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Teenage Pop Sensation ANNA GOLDSMITH Wants You To Not Be A ‘Follower’ In New Single

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Creating your own path and being proud of yourself is the message behind Toronto’s Anna Goldsmith’s latest single, “Follower.”

Living by her own words with her writing, performances and personal life, Anna Goldsmith is a 15-year-old multi-instrumentalist and musical force, focusing on her talents and her desire to create music and share messages of kindness, hope and confidence.

Goldsmith’s “Follower” explores new situations….and choices. “I was in my room thinking of song ideas and I remembered when I was a little kid, sometimes when I was in a situation that was new to me, I had voices in my head telling me what to do. Sometimes it was the right thing and other times, the wrong thing. I learned how to deal with the voices and to make my own path, write my own story, all through my music.”

And “Follower” isn’t only catching the attention of Goldsmith’s fans across her social media channels. She has the backing of some big names in the industry who are eagerly waiting to work with her on her music and promoting the young dynamo’s career.

For music to flow with her lyrics, Goldsmith connected with BluePurple Records through Instagram. “They reached out to me directly, and I had so much fun recording and working on “Follower” with them. The team at the label create the music, and I write the lyrics and record the vocals and we collaborate from there. It’s been an amazing way to meet people and collaborate.”

Anna loves nothing more than singing on stage and entertaining a crowd and while she’s at it, she wants to help people too. “My goal is to relate to people and show them it is amazing to be themselves and make sure everyone knows they are not alone.”

When she isn’t writing songs and entertaining, Anna is a great example for others as a volunteer with youth-centred groups, providing needed support to at-risk-youth.

The rising star has gained a growing legion of fans as part of 16 stage musicals and appears in the indie short, Sara Snow and the Seven Dancers which she wrote and recorded her past single “Shine” for. It was a song that shared a message of hope, solidarity, support, and unwavering camaraderie, a message for all ages, remarkable considering she was just 13 when she wrote it.

This year, Goldsmith has seen her YouTube stock rising, her social media followers exploding, and her music career skyrocketing, including multiple song and video releases over the past year, including performing at Friday Harbour, Revival Bar, the Block Co., the El Mocambo, and the Chelsea Music Hall in New York City.

As her talents continue to develop and grow, naturally with this momentum, there is so much more to come from Anna Goldsmith, and there’s no stopping her now. She says, “I am currently working on 2 more songs with BluePurple Records, and hopefully eventually a whole album. I love a rock vibe, heavy guitar, and have so many song ideas!”

Best to become a “Follower” of hers now, then.

Pop Singer JORDANA OF EARTH Tells You Only What You “Need To Know” In New Single

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Toronto-based Electro-pop R&B music sensation Jordana of Earth transports listeners with melancholy romance and light smoky vocals to tell a vulnerable tale of distance and its effect on love with the ethereal single “Need To Know.”

Fueled by her own lived experiences, this is Jordana of Earth’s 3rd single from her expertly crafted debut EP “10k,” a deeply personal voyage that sonically soothes the soul. “Each track off the EP hits different moments and feelings within a relationship running its course,” she explains.

“Need To Know” is the latest hit following the success of the EP’s first two singles, the percussive “So Bad” and the hip-hop-inspired “Hibiscus Flower” featuring Toronto artist Roshin.

Produced and recorded in collaboration with several top-tier Toronto artists, “10k” was conceived as a cohesive narrative. “When I was going through which songs to include on the project, the selection just built itself naturally because everything already made sense together,” says Jordana. “They were all part of the same story.”

While Jordana of Earth flexes her sound production skills on a couple of tracks, the musical pieces seamlessly fell into place with the assistance of Toronto producers Tim North (JRDN, Eldzhey), Urstruli (Roy Woods), Joff Wood (Derek Wise), and Jaiden Davis Jones (Ralph).

“Need To Know” is a seduction of the senses with a slower tempo and harmonic textures to get under the skin. “The song is a pleading ballad about wanting to stay close from a distance, with someone who is away for lengths of time.” Jordana of Earth gives a transcendent performance with richly layered vocals and a deliberate message.

“I don’t wanna fight this
I don’t wanna run away or doubt you
But I need to know that you’re right here
Feeling the love when you’re not here.”

“I love working with others on the music and production, but the vocal melodies and lyrics are usually finalized when I have some moments of the process to myself,” says Jordana about her songwriting process. “This allows me to really tap into what I’m trying to say and how my story flows with the music.”

When considering the visuals for “Need To Know,” Jordana of Earth linked up with Jamie Lynn Steele to produce the official music video. With an opening nod to Sofia Coppola’s classic picture, The Virgin Suicides, Jordana and Steele were united in their vision for the video.

“Jamie and I developed this image of a wayward girl living on the road, calling out for someone who never seems to come,” says Jordana. “We very organically channelled and curated a very distinct vibe, something that we were both tapping into. Nostalgic, feminine, imperfect, and a little self-destructive.”

Jordana of Earth is a singer/songwriter/producer from Toronto with a distinct voice that weaves R&B, Pop, and Trip-Hop influences to create something entirely new. A fearless, multi-disciplined artist inspired to start from a young age, Jordana found instant success with her debut single, “Leave the Light On” (produced by Jeff Crake, DVSN).

With the support of her city behind her and several features across multiple Spotify playlists and radio stations across Canada, there is no stopping the momentum of this modern renaissance artist.

Jordana of Earth’s latest single, “Need To Know,” from the breathtaking EP, “10k,” is available now.

My Next Read: “Play Me My Song – The Music of Genesis” by Philip Stichtenoth

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By nearly any metric, Genesis is one of the most successful, influential, and enduring rock bands of all time. Naturally, the band’s fifty plus year career has also given rise to all kinds of related literature: some critical, some biographical, and some purely informational. That’s all well and good, but what if these didn’t have to be separate ideas? What if one book could somehow do it all?

Play Me My Song is a blurring of the traditional boundaries of musical literature, approaching the music and history of Genesis from a multitude of angles in order to become something that is at once both truly unique and deeply comprehensive. Whatever kind of book you want to read about Genesis, this one is it.

Comprised of extensive essays in varying styles about every single song and album in the entire Genesis catalogue, Play Me My Song blends song histories, musical analysis, critical reviews, autobiographical tales, the fun of countdowns, and a dash of pure silliness to create something extraordinary.

It is, in essence, a book that sounds like Genesis. And at 528 pages, the biggest book ever published on Genesis.

Canadian Singer & Songwriter Leith Ross Unveils New Single “Orlando”

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Today, up-and-coming Winnipeg singer, songwriter, and artist Leith Ross (They/Them Pronouns) drops their new single “Orlando” alongside the official music video that they directed.

On “Orlando,” Leith paints a vivid picture of unrequited love. Vestiges of what could’ve been burn out under the glow of soft and sparse guitar. It all builds towards an admission, “I just think I was in love. I think I was in love.” The music video focuses on an idyllic bike ride underlined by unspoken emotion befitting of the song’s subdued intensity.

Leith says, “‘Orlando’ is about the slow and subtle realization that somebody doesn’t love you back in the way you wish they would. When a relationship feels like you are trying to hold on to a heavy object, but it’s slippery. It’s a sad, confusing feeling, but writing this song helped. I hope it can do the same for anyone else who can relate. It’s so hard to like people!! Sucks sometimes!!”

“Orlando” follows Leith’s previous viral release “We’ll Never Have Sex”—listen HERE and watch the video HERE. The song has amassed nearly 28 million Spotify streams, and the video has received over 1 million YouTube views. In support of their new music, Leith performed sold-out headline shows across North America earlier this fall, as well as supported Lord Huron in Canada and Andy Shauf and Helena Deland in Europe on various tours this year. Not to mention, they were the recipient of the inaugural John Prine Songwriter Fellowship at this year’s Newport Folk Festival.

Hailing from outside of Ottawa, Ontario, Leith Ross embraced music at a young age, channeling emotional confessions through softly strummed chords. Recorded live, they made their debut with the independent Motherwell EP in 2020. Beyond prominent editorial playlisting, it incited widespread critical applause across US and Canada. Leith maintained this momentum in 2021 with the I’d Have To Think About It, and the title track has notably amassed nearly 10 million Spotify streams to date. With a rising profile on TikTok and among tastemakers, Leith signed to Republic Records in 2022.

Leith Ross is a songwriter, singer, and artist born and raised in a small town outside of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They’ve been a sensitive and overly artistic person since birth, and when they started writing songs around the age of 12, it quickly became Leith’s favourite way to be sensitive and overly artistic. Still is. Since then, they’ve recorded and released two projects, and have a new one underway. Inspired by the likes of Lucinda Williams, Dolly Parton, Disney movie soundtracks, High School Musical, and their dad’s horrible parodies of all of the above, their songs attempt to explore themes of gut-wrenching and cheesy love, silliness, and extreme existentialism. Their favourite stuff. Leith’s recent single, “We’ll Never Have Sex,” is soaked in that ‘favourite stuff’ and ready to be listened to wherever you can find it.

Rising Pop Star Reneé Rapp Drops Emotional Debut EP ‘Everything To Everyone’

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Today, singer, actress, and performer Reneé Rapp releases her emotionally raw debut EP Everything to Everyone via Interscope Records. The seven-song set is stacked with soaring ballads and polished pop anthems that highlight The Sex Lives of College Girls star’s vocal prowess and versatile talent.

The stripped-back title track and EP opener explores Rapp’s desire to show up for the important people in her life. Next up is the multi-hyphenate’s breakout single “In the Kitchen,” which reflects on a doomed relationship, and a brand new track titled “Colorado” that expresses her desire to leave Los Angeles behind. It’s the kind of unfiltered anthem that made her most recent release, “Don’t Tell My Mom,” so gut-wrenching. On the track, Rapp details her tumultuous, tight knit relationship with her mother. “Don’t tell my mom, I’m fallin’ apart,” she belts over minimal synths. “She hurts when I hurt, my scars are her scars.” The EP is rounded out by the songs “What Can I Do,” “Too Well,” and “Moon,” each of which showcases a slightly different shade of Rapp’s musical palate. It’s the kind of collection with a song for every mood or emotional state.

After probably 4 years of talking about putting out a project— my EP is here”, Rapp says of the new release. “I’m anxious and super fucking excited for you to hear. I hope you love it. and if you don’t love it, please don’t tell me. I’m super sensitive.”

The EP follows the singles “Don’t Tell My Mom,” “In the Kitchen,” and “Tattoos,” which have amassed more than 22 million combined streams. Throughout her career, Rapp has displayed a knack for captivating audiences with vibrant performances and unbridled energy. Outside of music, she stars in the hit HBO Max series The Sex Lives of College Girls, which has its season 2 premiere next week. It’s a role that calls for brilliant comedic timing and dramatic prowess, both of which the newcomer has in spades. With Everything to Everyone, Rapp underlines the breadth and depth of her talent, veering from soaring ballads to uptempo pop anthems without missing a beat.

Reneé Rapp knew was born to perform ever since she was a child. Even in her earliest memories, her love of music was always present. “I couldn’t sit still in the car unless there was music,” she says. “Otherwise, I would cry the entire time.” The North Carolina native began harnessing her natural creativity by writing and recording songs when she was just a teenager. Eventually, her career took off when she landed the coveted role of Regina George in the Tony-nominated Mean Girls musical on Broadway. Shortly after, she found widespread recognition and praise—from the likes of W, Harper’s Bazaar, and The Hollywood Report for her performance as “Leighton” on the HBO Max series “The Sex Lives of College Girls” written by Mindy Kaling. Now, more empowered than ever, Rapp turns her attention back to music, where sharing threadbare insecurities on “Tattoos” is just the beginning. “I was called ‘crazy’ a lot growing up because I didn’t know what was going on with me,” she says. “As I got older and started going to therapy, I reclaimed the word in a way that feels good to me.” In this song and in the rest of her music to come Rapp leans into a uniquely bold showcase of vulnerability to connect with her ever-growing fandom. Eager to continue to share her emotions with the world, Reneé has much more music on the way under her recent signing to Interscope Records.

Roots & Blues Band MUD BAY Has Best Laid Plans With New Single “Feel”

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Mud Bay is rocking on with their new song “Feel,” out now as the lead single from their sixth album Best Laid Plans.

Addressing the preoccupied individual who “can’t think, can’t touch, can’t feel,” “Feel” is a call to embrace the anti-cerebral, sensual playground of live rock and roll. “FEEL! FEEL! FEEL!” Mark Branscombe – along with the stellar vocals of Aidan Farrell, daughter of drummer Murphy Farrell – implores the listener in the song’s rollicking conclusion. It is both a plea and a rallying cry, encompassing all of Mud Bay’s hard-earned wisdom in one spirited single.

Mud Bay has been electrifying audiences with its high-intensity brand of original Roots & Blues music and truckload of character since 1978. They’ve accumulated some well-deserved monikers in their time, including “The Band That Won’t Go Away,” “Saturday Night Entertainment, Any Day of the Week,” and “One of Canadian Music’s Best Kept Secrets.” All well fitting, as in their over four decades playing together Mud Bay has forged a genre-agnostic identity, letting their musical intuition guide them, embracing new sounds and styles along the way. Best Laid Plans showcases the versatility of the band’s songwriting and their wide-ranging influences—Blues, Country, Cajun, Rock, Soul, and more.

Harmonica maestro Mud Bay Slim, or the ‘King of the Mud Bay Delta Blues’ delivers the goods as always with “My Disposition,” “When The Blues Come To Town,” and “Last Slim Dime.” Guitarist Randall T. Carpenter also showcases his blues roots with “Best Laid Plans” and “Hard Times,” but also ventures into outspoken social commentary with “Greed” and “Talk Is Cheap,” and makes a heartfelt plea for understanding in troubled times with “Love and Forgiveness.” But there’s much more than blues here– Drummer Murphy Farrell brings uptown R&B into the mix with “Rock In My Shoe” and “Feel,” and detours into gloriously unrestrained rock with “Pound Rocks.” Finally, Guitarist Mark Branscombe kicks in some horn-driven soul with “Soul In The City,” a taste of twang with “Down To The Bottom,” and some epic rock with “Struggle.” Nailing down the groove on all these tracks is bassist Dennis Ingvaldson, an integral part of the Mud Bay sound.

Unconventional. Uncompromising. That’s Mud Bay. Always another trick up their sleeves.

Children’s JUNO Award Nominee BEPPIE Delivers Infectious Melodies And Good Energies With “Great Day”

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Packed to the brim with positive vibes and infectious melody, Edmonton’s family performer Beppie is poised to make a strong run for a JUNO Award and Grammy this year with her newest album – Nice To Meet You, featuring songs like “Great Day.”

JUNO and WCMA Nominee Beppie is no stranger to a good time. Funneling all of her positive energy and worldly inspirations into a catchy and unforgettable album feels like a small feat for this genre-bending family-friendly musician.

Driven by the passion that comes with motherhood, Beppie delivers kind-hearted productions that paint fantastical worlds welcome to all for exploration. Children’s entertainers Team T&J call Beppie’s newest release “a creative journey with quirky, clever lyrics, that paint the most colorful images in your mind of the stories she tells.”

While storytelling is a driving force behind the Beppie movement, there is particularly satisfying attention to detail when it comes to the production side of things. Hailed across the board for her mixes, “Great Day” is another addition to a musically flawless catalog of upbeat and family-friendly music.

Kerry Gogan of GoKerryGo Productions calls Beppie’s newest release “a HELL OF A RECORD,” adding “the musicality is 100%, SONGS are appealing to every generation – and the mix is sonically perfect.”

“Great Day” is the lead-off track for Beppie’s newest album, Nice To Meet You – a 10-song compilation introducing youth to a refreshing array of musical genres. Featuring jazz, pop, rock, and indie genres, there is plenty of family-friendly fun tightly packed into Beppie’s explosive new album.

Media specialists Believe Agency share their thoughts on Beppie’s newest album, saying;

“WOW! Nice to meet YOU! How FUN are you! WISH we had more like you. Beautiful voice and great lyrics make me sing with you as I visualize yesteryear that we ALL journey through. What Mom or Dad wouldn’t want this played way up as they drive to and fro?”

Beppie is the elaborate brainchild of one Stephanie Nhan, an Edmonton resident looking to push the boundaries of children’s music. She hit the children’s music scene in 2017 with her debut album, There’s a Song Inside Me. Since then, she has released four more full-length albums receiving two WCMA nominations and a JUNO nomination. Her multi-genre music is refreshingly modern, fun, and innovative. She pushes the boundaries of children’s music to appeal to audiences of all ages with radio-quality production, humor, and unique listening experiences.

A music educator by trade, Stephanie provides programming and performances for schools, festivals, and libraries. She is a new member of the 2022 Recording Academy Class and has recently signed on with Platoon (Apple Music) to release her latest album, Nice to Meet You. The inspiration for her music comes from her three young children who sing and compose with her at home every day.

“Great Day” as well as Nice To Meet You are available now.

Award-Winning Inuk Singer-Songwriter Angela Amarualik Releases Uvannik ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ Album

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From the remote, far northern reaches of Nunavut to the glistening towers of metropolitan Montréal, there is a world of difference in environment, culture, and language. However, music is one very powerful way to make a universally identifiable and relatable connection between those worlds. Award-winning, chart-topping Inuk songwriter, throat-singer and educator Angela Amarualik has put her personal experiences of navigating both of these worlds into her touching brand new single, “Stranger Of My Kind”, available now, and her upcoming second album Uvannik ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ.

Incorporating both Inuktitut and English lyrics, Inuit melodies and pop instrumentation and production, “Stranger Of My Kind” is, in and of itself, a beautiful blend of worlds threaded together by Amarualik’s sweet, emotive vocals. Inspired by early 2000’s pop and some of the artists Amarualik listened to while growing up, like Beatrice Deer and Hillary Duff, the song reflects on her experience of leaving her childhood home of Igloolik, Nunavut, moving near the big city of Montréal and missing home.

“It paints the picture of being stuck between two worlds and figuring out where you belong,” notes Amarualik.

If I can go back to those I remember, I would be with them, if I could go back. Leave my worries behind, or is this my life?
ᐃᓅᓯᕋ ᐅᑎᕈᓐᓇᕈᓂ, ᓱᖅᑯᐃᒋᔭᒃᑲ ᐅᐸᒃᓯᒪᓚᐅᑲᒡᓗᒋ ᐅᑎᕈᓐᓇᕈᒪ. ᕿᒪᒡᓗᒋ ᑕᐃᒪ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᒃᑲ ᐅᕝᕙᓗᑭᐊᖅ ᑖᓐᓇ ᐃᓅᓯᕆᕙᕋ?

“Stranger Of My Kind” is one of a number of songs on the 2019 Indigenous Music Award winner’s Uvannik ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ that explores leaving home to discover one’s identity, loneliness, uncertainty about the future, and ultimately, hope for what lies ahead. Helmed by international hit-making producer and songwriter Chris Birkett (Sinéad O’Connor, Buffy Sainte-Marie), Amarualik’s sophomore release is poised to build on the success of her 2018 self-titled debut, which saw her reach the top of the Indigenous Music Countdown and brought her a Best Inuit, Indigenous Language, or Francophone Album honour and three other Indigenous Music Awards nominations including Best New Artist.

With production originally delayed by the start of our global pandemic, Amarualik’s new album ended up coming together very collaboratively, largely during an artist retreat and workshop hosted by her label, the Inuit artist focused Hitmakerz, in Ottawa in 2021. Amarualik was one of six artists invited to attend the songwriting and production workshop led by label head Thor Simonsen, along with Joey Nowyuk, Jacob Okatisak, Brenda Montana, Aocelyn, and Shauna Seeteenak. This was where she connected and worked with her producer, Birkett, and collaborated with Ottawa-based artists such as Ash Ravens, whom Amarualik wrote “She” with, a moving tribute to her mother.

In a duet collaboration for “Uvannik” ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ with Amarualik, professional throat-singer and fellow Hitmakerz artist, Qattuu, is featured on the track “Sanngijuq”. The song was inspired by a children’s book Qattuu read to her young daughter about confidence and fearlessness. It tells the story of closing one’s eyes and imagining the Northern lights to overcome your fears, being brave, bold, and strong.

Executive Produced by Thor Simonsen and set for release on October 22, Uvannik ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ is also supported by Canada Council for the Arts and the Government of Nunavut. The support and mentorship that Amarualik has received throughout her blossoming career has served to make the rising star committed to helping fellow Inuit artists develop. Since releasing and touring behind her 2018 debut, Amarualik has also taught musical workshops to Inuit youth, initially through the mentorship of the acclaimed Inuk artist Kelly Fraser, who tragically died by suicide in 2019.

Amarualik pays tribute to her late mentor and close friend with two tracks on her new album. First is a cover of Dani and Lizzy’s “Dancing in the Sky”. Amarualik said she felt connected to this song because of Fraser’s deep love for music. “I hope she is dancing in the sky today,” she says. The title track, “Uvannik”, is an original that Amarualik wrote in dedication to Fraser as well.

While growing up in a community with many social problems, Amarualik worked hard to overcome extreme shyness, stay positive, improve her circumstances, and eventually lead by example. Through her own deep love for music and Inuit culture, and the help of Fraser and other mentors like Thor Simonsen and the Hitmakerz team, Amarualik has become a brave, strong, and independent artist with much to share with the world.

Uvannik ᐅᕙᓐᓂᒃ and “Stranger Of My Kind” is available now.

Country Music’s Rising Star Hunter Lott Pays Tribute To His Fans In “I Stand My Ground”

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Hunter Lott’s album, “I Stand My Ground, “released on October 22nd, is all about relating to his fans.

Growing up in Mississippi and now based in Tennessee, where Country music roots run deep, Hunter Lott’s music from this album has already won him consideration in the first round of Votes for the 2023 Grammys with his songs “Honky Tonk Special” & “I Stand My Ground” (Country Solo performance).

Challenging experiences are a source of new material for songwriters and the whole process can be powerfully therapeutic. That’s what fuels Hunter’s songwriting. The loss of his grandfather sent Hunter and his family into a quiet, mournful space where they weren’t doing much living. The death created a painful loss to the family circle, but that end was a beginning for Lott on this path, he learned to play his electric guitar and his mother says his music helped lift her out of a dark space.

Hunter’s main goal is for people to be able to relate to his lyrics; and hopefully, generate a message that it’s better to co-exist, peacefully.

“We live in a time where tensions can sometimes run high because so many people are very passionate about where they stand and what they believe in. I’ve had to stand my ground a time or two,” says Hunter. “I think the world is big enough for everyone to peacefully express how they feel without being chastised about it. Since moving to Tennessee a year ago and playing at some of the most iconic bars on Broadway, I’ve really been challenged on my beliefs. Before I had my own band members, most of the house band musicians didn’t understand how I could show up, perform, and then just go home, but that’s exactly what I did, and still do. I wrote this song one evening, 5 months after moving to Tennessee,” says Hunter.

Finally, someone the fans can truly believe in.