Today, Canadian programmer, host and storyteller, Sarah Burke announced the launch of one of Canada’s influential new podcasts – Women In Media. The first episode featuring radio host and television personality Josie Dye is available now with another set to launch on International Women’s Day March 8th. The Women In Media podcast examines the powerhouse of women in media; from the music and entertainment industry to broadcast, sports and everything in between.
Covering a variety of topics with inspiring female leaders including; Josie Dye (Canadian radio and TV personality), Tracy Martin (President, Canadian Country Music Association Awards), Liz Trinnear (LA correspondent for eTalk on CTV), Rida Naser (Program Director and Host, SiriusXM US) and many more, host Sarah Burke will explore the collective challenges women face in a male-dominated industry through thoughtful female-led discussion, influential guests and personal stories covering topics like bullying, motherhood, diversity and inclusivity.
“Based on our physiology alone, women face different challenges than men do in their professional lives,” shares Burke. “I’ve always been particularly intrigued by how women handle the spotlight in the media. We have to fail, recover and rebuild the same way that everyone else does, but with a bigger audience; more eyes are watching. The media (understandably) loves to promote certain topics along with a given day or month with a hashtag or annual celebration, and I’m certainly guilty of participating. While I’m launching during Women’s History Month and excited to share a new episode on International Women’s Day, I’m here to remind women to brag about their accomplishments all year long! It’s no secret that we often don’t feel like we should or can, but we MUST!”
On each episode of the Women In Media podcast, guests reveal and discuss the obstacles and trials they have faced as they built their careers; the important lessons they have learned along the way and share helpful advice and insight for fellow women, trailblazers, entrepreneurs and more.
Releasing new episodes every other Monday (beginning March 8th), the Women In Media podcast is accessible on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere you listen.
Today, Amazon announced Alexa for Xbox in the US and Canada, a new app that enables Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S customers to enjoy visual Alexa features on their TV screen and unlock more ways to interact with Xbox consoles using their voice.
By connecting an Amazon Echo or compatible Alexa device with the Alexa for Xbox app, customers can use Alexa to turn their console on and off, play and pause shows, movies, or videos, record during gameplay, connect with friends, and control many other Xbox functions.
Here is a snapshot of the voice commands available to Xbox customers on Alexa for Xbox:
Turn your console on or off – “Alexa, turn on/off Xbox”
Launch your favorite game – “Alexa, launch Fortnite on Xbox”
Check for new games – “Alexa, what’s new on Game Pass”
Switch to a binge-worthy series – “Alexa, open Netflix on Xbox”
If you need to pause your show or movie – “Alexa, tell Xbox to pause/resume”
Don’t miss a moment – “Alexa, tell Xbox to record that”
Invite your friends – “Alexa, ask Xbox is [friend/gamertag] online?”
Additionally, Xbox customers can now enjoy a range of visual Alexa experiences on their TVs while using their console with the Alexa for Xbox app – allowing them to play music, view their smart home cameras, and even keep an eye on email between gaming sessions, and more, using Alexa.
Get in your zone – “Alexa, play <artist name> on Xbox”
When the doorbell rings – “Alexa, show me the front door camera”
Expecting an important email? – “Alexa, show me my email”
Plan your week – “Alexa, show me my calendar”
What’s the weather forecast? – “Alexa, show me the weather”
Alexa for Xbox will be available for download on all Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles in the coming days.
Upbeat, futuristic, and slightly surreal: It’s electro art-pop project David Poole’s world, and by the sounds of his new EP, DPEP, and single “I’m a Snake,” we’re lucky to be spinning in it.
The world, to be specific, is Readymade Utopia (wherein lies Three Cloud City, the home of David Poole), and David Poole, to be clear, is the brainchild of Chicago-based Thomas Thurlow and Kate Nikles. The duo created the artist that is David Poole in 2018 as the flagship musician to represent the Readymade Utopia label. “We’re not just making art and music,” Nikles says. “We’re building a world.”
With singles “Mother,” “Christmas Hurts,” “Perfect Record,” and “I’m a Snake” already released, DPEP runs with the ‘ringtone’-like sound Thurlow, Nikles, and Readymade Utopia have crafted for Poole — and then some.
“I began the process of recording DPEP by experimenting with sound,” Thurlow shares. “Because the songs are taking place within the world of Readymade Utopia, I wanted to create new sounds that are unlike anything we hear in our world.
“I experimented with a number of production processes while building the texture of the release,” He continues. “That’s how I discovered what I call ‘Recursive Sound Interpretation.’ In this process, a section of a song is interpreted as midi data before being consolidated into audio again. The audio is then read to midi another time to create a computer’s rendering of what the part once was.
“I used this Recursive Sound Interpretation throughout the EP, but you can hear it best on ‘I’m a Snake.’
“It helps show the listener what David’s life in Three Cloud City feels like,” he continues, explaining the otherworldly, genre-bending undertones the songs demonstrate. “I’m not creating music about David Poole and his world, I’m creating the music that David is making in his world. David Poole’s work exists both within this world, and helps expand this world.
“David Poole’s musical ethos is ‘just because it’s sad doesn’t mean it can’t be fun!’
“Through David, I’m fashioning sonic landscapes that are not just unique to Readymade Utopia, but also unique to the character, his life, and the way he wants to tell his story. Through electronic dance floor rhythms, immersive soundscapes, and lyrics that use imagery and wordplay to propel a narrative, Poole’s struggles and triumphs as an up-and-coming musician in Three Cloud City start to come to life.”
It’s through these stories that the project’s true vision comes into focus as the mixed media project serves to tell tales through the mediums of words, images, and sounds; the Readymade Utopia team position their work to explore how different forms of media can be combined to create worlds for their musicians to ‘live’ in, as well as how that fabricated environment impacts the way listeners experience its music. “Storytelling is at the core of everything we do,” Thurlow shares. “That also holds true for each of the songs on DPEP.
“I wanted to use sounds to not only create music that embodies the world of Readymade Utopia, but that tell relatable, real stories. Every sound we hear conjures deeply personal emotions, or brings us back to a formative memory — even if we don’t realize it.”
Toronto’s alt rocker Delyn Grey alludes to the world’s ‘new normal’ in her latest single, “Ghost Town” — available now.
The track lands soon after this year’s breakout single, “Battle” — recently featured by Obscure Sound, We All Want Someone To Shout For, Yellow Black Music, Art Publika Mag, Acronym Official, Music Mayhem Magazine, Life Beyond the Music, LeFuture Wave, Press Party, Aupium, Shock Ya, Alternative Nation, Tattoo.com, Paper Blog, New Sick Music, News Break, Indie Pulse Music, Daily Blocks, On Stage Magazine, IMDB, KMS, Audible Addixion, Breaking and Entering, This Is Not The Radio, Higher Plain Music, Modern Mystery, and more.
Steadfast throughout, “Battle”’s monochromatic, melancholic masterpiece of a video enveloped audiences into Grey’s world, offering a real-time exploration into what depression looks and feels like for someone in the throes of it.
Given the rapid changes this year to date so far, “Ghost Town” unexpectedly picks up where “Battle” arguably leaves off, as Grey harnesses her unique perspective and dynamic lyricism to observe our quickly-changing world as it wrestles a viral pandemic.
“This song came out two days into quarantine,” Grey says of “Ghost Town.” “Feelings of helplessness, shock, and disbelief overpowered too much of my psyche, and had to come out.
“These are desperate times. We’re watching individuals, towns, cities, and countries so harshly impacted with the unknown, and will continue to do so until the ‘storm’ settles.
“Funnily enough, this is probably the only ‘uplifting’ and ‘unifying’ song I’ve written…” she continues. “The world is in turmoil, and that can’t and should not be ignored. We have to do our part in taking this seriously.”
Just how to do so, Grey sends a simple signal.
“Use your voices,” she says. “Not to delegate or to sway opinions, but to optimize this opportunity to share, connect, support, and heal…
“Don’t hide behind your screens and wait for someone else to make the difference. Find the answers, and feel the feelings.
“May we support each other in this dire time. May we embrace the opportunity to learn, heal and seek answers. Be kind to your neighbours. Be sensible and prudent. Be hopeful.
“Walk as one.”
On her upcoming Disappointed Girl release, she says, “This sound was a turning point” Delyn Grey explains of her forthcoming album, Disappointment Girl. “I wasn’t hesitating to harness feelings deeper than ‘wow that guy is cute, or ouch you hurt me’. I was going through some rough stuff, man, and this EP is the product of my processing”.
On the advice of producer Justin Abedin — who told her to “stop trying and just let it flow” — Grey went soul-searching. She holed up with her thoughts and the music of artists like Emily Haines and Amy Winehouse, and within a short week later, something clicked. “The EP came alive over the four following months. I had ten songs-worth of things to say, but EP tracks are the ones that really stuck,” she explains. “I’ve never been one for ‘bulk songwriting’. If I need to say something, it finds a way out.”
She continues to say, “Battle is me acknowledging that I was happily drowning in my self-deprecation. It filled this twisted void that ran deeper and deeper the more I gave in to it, but there was always this voice that fought against the heaviness. I eventually let it get louder, and I fought. Fighting gave me purpose, and this song granted me control of the uncontrollable.
“I wrote this song in the throws of it all; it helped me process all that was happening, and still happens, up in here,” she says pointing to her head. “Music will never be my mask. It has to be me because it’s all that I have to keep that voice in my head from tearing me apart.”
“I want to make music that’s fearless. I don’t want people to hear it and think I played it safe. I want people to listen to it and go, ‘That was heavy. Didn’t think it would hit me like that.’ The cool thing is that I’ve had 12-year-old Disney-crazed kids and 55-year-old classic rock fans tell me they love it. I think any kind of music fan can find something in my music because it’s truthful. I put everything I have into it, man. It’s the real stuff.”
One such fan comes in the form of multi-Platinum and Gold selling rock star, author, producer, activist and businesswoman Bif Naked. The iconic Canadian known-and-loved ‘Princess of Everything’ and her longtime collaborator, producer and songwriter Peter Karroll, heard Grey’s sound and quickly signed her to their artist and talent management division, Her Royal Majesty’s.
“She is the first artist about whom I felt so strongly,” Bif says of Delyn catching her attention. “Her talent, words, and music move me like a hurricane.
“She is a truly special artist and I am excited to give her as much exposure and encouragement as I can.”
The genre-busting Vancouver up-and-comer Boslen unleashes the new video to his moody, mind-bending single “Trip.” Watch the video here. At the start of the video, Boslen previews what’s to come of the three-part story from his forthcoming album DUSK to DAWN. The Bailey Wood directed video finds Boslen chilling with his girl and homies with drink after drink. He becomes intoxicated with a blurred vision while simultaneously the song’s tempo surges leading into Boslen’s wild trip.
“Trip” is the first single from DUSK to DAWN. As we’ve come to expect from Boslen, “Trip” is a sonic joyride through indie pop, rap, and R&B, while psychedelia swirls and drums dart in and out of trap. Boslen drifts over and dives into the shifting production (from justsayin, NXSTY, and MSXII), spitting about taking every opportunity and passing up naysayers: “I’m ducking the bullets, I’m ducking the clowns/You live life to the fullest ‘til you not around.”
Boslen is a 22-year-old trailblazing genre-bending artist of Jamaican and Indigenous Canadian descent based in Vancouver. Sonically he fuses hip-hop, rock, pop and everything else under sun to craft his emotive rap ballads and bouncing trap bangers. He’s a sound architect meticulously taking part in the production of all his tracks. He released his first mixtape, Motionless, in 2018 and followed up with the sequel Motionless II, later that year. He began to gain popularity following the release of single “Eye for an Eye”, which cemented his spot in the conversation for the future of Vancouver’s sound. In July of 2019, Boslen released “Hidden Nights”, which gained traction after receiving support from popular YouTube channel and entertainment company, the Nelk Boys. He went on to release his Black Lotus EP, which peaked at #11 on the Canadian Apple Music streaming charts. His momentum carried over into 2020, with the release of “VULTURES”, clapping back at those who were taking advantage of him. Boslen has been actively pushing himself creatively and is becoming known for his self-reflective lyricism, and his ability to seamlessly flow over pop, hip-hop, R&B and alternative production. On the horizon, Boslen will be releasing his debut album DUSK to DAWN.
Today, ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective announces the appointment of Keziah Myers as the organization’s first Executive Director.
Myers says, “This is when the work begins. The time is now to make change, and with the support of the entire ecosystem, we will be able to provide opportunities, change policies, and support Black owned businesses within the music industry. I am happy to be part of the leadership team, and look forward to the task at hand, which is based upon the bettering, uplifting, promoting and retaining Black talent within Canada.”
Effective immediately, the newly appointed Executive Director is chiefly responsible for the implementation of the vision and mission developed by the Board of Directors and will oversee the administration, program development and strategic plan of the organization across the goals identified. The role’s mandate is to ensure optimal use of organizational finances, staff and resources.
Keziah Myers brings a breadth of experience from her cross-collective role, working at both SOCAN and Re:Sound. Her main role was to educate media and non-media organizations about the importance of music licensing, and facilitate the initial process of getting songwriters their royalties. Myers previously held the position of Operations Lead for the A&R team at SOCAN, where she was instrumental in ensuring that hiring was reflective of the culture and creators. Myers has also held positions in Label Operations Management, Publicity, sat on entertainment & music organization boards, adjudicated as part of FACTOR and JUNO Award juries, and has been a guest presenter for colleges and high schools throughout Canada.
As a part of the major music movement in Canada, Myers continues to lend her time to organizations like SOCAN Foundation and On The One, a knowledge hub built specifically for the gospel community. Myers joined ADVANCE as a member shortly after its launch in summer 2020.
Roy Clark, who many known from the co-star with Buck Owens on the hit-show Hee Haw, is owed a great deal of respect in the music world. Watch his lightning-fast cover of the classic Euday Bowman jazz instrumental “12th Street Rag” in the early 1960s.
Toronto’s Multi-JUNO Award winning and Platinum-selling producer, composer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Chris Birkett has penned a passionate love letter in this, his new single — “Precious Love” available now.
Written with his muse in mind — his wife, documentary filmmaker Joan Prowse — the newly released song floats forward this month ahead of his forthcoming albums, Songs from the Kauai Hotel Room, and a collection of fun-loving songs with his new collective, The Happy Campers.
“I was performing in concert at Massey Hall with Buffy Sainte-Marie, when I met this attractive woman with a radiant smile,” Birkett recalls. “It was Joan, and she had made a documentary film about Buffy.”
A few years onward, the pair agreed to exchange Valentines in Paris — where Birkett was living and working at the time. “I was smitten by the love bug on this second meeting,” he shares.
Decidedly so: he proposed to Prowse the very next day.
“We were married at Metropolitan United Church, near where we first met,” he details of the downtown Toronto parish mere minutes around the corner from Massey Hall. “I wrote ‘Precious Love’ to celebrate our relationship, ten years after meeting up in Paris.
“It underscores how positive feelings can grow, and how love can transform people; people are precious, and relationships are the foundation of humanity.”
The song features some of Toronto’s finest musicians, including Bill King on keyboards, Gene Hardy on sax, Paul DeLong on drums, and background vocals from Taylor Abrahamse.
With album sales at over 100+ million copies worldwide, Birkett’s music collaborations have earned four JUNO Awards, a GRAMMY Award, a Polaris Music Prize, and three international AMPEX Golden Reel Awards for excellence in the music business.
He has worked with Buffy Sainte-Marie, Mel Brooks, Steve Earle, Bob Geldof, Alison Moyet, Dexys Midnight Runners, Talking Heads, The Pogues, and The Proclaimers — not to mention, recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of producing Sinead O’Connor’s seismic chart-topping release I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. His song “Where Do We Go From Here” was featured alongside Dire Straits, Bob Marley, U2, Peter Gabriel, and Queen, among others, on 1993’s One Voice, One Love compilation album in support of CARE International.
Hot off the release of a handful of hot singles together in 2020, New York City-born hip-hop artist Michael J. Foxx and Canadian singer/songwriter Sydney Sexton have released their first-ever full-length album together: Duality is available now!
While Duality serves as the pair’s first fully-joint effort, they actually spent the majority of 2020 together, writing, recording and releasing music in their home studio together. Composed of 10 original hip-hop/ R&B tracks, their past releases include: “So High,” “Just Give it a Moment” and “Winners,” among several other sultry and upbeat tracks.
As well as a hip-hop artist, Michael is also an audio engineer and music producer. In the past 12 months, he has released numerous bodies of work including five mixtapes, multiple singles, and one solo album, When The Street Lights Come On. As an artist, he has a broad range of sound and technique inspired by all genres of music from hip-hop to rock nuance, it is quite unique. He says his music is rooted in the ups and downs and life. “I came up from nothing, now I’m ’bout something,” he adds. Though the Audio Engineering graduate was born and raised in New York City’s Harlem district, he now resides in Moncton, New Brunswick.
While she’s spent the last few years performing and writing music, it was only in 2020 that Sydney first made her way onto the music scene after she released a number of originals and posted them online. Since then, she’s been collaborating frequently with Michael. Though Sydney’s music is easily distinguishable because of her sweet voice and sultry sound, her range is wide, as she’s recorded songs which transcend from many of the genres which have influenced her. From R&B to pop and hip hop to contemporary, she’s covered a lot of ground in the last year.
In the making of Duality, Michael says “I was thinking along the lines of Yin and Yang, which inspired the black and white cover art. When we were coming up with the name for the album. We decided on Duality… It just seemed to fit.”
It is also worth noting that Michael produced three beats and exclusively completed all the vocal mixes on the collaboration album.
Sydney says: “We wanted to display both of our unique styles. Mine is more feminine and airy — R&B/Pop influenced; while Michaels is more masculine and commanding — Hip-Hop influenced, but our sounds just work so well together so we wanted to ensure we maintained the cohesiveness of the collaboration.”
President Obama and Bruce Springsteen sit down to talk popular music, the most American of art forms. As a bonus, Bruce plays a few songs and President Obama tells the story behind one of his most famous speeches.
