Kindness is Queen! As revealed exclusively through Entertainment Weekly, The Nina West Foundation is thrilled to announce an incredibly special, first-of-its-kind partnership between Country Music legend Dolly Parton and Drag Superstar and LGBTQ+ activist Nina West. These two Queens of Kindness have teamed up for the Dolly x Nina: Kindness is Queen collection to foster kindness and hope during this difficult time.
“When I approached Dolly with the idea for a collaboration between the Nina West Foundation and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, I was looking for an opportunity to continue to spread my message of kindness while building on the work I’ve done through my foundation supporting LGBTQ+ youth and families,” said Nina West. “Dolly is the Ultimate Queen of Kindness and I am so thrilled that she agreed to this collaboration! We both want to spread the message that Kindness is Queen and that being kind is something that is desperately needed in our world right now!”
Proceeds from the Kindness is Queen Limited Edition T-shirt, Tote Bag and Enamel pin will go to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a book gifting program that promotes literacy by providing free high quality books to children of all ages, and the Nina West Foundation which supports organizations and services that support LGBTQ+ youth and families. The collection is available now at www.ninawest.com/kindness for a limited time.
Aaron Brink and Steve Reidell of The Hood Internet compiled 50 music videos from 1986 and remixed them into a 3-minute danceable mashup featuring The Bangles, Beastie Boys, Berlin, Billy Bragg, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Boogie Down Productions, Book Of Love, Bruce Hornsby & The Range, Cutting Crew, Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran, Eric B. & Rakim, Europe, Fingers Inc., Genesis, Gwen Guthrie, Howard Jones, Human League, Janet Jackson, Lionel Richie, Loose Ends, Madonna, Metallica, Midnight Star, Nu Shooz, Oran Juice Jones, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Nevil, Run-D.M.C., Run-D.M.C. & Aerosmith, Samantha Fox, Slayer, Smithereens, Stan Bush, Steve Winwood, and Whistle.
Originally released on The Ramones fourth album, Road to Ruin, in September 1978, I Wanna Be Sedated and was the B-side of the UK single “She’s the One” released on September 21,1978. The song was later released as a single in the Netherlands in 1979, then in the U.S. in 1980 by RSO Records from the Square soundtrack album.
For Canadian brother-sister duo Just Costa, music is just the ticket to their own sonic theme park, and their glistening, feel-good summer anthem “Peachy” — available now! — lands as top contender for its theme song.
Lighthearted and upbeat, the track mixes pop, R&B and g-funk into a catchy groove start to finish, combining full band and synth-based elements along the way. “The message shines as a pinnacle of positivity,” the sibling set says. “It expresses that every moment can feel like a margarita on the beach.”
This Montreal-based fam-band embodies the term “happy-go-lucky” through and through. That likening of their music to a theme park? That’s their real deal.
“We call it Just Costa Land,” quips Jesse Just Costa, who leads the outfit with older sibling Juliana. “It’s like this: We want to bring the sense of an amusement park to our music. The excitement, the enthusiasm, the joie de vivre, the willingness to be happy and grateful and positive and live life to the extreme; that’s what we’re trying to construct.”
Between them, they have all the building blocks they need in a sort of supernatural blend of style, skill and substance that takes a lifetime to achieve. Which is about how long the Just Costas have been making music.
By age 13, guitar prodigy Jesse was taking Montreal’s rock scene by storm, playing lead and fronting his own outfit. Meanwhile, Juliana had begun a solo career as an acoustic singer-songwriter. The turning point came a few years ago, when she was heading to Vancouver to record. Jesse decided to tag along, and in need of material, they began to write together for the sessions. The magic was instant. “We weren’t just putting catchphrases over standard chords; we were writing these intricate, meaningful songs,” Jesse recalls. “That really solidified things. That’s when we really hit the ground running together.”
They haven’t slowed. Since joining forces (and fittingly combining their parents’ surnames for their handle), they’ve more than made up for any lost time. They’ve appeared on talent show La Voix (The Voice), played over 400 shows — including a 16-date tour of Italy — performed at festivals and conferences (including the MUZ showcase in Montreal, where they took home a trio of people’s choice awards), released one album — In Time, All Things under their previous moniker Juliana & Jesse — and are midway through writing and recording a new full-length. More focused and ambitious, their newer material takes full advantage of their creative kinship and shared vision — while also acknowledging their different musical backgrounds and skill sets. “One of our greatest strengths in working together is how varied our individual strengths are,” Jesse explains. “I know where Juliana has me beat, and where she might be able to handle a situation twice as well, and I feel like she knows the same about me. So that’s where the lines get drawn.”
As if on cue, she picks up the thread: “For the most part, Jesse has a real knack for melody and chords, and groove as well. So he’ll put something down and we can play off that. And I really like to write lyrics, so we’ll play off of each other. We work together really well in that sense. Other times, I’ll have a really simple kind of idea on the guitar and I can always count on Jesse to spice it up. It’s always good to have a partner in any venture, and there’s no better partner than family. We are really connected — we’re also best friends — and we really do see it as a big blessing. We’re not scared to push each other. And by bringing the best out of each other, we’ve reached some really cool and unique places songwriting-wise that we might not have found. And we feel we have something really special we can bring to people.”
That gift in a nutshell: Love. “I break down life into two really simple things: doing what you love and doing it with the people that you love,” Jesse says. “That’s really where the magic comes from. That’s when the highs start getting higher and the lows don’t feel so bad. That’s what we have, and that’s what we want to share with people. Really, we want to light up every room that we go into. I feel such an energy and positivity inside of me and so much gratitude for everything I have. We want to bring that to ourselves and to bring other people with us. We want … ”
Naturally, Juliana finishes his thought: “We want to take everybody along for the ride.”
The destination? Just Costa Land, of course. Enjoy the trip and get ready to groove.
Canadian contemporary jazz pop singer/songwriter Katie Ditschun lovingly affirms “That Is That.” when it comes to life, love and people’s need for each other in this, her new single — available now.
“One morning, in the shower, I was singing songs from one of my favourite musicals and felt overcome by the powerful fact that everyone needs other people in their lives,” Ditschun recalls. “The power of love and human connection is unparalleled.
“People need people. That is that. People need people. That’s a fact,” she continues, citing the song’s basis. “The juxtaposition in ‘That Is That.’ — with a firm period — is in the fact that it’s a simple song with simple words and statements, but it’s also a very complex and complete message.
“It’s whimsy with depth.”
On that note, ’whimsy with depth’ is a wonderfully all-encompassing description that wraps all that is Katie Ditschun’s music and purpose together into one.
Born and raised in Brantford, Ontario, Ditschun spent time in Montreal, Quebec following her studies at Berklee College of Music for jazz and contemporary vocal, before returning to her home province; she now calls Alexandria home. Though she was diagnosed at 18 months old with juvenile arthritis, beginning piano lessons at age four to keep her fingers moving, it was the onset of her mother’s terminal illness that gave Ditschun the push to pursue music full-time.
“My songs are about relationships — of love, and of those often confused for love,” she explains of her 2019 debut release, Spare Skirt — home to previous singles “Here We Are,” “HER,” and now “That Is That.” Recorded in Ottawa, and featuring some of Eastern Ontario’s best jazz musicians, the track and album feature Ditschun on vocals, piano, and ukulele — a nod to the singer/songwriter’s self-described style of quirky piano pop meets serious jazz notes and thematic, explorative story-based lyricism. “I’m particularly interested in situations where people lack self-knowledge, or gain greater awareness about oneself, or one’s place in the world.
“While first recording this song in-studio, my co-producer said he felt this song was completely me,” Ditschun adds of “That Is That.” “I’m not sure I’ve ever received a nicer compliment…
“You’ll never regret loving, and I like to think that’s me: love hard. I try every day to be the person my dog thinks I am. I need people, and I remind myself that people need me too.”
Ditschun has embodied a form of this sentiment week after week since the national onset of COVID-19, working at mindfully connecting with her community through complimentary virtual music lessons via Facebook live. With a world reacting to increased isolation, Ditschun hoped her at-home music lessons in a live, “social” setting could offer respite for audience members navigating the world’s new circumstance.
“There’s something about being in the moment when the music is all there is…” says the classically trained musician with over 20 years experience in teaching, and member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and the Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association. “For me, all life’s worries melt away and I’m left only concerned about what phrase comes next and letting the notes float out.
“It’s my hope that my online music lessons can offer even just a bit of that for others in this challenging time.”
For those looking to optimize a rise in screen time by developing their sonic skill sets, the lessons are available via Ditschun’s Facebook page; they are geared towards beginners and focus solely on singing — no instruments are required.
For “That Is That.,” Ditschun’s lessons go a step further: “So, if you feel like it, head online, pick up your ukulele — or whatever you play! — and find the lyrics and chords for ‘That Is That.’ at UltimateGuitar(dot)com,” she invites. “Make the song your own, and send me the link to your versions so I can share!”
“That Is That.”’s name, incidentally, serves a secondary purpose; given that it’s the final track on Spare Skirt, it offers a fittingly impassioned bookend to her breakthrough album.
Music lovers across the country and social media platforms have benefitted from the generosity of Canada’s music creators since the start of the COVID-19 crisis with live online concerts on Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram.
SOCAN is now reciprocating the love by launching Encore!, a program that compensates music creators and publishers for their invaluable work.
“Like so many Canadians, SOCAN member songwriters, composers, and music publishers are facing tough times, with the loss of revenue from touring and in-person concerts,” said Jennifer Brown, Interim-CEO of SOCAN. “Many of our members have stepped up for fans, staging online concerts to bring the public together and keep their careers moving ahead, so it is only fair that they get paid for their generous work with our Encore! program.”
SOCAN’s Board of Directors and management team recently approved the allocation of a portion of licensing revenue collected from Facebook for the Encore! program.
Encore! will ease the financial burden on SOCAN writer members and their publishers created by the pandemic. A total of approximately $200,000 is available each quarter for the program for the duration of the COVID-19 lockdown in Canada.
To receive an Encore! payment for a live music event on Facebook or Instagram:
At least ten songs/compositions performed live, or a live performance of at least 30 minutes on Facebook or Instagram from March 15, 2020, to March 7, 2021 (inclusive).
At least 100 people must have accessed the online event.
A setlist of all music performed has to be sent via SOCAN’s Notification of Live Music Performance form at SOCAN.com, with the “venue” identified as Facebook or Instagram.
Claims must be made within 90 days of the Facebook/Instagram concert occurring.
Each online concert will be eligible for a total payment of $150, with shares of royalties going to all rights holders of the music performed.
Live performances on social media properties normally do not generate more than a few dollars in royalties for songwriters, composers and music publishers. Typically, royalties from music used on these platforms come from streamed and downloaded recorded music.
In addition to live music events on Facebook and Instagram, SOCAN is in the process of adding more online platforms to the Encore! program. The organization is encouraging its members to submit set lists for all online concerts. Just be sure to indicate the social media platform as the venue.
SOCAN will soon launch its regular “Get Set, Get Paid” awareness initiative, encouraging members to submit Notification of Live Music Performance set lists for past in-person concerts. Only by submitting set lists can license money paid by concert venues be matched to the correct rights holders of the music performed, enabling those who earned royalties to receive them.
SOCAN also confirmed that its regular distribution of royalties to all members will go out as planned on-time. Since March 13th, all 275 SOCAN employees across its offices in Toronto Montréal, Vancouver and Los Angeles have been teleworking with the company operating at full capacity.
