“What a Girl Wants” became one of Christina Aguilera’s breakout hits, featured on her 1999 debut album. Originally written by Shelly Peiken and Guy Roche as “What a Girl Needs,” the song had first been recorded by French artist Ophélie Winter in both English and French. Aguilera’s version, retitled, turned the track into a global pop anthem that cemented her arrival as a star.
Bella Cole Shifts Into High Gear with Irresistible New Single “Drive”
Buckle up: Bella Cole is back with a track that’s pure adrenaline, heart, and vintage cool. Her brand-new single “Drive”, out now on all streaming platforms, is a sonic joyride through whirlwind romance, fearless friendship, and the thrill of letting go — all wrapped in a pop-soul package that feels like a Mustang in flight.
Bella Cole is quickly becoming one of Toronto’s most magnetic new voices. Blending old-school soul and funk with modern pop finesse, her sound has drawn comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Billie Eilish — think groove, grit, and a whole lot of storytelling. A graduate of Toronto’s Trebas Institute in Audio Engineering, Bella’s background in theatre and music gives her a rare command of both stage and studio. She’s already lit up iconic stages like El Mocambo, and now she’s ready to light up your playlists.
“Drive” arrives just in time for late summer soundtracks. Co-written by Bella and her Producer Paul Koffman, featuring her signature blend of throwback tones and pop sparkle, the track captures that wild rush of falling for someone you know is trouble — but you can’t help yourself. “It’s about a whirlwind type of romance,” says Bella. “It burns bright and ends fast, but you just can’t help being pulled in because it’s all so exciting!”
The single’s release is backed by a vibrant, all-female-driven video that amplifies the song’s themes of empowerment and joy. “The goal was to show how strong and kick-ass girls are when they’re just hanging out, being friends and having fun,” she adds. “We had the best time bouncing off each other’s energy. And yeah — it didn’t hurt to drive around in a ’65 Mustang all day!”
“Drive” showcases Bella’s skill for narrative songwriting and reinforces the range of sound and soul that fans experienced on Bella’s spring ’25 release, “Hold On“ — a hallmark she’s carried since childhood. “When I’m writing music, I love to let my creativity flow like a story. I’ll think of a scenario and build it out with detail, like characters in a movie,” she says. This sense of cinematic storytelling fuels the track from verse to chorus.
“You just make me feel so alive / And you’re making me lose my mind and go crazy / Let me be the car and I will let you drive tonight!” — The chorus bursts like fireworks, capturing the dizzy euphoria of emotional surrender.
“I know you’re the bad choice again / But I like it when I feel like I’m losing control” — It’s the confession at the heart of every good love story: danger, desire, and diving in anyway.
“Could I be the one you’re looking for?” — In one line, Bella wraps vulnerability and strength into a moment of aching hope.
“Drive” is now available on all streaming platforms. For fans of groovy summer pop, soul throwbacks, and fearless female energy, this is one track you’ll want in heavy rotation. Bella Cole is currently working on new material, with more releases on the horizon.
Winnipeg Rockers D2UR Set Themselves on “Fire” With Electrifying New Single
Winnipeg rockers D2UR (pronounced Detour) are fanning the flames with their scorching new single, “Fire”, now streaming everywhere. With blistering riffs, hypnotic rhythms, and lyrics that urge you to “get on your rocket” and “set yourself on fire,” the track is both an invitation and a declaration: now is the time to burn bright and rise higher.
Originally sparked by a request to create theme music for a podcast, “Fire” was never meant to be a full song. But as co-founder and guitarist Mike Isbister explains, “Once Diane heard the riff, she lit up. She said, ‘I want to write to this—I feel something.’ And she did what only she can do: she turned it into a story.” That story is one of self-belief, drive, and the sheer, soaring thrill of going all-in on your passion.
The track’s lyrics radiate positivity without pulling punches. “What you put in is what you get out,” sings Diane Isbister in a performance equal parts soulful and searing. “Life is a trip, it’s what you make it / Put it in drive and get high.” And when the chorus hits—“Set yourself on fire / Let’s take it a little higher”—it lands like a mission statement from a band that knows what it means to chase something bigger.
Musically, “Fire” leans into a slightly psychedelic tone, with an unorthodox guitar solo soaked in mono synth—risky and unrepeatable by design. “I love gear that fights back,” says Mike. “Sometimes the best guitar parts are the ones that challenge you, because they pull something new out of you.” That creative tension fuels the song’s layered textures and soaring climax.
“Fire” was produced by Mike Isbister and longtime collaborator Howard Klopak, and showcases the chemistry D2UR has honed since their early days in Winnipeg’s music scene. With a lineup that includes John Colburn (bass), David-Sikorski Thorn (guitar), and Stephen Broadhurst (drums), the band has built a reputation for modern rock that pays tribute to classic roots—think Heart meets Pretenders, with a touch of Pink Floyd and AC/DC grit.
“This is one of those songs where everything just clicked,” says Diane. “We wanted to write something that felt like freedom. It’s not about perfection—it’s about ignition.” That urgency is palpable across every measure, from the opening riff to the closing line: “You’re so alive / No more crying / Just set yourself on fire.”
D2UR’s journey spans two full-length albums (Rev U Up and Tic Toc), standout singles like “Live Again” and “Slippin’ Away,” and a sound that keeps evolving with every release. They’ve made CBC Searchlight’s Top 10, shared stages across Canada, and built a grassroot following that grows with every show. With Fire, they’re turning up the heat—and pushing forward on their own terms.
The band is currently gearing up for more single releases later this year, with tour plans in development. Until then, “Fire” is here to inspire.
Defy. Resist. Return. Shoemaker Levee Unleashes “Resistance” From ‘Behind the Lines’ Album
Shoemaker Levee is back, and they’re not pulling any punches. Their new single “Resistance” —leading the charge for their third studio album Between the Lines— is a furious anthem for the unheard, the unbroken, and the beautifully noncompliant.
“This is no time to have your own mind / Get back into line…”
But Shoemaker Levee never got in line. They weathered every storm and came back louder and sharper. When they laid down tracks for Resistance at Orange Lounge on Queen Street in Toronto, a Free Tibet rally marched by. Something clicked. “We weren’t originally going to release it as a single,” the band said. “But world events took a turn, and we knew the time was right.”
The song has since landed airplay on Rock 95, Max FM, TotalRock (UK), and Radio WigWam (UK), and it’s racked up over 5,000 Spotify streams. But its resonance goes far beyond numbers. It’s a declaration of autonomy, powered by roaring guitars and a chorus that punches through the noise:
“Be free people if you want to / See, breathe, believe like you want to / It’s alright if you wonder / Be much more than they expect you’ll be.”
Shoemaker Levee — Kevin Rogers Cobus (vocals/guitar), Dave Broadhead (lead guitar/vocals), Matt Brown (bass), and Dwayne Cardoso (drums) — built this track with the same stripped-down, live-first mentality that defines their sound. “We don’t add layers we can’t pull off live,” they say. “Two guitars, bass, drums. That’s the truth.”
The band is no stranger to chaos — an outdoor gig promoting the album ended with a misfiring generator frying all their gear. One week later, they were back on stage, soldering old parts and keeping the show alive. The spirit of Resistance isn’t just in the lyrics — it’s in the wiring.
Lyrics like“Dream of ways to make a change / Breathe, don’t keep your thoughts detained” feels more urgent now than ever. The band reworked the instrumentation, harnessed their lived experience, and gave these songs the fire they were always meant to carry.
Shoemaker Levee’s eclectic sound draws inspiration from classic rock, progressive, alt, folk — and the furious pulse of protest. Their music has powered through venues across Toronto — The Opera House, Lee’s Palace, The Horseshoe Tavern — and festivals like Gussapolooza and Tall Pines, where they’ve landed top three spots in back-to-back years.
This summer and fall, they’ll bring “Resistance” to life on stages across Ontario, including The Atria (Oshawa), Harmony Hall (Gormley), and The Queens (Barrie). Expect no gimmicks. Just truth, grit, and a rallying cry:
“Tonight / We gotta make it right.”
Francis Baptiste Lays His Heart Bare on New Single “Rent Free in My Mind” + Announces New Tour Dates
With his signature blend of raw honesty, retro charm, and deeply lived storytelling, Francis Baptiste returns with “Rent Free In My Mind”, a vulnerable new single about love, memory, and the grace of second chances. Following the hard-hitting “Aspirin for the Soul”, Baptiste now turns inward — trading the blues of survival for the quiet ache of nostalgia.
“Memories of you / and the thoughtful things you do / live rent free in my mind,” he sings with warmth and weariness. The track, out August 1, blends classic pop-rock textures with the heart of a man who’s grateful just to still be here. “It’s a little cheesy, a little retro,” Baptiste admits. “But I have to remind myself — I’m a 41-year-old retro guy. Sometimes you gotta let an old dog do his old dog music.”
Baptiste handles vocals and guitar, backed by a trusted circle of collaborators: Rob Thomson (bass), Max Ley (drums), Ricardo Pequenino (vocals, piano), and Kevin McCarthy (backup vocals). Together, they channel something between The Cars and Poison — a “dad rock” energy that’s worn-in, melodic, and sincere.
The story behind the song is as disarming as the lyrics themselves. “My partner Brittany and I had a rough start,” Baptiste shares. “I was hiding a severe alcohol and cocaine addiction, and she was basically an angel. Eventually, I came clean to her — standing under an awning in Chinatown, ducking from the rain. That moment changed my life.”
That honesty carries into every line of Rent Free In My Mind:
“My hand grazed your leg / the first night we met / I was a gentleman / with all my little lies…”
The song doesn’t glamorize the past — it simply lives in it, holding both the damage and the devotion in the same breath.
The music video, filmed at Vancouver’s iconic Khatsahlano Festival (on Baptiste’s birthday), is a celebration of that very love story — weaving candid home videos with sunlit performance footage of the band. “It’s one of the few lighthearted moments on this otherwise bleak and forthright album,” he says of the video, which also features Brittany.
Rent Free In My Mind is the second single from Baptiste’s forthcoming album Lived Experience in East Vancouver, out this October. The album documents addiction, recovery, fatherhood, and survival in one of Canada’s most misunderstood communities. Baptiste works in the Downtown Eastside at the DUDES Club, a men’s health organization — a role that informs every lyric. “I deal with my own addiction and the addiction of others every day,” he says. “This album is what that reality sounds like.”
Baptiste’s journey has never been linear. A near-fatal accident in 2021 after a DUI — which tragically killed two horses — became the wake-up call he couldn’t ignore. “The thought of my son growing up without me was very sobering,” he’s said. Since then, his music has become a vehicle for healing — with past albums like Sneqsilx (Family) and Senklip, the Trickster blending blues, folk, and songs in his endangered Nsyilxcən language.
He’ll take these stories on the road this summer, with upcoming shows across BC and Ontario, including the Vine Arts Festival (Aug 15), Burnaby Roots and Blues Festival (Aug 9), and Wolf Island (Sept 19).
Because some memories hurt. Some heal. And some — like the ones in Rent Free In My Mind — do both at once.
Alt. Country’s Damn Coyote Chris Releases “Bethy’s Gift” – A Quiet Goodbye Wrapped in Stars and Song
With a guitar in his hands and a story etched deep in his bones, Damn Coyote Chris returns with “Bethy’s Gift”, the soul-stirring fourth track from his 2025 album Departures — a record he describes as “an honest and personal collection of comfort-food songs from my Private Reserve.” “Bethy’s Gift” is a love letter, a farewell, and a reflection all at once — a gentle lullaby for those learning to live with loss.
“Stars out tonight / Dreams in my eyes / Wishin’ I could fly up to that cloud and give it a bite…”
From the opening lines, “Bethy’s Gift” floats like a whisper across the night sky, full of memory and moonlight. The song is sparse but rich, tender but grounded — a snapshot of grief, wrapped in practical philosophy and unshakable human warmth.
For over 35 years, Chris Nikiforuk-Rhyason — a.k.a. Damn Coyote Chris — has been a fixture in Alberta’s cultural scene, whether fronting Them Damn Coyotes in the ‘90s, making award-winning tattoos, or creating visual art that resonates just as deeply as his music. With Departures, he turns inward, writing what he knows: mortality, resilience, and the quiet strength of enduring love.
“The end of the line / A celebrated life / And I could do worse than using a song for saying goodbye…”
Chris doesn’t dramatize loss. He honours it. “Bethy’s Gift” is not a mourning — it’s a moment of presence. “It’s about accepting that we’re all heading for the same horizon,” Chris explains. “And if a song can help us make peace with that — even for a moment — then I’ve done my job.”
The road to Departures was not easy. In 2015, after a year of heartbreak, near-death experiences, and months of homelessness, Chris found himself living in his truck with his dog, searching for a spark. He booked studio time with longtime friend and producer Stew Kirkwood. What came out wasn’t what he expected — it was something new. “Does this sound like Blues or Outlaw Country to you?” he asked. “That’s Outlaw Country,” Stew replied. “Shoot. That’s what I was afraid of,” Chris laughed.
He embraced it. Departures became a patchwork of lived experience, laughter through tears, and stories you tell to keep going. Every track was built piece by piece, often recorded between long stretches of real life. “When I run out of reasons not to take the next step,” Chris says, “I take it — whether I’m ready or not.”
Bethy’s story is tucked gently into this larger mosaic. There’s no explosive chorus, no theatrics. Just lines like, “Pinholes of light / Burn in my mind / It’s a beacon that’s leading me safe off the edge of a knife.” The song walks the fine line between vulnerability and hope, carrying listeners toward the light without rushing the darkness.
Chris calls his songs “100% human generated” — a tongue-in-cheek nudge at AI trends, but also a serious declaration of intent. There’s no algorithm behind “Bethy’s Gift.” Just one man, a guitar, and the will to remember someone dearly through melody.
With tour dates on the horizon and a growing community of listeners connecting with his blend of folk, blues, outlaw country, and quiet philosophy, Damn Coyote Chris offers something rare: music that feels lived in. And “Bethy’s Gift” is his offering to anyone learning to say goodbye with love instead of fear.
Because sometimes the greatest gift is a song that lets you hold on — and let go — at the same time.
Sean Thomas Unveils “She’s Mine” With Heartfelt Love Song and Stunning Music Video Set in Palm Springs
Multi-talented singer, songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist Sean Thomas has released his deeply personal new single “She’s Mine”, now streaming on all platforms. The release is accompanied by a breathtaking music video filmed among the mountains of Palm Springs, offering a cinematic companion to a track already pulsing with emotion.
Born and raised in Vancouver, the 23-year-old Berklee College of Music graduate has already worked with legendary artists like Debbie Gibson, Joey McIntyre, New Kids On The Block, and New Edition. With “She’s Mine,” Thomas takes center stage, delivering an intimate acoustic love song that showcases not just his talent, but his heart.
“If you could see yourself from my point of view / Then you’d understand it girl / You’d say the same thing too…”
“We live in a world full of noise, pressure, and self-criticism,” says Sean. “My hope is that this song reminds people they’re sometimes their own harshest critics, and that love sees through all of that.”
“She’s Mine” was entirely written, recorded, produced, and mixed by Sean himself in his studio, beginning with a single notebook lyric and evolving into the warm, fully realized single fans hear today. Its stripped-down acoustic style captures the raw honesty of falling in love and knowing it’s real. This is for fans of Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Lewis Capaldi, and anyone who believes love deserves a soundtrack.
The accompanying music video, produced by Steve Frejek and directed by John Asher and his team at EZPZ Films, is a one-day visual journey through love, nature, and connection. Featuring Avalon Kroeger, model, actress, and one of Sean’s closest friends, the video pairs simplicity with sincerity, shot with cinematic care by Graham Futurfas and drone wizardry by Pete Young.
“When I heard ‘She’s Mine,’ a story immediately formed in my head,” says Asher. “It’s a beautiful song with a powerful message of love. Something we can all use more of.”
As a proud Vancouver artist and musical collaborator with a vision far beyond his years, Sean Thomas is making it clear: His artistry continues to inspire and uplift, inviting listeners to see themselves, and their relationships, through a loving lens.
Tonia Evans Cianciulli Premieres “Nightingale of the North,” a Love Song to Newfoundland’s First Opera Star
Toronto-based, Newfoundland-born songstress Tonia Evans Cianciulli returns to her roots this August to debut her powerful new single, Nightingale of the North — a soaring tribute to Georgina Stirling, Newfoundland’s first international opera singer.
Written during the stillness of the pandemic, Nightingale of the North is more than a song—it’s a sacred offering to Stirling’s life, legacy, and spirit. “I dreamed of her taking my hand,” Tonia shares, referencing a vivid, spiritual encounter that guided her through writing The Heart’s Obsession—a co-authored biography of Stirling with her grandfather, Newfoundland historian Calvin D. Evans. “That dream felt like a passing of the torch. I’ve been holding it close ever since.”
The song features haunting alto flute by MusicNL Award-winner Rozalind MacPhail, whose emotive tone mirrors the voice of the Nightingale herself. Accompanying Tonia on guitar is Jesse Fegelman, adding warmth and grounding to the ballad’s ethereal quality. The track was produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Dima Graziani, whose textured production brings a timeless and cinematic atmosphere to this heartfelt work. Newfoundland poet Vaughn Harbin collaborated with Tonia on the lyrics, further enriching this loving homage.
In verse after verse, Tonia channels Stirling’s bittersweet story:
“Her candle flickers in the jewelled light;
As the Nightingale sings on through the night.
Though her voice is stilled, I will carry it on.”
A lifelong interpreter of Newfoundland’s musical heritage, Tonia has made it her mission to preserve and elevate voices that have long gone unheard. She’s performed with the Toronto Concert Orchestra, Cambridge Symphony, and Casa Loma Symphony, and was recently featured by CBC for her work revitalizing Newfoundland’s folk traditions. Her past releases include Bravery, Churchyard Roses, and She’s Like the Swallow—each one a testament to her deeply personal and poetic approach to songwriting.
Tonia’s journey goes beyond music. A registered psychotherapist (qualifying), children’s author, and founder of the non-profit Wish Arts, she has dedicated her life to helping others heal through creativity. Her book Flick Your Heart-Light On supports children’s emotional wellness, with illustrations by her daughter Sophia. Through every medium, Tonia embodies the message she now sings: that art and memory are bridges between generations.
This August, Tonia will bring Nightingale of the North to life in a series of heartfelt performances and ceremonies—complete with Newfoundland classics, original songs, and the public unveiling of long-lost watercolour portraits of Georgina Stirling by artist Sylvia Ficken. These events mark the 90th anniversary of Stirling’s passing and offer a rare moment to gather in celebration of a woman whose voice once rang out from Twillingate to Italy—and still echoes today.
Art-Popper Celogen Wrestles with Grief, God, and Glitter on ‘Answer Me Smartass’
Some albums whisper, others wail. Answer Me Smartass, the seventh full-length from Calgary’s Dominic Demierre under his solo art-pop moniker Celogen, doesn’t choose. It’s a liminal howl, equal parts lullaby and exorcism, tethered by the cracked but defiant voice of someone who’s barely holding on—and somehow building symphonies anyway.
Demierre—Celogen’s sole member, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist—emerges from a period of intense personal crisis. “To be frank,” he writes, “Answer Me Smartass comes out of trying to figure out why you’d carry on. Why you’d bother to choose life.” It’s a record forged in hospitals, real and metaphorical: his father’s near-fatal heart infection, a friend’s psychiatric admission, and his own time in crisis stabilization. Instead of yielding silence, he made music—a dense, mercurial, genre-elusive work that tackles trauma, hope, and human absurdity with unflinching precision.
On “Strange Ravenous Light”, Demierre channels the scorched ache of In Utero-era Nirvana. “You’ve seen the sinner, sobbing, bled dry / You’ve seen the saint caught in your headlights,” he sings, his voice trembling on the edge of collapse. The production is unrelenting—detuned guitars scrape against glitched-out percussion and ghostly harmonies. “I parasite through the telephone / I pump you full of kidney stones,” he growls, desperate and grotesque. It’s the sound of someone trying to claw their way out of the dark.
The second single, “Sauntering Towards Immunity”, slathers existential dread in glammy dissonance and sci-fi gospel. “For this is my machine of sweat / And this its hot influenza,” Demierre chants, collapsing the language of illness, theology, and technopop into a fever dream of mortality and desire. “It was me grappling with my dad’s brush with death,” he explains. “But also… trying to understand what makes life worth surviving. Why bother trusting anything?” It’s not a rhetorical question. It’s an SOS set to warped dancefloor beats and choral synths that glitch like sunspots.
But it’s “Meadowlark”—a shimmering, spectral ballad—that offers the album’s softest blow. Inspired by a friend’s psychiatric hospitalization and echoing the intimate grief of Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie & Lowell, the track is almost sacred in its gentleness.
“Astraeus, will you hear my fragile plea?” he asks, invoking Greek and Shinto deities to safeguard his friend’s soul. When Demierre sings “I tilt your heart toward the sun / Toward the song, the meadowlark of love,” the track becomes an invocation of something bigger than pain. “I played it for her,” he says, “and when I looked up, she and our friend were in tears. I remember thinking—good. It worked.”
That balance of heartbreak and humour—Answer Me Smartass, after all—is crucial to Demierre’s ethos. The album’s title nods to the way trauma and intimacy blur into absurdity. The liner notes feel like half-confession, half-performance art: “Hope in a crew-neck t-shirt, something I can cling to, afraid… I tried, I really did.” Through dense imagery and studio wizardry, he turns personal wounds into collective invitations: to grieve louder, to love harder, to not be afraid of looking ridiculous in the face of the void.
Demierre’s resume is fittingly eclectic. A former drummer in Calgary’s post-punk and emo circuits, he founded Celogen in 2018 as a way to “cut loose from readymade aesthetics.” His past releases have wandered through funk, industrial, baroque folk, and surreal showtunes, all stitched together by his love of jazz harmony, McCartney’s melodies, and the DIY production ethos of Prince and Trent Reznor. He calls each record “a diary of what went wrong and what went right that year.” Answer Me Smartass is the most emotionally raw yet compositionally sophisticated entry in that timeline.
The artwork, by Winona Julian, reflects that same tension: stark, smeared neon, like a shrine built on a napkin. Inside are liner notes that read like fevered poetry, teetering between revelation and delusion. The album is entirely self-produced, self-played, and self-mixed in his bedroom—a place where, as he puts it, “I try to touch the mystery. Because you endure it all just to get to care, ever, about anything.”
Let Go, Fly Far: Pianist Huguette Lavigne’s New Album Soars with Spirit and Sound
With the release of her new album Let Go, Fly Far, Huguette Lavigne opens the door to a world of motion and stillness, improvisation and deep emotion. Featuring eleven original piano compositions, the record invites listeners to follow instinct, embrace feeling, and travel beyond expectation.
For anyone who understands piano at a deep technical level, the craftsmanship here shines. Lavigne’s steady left hand offers grounding in each piece, while her right hand carves delicate, adventurous melodies that shimmer and stretch. Her tone is warm, her phrasing intuitive — this is the kind of playing that speaks from the soul through the keys.
Instrumentally, this album is a rare gem. Every note arrives with clarity and intention. With no formal plan or rigid structure, Lavigne allows each composition to unfold naturally. Her music carries an organic flow, rich with spontaneity and shaped by experience, memory, and pure sound.
The title track “Let Go, Fly Far” perfectly captures the spirit of the project. It moves gently, with a pulse that offers comfort, and a melody that explores space and light. These pieces carry the wisdom of restraint and the freedom of emotional risk — an elegant balance between grounding and release.
Born into three Canadian cultures — Franco Ontarian, Québécois, and English — and influenced by American, European, and Indian classical traditions, Lavigne brings a wide musical lens to her work. Her studies at McGill University and l’Université de Montréal laid a foundation that she continues to build upon with originality and grace.
This album offers a story worth celebrating — one of fearless creativity, lifelong artistry, and music that arrives with no agenda beyond honesty and beauty. Huguette’s work invites both deep listening and joyful drift.
The music here floats and rests, it stretches and lands. These are compositions made for quiet mornings, late-night reflections, and every in-between. Wherever you are in your journey, this album offers a companion in sound and spirit.