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98° Goes ‘Full Circle’ With New Album Featuring Re-Recordings, New Songs, and Total Creative Control

Eric Alper
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98° Goes ‘Full Circle’ With New Album Featuring Re-Recordings, New Songs, and Total Creative Control

For decades, the music industry thrived on contracts that kept artists from owning their own work, but those days are over. 98°, the multi-platinum, chart-dominating vocal group that soundtracked an era, is reclaiming their catalog and their career with their new album, Full Circle, out May 9, 2025, through XOXO Entertainment Corp. A bold blend of past and present, the record features five brand-new tracks alongside re-recordings of their biggest hits, giving the group full ownership of the songs that helped define late ‘90s and early 2000s pop.

Managed by the legendary Johnny Wright and Joe Lilak at Wright Entertainment Group, 98° has sold over 15 million albums worldwide, earning eight Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, four Top 10 singles, and a No. 2 smash with “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” in 2000. Their signature harmonies and R&B-tinged ballads became anthems of an era, from “The Hardest Thing” (No. 5, Billboard Hot 100) to “Because of You” (No. 3, Billboard Hot 100, Platinum-certified), securing their status as one of the most successful vocal groups of their time.

“Everything about this album is intentional,” says Nick Lachey. “We wanted to revisit these songs not just because fans love them, but because they’re part of our story. We lived them, we built this career from them, and now, we own them. That’s what Full Circle is about.”

This isn’t just a nostalgia play—it’s a reclamation. In an era where legendary acts are rewriting the rules, Full Circle proves that 98° is not just reflecting on their past but actively shaping their future. The album’s five new tracks showcase their evolution while staying true to the R&B-infused harmonies and heartfelt storytelling that first captured audiences. Lead single “Got U” sets the tone, written by Nick Lachey, Soulshock & Karlin (Whitney Houston, Usher), and Alex Cantrell (JoJo, Fantasia), and produced by Anders Bagge (Janet Jackson, Celine Dion, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias). Other highlights include “Stranger Things (Have Happened),” produced by Noah Conrad (BTS, Niall Horan, Chappell Roan), and “Tremble,” crafted by Grammy-winning producer Dave Audé (Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, U2) and the album’s focus track, “Mona Lisa,” featuring international superstar Janine Teñoso, and produced by Multi-Platinum hitmaker Adam H. Hurstfield (Ray J, Ne-Yo, Elise Estrada, BoA, Girls Generation, Super Junior, DJ Khaled, Loverboy).

“We’ve lived with these hit songs for so many years they feel almost like old friends.” Says Justin Jeffre “I think we’ve grown as artists and singers through the years so it was exciting to revisit those hits and try to capture that same feeling that made them hits while trying to make them even better than the original recordings.”

Then come the re-recordings—massive pop and R&B hits that once ruled the Billboard charts and now belong fully to the band. “Because of You,” “The Hardest Thing,” “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche),” and “I Do (Cherish You)” all return with a fresh yet faithful approach, reaffirming 98°’s legacy as one of the most enduring vocal groups of their generation. Fans can also expect an exclusive Taglish version of “I Do (Cherish You),” featuring powerhouse vocalist Katrina Velarde, bridging the group’s deep-rooted connection to their loyal Filipino fanbase.

“The old industry model was built to keep artists in the passenger seat of their own careers,” says Drew Lachey. “We’ve spent decades performing these songs, and now we finally own them. This isn’t just a win for us—it’s a message to every artist out there.”

Unlike their peers, 98° wasn’t manufactured by a label—they formed organically, built their fanbase from the ground up, and defied the pop industry’s formulaic mold. Their commitment to staying authentic and adaptable has kept them a force in music for decades. As they prepare to take Full Circle on the road, they are proving that longevity in pop music is about taking control of your own history.

98° will kick off their album release with a series of live events:

May 30, 2025, MOA Arena, Philippines
May 31, 2025, MOA Arena, Philippines
June 26, 2025, PROMO DATE, Toronto, ON
June 27, 2025, OLG Stage, Niagara Falls, ON
July 25, 2025, Grey Eagle Casino, Calgary, AB
July 27, 2025 K-Days, Edmonton, AB

“98° isn’t just a moment in time,” says Jeff Timmons. “This album is about more than nostalgia—it’s about legacy. We’re not just revisiting our history, we’re owning it.”

Pop/Folk Artist Katie Ditschun Blooms With Emotion on New Single “In Your Arms” From ‘There Will Be Flowers’ EP

Eric Alper
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Pop/Folk Artist Katie Ditschun Blooms With Emotion on New Single “In Your Arms” From ‘There Will Be Flowers’ EP

With her heartfelt voice, tender lyrics, and a crystal-clear musical presence that echoes the spirit of Carole King and Sarah McLachlan, Alexandria, ON singer-songwriter Katie Ditschun returns with “In Your Arms,” the lead single from her EP There Will Be Flowers — both out now.

A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Ditschun is known for blending elements of pop, folk, jazz, and adult contemporary with remarkable sensitivity and soul. Her new single “In Your Arms,” available now on all platforms, marks the beginning of a new musical chapter — one rooted in resilience, vulnerability, and the enduring comfort of memory.

“When I wrote ‘In Your Arms’ I was in a place of deep grief,” Ditschun explains. “My world had changed. I felt alone and wanted relief from that grief. The metaphor of being held once more by the person who could make all these worries, and all that strife fade, communicated this feeling perfectly.”

“In Your Arms” is a piano-based power ballad that balances fragility and hope. Featuring Ditschun on vocals and piano, Normand Glaude on bass, Justin Duhaime on guitar, and Valeriy Nehovora on drums, the song was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Morning Anthem Studio in Cumberland, Ontario. It delivers what Katie calls “nakedness” and “unmistakable vulnerability” — and yes, she set out to break your heart.

The single is part of her EP There Will Be Flowers, a five-song cycle where each track unfolds a different meaning behind the title. “Flowers are often a symbol of hope, beauty, and remembrance,” says Ditschun. “They’re there when we celebrate, when we mourn, and when we strive to start over.” The EP explores everything from joy and longing to grief and rebirth, featuring tracks like the soulful “Hold On,” disco-tinged “Tell Me Something,” and cathartic closer “Her,” written in the wake of her mother’s passing.

The working title for the EP was Made in the 70s, a nod to both Katie’s musical influences — Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Queen, Carole King. “That era of music changed my life,” she says. “There’s warmth, groove, and storytelling in those songs that I’m always chasing.”

There’s a story behind each note Katie sings — from encouraging her son and his peers in “Hold On,” to finding the strength to stand up for herself in the fierce, 12/8 rock-inspired anthem “Free.” She brings all of these narratives to life with powerful vocals and a dedication to authenticity.

“’In Your Arms’ is not for the weak of heart,” she says. “And playing it live, I’ve seen it break people’s hearts, right in front of me.”

Ditschun continues to perform across Eastern Ontario and co-owns Seaway Valley Music Academy in Cornwall. With There Will Be Flowers, she offers music that comforts, challenges, and connects — like a bouquet handpicked from life’s most emotional moments.

Doctor Tongue Gets “Higher” With A Funk Rock Anthem That Shoots For The Stars

Eric Alper
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Doctor Tongue Gets “Higher” With A Funk Rock Anthem That Shoots For The Stars

Hamilton’s most lovable weirdos, Doctor Tongue, are back with a brand-new single, “Higher,” out now via Jetpack Records. Blending funk rock, alternative, and soul with a poet’s heart and a glam-rock glint in the eye, the track is both a celebration of fantasy and a hard stare into the mirror. It’s seductive, surreal, and surprisingly heartfelt—like if Prince, Parliament, and the ghost of Carl Jung all split a cab home from band practice.

“We can get high, we can get high, we can get higher,” sings frontman George Panagopoulos, as the band launches into a full-bodied groove laced with cinematic flair and off-kilter sensuality. But this isn’t just about getting lit—it’s about rising, about claiming joy, about choosing wonder over numbness in a world designed to flatten you. “It’s a big sweaty hug of a song,” says George. “But it’s also about those strange moments when you’re standing in the shadow of a dying star, wondering who you are.”

“Higher” is the band’s seventh single and a defining piece of their upcoming debut album, 3D House of Mayhem, arriving June 2025. The lyrics play like a series of fever dreams: “You can Kama Sutra, I can instant cream / We can find each other on the silver screen / You’ll be Cleopatra, I’ll be James Dean…” It’s chaotic, cinematic, oddly romantic—and completely Doctor Tongue.

Formed in the twilight of the COVID era, Doctor Tongue made their debut in 2022 at Come Together Music Festival in Durham, Ontario. Not long after, tragedy struck when founding guitarist Dylan Matthews passed away. Many bands would have retreated. Tongue doubled down. “Dylan’s death was shattering,” George reflects. “But he’s become our fuel. Everything we do now is in his honour. Every gig, every groove—it’s for him.”

The current lineup includes Mark McMaster on drums, Tom Bigas on percussion, Johnny Nixon on guitar, Liam Brown on bass, and co-writer Jethro Mann on guitar and vocals. Each member brings a kaleidoscope of musical influences, from hip-hop to soul to gritty garage rock. What ties them together isn’t genre—it’s energy, raw and real, and a shared refusal to play by the music industry’s algorithmic rules.

“Doctor Tongue is a flagrant revolution against the Plinko board that the music industry has become,” the band says. “While algorithms try to isolate and define you, we’ve evolved to break free.” And it’s working. With six previous singles and over 300,000 Spotify streams under their belt, they’ve built a cult following the old-fashioned way—song by song, show by show, soul by soul.

A band built for the stage, Doctor Tongue has earned a reputation for sweat-soaked, euphoric live shows that blend musicality with theatricality. “They’re the real deal,” says six-time Grammy-winning producer Ross Hogarth. “People are going to fall in love with this band.” And that’s not just industry hyperbole—the band’s last club gig sent Corktown Tavern’s bar sales through the roof, according to staff. “It’s a strange energy that takes over,” they say. “Everyone wants to celebrate.”

“Higher” was recorded with the same ferocious spontaneity the band brings to their live sets. “We don’t overthink it,” says George. “We let the song lead us. We let the weirdness in. We let ourselves be real. ‘Higher’ came together like a dream you don’t fully understand but somehow remember forever.”

Parker County Pickers’ Brews and Blues Festival Returns June 14

Eric Alper
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Parker County Pickers’ Brews and Blues Festival Returns June 14

On June 14, 2025, the Parker County Pickers invite music lovers, families, and friends to the Brews and Blues Festival at Parker County Brewing Company (210 Willow Bend Dr, Willow Park, TX 76008). From 5 p.m. onward, the festival will showcase beloved blues acts including James Hinkle, Biscuit Miller and Friends, and headliner Chris Cain — all in a free, outdoor setting that celebrates creativity, connection, and community.

The Parker County Pickers were born from a simple but powerful idea: music brings people together, and after COVID, Parker County needed a little more of that. “We saw two things happening at the same time,” says co-founder Joe Lilly. “Musicians were hungry for connection and a place to play, and local music fans were eager to support live music again but didn’t always know where to find it.”

What started as a casual group of friends picking guitars on patios quickly grew into something bigger — “a welcoming, come-as-you-are music community built on fellowship, fun, and a shared love of song.” Today, with over 3,000 members and live events happening nearly every day, the Pickers have given Parker County’s musicians, fans, and venues something invaluable: a home.

The Brews and Blues Festival reflects that ethos of connection. The evening kicks off at 5 p.m. with James Hinkle, followed by Biscuit Miller and Friends, and concludes with Chris Cain’s headlining set at 8 p.m. His renowned blues artistry and soulful guitar work have earned him accolades across the country. Cain’s press kit can be found at www.chriscainmusic.com/Cain_presskit.html.

This year’s festival is presented in partnership with the Lilly Youth and Arts Foundation, an organization founded by Joseph and Kim Lilly in 2024 to tackle two major challenges: the lack of fine arts access for children, and the uphill battle independent musicians face in being heard. “Too many children today grow up without access to quality fine arts education,” the Lillys note. “Whether due to budget cuts, lack of resources, or geographic barriers, countless students are missing the chance to discover creativity, confidence, and self-expression through music, art, and performance.”

At the same time, they saw that “even the most talented artists often lack the tools, support, and visibility needed to build sustainable careers in music.” That’s why the Foundation focuses on “building bridges between creativity and opportunity—from school music rooms to community stages.” Whether it’s helping a child find their voice through painting or giving a local musician their first audience, the mission is clear: “to uplift, empower, and create a lasting impact through the arts.”

The Brews and Blues Festival is a living embodiment of this mission. It’s a space where “musicians can find their people, fans find their music, and venues find their crowd.” The event is free, family-friendly, and open to anyone who believes in the power of music to bring people together.

Festival Details:
Parker County Brewing Company
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Music begins at 5 p.m. | Chris Cain headlines at 8 p.m.
www.youthandarts.org/events
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/890101034872386

“Katajjaq Will Never Be Silenced”: Silla’s Dual Singles Reclaim Inuit Sonic Sovereignty + Announces Concerts

Eric Alper
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“Katajjaq Will Never Be Silenced”: Silla’s Dual Singles Reclaim Inuit Sonic Sovereignty + Announces Concerts

What does it sound like when the ancestors sing back? Acclaimed Inuit throat-singing duo Silla returns with two powerful singles — “Kaukuarjuk” and “The Great Angakkuq (feat. Kevin Qamaniq-Mason)” — that reach across generations and genres to embody Indigenous resurgence, kinship, and sonic evolution.

Comprised of Charlotte Qamaniq (Iglulik) and Cynthia Pitsiulak (Kimmirut), Silla has been captivating audiences with their genre-defying fusion of katajjaq (Inuit throat singing), hard rock, electronic, IDM, and post-industrial textures since 2005. Currently based in Ottawa, the duo has received two JUNO nominations and two Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards for their work with Silla and Rise. With these new singles, they assert themselves not only as keepers of tradition — but as creators of future worlds.

“Inua and Sila is Boss is a double-album concept,” says Charlotte. “One side is our inheritance, songs sung for generations. The other side reimagines that world — same roots, but plugged into amps, synths, and storytelling arcs.” These dual singles mark the arrival of both albums: Inua (out June 21) and Sila is Boss (out July 9).

“Kaukuarjuk” is a traditional throat song composed by Charlotte’s brother Kevin Qamaniq-Mason — and the name of a powerful Angakkuq (shaman) passed down to him through the Inuit custom of tuq&urausiit (namesake kinship). Performed by Cynthia and Charlotte in powerful rhythmic counterpoint, it’s “A reminder that these songs are a tribute to our past, a lesson in kinship, and a step forward for using our traditional music in new ways.” Charlotte says.

The reimagined counterpart, “The Great Angakkuq,” transforms that tradition into a cinematic soundscape of off-kilter rhythms, synthwave pulses, and overdriven guitar — a collaboration with Kalalliit (Greenlandic) superproducer Andachan, and featuring Kevin on vocals. “It begins with footsteps crunching snow and a building storm,” Charlotte shares. “Then comes the calm: a moment featuring qiarvaaq — an ancient form of Inuit throat singing with lyrics.”

Those lyrics, written by Charlotte, are a love letter to Inuit Nunaat (our land):

Una Nuna — This Land
Tigumiattiarlugu — Hold it dearly
Piummarittu — Is so beautiful
Uumaju — It is alive

These releases are more than just songs. They’re vessels of memory. “Inuit naming isn’t just about identity — it’s about continuity.” says Charlotte. “It keeps our community close, and the memories of our loved ones alive for future generations”.

Both tracks are released under Qamaniq Records, the duo’s own imprint. The single artwork comes from longtime friend and Iqaluit-born artist Josh Qaumariaq, known for his bold acrylic depictions of Arctic wildlife. “Josh’s work glows with the light of our people,” Charlotte says. “His polar bear paintings remind me of Nanurluk, the great polar bear spirit we reference in the next song to come.”

Catch Silla live at the following upcoming dates:

May 13 – National Arts Centre (Tapiriit), Ottawa
May 22 – REMAI Modern (Fireside Chat), Saskatoon
May 23 – REMAI Modern (Klik My Heels), Saskatoon
June 7 – Arts Court (Pique Summer Edition), Ottawa

“This is our way of honouring our ancestors,” Silla writes. “And inviting listeners to join us.”

Legacy of Lovers Rides The Wave With New Single “Calm Cool Connection”

Eric Alper
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Legacy of Lovers Rides The Wave With New Single “Calm Cool Connection”

Music is the wind that lifts the wave, the rhythm of the road, the pulse of a restless heart. With his latest single, “Calm Cool Connection,” Ryne D. Trevlon, the mastermind behind Legacy of Lovers, delivers a track that doesn’t just play—it breathes, soars, and crashes like the tides. A sun-drenched anthem for seekers and dreamers, this song is the heart of his new EP Calm Cool Connections, a record that’s already making waves on international charts.

Born from a period of intense personal transformation, “Calm Cool Connection” is more than a song—it’s Trevlon’s testimony. “After 27 years of alcohol addiction and hitting the basement floor of rock bottom, I had to start over. I had to find my place in this world,” he shares. That rebirth took shape in an unexpected way. With zero budget and an iPhone 7, Trevlon recorded the song using GarageBand—his left earbud blown out, learning the app as he went. The result? A track that doesn’t just sound raw—it is raw, honest, and electrifying.

Trevlon’s path changed when legendary music promoter Gary Taylor gave him a simple but life-altering piece of advice: “Record something that makes you happy and don’t give us any of this cookie-cutter stuff.” And that’s exactly what he did.

Laced with breezy melodies, hypnotic grooves, and lyrics that pulse with self-discovery, “Calm Cool Connection” captures the spirit of movement and acceptance. “Let your flowing hair turn silver,” Trevlon sings—a call to embrace life’s transitions, to let go of control, to ride the wave instead of fighting it. The song’s laid-back yet urgent energy makes it a perfect companion for cruising highways, chasing sunsets, or getting lost in the sound of rolling surf.

The single’s unexpected rise on independent charts is proof of its resonance. “Calm Cool Connection” peaked at #13 on The World Independent Radio Charts and #21 on The Euro Charts—an impressive feat for a song recorded in a bathroom with a headset mic. But more than the numbers, it’s the connection that matters. “I never thought my songs were good enough for radio,” Trevlon admits. That changed when Stephen Wrench (known for his work with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty, and Toto) told him the track had potential. Turns out, Wrench was right.

Legacy of Lovers is the culmination of Trevlon’s journey from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, to the
West Coast of British Columbia to the world stage, a sonic embodiment of resilience and reinvention. Whether it’s his encounter with a branding guru at a ferry terminal or his DIY recording breakthrough, Trevlon’s story is proof that passion trumps perfection.

With artwork from renowned surf and beach artist Mo Sherwood and a growing global audience, “Calm Cool Connection” is only the beginning. As Trevlon himself puts it: “Life’s a wave—see where it flows.” And with this track, he’s inviting us all to ride along.

“This Is Not America”: Halifax’s The Glowing Hearts Project Offer a Stirring Anthem for a Nation in Crisis

Eric Alper
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“This Is Not America”: Halifax’s The Glowing Hearts Project Offer a Stirring Anthem for a Nation in Crisis

In a time of geopolitical uncertainty and rising tension across North America, a newly-formed Canadian music collective has stepped forward with a clear, emotional declaration: “This Is Not America.” Out now, it aims at the days after the U.S. president’s shocking call for Canadian statehood and an aggressive escalation of tariffs, the track arrives not as a rebuke, but as a deeply patriotic reflection—a reminder of who Canadians are and what makes their country distinct.

“After generations of close friendship and cooperation with our closest neighbours to the south,” the band explains, “Canadians awoke a few weeks ago to a starkly different reality.”

Formed in Halifax, The Glowing Hearts Project is made up of four long-time musical collaborators: fronted by the keyboardist, lyricist and powerhouse vocalict Rob Cribb, guitarist and bassist Kevin White, producer Josh Kelly, and rounded out by Ally Cribb—named the 2024 grand prize winner of the Write Out Loud competition—this song is both a lament and a call to arms. Their years of musical kinship come through clearly in the cohesion and heart behind This Is Not America. It’s a work of both musicianship and meaning—a song that isn’t just timely, but timeless.

Rob Cribb, a veteran journalist and musician, wrote the song in response to growing fears of cultural and economic annexation. With studio sessions captured on April 11 amid headlines from Washington and Ottawa, the song is grounded in both real-time reaction and generational memory. This Is Not America was released just days later—on the very same day the White House press secretary doubled down on the president’s controversial remarks.

The track itself is a slow-burning, harmony-driven anthem that blends folk-rock sensibilities with gospel-like urgency. It opens with a refrain that pulls no punches:

“This is not America / We’ve seen beyond the fantasy / This is not America / It’s the true north strong and free.”

More than protest, this is a love letter to Canada. The song’s verses speak to shared military sacrifice, 9/11 solidarity, and the heartbreak of a long-standing alliance strained by politics. And yet, This Is Not America never veers into hostility. Instead, it doubles down on identity, anchoring itself in the places, culture, and values that define the Canadian spirit.

“It’s the Down East brand of kindness / And the Bay of Trinity / This is not America.”

The lyrics—raw, resonant, and unmistakably patriotic—have sparked powerful reactions from early listeners. “We hoped to inspire Canadians to reconnect with what makes this country special,” the band says. “And in the first few days, we’ve heard from people who say they were moved to tears. The video on YouTube has struck a nerve. We believe this moment calls for reflection and resolve.”

The track’s emotional core culminates in a moving bridge:

“With every ounce of strength in me / I will stand on guard for thee.”

Ally Cribb’s soaring vocals—already recognized nationally from her acclaimed solo work—lift the track into the realm of national hymn. It’s a song meant for arenas, living rooms, and parliamentary playlists alike.

This Is Not America isn’t just a song. It’s a cultural moment. In a year where national borders feel more contested and national identities more critical than ever, The Glowing Hearts Project have offered Canadians something invaluable: a soundtrack for unity, dignity, and self-definition.

As global markets sway, American politics intensify, and social media fills with chaos, Canada now has a calm, steady voice in response. Not one of outrage, but of resolve.

Singer//Songwriter/Sax Virtuoso And Multi-Instrumentalist JAKE CLEMONS Releases New Single “Stop The Wars”

Eric Alper
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Singer//Songwriter/Sax Virtuoso And Multi-Instrumentalist JAKE CLEMONS Releases New Single “Stop The Wars”

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and Montreal-based Jake Clemons has released his new single “Stop the Wars,” a poignant, heartfelt track that offers the positive counter of a shared new golden age where we can all agree to move forward together. The song was recorded live by The Jake Clemons Band at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, and mixed by Grammy Award winner Robert Orton (Lady Gaga, Mumford and Sons).

“In my writing process, I like to look at things as they are in reality. We are all connected. We are all brothers and sisters. We have one Earth, one place for all of us to live and make things work — and we don’t have to fight. At the end of the day, we could all live for this higher purpose of caring for each other and for where we live. We can replace that insatiable hunger to tear things down and instead build our connections to be stronger and reinforce the beauty of who we are,” said Jake.

“I believe in making a musical offering that speaks on a spiritual level, and not just addressing the recognition of a problem. My hope is that ‘Stop the Wars’ connects with as many people as possible. I want this song to resonate with people in a way that compels them to attach their feelings to the intellectual aspect of it and motivates them to respond on a human level. At the end of the day, I believe in the light.”

“Like most of my songs, ‘Stop the Wars’ speaks to the human condition, and the most tragic part of it is that it’s constantly relevant, said Jake Clemons. “We’ve been watching over time how those dividing lines are always being placed as ‘us versus them’ and the divide has just been constantly driven deeper and deeper and deeper. So, I wrote this song from the perspective of the human condition of constant struggle that ranges from domestic fights and arguments with neighbors to politics and dropping bombs. Why does it keep happening?

No stranger to international audiences and the ways of the world at large, Clemons will once again be heading out on the road with The Jake Clemons Band, performing at Shorty Fest at Tipitinas in New Orleans on April 28th, before beginning a stadium tour with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band for 16 shows in Europe between May and July, 2025. Upon return from Europe Jake will perform at The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival in St. Paul MN (July 19th ) before announcing more shows.

Jake Clemons’ vast array of musical endeavors over the past decade has made him a globally familiar figure. He has toured the world performing his own music with The Jake Clemons Band and has spent the last 13 years as tenor and baritone sax player with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, also appearing on Springsteen’s 2020 album Letter to You and the companion Apple TV documentary.

Jake Clemons has recorded and performed with The Killers, Eddie Vedder, Glen Hansard, Tom Morello, Prophets of Rage, Roger Waters, US Girls, Arkells, and Grouplove (among others). He can be seen on the Disney/ABC presentation of the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, performing as part of the George Michael induction before playing the U.S. National Anthem in front of 65,000 for the international broadcast of the NHL Stadium Series Live from MetLife Stadium New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers game in February 2024.

His previous releases include the Embracing Light EP, Fear and Love (which reached #25 on the Billboard Americana charts), and his most recent full LP release Eyes on the Horizon, where he once again created a new chapter, this time taking it a step further by adding his voice to those seeking to find clarity in a complicated world and expanding both his musical vision and philosophical perspective. Referring to Eyes on the Horizon, Jake says: “We always have to carry that hope with us, we have to use it to look towards the horizon.”

On June 19th, 2024, Jake released both the single and music video for “Born Like Me,” (featuring Allison Russell and Tom Morello) to commemorate Juneteenth. Of “Born Like Me,” Jake says: “’Born Like Me’ as both a song and a music video is one of my most deep reaching artistic efforts to date. The song was written at a time when the turmoil of the unjust executions of our American brothers and sisters were being captured on camera and highlighted amongst a wide media backdrop. The stories of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s last moments among the living drew me in to recount the harshness of their earthly departures. This was happening to the folks ‘born like me.’”

Nige B’s “Morning Drive” Now Top 10 On Indigenous Music Countdown – New Album ‘Reshape // Refashion’ Out Now

Eric Alper
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Nige B’s “Morning Drive” Now Top 10 On Indigenous Music Countdown – New Album ‘Reshape // Refashion’ Out Now

Woodland Cree hip-hop artist Nige B doesn’t just tell stories — he builds bridges with them. On his latest single “Morning Drive” featuring Dubbygotbars, Nige delivers a slow-burn banger steeped in memory, survival, and spiritual grind. The track — now sitting at #7 on the Indigenous Music Countdown — sets the tone for his April 18 release Reshape // Refashion, a record that doesn’t just bang; it breathes.

“Reshape // Refashion is about transformation,” Nige says, “not just of sound, but of self.” Much of the album was tracked in Stanley Mission, but its soul stretches far beyond — between trauma and tenderness, grief and growth. “I had to reshape how I viewed myself, my work, and my purpose. I had to refashion what success means to me.” Songs like “Trap Doors”, “Different Build”, and “Say Yes” mark a new era in Nige B’s musical identity — one grounded in truth, vulnerability, and intentional evolution.

Morning Drive plays like a private meditation set to a dusty beat and shimmering synths. There’s a quiet urgency in the line “rolling down the same roads, chasing change I can’t hold,” that hits harder when you know the artist behind it has endured real loss, personal reckoning, and cultural displacement. “It’s about how fast life can move, and how reflection sometimes hits hardest when the world won’t slow down,” Nige explains. “It’s the soundtrack to those moments when you’re alone in your car, and the silence becomes your only mirror.”

Born and based in La Ronge, Saskatchewan, Nige B (short for Nigel Bell) has carved out a reputation as one of the most reflective voices in Indigenous hip-hop. His musical journey began in the shadows of grief — his last album U R WHAT U R Vol. 2 was a tribute to his late brother Billy Ray Roy — but Reshape // Refashion arrives as an act of reclamation. “This one is about growth,” he says. “It’s not just about pain — it’s about stepping forward.”

That theme echoes through every track and every collaboration. Reshape // Refashion features a deeply rooted lineup of artists, including Dubbygotbars, Txreek, Rezcoast Grizz, Coletta, Truent, and Siahlaw, and are community check-ins, woven into the sonic and spiritual fabric of the record. “There were tears, real convos, raw laughter in the studio,” Nige says. “You hear that honesty in the songs, even in the spaces between the lines.”

And it’s not just the music that’s making history. Two of Nige B’s songs have been selected for the Lunar Codex, a NASA-backed project sending global art to the moon in 2025 — a cosmic achievement for a Cree rapper whose roots run deep in Treaty 6 territory. “To know my music is going to outlive me — to be on the moon — that’s bigger than me. That’s about legacy,” he says. “That’s about showing Indigenous youth that their voice matters, here and beyond Earth.”

From CBC Music premieres to radio spins across Turtle Island, Nige B is building momentum without compromising messages and creating meditations and mantras: “You are allowed to evolve.” “Don’t rush the healing.” “Success ain’t fame, it’s alignment.”

From Treaty 6 to the moon, Nige B is rewriting what legacy sounds like.

Sarah Pearson Turns Heartbreak Into Art With “Tainted Heart” From Ucoming ‘FAUXstalgia’ Album

Eric Alper
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Sarah Pearson Turns Heartbreak Into Art With “Tainted Heart” From Ucoming ‘FAUXstalgia’ Album

With a piano and a heavy heart, emerging singer-songwriter Sarah Pearson introduces herself to the world with “Tainted Heart,” the debut single from her upcoming album FAUXstalgia, due out in late 2025. Out now on all platforms, the track offers a raw, emotionally intimate entry into Pearson’s sonic world — a place where ’80s influence meets diary-style honesty.

Written in the wake of a difficult emotional period, “Tainted Heart” unspools like a confessional voice memo turned anthemic piano ballad. “The song is about staying close to someone, even when you know they’re the one hurting you,” Pearson explains. “It felt more like journaling than writing — it just poured out.” Within 30 minutes, she had the song. The next morning, she was in her father’s home studio with producer David Jones, shaping its lush, emotional core.

Lines like “You tell me that I’m young and I can’t be without your love / now I live with a tainted heart” strike a balance between youth and self-awareness, unflinching in their vulnerability. It’s the kind of lyric that feels soft-spoken and soul-scorching at the same time — an emotional truth wrapped in melody. The production keeps it close: simple piano, ghostly tension, and a haunting momentum that reflects the panic and longing of the lyrics.

The accompanying music video, filmed overnight in a rented Airbnb in Pearson’s hometown of Cape Town, captures this same confessional intimacy. “I wanted it to feel super-natural and chill — like you’re stepping into someone’s world,” she says. The DIY process mirrors the authenticity of the song, grounding her dreamy, faux-retro aesthetic in lived experience.

Pearson describes her debut album FAUXstalgia as “a nostalgic dreamscape of a time I never lived in.” It’s a record inspired by the sonic glow and emotional melodrama of the 1980s — an era she feels spiritually connected to. “The word ‘fauxstalgia’ means nostalgia for something you’ve never experienced,” she says. “For me, that’s the ‘80s. So, this album is my take on what that era might’ve felt and sounded like if I had lived through it.”

But make no mistake — Pearson isn’t playing dress-up in synthwave tropes. She’s channeling her own memories, real and imagined, through a vivid pop lens. Her musical upbringing (her parents owned a music college) gave her fluency in piano, drums, and vocal performance from an early age. Childhood performances, backyard concerts, Barbie pop star roleplay, and self-made Instagram fan fiction laid the groundwork for an artist born to connect.

Now armed with a diploma in music and a debut project that’s equal parts escapist and emotionally grounded, Pearson is building a new lane in alt-pop — a blend of retro romanticism and Gen Z intimacy. “Music has always been my safe space,” she says. “It’s where I feel most like myself — important, free, and understood.”

“Tainted Heart” is the first of several singles to come before FAUXstalgia’s release later this year. It’s a bold first step, steeped in the kind of emotional truth and musical clarity that makes it easy to root for her — and hard to forget her. As Pearson sings on the chorus, “I miss my unbroken heart” — but in breaking it open, she’s created something beautiful.

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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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