Author: Kevin Bourne

Yesterday, hip-hop recording artist and community leader, City Fidelia, and artist manager, Rebecca Dickson, announced the launch of the brand new FRMULA artist development program. Founded under the banner of the City Fidelia led non-profit Ensemble, the venture is the latest piece of infrastructure to hit Ottawa’s growing music scene. Since moving back to the capital from Toronto in 2019, Fidelia has been hard at work adding to the creative fabric of the city, first co-founding the Real House of Ensemble recording studio alongside Abe Abadi and more recently taking on the role of Program Director at local radio station CHUO…

About Desarae Dee SHIFTER’s Artist of the Month for March is Toronto multi-instrumentalist, Desarae Dee. Dubbed “Toronto’s Fusion Pianist” by BUZZMUSICLA, she is widely known for her unconventional and spontaneous playing style. Often compared to the likes of Robert Glasper, she has the unique ability to fuse together many musical styles while creating unique, unusual chord structures and powerful melodic lines, which has given her the range to share the stage with some of Toronto’s biggest and brightest stars. Simultaneously giving you everything you need to hear and something you’ve never heard before, Desarae captures your attention within seconds of…

Exactly a month after dropping the visuals for “Don’t Tell”, Ottawa’s Lindasson is back with “Toes”, the second music video off his debut project Lindasson. In its first week, it has already amassed an impressive 35K views and counting. The video features quick transitions and the occasional visuals effects, as well as still shots from the director and editor Ben Telford, Lindasson’s videographer and frequent collaborator.  Shot at the now abandoned Base Militaire De Sainte-Adolphe D’Howard in Quebec, the empty, gritty and graffiti filled complex provides the perfect backdrop for Lindasson and his crew as they enjoy a night out. At just under…

After starting off 2021 by earning nearly one million streams combined on his singles “Strictly For My B” and “The 5 Year Plan” in just two weeks, award-winning South African rapper and producer A-Reece is looking for a three-peat with “Morning Peace” off his recently released mixtape Today’s Tragedy, Tomorrow’s Memory in partnership with PLATOON. The project is a follow up to his 2019 album Reece Effect which reached two million streams on Spotify alone. The song features A-Reece’s blend of lyricism and vocals on top of subtle synths and smooth bass guitar arrangements. On the track the young rapper gets vulnerable, exploring…

Canada’s Black film festival movement is coming to the capital as the first annual Ottawa Black Film Festival is set to take place later this month. Created by the Fabienne Colas Foundation (FCF), the annual film festival debuted in Montreal 16 years ago before expanding to Toronto, Halifax, New York, and Port-au-Prince in Haiti. The FCF – Canada’s largest Black cultural organization – is a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in Cinema, Art and Culture in Canada and abroad. Frustrated with the lack of screening opportunities for Black films, FCF founder and president Fabienne Colas started the Montreal…

After the explosions in Lebanese, hip-hop artist SVLM is back with “Yeslamli Jamalik (Beirut)”, a long song to Beirut when it needs it most. Last August, members of the Lebanese community and the world looked on in horror as videos of the explosion in Beirut, Lebanon flooded social media. One of those members of the Lebanese community was Canadian hip-hop recording artist SVLM who immediately took to Instagram to share his shock and used the platform and Spotify to raise funds for those who needed relief. In February, he returned with a new single “Yeslamli Jamalik (Beirut)” to send love…

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, also known as CARAS, recently announced the 2021 JUNO Award nominees including big names like The Weeknd, Jessie Reyez, NAV and Justin Bieber. Here’s the full story. Earlier today, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, also known as CARAS, held its virtual press conference announcing the 2021 JUNO Award nominees. Among the nominees are big names like The Weeknd, fresh off his Grammy snub, who leads the pack with six nominations including JUNO Fan Choice, Single of the Year, Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and…

Ottawa rapper SVDVM recently dropped some brand new visuals for “Tv”, one of the tracks off of his 2020 mixtape SVISA. Featuring collaborations from El’mago, Mazeratiii, Lia Kloud, Xuave. and Ocean Lean, the project hit #60 on the iTunes Canada album charts when it was released last year. On the hook he channels some John Cena energy letting us know, “You can’t see me, unless I’m on your TV”. The confidence continues later in the track as he raps, “I’m high In the sky With spaceships I can’t come down” … “I don’t gotta lie I let money chat My swag drip so…

Yesterday, Regent Park rapper Lil Berete delivered his highly anticipated album Icebreaker 2, his first independently released project after moving on from the UK-based label New Gen/XL Recordings. The eight track album features previous releases “Murda” featuring 2kBaby which currently sits at over one million streams, as well as “War Ready” probably one of his most mainstream sounding tracks to date. Adding to the international flair of the project are “No Distractions” alongside British rapper and singer Nafe Smallz and “Big Man” featuring Detroit rapper Sada Baby which shows off his versatility as an artist. “It’s a song we’re I get to show…

Toronto’s EverythingOShauN and Halifax-based, St. Lucia-raised rapper Kayo have come together to drop their new motivational trap single “Wylin'”. Jointly produced by Toronto producers Xpress, aka DJXP, and former Noah “40” Shebib intern, 5PiECE, the song features 808s and simple yet dark minor piano chords providing the two rappers with the perfect backdrop to exchange confident yet mellow verses as they puff their chests out a bit and talk about their come-up while addressing their competitors and haters. Together they are bent on succeeding and pushing forward in the face of opposition despite the odds. “This song, especially the hook, is…

Ottawa hip-hop artist Mazyn (formerly Capé) recently dropped “Better Days”, his second release of 2021 so far. The song is an anthem of hope, meant to inspire the listener, especially given the times we’re living in. On the new single, the Egyptian international student, who started to write rhymes in his dorm room to cope with homesickness and the stress of university life, sheds light on his experience of starting a life in a new country. The song has a hopeful and almost youthful energy and optimism as Mazyn blends both modern and traditional hip-hop sounds. As he sings, “I been…

On Thursday, April 29th, Ottawa will play host to the second annual Capital Music Awards organized by the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition and the City of Ottawa and presented by RogersTV. The Capital Music Awards recognizes artists and members of the community who contribute to Ottawa’s diverse music scene. This second edition of the awards will showcase some of the best that the region has to offer, and help promote the local music scene to the rest of Canada and beyond. The awards would also provide a platform to honour inductees towards an Ottawa Music Hall of Fame, as envisioned…