rapper NAV also takes home three nominations for Album of the Year, Rap Album/EP of The Year and Rap Single of the Year; alongside internationally celebrated singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes for TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year and Artist of the Year; and country music duo The Reklaws for TikTok JUNO Fan Choice, Group of the Year and Country Album of the Year.

The host province of Alberta is also well represented with first time nominations going to Altameda for Adult Alternative Album of the Year; Anthony Tan for Classical Composition of the Year; The Bearhead Sisters and Cikwes for Traditional Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year; Devon Cole for Breakthrough Artist of the Year; The Ostara Project for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year, Tehillah Worship for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year; Rare Americans for Breakthrough Group of the Year and WAKE for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year.

MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS and The JUNO Awards, will recognize one Canadian music educator’s impact not only on students, but also their community and the music education field, through the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, presented by CST Foundation. The 2023 nominees are Jewel Casselman (Winnipeg, MB, Lakewood School), Susan Evoy (St. John’s, NL, St. Teresa’s Elementary & Waterford Valley High School), Stephen Richardson (Yellowknife, NWT, École St. Joseph School), Kelly Stronach (Guelph, ON, Mitchell Woods Public School) and Heidi Wood (Calgary, AB, Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School).

Lighting up the stage is Alexisonfire, who will stun crowds with their amped up show for the second time since their inaugural JUNO performance in 2007. The band recently released their long-anticipated and first full-length album in over 13 years, Otherness, described as their most cohesive and self-actualized record to date. Otherness debuted at #2 on the Top 20 Music Canada album chart and the band’s single “Sans Soleil” hit #2 on Rock Radio in Canada. The post-hardcore luminaries have sold over one million records and released five hugely successful studio albums, with four achieving Platinum-certification.

Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class alumni, Aysanabee, will make his JUNO Awards debut with a performance showcasing his striking sound and powerful voice. Since releasing his deeply moving debut album Watin in 2022, Aysanabee has been named a CBC Music Breakthrough Artist of the Year. His acclaimed single “Nomads” hit #1 on CBC Music’s Top 20 and continues to climb, entering the Top 10 on Mediabase Canada’s Alternative radio chart. His soulful track “We Were Here,” charted on the Indigenous Music Countdown and was featured on the hit ABC series Station 19.

The four-time JUNO Award winning superstar, Jessie Reyez will help celebrate this year’s nominees as she returns to share a soulful live performance with audiences in Edmonton. This past September, Reyez released her sophomore album, YESSIE, which chronicles the journey and range of emotions from love and loss to healing, closure and happiness. The GRAMMY Award-nominated artist’s recent success includes her debut album reaching Top 5 on Billboard’s R&B Album Chart and amassing over 1.2 billion global streams. Reyez also earned the title of Top Female Debut Album and Top R&B Album of 2020 for Before Love Came To Kill Us, and made a cameo in Beyonce’s Black is King visual album.

These artists join previously announced acts AP Dhillon, Banx & Ranx, Preston Pablo and Rêve together in a collaborative performance, Nickelback, Tate McRae and Tenille Townes.

The 52nd Annual JUNO Awards and JUNO Week 2023 will take place in Edmonton, AB from Thursday, March 9 through Monday, March 13, 2023, culminating with The JUNO Awards Broadcast. Media accreditation for the 2023 JUNO Awards is now open at junoawards.ca/media-accreditation. Media have until February 7, 2023 at 5 p.m. ET to apply.

John Lennon’s Isolated Vocals For “Instant Karma”

“Instant Karma” was credited to Lennon/Ono with the Plastic Ono Band, apart from in the US, where the credit was John Ono Lennon. Huh.

Harry Styles’ Isolated Vocals For “As It Was”

Harry Styles’ “As It Was” spent ten weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart, becoming the longest-running number-one and best-selling single of 2022 in his home country. It also became his second number one single in the US, the song spent 15 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the longest-running US number one by a UK act and the fourth-longest-running number one in the chart’s history.

National Music Centre Launches Showcase: Guitars Exhibition on Get Out Your Guitar Day, February 11

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The National Music Centre is pleased to launch a new exhibition at Studio Bell dedicated to the almighty guitar. Showcase: Guitars will open on February 11 to coincide with Get Out Your Guitar Day, a day in celebration of one of the most popular and versatile instruments.

Whether you enjoy classical, jazz, folk, rock, or something in between, the guitar has taken centre stage in the world of music for well over a century, leading to countless augmentations and innovations on the instrument. Showcase: Guitars features 25 guitars curated from NMC’s collection, as well as items on loan from other collectors and musicians. With a selection of acoustic and electric instruments included, visitors will see a wide variety of bodies and styles on display, with an emphasis on instruments that were created, or collected in Canada, or played by prominent Canadian musicians.

Of those guitars, axe aficionados will see an acoustic guitar from k.d. lang that was custom-made by renowned Canadian luthier William “Grit” Laskin for her 1989 Absolute Torch and Twang tour, a rare 1970 electric guitar that belonged to Bill Henderson, lead singer and guitarist of the Canadian rock band Chilliwack, which was made by Mosrite, whose guitars are now coveted by collectors due to their high build quality and sound. Not to mention, guitars that belonged to Canadian legends, including Randy Bachman, Terri Clark, Anne Murray, Jimmy Rankin, and more.

Two Canadian guitar makers, Charles Brasher and Frank Gay, will also be highlighted, along with their respective guitars: a 1930 Hawaiian-style resonator and 1967 flamenco-style flat top acoustic. Both helped to form the very fabric of Canada’s music history yet never gained substantial international recognition.

“How Brasher and Gay are relative unknowns is inconceivable to me,” said David Glass, a guitar player and collector who donated his Brasher and Gay collection to NMC. “After learning about these formidable guitar-makers, collecting their guitars became important to me as a way to preserve their stories and give them a legacy. I have been absolutely pleased to donate these guitars to the National Music Centre.”

“While we’re primarily known for our keyboard collection, we’ve acquired an impressive list of guitars in recent years,” said Jesse Moffatt, NMC’s Senior Director of Collections and Exhibitions. “We’re excited to finally put the spotlight on many of our favourite fretted instruments and the makers and players behind them.”

Located on the fourth floor of Studio Bell, which is all about making music and honouring the tools of the trade, Showcase: Guitars is accessible with paid admission and will run from February 11-December 31, 2023.

Regular admission to Studio Bell is $21.50 for adults, $16.50 for students/seniors (65+), $13.50 for children (3-12 years of age), and free for children under 3 years of age. Admission for NMC Members is free. To become an NMC Member, visit studiobell.ca/become-a-member. Studio Bell is now open five days a week: Wednesday and Thursday, from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm, and Friday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

My Next Read: “Here I’m Alive: The Spirit of Music in Psychoanalysis” by Adam Blum, Peter Goldberg, and Michael Levin

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Here I’m Alive explores the musical foundation of being human from a psychoanalytic perspective.

Writing in collaboration, three psychoanalytic clinicians develop a fresh vision of the essential role of music in psychical life. Through an interdisciplinary exploration, Here I’m Alive shows how music is fundamental to becoming human, establishing our embodied sense of membership and participation in a shared world through the fabric of culture. With one authorial voice, these pages resonate with the musical forms of living that make possible any individual style of conduct or shape of desire and without which we are forever lost in the noise.

Video: A Pre-Monkees Davy Jones on Merv Griffin’s ‘Talent Scouts’ In 1963

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Here’s Davy Jones’ full first U.S. TV appearance on Merv Griffin’s Talent Scouts show in 1963. In less than 3 years, he’d be part of one the world’s biggest rock bands in The Monkees.

SiriusXM And The CCMAs Call On Canada’s Next Country Music Stars In Annual Talent Search

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SiriusXM Canada announced its fifth annual SiriusXM Top of the Country competition, brought to life through an ongoing partnership with the Canadian Country Music Association. Emerging Canadian country artists are being invited to submit for the chance to be crowned the Nation’s next big star with this prestigious title. Registration is now open to solo artists and groups until February 13 at topcountry.siriusxm.ca.

In addition to the $25,000 grand prize, SiriusXM is furthering its commitment to elevating Canadian talent by awarding $10,000 prizes to the competition’s two runners-up. New this year, all three finalists will also head to Nashville for performance spots at the 2023 CMA Fest, plus showcase and mentorship opportunities with key industry members. They will also receive stage performances at Lasso Montréal this August, and later participate in a Nashville SOCAN song writing camp.

Last year’s winner, SACHA, reached a pinnacle in her career following her victory, when her single What The Truck (with The Reklaws), becoming the fastest-ever Canadian country song to go gold.

“Getting the chance to be surrounded by such gifted country artists, while honing my own performance and song writing skills, is an experience I will never forget,” says SACHA, 2022 SiriusXM Top of the Country champion. “SiriusXM and the CCMA have built a program that honours Canadian country music and gives artists like me the chance to have career defining opportunities. I want to wish everyone setting out on their journey with this competition love and success and can’t wait to see what everyone achieves!”

The competition is broken down into three important stages with invaluable mentorship milestones. Once registration is complete, eight semi-finalists are chosen by a panel of experts in the industry. These eight artists will record their original tracks in-studio and Canadians will be invited to vote for their favourite. Once votes have been cast, three finalists will be selected and then embark on a summer of showcase opportunities before heading to Country Music Week this September, where the winner of the competition will be announced live on-stage.

“Every year, we are astounded by the caliber of artists who participate in the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition and love discovering new talent in partnership with the CCMA,” said Michelle Mearns, VP, Programming & Operations, SiriusXM Canada. “SiriusXM is dedicated to supporting homegrown talent by giving them the platform and resources they need through programs like this and many others.”  

“We are thrilled and know that the fifth annual Top of the Country competition will be paved with incredibly talented Canadians who will share their stories and talent with us,” shares Amy Jeninga, President, CCMA. “Partnering with an organization like SiriusXM continues to provide us with the opportunity to collaborate, educate, elevate, and celebrate Canadian talent both here at home and beyond and we can’t wait to hear what that this year’s participants will bring forward.”
 
SiriusXM Top of the Country in partnership with the CCMA is part of SiriusXM’s ongoing tradition of promoting and elevating the best emerging Canadian music. SiriusXM continues to offer a leading platform for Canadian artists through its significant financial contributions and North American-wide reach.