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5 Surprising Facts About Lou Reed’s ‘New York’

Eric Alper
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5 Surprising Facts About Lou Reed’s ‘New York’

When Lou Reed released New York in 1989, it was a comeback, sure, and what a statement it was. Gritty, poetic, and unapologetically political, the album captured the pulse of a city and the conscience of an era. Here are five facts that reveal the deeper story behind one of rock’s most fearless records.

1. Reed Wanted the Music Simple — So the Words Could Hit Hard
Lou Reed designed New York with stripped-down arrangements to ensure his lyrics took center stage. He described the album as “a book or a movie,” meant to be experienced in one sitting — a 57-minute narrative filled with anger, empathy, and razor-sharp observation.

2. “Dirty Blvd.” Topped Billboard’s Modern Rock Chart
The album’s single “Dirty Blvd.” hit #1 on Billboard’s then-new Modern Rock Tracks chart, staying there for four weeks. The song’s three-chord structure and biting social commentary made it a defining anthem of late-80s New York realism.

3. The Album Sparked a Velvet Underground Revival
By the late ’80s, Reed’s solo career had cooled, but the success of New York reignited his legacy and led to a Velvet Underground reunion tour. Drummer Moe Tucker even played percussion on two of the album’s tracks, tying Reed’s past and present together.

4. Reed Took Aim at Nearly Everyone
New York is packed with lyrical name-drops — from Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani to the Virgin Mary and Mike Tyson. Reed channeled his outrage at politics, religion, and celebrity culture into songs that cut through hypocrisy with brutal honesty.

5. The Cover Was a Layered Self-Portrait of the City
Photographed by Waring Abbott and designed by Spencer Drate, Judith Salavetz, and Sylvia Reed, the cover shows five overlapping images of Reed standing in the same street scene — a visual metaphor for New York’s chaos, multiplicity, and motion.

Three decades later, New York still sounds like a dispatch from the front lines — an unflinching portrait of a city, a country, and a mind refusing to look away.

5 Surprising Facts About Midnight Oil’s ‘Diesel and Dust’

Eric Alper
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5 Surprising Facts About Midnight Oil’s ‘Diesel and Dust’

When Midnight Oil released ‘Diesel and Dust’ in 1987, it became a global phenomenon built on passion, politics, and purpose. Beyond its iconic singles and legendary message, here are five facts that reveal the album’s deeper story.

1. The Album Was Inspired by a Transformative Outback Tour
In 1986, Midnight Oil joined Indigenous bands Warumpi Band and Gondwanaland on the Blackfella/Whitefella Tour, performing in remote Aboriginal communities across the Australian outback. The experience changed them profoundly, sparking the themes of land rights, reconciliation, and environmental awareness that shaped ‘Diesel and Dust’.

2. One Song Was Removed from the U.S. Release
The track “Gunbarrel Highway” didn’t appear on the U.S. version of the album. The lyric “shit falls like rain on a world that is brown” was reportedly considered too offensive for American audiences, leading Columbia Records to omit it.

3. The Album’s Artwork Won an ARIA Award
Photographer Ken Duncan and visual artist Wart (Jen Waterhouse) designed the now-iconic album cover, which captures the rugged, sunburnt beauty of rural Australia. Their work earned ‘Diesel and Dust’ the 1988 ARIA Award for Best Cover Art.

4. ‘The Dead Heart’ Was Written for Uluru’s Historic Handback
“The Dead Heart” was originally created for the 1985 ceremony that returned Uluru to its traditional Aboriginal caretakers. Midnight Oil donated all royalties from the song to Indigenous communities, further grounding the band’s activism in tangible action.

5. It Became One of the Most Celebrated Australian Albums Ever
Rolling Stone named it the best album of 1988 and later ranked it among the greatest of the decade. In 2010, ‘Diesel and Dust’ topped 100 Best Australian Albums, and in 2021, Rolling Stone Australia placed it at No. 5 on their list of the 200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time.

‘Diesel and Dust’ remains a landmark of conscience and creativity — a record that connected rock music to the heart of Australia’s story and the world beyond.

10 Essential Albums For Country Traditionalists From Modern Artists

Eric Alper
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10 Essential Albums For Country Traditionalists From Modern Artists

If you love the sound of steel guitars, storytelling, and songs that feel like home, this list is for you. These 10 modern country records carry the flame of tradition while keeping it alive for new generations.

1. Zach Bryan – ‘American Heartbreak’
Raw, poetic, and straight from the gut, this album introduced Zach Bryan as one of country’s most honest voices. It’s campfire soul mixed with heartland grit.

2. Tyler Childers – ‘Purgatory’
Produced by Sturgill Simpson, this modern classic feels timeless. The fiddle, the twang, and the storytelling make it pure Appalachian gold.

3. Cody Johnson – ‘Human: The Double Album’
A love letter to cowboy tradition and country radio all at once. Every song rides high with sincerity and old-school craftsmanship.

4. Carly Pearce – ’29: Written In Stone’
Carly leans into classic country textures with elegant grace. Her voice shines over pedal steel and fiddle like it was meant for the Opry stage.

5. Chris Stapleton – ‘Traveller’
A soulful journey across whiskey-soaked highways and open skies. Stapleton’s powerhouse vocals bridge roots, country, and blues with ease.

6. Colter Wall – ‘Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs’
A baritone that rumbles like thunder, Colter Wall revives cowboy music with cinematic spirit. Every track feels like a ride through open plains.

7. Kacey Musgraves – ‘Same Trailer Different Park’
Bright, witty, and true to tradition, Kacey’s debut blends clever storytelling with the charm of vintage country-pop.

8. Jon Pardi – ‘Mr. Saturday Night’
Boot-stomping honky-tonk made for neon dance floors. Jon Pardi keeps the Bakersfield sound rolling with pure joy and swagger.

9. Charley Crockett – ‘The Man From Waco’
A modern outlaw with timeless flair, Charley mixes Tex-Mex soul, country twang, and storytelling that feels straight from the 1970s.

10. Hailey Whitters – ‘Raised’
Rooted in Midwest values and front-porch wisdom, this album sparkles with nostalgia, fiddle flourishes, and small-town heart.

Country traditionalists never went anywhere — they just found new voices to carry the sound forward. From the Appalachians to Austin, these albums prove that country’s heart still beats strong.

Jolie Anastasia’s ‘Guiding Light’ Shines With Folk Wisdom and Emotional Depth

Eric Alper
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Jolie Anastasia’s ‘Guiding Light’ Shines With Folk Wisdom and Emotional Depth

There’s a certain presence that comes with hearing Jolie Anastasia sing—a wisdom far beyond her years, wrapped in a voice equal parts tender and unshakable. With her debut full-length album ‘Guiding Light’ arriving November 7, 2025, and the title cut out now, the Collingwood-based singer-songwriter is quickly establishing herself as one of folk and roots music’s most promising new voices.

Jolie’s music doesn’t rush. It lingers, reflecting on heartbreak, healing, and the fleeting beauty of everyday life. In her songs, listeners encounter a rare gift: the ability to transform personal trials into universal truths that speak across generations.

Born and raised in Collingwood, Ontario, Jolie Anastasia (née Jolie Smith) has been steeped in song since childhood. “I am a deeply emotional and sensitive person. I find solace in the strum of a guitar and the hum of a tune,” she reflects. That instinct to create has led her from living room strums to festival stages, crafting a style that balances raw honesty with refined artistry.

Her forthcoming album ‘Guiding Light’ is a family affair, shaped by the guidance of her producer and father Craig Smith. “Ever since I was young he always encouraged me to play music, so naturally, as soon as he noticed I was writing anything worth recording we jumped straight into the studio,” Jolie says. What began as solo expression soon blossomed into a full-band endeavor, expanding her sonic palette without losing the intimacy of her earliest songs.

Jolie has already become a fixture in Ontario’s folk community, performing at local festivals and intimate listening rooms with her band: Braden Mahon (guitar), Rae Melvin (drums/harmonica), and Kyle Dreany (bass). With her single ‘Lucky To Find’ set for release on October 8, 2025, Jolie is poised to step onto a larger stage, carrying the traditions of folk forward with a modern voice.

To hear Jolie is to hear echoes of artists who have redefined the boundaries of folk and Americana. Her storytelling has the resilience of Brandi Carlile, her atmospheric guitar work hints at the quiet storm of Phoebe Bridgers, and her melodic sense carries shades of Madison Cunningham’s adventurous pop-folk fusion.

And yet, Jolie’s sound is unmistakably her own. With layered harmonies, open tunings, and a deep sense of place, she creates songs that feel timeless, as though they could live comfortably beside Joni Mitchell or Nick Drake, while still carrying the urgency of a new generation’s voice.

Her lyrical gift is evident from the opening lines of ‘Lucky To Find’: “Looking at your face, and seeing through your smile / As you try to hide a trace of riveting disguise.” It’s an image at once intimate and revealing, capturing the duality of tenderness and hurt that defines much of her work.

On the title track ‘Guiding Light,’ Jolie frames her artistic mission with a striking honesty: “I spent all my money-making time / Playin’ for a dollar, all I ever make is a dime / But playin’ is all I’ve got on my mind / Playin’ is the only thing that leads me to the guiding light.” These words are a credo, a testament to pursuing art as both survival and salvation.

To celebrate the release of ‘Guiding Light,’ Jolie Anastasia will bring her songs to the stage this fall with a pair of special performances:

November 6, 2025 — Small Halls Festival — Collingwood, ON

November 8, 2025 — Marsh Street Centre — Clarksburg, ON (Album Release Show). Tickets here.

With ‘Guiding Light,’ Jolie Anastasia joins a lineage of artists who remind us that folk music is as much about listening as it is about singing. Her songs ask us to slow down, to lean into the quiet, and to find the courage to face the light—even when the road is shadowed. As she prepares to step onto festival stages and into wider recognition, Jolie carries with her a body of work that feels like the beginning of a long, luminous journey.

Toronto Shoegaze Outfit AloneKitty Rebuilds and Roars on “Stay The Same” From Upcoming ‘Sad Not Sad’ Album

Eric Alper
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Toronto Shoegaze Outfit AloneKitty Rebuilds and Roars on “Stay The Same” From Upcoming ‘Sad Not Sad’ Album

Engines make the loudest noise right as you flip the ignition. Animals roar their mightiest when their peace is broken. Sometimes starting over, leaving comfort, stumbling forward is the biggest noise we can make. Toronto’s AloneKitty writes like someone who rebuilt life brick by brick. Because that’s exactly what happened. After a period of intense personal upheaval – losing a job, a long-term relationship, and nearly everything that felt like home – AloneKitty was, yeah, alone. Untethered, with one lone familiar thing to hold onto. That thread became a lifeline. Then it became a record. Writing songs became a way to navigate from a before into an after. It wasn’t neat, it wasn’t clean, it never is. But it was honest. Like it or not.“I kind of think I lost my mind by playing these in front of other people as I feel re-traumatized or upset by what’s at the core of some of these.” Despite the name, AloneKitty is no longer going it alone. Stefan’s on drums, Mike’s on bass. “I never worry about them…which is great because I do everything else.”

Brick by brick. Layer over layer. Track on top of track. It’s a melodic wall of sound that doesn’t hide emotion, but forces it out of hiding. Instinct, tension, and release. The guitars (sometimes five or six deep) shift and surge like weather. Hooks break through like the sun, then vanish again. Think MBV, Ride, or Hüsker Dü. Where pop collides with the primal. Tracks were laid down live at Canterbury Music Company on a legendary 1976 NEVE console, the sonic Grail. No grid, no polish, just feel. “Twelve songs in two days,” as Alonekitty remembers it. “Live. Two or maybe three takes of the beds for some of the songs at most.” 

Produced with Josh Korody (Beliefs), mixed by Luke Schindler (Alexisonfire, Broken Social Scene) and mastered by Slowdive’s Simon Scott, the Sad Not Sad (out October 24, 2025) is both massive and painfully intimate. “Every time I opened a new song, it became my favorite,” Schindler says. “It’s something I’d have in my rotation.” Scott adds: “[Alonekitty’s] music is great and I’m playing the songs over and over.” That’s not just high praise. It’s a seismic nod from a god, a true creator of genres. From the jangle of “She Lets You Down Again” to the 10-ton blanket of “2Tired2,” the hooks are everywhere. You just have to wade in. Let it all slowly close over you. And call it shoegaze. Call it dream-pop. Call it post-rock. But AloneKitty calls it what it is: music shaped by upheaval, fluidity, and reinvention. 

Sophie B. Hawkins Revisits A Beloved Classic With A Raw, Acoustic Version Of “Right Beside You”

Eric Alper
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Sophie B. Hawkins Revisits A Beloved Classic With A Raw, Acoustic Version Of “Right Beside You”

Iconic singer-songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins has unveiled a stirring acoustic re-imagining of her 1994 hit “Right Beside You”, the first single from her landmark sophomore album Whaler. The release arrives as part of Hawkins’ highly anticipated project WHALER – RE-EMERGING, a 30th anniversary celebration that breathes new life into the songs that helped define a generation.

Originally a Top 20 hit in the UK and a charting success across North America and Europe, “Right Beside You” was praised upon its debut for its urgent vocals, dance-pop energy, and Hawkins’ fearless artistry. The song’s original video—filmed on a windswept Sag Harbor beach and featuring Hawkins on horseback—cemented its place in pop culture. Now, three decades later, Hawkins strips the track down to its emotional core, offering fans a chance to experience it in its most intimate and vulnerable form.

“I loved digging into the Whaler songs, from remembering the feelings of writing them at the piano to experiencing them in new ways on stage and raw in front of my audience,” Hawkins shares. “It’s been an incredibly creative journey, full of love and joy. I’m so happy to share this raw and emotional Whaler re-emerging with you.”

The acoustic rendition highlights Hawkins’ unmistakable voice—untouched, unfiltered, and resonant with the same passion that first captivated listeners in the 1990s. Where the original leaned into sleek production and club-ready beats, this version embraces space and silence, magnifying the song’s lyrical themes of longing, devotion, love, and loss.

This release arrives on the heels of Hawkins’ recent album Free Myself (2023), which introduced her to a new wave of fans with the UK dance hit “Love Yourself.” As she prepares to bring WHALER – RE-EMERGING to audiences worldwide—including appearances at the Saskatoon Jazz Festival and Seattle’s Triple Door—Hawkins proves yet again her unparalleled ability to reinvent while staying true to her artistic soul.

With her career spanning seven albums, platinum hits like “Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover” and “As I Lay Me Down”, and acclaimed appearances across film, television, and theater, Hawkins remains one of music’s most daring and enduring voices. “Right Beside You” (Acoustic) is more than a nostalgic revisit—it’s a testament to the timelessness of Hawkins’ songwriting and the raw power of her performance.

UPCOMING CANADA TOUR DATES

October 16 – North Battleford, SK – Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts
October 17 – Camrose, AB – Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre
October 18 – Fort Saskatchewan, AB – Dow Centennial Centre – Shell Theatre
October 19 – Prince Albert, SK – E.A. Rawlinson Centre for the Arts
October 21 – Brandon, MB – Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium
October 22 – Winnipeg, MB – Club Regent Event Centre
October 25 – St. Albert, AB – Arden Theatre
October 26 – Red Deer, AB – Red Deer Memorial Centre
October 27 – Calgary, AB – Bella Concert Hall
October 29 – Vancouver, BC – Vancouver Playhouse
October 30 – Victoria, BC – McPherson Playhouse

Singer-Songwriter Aynsley Saxe Reaches New Heights with “Next Level Love”

Eric Alper
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Singer-Songwriter Aynsley Saxe Reaches New Heights with “Next Level Love”

Georgetown, Ontario singer-songwriter Aynsley Saxe is soaring once again with the release of her new single “Next Level Love,” a track that elevates her sound to luminous new heights. Following the heartfelt intimacy of “Stranger to Myself,” this latest offering carries the same authenticity while embracing passion, desire, and unrestrained joy as its guiding force.

Saxe has always combined deep roots with adventurous horizons. She first sat down at the piano at age six, wrote her first song on a New Zealand farm at eighteen, and has since carved out a career that blends folk storytelling with contemporary textures. With a background in English and Film from Western University, she writes with a storyteller’s eye, capturing moments that feel both personal and universal.

“Next Level Love” embodies what Saxe herself calls the “summits of romantic love.” Co-produced with Christian Turner at Mill Town Sound in Milton, the song opens with pulsing electric guitar that beats like a heart before lifting into a soaring chorus. “We’re lightning blinding, circuits breaking, overloading off the charts,” she sings, her voice charged with intensity. The track rises and falls like waves, carrying listeners on the same emotional tide that inspired it.

“When I wrote ‘Next Level Love,’ I was coming alive again after a period of feeling dead romantically,” Saxe says. “A spark ignited in me unexpectedly and this song materialized. It’s about the elation of finding passion that is stronger and crazier than ever before.” The lyrics capture that ignition: “You’re gasoline, I’m matches, dangerous… You take me to the edge and beyond.”

This new single builds naturally on the stripped-down honesty of “Stranger to Myself,” her first release from the forthcoming album A Thousand Stars, due in 2026. If that song was the quiet voice of renewal, “Next Level Love” is the exhale of desire, the celebration of what it feels like to fly higher than imagined. “Rising higher than ten thousand feet,” she sings, “If I step off the edge I’m taking you with me.”

The production mirrors the lyrics’ momentum, moving from intimate verses to a euphoric, layered chorus. Background vocals create an expansive, otherworldly quality, lifting the song into the skies of its own metaphor. It’s music that doesn’t just describe passion—it embodies it, reminding us that love can be both grounding and transcendent.

Fans have praised the single as heartfelt and raw, with one listener noting the “glacially smooth and profound” power of her vocals. Others point to the way her voice echoes across layers, speaking to itself in a dialogue of longing and fulfillment. These responses affirm what her audiences have long known: Aynsley Saxe’s music doesn’t just entertain, it resonates with a healing presence.

For Saxe, that sense of resonance comes from a life lived in multiple dimensions.  As a musician, and Reiki teacher it’s no surprise that her songs touch on both earthly and spiritual experiences. With “Next Level Love,” she steps forward as an artist unafraid to claim both the vulnerability and the fire within her.

The accompanying music video, edited by Saxe herself, expands on the song’s elemental themes with stormy oceans, fire, and aerial vistas layered over still portraits. “Passion can be seductive, dangerous and exciting,” she says. “I wanted to create a montage that was evocative, alluring, and slightly trepidatious.” The result is a visual poem that mirrors the song’s intensity and beauty.

With “Next Level Love,” Aynsley Saxe invites listeners to embrace the exhilaration of passion and the courage of love that leaps into the unknown. It is a powerful step toward her upcoming album A Thousand Stars, a record that promises to chart the many constellations of the heart. In a career already marked by authenticity, this single shines as a beacon of her evolving artistry.

Indigenous Folk-Rock Singer-Songwriter Mike Bern Releases Evocative New Single “Into The River”

Eric Alper
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Indigenous Folk-Rock Singer-Songwriter Mike Bern Releases Evocative New Single “Into The River”

Indigenous folk-rock singer-songwriter Mike Bern enters a new creative phase with the release of his single “Into The River.” Building on the acclaim of recent projects including “Echoes” and “We Are The Stars,” Bern continues to define his voice as both a storyteller and a cultural innovator. His latest track reflects the momentum of a career steadily growing in recognition, marked by multiple appearances on the Indigenous Music Countdown and performances across Canada.

“Into The River” demonstrates Bern’s ability to merge reflective lyricism with contemporary energy. The track carries forward the artist’s reputation for creating songs that resonate widely while remaining grounded in his roots and community.

Raised in Tobique First Nation, Bern grew up along the Tobique and Wolastoq rivers, where music often echoed through family gatherings. Captivated by his late uncle’s guitar playing and private jam sessions behind closed doors, he taught himself acoustic guitar more than three decades ago. These early experiences fostered a passion that continues to guide his work today.

A turning point in Bern’s life came during rehab, when a counselor recognized the poetic, song-like quality of his writing. That moment affirmed his path as a songwriter and performer, setting the stage for a career that blends folk and rock with an unshakable sense of identity and purpose. His catalogue, including albums ‘Waponahkew’ and ‘Ancestors,’ showcases his dedication to storytelling and cultural preservation.

“When I wrote ‘Into The River,’ I was reflecting on how love can drift, change, or flow onward, much like the water that defines our territory,” Bern explains. “The river has always been a part of my life and my community—it carries history, memories, and renewal.”

He continues, “I wanted the music to feel both nostalgic and hopeful. The retro energy of the track brings balance to the bittersweet story, reminding us that even in change, there is movement toward something new.”

The song’s lyrics capture this theme of love and impermanence: “I have you in my hand, watching the trees and sand, I hope our love will float into the river, I hope it does.”

Echoing through the refrain, “Round round round round she goes, no one know where she goes,” Bern demonstrates his evolving ability to frame deeply personal feelings within poetic, universal imagery.

“Into The River” also reflects Bern’s commitment to creating music that is both personal and collective. His recent work shows a clear trajectory of growth, drawing on cultural memory, natural landscapes, and lived experience to create songs that continue to reach wider audiences.

By blending his acoustic roots with evolving production choices, Bern ensures that each release marks another step forward. With “Into The River,” listeners are invited to experience not just a song but a reflection on connection, movement, and hope.

“Into The River,” solidifies his place as one of today’s most compelling Indigenous folk-rock voices. The release signals not only his ongoing growth as an artist but also his commitment to carrying cultural traditions into new creative territories. As he continues to perform, record, and evolve, Bern’s music flows forward with both strength and clarity.

Lukas Lennon Heslip Is Redefining the Role of the Producer in North America’s Music and Visual Culture

Eric Alper
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Lukas Lennon Heslip Is Redefining the Role of the Producer in North America’s Music and Visual Culture

In an era when the boundaries between music, film, and branded content are dissolving, Lukas Lennon Heslip has emerged as one of North America’s most versatile creative figures. Splitting his time between Los Angeles and Toronto, Heslip has built a career that places him at the intersection of sound, image, and story—an increasingly crucial space in a post-streaming industry.

Heslip began his career in Toronto’s music world in 2017, managing and producing projects for Canadian artist Ezra Jordan. From humble beginnings producing music videos, he quickly expanded into branded content, spearheading collaborations with some of Toronto’s most recognized food and hospitality brands, including Terroni, Cumbrae’s, Stock T.C., and Porta.

As a freelance producer, his portfolio broadened across mediums. He delivered projects like The Social Drop and the Homebody Music Festival, each balancing intricate set builds with seamless integration of still and motion production. These formative experiences not only sharpened his creative instincts but also embedded him in Toronto’s expanding cultural fabric.

His trajectory soon shifted toward international scope. Joining Agency Arts, a Los Angeles–based creative management agency representing directors and photographers, Heslip became a management consultant on high-end commercial and editorial productions. This period honed his reputation for visual storytelling and cemented his ability to bring precision and artistry to global campaigns.

Today, Heslip is developing a slate of films with Best Crosses Studios, including an upcoming project exploring the creation of the iconic 1990s arcade game NBA Jam. This move underscores his evolution from Toronto’s music scene into international film development, commercial production, and cross-industry storytelling.

What sets Heslip apart is his fluency across mediums. He’s a producer who moves with equal authority in the studio, on set, and in the boardroom. His expertise spans creative direction, production management, branded content strategy, and artist development—anchored by a rare ability to merge technical mastery with a cinematic sensibility.

He has also demonstrated remarkable success with other projects, including the music video Back to Friends by Sombr, where he served as the lead production management consultant. The video achieved significant commercial impact, amassing over 40 million views online and becoming one of Sombr’s most popular releases. Its success was further solidified when it won the “Best Alternative Video” award at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards.

Industry insiders highlight his professional strengths: Multidisciplinary Production, adept at blending film, music, and branded storytelling into coherent campaigns; Creative Problem-Solving, trusted for translating ambitious concepts into viable, polished productions; Cultural Fluency, skilled at navigating both North American and international creative markets; and Visual Storytelling, shaping narratives that resonate equally in commercial, editorial, and musical contexts.

Recent accomplishments illustrate his upward momentum. His work on large-scale branded campaigns brought together global teams across Los Angeles and Toronto, delivering projects that aligned commercial precision with artistic credibility. At the same time, his transition into long-form storytelling through Best Crosses Studios signals his arrival as a producer poised to influence both the music and film industries.

For Heslip, the future lies in continuing to collapse the boundaries between mediums. As he puts it: “My focus has always been on finding the story that connects people—whether that’s in a song, a video, or a film. The tools change, but the goal doesn’t.”

With an eye trained on both artistic innovation and industry impact, Lukas Lennon Heslip represents a new generation of producers: multidisciplinary, forward-looking, and unafraid to blur the lines between music, film, and commerce. His ascent is not just a career trajectory—it’s a reflection of where the cultural industries themselves are headed.

HERDD Re-Ignites a Queer Pop-Rock Firestorm with Bold Cover of Rough Trade’s ‘High School Confidential’

Eric Alper
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HERDD Re-Ignites a Queer Pop-Rock Firestorm with Bold Cover of Rough Trade’s ‘High School Confidential’

Montreal-born, Sudbury-based artist HERDD steps into the spotlight with the release of his electrifying new single, a cover of Rough Trade’s groundbreaking hit ‘High School Confidential’. Known for his genre-bending pop/rock sound and fearless artistic vision, HERDD reimagines the iconic Canadian track with the same raw passion and queer energy that made it a trailblazer, while infusing it with his own modern edge. The single is now available on all streaming platforms.

“It was such a privilege to share a bill with Carole Pope, a Canadian music icon and a pioneer for queer representation, at Pride Toronto’s The Q Musicale,” HERDD reflects. “That moment meant so much to me, and coming back a year later to debut my cover of her most famous song was truly full circle.”

HERDD, the alias of Francois Cote, has quickly emerged as one of Canada’s most compelling new voices in pop and rock. Born in Montreal, raised in London, and now based in Sudbury, he brings a global perspective to his music.

His 2024 debut album ‘Afterlife’ charted internationally, reaching #41 on the US iTunes Electronic Album charts and breaking into the Canadian electronic charts as well. Known for his captivating live shows, HERDD has graced stages at Canadian Music Week and Pride Toronto, always delivering performances that are both powerful and intimate.

“I like to joke that I’m an honorary 80s kid—even though I was really just born at the tail end of the decade,” he laughs. “But the sound of the 80s—the boldness, the snares, the anthemic choruses—has always resonated with me. Covering a track like this feels natural, because it carries that fearless spirit I’ve always loved.”

In this new rendition, HERDD leans into the song’s most unforgettable lyrics: “She makes me cream my jeans when she comes my way.” Delivered with playful confidence, the line maintains its provocative edge more than four decades later, reminding listeners of the daring honesty that has always defined queer pop culture.

Other lines, like “When she passes me a look I wanna burn my books / Give up high school,” take on new resonance in HERDD’s hands, amplifying the restless longing and desire for freedom that still rings true in today’s youth-driven music movements.

“High School Confidential” was a Top 20 Canadian hit in the early 80s, and its bold celebration of queer desire earned it induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. HERDD’s new version honors that legacy while expanding it for a generation raised on streaming playlists, festival anthems, and TikTok virality.

“I love the rebellious vibe of the track,” HERDD says. “Even though by today’s standards it may not seem as provocative, it was unapologetically queer for its time—and that’s incredibly inspiring. My goal was to preserve that magic while presenting it through my own lens.”

As conversations about identity, freedom, and representation dominate today’s cultural landscape, ‘High School Confidential’ feels more relevant than ever. Its themes of desire, secrecy, and teenage rebellion echo the experiences of queer youth navigating both online spaces and real-world communities. By covering the song in 2025, HERDD connects past and present, reinforcing the message that authentic expression never goes out of style.

With its pounding production, soaring vocals, and undeniable hook, HERDD’s ‘High School Confidential’ stands as both homage and reinvention. It captures the daring pulse of the original while carving out new ground in today’s pop-rock scene, ensuring the track’s place as an anthem for another generation.

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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