Because it’s Friday!
ALEXANDRA BECK Offers Smooth Pop-Soul Double-Single Debut in ‘Blemished’
Pop/soul singer/songwriter Alexandra Beck is clearing the way for matters of the heart with the release of her official debut double-single, “Blemished” and “Blew It.”
“This collection portrays the two extremes that love can make us feel,” Beck shares. “I wanted to show how, one day, a person experiencing romantic love can feel completely and utterly euphoric and, the next day, the extreme pain of loss.”
The two releases — smoothly packaged as Blemished — take swift strides in showcasing the Saskatoon-born, Vancouver-based artist’s dynamic range; her first demo, “Non Lo So” featured Nik Pesut (Carly Rae Jepsen), and she also songwrites for other artists. In New York, she’s performed solo at the Lincoln Centre and the Bitter End, and was also a finalist in the Canadian Music Week x Jim Beam National Talent Search in August of last year.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=rDHvJkU_zJM&feature=share
Produced by award winning, multi-Platinum and #1 Billboard Hot 100 hitmaker Roy “Royalty” Hamilton III, Beck’s pen went to paper for these two particular tracks during a songwriting workshop with Jud Friedman (Whitney Houston). “Our co-writing group envisioned writing a feminist love song,” she recalls. “My co-writer, Jake Perry, came up with the guitar chords and I created the hook melody over them.
“Next, I came up with the concept that my boyfriend sees the ‘Blemished’ side of me; historically, women were considered ‘blemished’ if they didn’t correspond to stereotypical gender roles. So in this song, it’s a feminist boyfriend who takes me for who I am as a strong woman with dreams and career goals, and doesn’t try to change me like so many romantic partners of women try to do.
“For ‘Blew It,’ my goal was to write a simple, yet powerful, pop ballad many girls who have given all they’ve got to love — and then lost it — could relate to,” she continues — not having to look far for inspiration. “This was a song I wrote in one night when I felt extreme pain losing someone who I thought, at the time, was the love of my life.
“I remember sitting at my piano at my old apartment and deciding, ‘okay, I’m gonna sing all my feelings out and write songs until I’ve healed.’ (My ex-boyfriend) had ended things so abruptly that he said ‘I expected you to throw acid on me tonight’ the night he broke it off.
“‘No, honey,” I told him, “‘the acid is only for the songs.’
“And ‘Blew It’ is definitely one of my more acidic songs.”
Canadian ‘Sweetheart of Swing’ ALEX PANGMAN Releases “If We Never Meet Again”
Canada’s ‘Sweetheart of Swing,” JUNO Award-nominated singer Alex Pangman & Her Alleycats has released a heartfelt new video for her take on Louis Armstrong’s classic composition, “If We Never Meet Again” — available now.
“This isn’t the first time that jazz music has come to the rescue!” Pangman says, mindful of the times. “It saw nations through the 1918 flu pandemic, the second world war, and many other crises…
“It was built for catharsis, distraction, and also celebration. I’m hopeful that 2021 will bring celebration!”
The song was chosen during the darkest times of the first wave of COVID-19, Pangman recalls — and with a layer of especially personal reasoning; the sincerity with which she imbues the lyrics is genuine. As an immune-suppressed double-lung transplant recipient, the singer has had to stay isolated more than the average Canadian and, while other musicians were back in clubs or giving porch concerts, Pangman had to explore monthly livestreams from her home to maintain connection to fans and friends.
Recorded safely in isolation booths, the longtime quintet was able to play together after over six months apart due to the pandemic. Pangman’s Alleycats feature JUNO Award winner John MacLeod on cornet, Peter Hill on piano, Glenn Anderson on drums, and Chris Banks on the bass.
The session was made possible by a COVID 19 grant from the Canada Council For the Arts, with award winning producer Jeremy Darby at Toronto’s Canterbury Music Company, and gifted director Sean Ryan.
Although Alex Pangman grew up a couple of generations late to have sung with Benny Goodman, the vibrant vocalist is the say-no-more quintessential jazz and swing artist Canada knows and adores. Pangman possesses the requisite taste, talent, and the historical knowledge of an avid record collector to breathe new life into the sturdy songs of the classic jazz era. She is also the host of Swing Set, a weekly program on Jazzcast.
She has recorded four albums for Justin Time Records, toured internationally including several mainstage appearances at the prestigious Montreal International Jazz Festival, recorded with her own Alleycats group, plus Bucky Pizzarelli, Kevin Clark, Jeff Healey, Ron Sexsmith, Dick Sudhalter, and many more classic jazz luminaries.
Her most recent 2020 single went to #1 on the iTunes Canada jazz singles chart, with violinist Drew Jurecka and guitarist Nathan Hiltz, with whom she performs online monthly concerts the first Saturday of each month.
She is also an advocate for organ and tissue donation, and an avid equestrian.
JESSE COOK Releases Stunning Version of “Say Something”
Multi-platinum/gold selling and award-winning artist Jesse Cook wants to “Say Something” this year with the release of his new single — available now.
“It’s not often a song stops you in your tracks and demands your attention,” the internationally acclaimed guitarist, composer and producer shares, “but A Great Big World’s ‘Say Something’ did that for me.
“The first time I heard it, I think I cried,” Cook continues. “The lyrics were so raw and deeply personal… We’ve all been there, having to walk away from someone you love; its emotional honesty is what makes it so universal.”
Fans of both will recognize the song’s timeless arresting and enveloping effect artfully woven within Cook’s own brand of musical magic.
“I’ve never thought of myself as a singer,” he confesses. “Back when I was a guitar student, I used to practice 10 hours a day but, as for my singing, I never did any kind of training.
“I felt I wasn’t qualified.”
That was until one day, Cook realized that most of his favourite singers were also without formal training in that realm. “It comes down to three chords and the truth,” he says. “So I gave myself permission to try…”
Now… Just imagine the loss to the Canadian — if not global — music landscape if he hadn’t!
Jesse Cook holds ten gold and platinum studio albums with combined sales exceeding two million copies, five concert DVDs and live discs, five PBS specials, multiple awards including a JUNO win, 11 nominations, three Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, a Gemini Award, and an Acoustic Guitar Magazine Player’s Choice Silver Award — plus thousands of concerts around the world over and above millions of views and streams across platforms.
This past year he celebrated the 25th anniversary of his breakthrough album, Tempest.
No stranger to the touring scene, Cook was initially set to mark the occasion with a 25-date cross-country concert special when the country shut down for COVID-19. The unforeseen delay inspired the Toronto-based artist to pivot; he rescheduled the dates for Fall 2021 and released a new version of “Tempest”— “Tempest 25”— the creation of which also served as an experiment of sorts along the way.
“The recording started as a simple idea,” he explains. “I’d use this pandemic time to record a new version of ‘Tempest’ and see if it would sound different.
“Have I changed as a musician, or as a producer?”
In the continued spirit of creative re-craftsmanship, Cook also re-released his 1997 hit “Wednesday Night at Etric’s” before this, his spin on A Great Big World’s 2013 sensation.
“As a composer, I’ve always felt honoured when other musicians would cover my music,” Cook considers. “The greatest compliment a musician can make to another artist is to perform their work.
“I hope it is in that light that A Great Big World will receive my humble interpretation.”
SOCAN Foundation Announces Winners of First-ever SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards
The SOCAN Foundation today announced the recipients of the inaugural SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards, an award created to recognize and celebrate the artistic merit demonstrated by Black music creators. The five winners will each receive $5,000, made possible by SiriusXM Canada.
More than 300 applications from artists across Canada covering a wide variety of musical genres were submitted for the 2020 Awards.
“Congratulations to all the winners for their extraordinary talent in music creation,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of the SOCAN Foundation. “The musical pieces submitted are indicative of the extent of the contributions made by the Canadian Black music community that is enriching Canadian culture while contributing in a significant way to social and economic inclusion.”
Winners were selected by a jury and advisory council of prominent Black artists and industry leaders, including jury Chair DJ Agile. Furthermore, four of the five winners of the SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards are first-generation Canadians.
“SiriusXM would like to congratulate the five winners of the inaugural SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards,” said Paul Cunningham, Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing, SiriusXM Canada. “We were blown away by the outstanding talent and submissions from Black music creators from across the country.”
The SOCAN Foundation, in partnership with Sirius XM Canada, will virtually celebrate the winners of the 2020 SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards with a series of short videos on its Instagram page @socanfdn from January 12th to 14th.
Launched September 2020, the Black Canadian Music Awards aim to recognize and celebrate Black songwriters and composers. The Awards support the SOCAN Foundation’s objective to develop equitable and inclusive programming as diverse as the communities in which we live.
The five winners are TOBi, Naya Ali, RAAHiiM, Hunnah and Dylan Sinclair. To learn more about the 2020 winners and jury, click here.
The SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards were created as a response to the high-profile racial tensions that developed in early 2020, and to address issues arising from our societies’ systemic racism. It was the SOCAN Foundation’s way to acknowledge and denounce history’s injustices by celebrating the talent of Black Canadian music creators. What is meant by Black music? For the SOCAN Foundation, the term “Black music” is meant to be an inclusive category representing all music being created, produced or inspired by black people and by persons of African descent, including African music traditions and African popular music as well as the musical genres of the African diaspora, particularly Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latin, Afro-Brasilian and Afro-American music. That definition and the Award’s broad guidelines are the result of consultations with a small group of members of the Black music community and members of the SOCAN Foundation team.
BMG acquires Mick Fleetwood recorded catalogue interests
BMG is proud to announce it has acquired outright Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood’s interests in the band’s recordings.
The deal gives BMG Fleetwood’s royalty interest in over 300 recordings including all of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hits including ‘Dreams’, ‘The Chain’, ‘Go Your Own Way’, and ‘Landslide’ from albums including Fleetwood Mac (1975), Rumours (1977) and Tango In The Night (1987). It includes Fleetwood’s interest in all of their recorded work apart from their first two albums.
It means BMG will participate in the proceeds of the global viral success of ‘Dreams’ on TikTok which became a worldwide sensation generating over 3.2 billion streams globally (during an eight-week period September 24 to November 19, 2020). The song generated 182 million streams, 126k downloads, 2.8 billion TikTok views, and sold upwards of 86k albums in the US in 2020. The moment captured a new generation of fans, while its contagious vibes spread across the globe engraining it as a defining moment of 2020 and propelled Rumours into the charts worldwide, reaching number six on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart 43 years after its release.
The acquisition also strengthens an ongoing relationship which includes the theatrical, record and mediabook release of Mick Fleetwood & Friends, 2020’s tribute event to legendary guitarist Peter Green and the early years of Fleetwood Mac, including performances by stars such as Steven Tyler, Christine McVie, Neil Finn, Noel Gallagher and Pete Townshend.
BMG CEO Hartwig Masuch said, “Mick Fleetwood is the bedrock of one of the greatest bands in rock, he has a unique talent to bring together musicians of all genres and of course he is one of rock’s greatest drummers. BMG is proud to represent his greatest work and excited about the forthcoming launch of Mick Fleetwood & Friends.”
Mick Fleetwood said, “This is a wonderfully inspiring marriage between two creative partners that understand all aspects of the business. Foremost, BMG understands the artistry and puts the artist first. If this partnership is any indication of my past, and now future, working relationship with BMG, it’s that they truly ‘get it’.”
The sale of Mick Fleetwood’s recorded interests was brokered by his manager Carl Stubner of Shelter Music Group. Said Stubner: “For over 50 years Mick’s works continue to be introduced to legions of new fans while BMG continues to ensure its artists are paid their fair share. In an industry, not always known to look after its iconic artists, BMG continues to maximize their income streams.”
BMG EVP Group Strategy and M&A Justus Haerder said, “This acquisition highlights the value of timeless recordings in a streaming market which is increasingly benefitting established rather than newer artists. While recent acquisition activity in the music market has focused on music publishing, this is a pure recorded investment which will get the full benefit of streaming growth. Catalogues such as Fleetwood Mac’s which connect with every generation are benefiting disproportionately from that growth.”
Mick Fleetwood formed Fleetwood Mac with John ‘Mac’ McVie in 1967 with guitarists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer. The band hit their stride with their third album Then Play On with hit singles ‘Albatross’ and ‘Man Of The World’, but the band fell apart amid substance issues and relationship problems.
Their golden period began in July 1975 with a new line-up and the release of Fleetwood Mac, their first US Number One. It was followed by a string of classics including Rumours, Tusk, Mirage, Tango In The Night and The Dance. Fleetwood Mac have sold more than 120m records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 1998.
Sia Releases New Single “Hey Boy” Ft. Burna Boy
Today nine-time Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum artist Sia releases new single “Hey Boy” featuring Burna Boy off of her eighth studio album Music – Songs From And Inspired By The Motion Picture. The album is out February 12th via Monkey Puzzle/Atlantic.
TRACKLIST FOR MUSIC – SONGS FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE MOTION PICTURE
1. Together
2. Hey Boy
3. Saved My Life
4. Floating Through Space
5. Eye to Eye
6. Music
7. 1 + 1
8. Courage to Change
9. Play Dumb
10. Beautiful Things Can Happen
11. Lie to Me
12. Oblivion
13. Miracle
14. Hey Boy ft Burna Boy
Sia’s upcoming feature film directorial debut music Music will receive a special limited theatrical release by IMAX in February 2021. The film stars Academy Award® nominee and Golden Globe winner Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, Deepwater Horizon), Tony and Grammy Award winner and Emmy nominated Leslie Odom, Jr. (One Night in Miami…, Hamilton) together with breakout star Maddie Ziegler (upcoming West Side Story), and is a wholly original exploration of the healing power of love and the importance of community. Sia’s music is integral to the story of the film as the characters examine the fragile bonds that hold us together and, through fantastical musical sequences, imagine a world where those bonds can be strengthened in times of great challenge.
Animal Collective Score New Rap Documentary ‘Crestone’
Animal Collective’s Josh “Deakin” and Brian “Geologist” Weitz have scored a new documentary called Crestone, named after the desert in Colorado, where a group of SoundCloud rappers live in solitude, growing weed and making music for the internet. When an old friend arrives to make a movie, reality and fiction begin to blur. On February 19, Domino Soundtracks will release Crestone (Original Score).
Crestone (Original Score):
Dome Yard
Eye in the Sky
Boxing & Breathing
Scavengers
Wake Up Ryan
Benz’s Dream
Sloppy’s Dream
Sand That Moves
Over the Sangre de Christo
EBS
Sad Boy Sleeping
Ramshack
Smoke & Broken Mirror
Zapata Falls
Oh California
Cotton Candy Sky (Dead God Theme)
Katy Perry Is Collaborating With Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International officially launches celebrations today for Pokémon’s landmark 25th anniversary. As an iconic video game and entertainment franchise beloved by millions of fans of all ages around the world, Pokémon has been bringing people together since its launch in 1996. In 2021, Pokémon will continue that tradition by aligning with another universal unifying force — music. Headlined by pop icon Katy Perry, the star-studded program created in partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, accompanies fan-focused activations celebrating 25 years of Pokémon across the franchise’s portfolio of video games, mobile apps, animation, merchandise and more. To help fans kick off this celebration, a live-action video, uniquely highlighting moments in the brand’s 25-year history and a journey through the Pokémon world’s many regions, can be viewed beginning today on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.
Every party needs a great playlist. To celebrate 25 years, The Pokémon Company International is teaming up with UMG through their brands strategies division, Universal Music Group for Brands, to make 2021 the biggest Pokémon party in history — and everyone is invited. Pokémon is working with some of the biggest names in music, from rising artists to award-winning global superstars, for the program, titled P25 Music. Pop icon Katy Perry was revealed today as a premier collaborator in the massive, yearlong music campaign.
“Pokémon has been a constant in my life from playing the original video games on my Game Boy, to trading Pokémon TCG cards at lunch, to the adventures of catching Pokémon on the street with Pokémon GO. I’ve even visited the Pokémon Café in Japan while on tour! It is an honor to be chosen to help celebrate a franchise that has given me so much joy in the last 25 years, and to be able to watch it evolve in the ways it’s provided that kind of electric joy for the kids in my life and around the world,” said Katy Perry.
Details about Katy Perry’s participation, additional artist surprises and more about the P25 Music program will be announced throughout the year.
25 Years of Adventures: A Journey Through the Pokémon World
Since the first video games launched in 1996, the franchise has explored a new region in the Pokémon world with the introduction of each core series game. In 2021, The Pokémon Company International will invite fans to relive their journeys through each of these regions in a yearlong program, beginning with the most recently discovered Galar region from Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield and ending with the classic Kanto region from the original Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue games. Beginning today, fans can visit a new website that will serve as the hub for this and all fan celebration activities as they are announced throughout the year, located here: https://25.pokemon.com/
Anniversary Partners: Celebratory Programs and Merchandise
Pokémon adventures are always better with friends, so The Pokémon Company International is teaming up with other iconic brands to help fans celebrate the journey throughout the year with unique promotions and merchandise. Collaborations in the brand’s 25th anniversary year include programs from Build-A-Bear Workshop, General Mills, Levi’s, McDonald’s and more. Fans can also look forward to even more special merchandise tied to the anniversary celebrations from licensees including Jazwares, Scholastic, Mattel, Funko, PowerA, and The Wand Company. Additional partners and the ways they will celebrate the anniversary will be announced throughout the year.
Special Collections: The Pokémon Trading Card Game & Pokémon Center
The Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) is a cornerstone of the brand, and fans can look forward to special 25th anniversary-themed collections of the Pokémon TCG later in 2021. In the meantime, fans will soon be able to collect oversize cards featuring Pikachu and beloved first partner Pokémon from the various regions featured in the franchise-spanning retrospective. Fans can also expect 25th anniversary-themed products from Pokémon Center, the premier destination for official, high-quality Pokémon merchandise in the US and Canada. To kick off the celebrations on Pokémon Center, fans will be able to preorder the limited-edition 25th anniversary-themed skateboard by industry craftsman Bear Walker starting Jan. 19.
More Celebrations Across the World of Pokémon
The details revealed today are a glimpse into what the world can expect from Pokémon in 2021. With 25th anniversary-related activations planned for Pokémon animation, Pokémon video games, mobile games including Pokémon GO and Pokémon Masters EX, and more big announcements from the franchise, fans have a year full of new journeys ahead.
Cosmo Music and Efkay Musical Instruments Partner to Create Launch Music
Canadian music instrument distributor, Efkay Musical Instruments Ltd and Richmond Hill-based music retail superstore, Cosmo Music are proud to announce a new alliance in the creation of Launch Music – a new logistics, distribution, and marketing company serving Canadian music instrument (MI) dealers and global MI brands with a full complement of music industry-based services.
This new venture will synergize two of Canada’s most prominent MI industry organizations with over 100 combined years of active involvement and expertise. Launch Music is located on Cosmo Music’s current Richmond Hill campus in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area.
In combination with Efkay’s current industry-leading listing of distributed MI brands, Launch Music will start complementing its newly acquired portfolio with several new partnerships still to be announced.
Howard Kalisky (Efkay) says, “I am so excited about the newly formed Launch Music brought about by the efforts of Efkay and Cosmo Music and the opportunities we will bring forward to all of our current and future global music brand partners. Talking with Mark about our different musical industry perspectives and having such a strong personal connection, it became obvious to both of us that by working together we could offer MI brands unique and formidable advantages they would not find elsewhere for the Canadian market”.
“I couldn’t agree more!” adds Mark Hebert (Cosmo Music), “In addition, the benefit of having Canada’s single largest MI retail store located on the same compound with access to its multiple internet sales channels including leading market positions through cosmomusic.ca, amazon.ca, walmart.ca, bestbuy.ca, reverb.com and more on the way, brings a unique value proposition to brands looking to penetrate the Canadian market”.
Launch Music will be led by Jean-Philippe (J.P.) Lambert who brings 17 years of experience in business development and guiding national sales teams in the deployment of scalable service offerings. Lambert says, “In Launch Music, we look forward to building the kind of partnerships that Canadian musical instrument dealers deserve and that global MI brands expect”.
Launch Music’s full complement of services will begin rolling out on April 1, 2021, including servicing Efkay’s currently distributed brands such as Orange, Dean Markley, Mooer, Toca, Laney, 2Box, John Pearse, EBS, Singular Sound, and Groove Juice.