Author: Kevin Bourne

As many of you know, aside from running a media outlet, we also run a PR, content marketing and creative agency called SHIFTER Agency. Over the years, we’ve worked with many creatives, from recording artists to filmmakers. During that time we’ve noticed a number of trends and, dare I say, mistakes that a lot of creatives make that ultimately hinder them from being successful. Here are three common marketing mistakes we see creatives make. 1. They don’t think about marketing until they’re done creating This is the single biggest mistake we see creatives making. We’ve worked with countless filmmakers, recording…

To close out January, we’re introducing a brand new feature at shiftermagazine.com – our Hot Tracks of the Month. At the end of every month, we’re going to feature 10 of the hottest songs we heard all month. Our Hot Tracks for January includes Duvy, Lindasson, Toka Dinero, Lil Berete, Cartel Madras, and more! Here are SHIFTER’s Hot Tracks for January. https://open.spotify.com/track/01TfjDpIKnUXpJBjzv4j1i?si=QsnJBKbDQzaRUCSPBGYdgw Duvy Southway Producer: CR https://open.spotify.com/track/50HTMwI1kuSpqKNV2Y3qJE?si=fi6LmBxkTQOjSpJK0A9SQg Road Runner Deep Scars https://open.spotify.com/track/5KEK58ukEq4XD6WonOH8MM?si=yKxRaR04SnCZ5QmFOswPtQ Toka Dinero feat. FTG Reggie Best Days https://open.spotify.com/track/5E14KLRrMKatmYsz5jeqzc?si=NKwmo9JeQx63xj8jpHyZRQ Cartel Madras Drift Producer: Davey Rogala and Frankie Rast https://open.spotify.com/track/461qq5XnmwjXTt1sBgI4lX?si=501Jc1k5SeCyBHGSVnDhSw Night Lovell x Lindasson x FTG Reggie A Lot Producer: CR https://open.spotify.com/track/4asnG2FAYBaWsl4LO61RON?si=_JhdqGm_RiuWtMG2O0r3gQ Lil…

It’s been six months since we last heard from Omari Mydz when he released his last single “Ease”. Well, today he’s back with his latest release, an acoustic version of the same song, featuring Andrew Waines on guitar. Shot and edited by Viva Films, the simplicity of the acoustic video (featuring the pair in an empty white room) along with the stripped down sound, allow us to focus on the content in a way we may not have been able to on the original version. What stands out even more this time around is his vocals, reminding us that he…

Two weeks after Night Lovell, Lindasson and FTG Reggie set Ottawa on fire with their blazing hot track “A Lot”, the capital has been blessed with another memorable collab. On the heels of the release of his December 2020 single and short film “Prime”, Hueso is back with “Legacy”, his long-awaited collab with fellow Ottawa native City Fidelia. Where “Prime” represented the closing of a chapter, as the lead single off Hueso’s upcoming sophomore EP, “Legacy” represents a change of direction as he puts the R&B vocals on hold for a moment, introducing us to Hueso the rapper. On the…

When I first moved to the capital from Toronto, Ottawa was very slow and small. It was in a type of municipal puberty—that awkward phase where you’re no longer small and cute, but not yet fully matured. Not only did Ottawa still have the feel of a small town, but it also felt very…white. Fast forward to today, some of the vestiges of Ottawa’s small town past are still alive and well, but in recent years (especially over the past two years) Ottawa has a bit more pep in its step. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but over the same time…

Toronto hip-hop artist, Young Smoke, recently dropped the visuals for his latest single “Block Boy”, the follow up to his October 2020 release “Cap”. The track was produced by Ottawa hip-hop producer CR who has become the go-to producer for some of Toronto and Ottawa’s most promising up and coming artists, including Duvy (“Southway”) and Lindasson (“A Lot”). “I’ve been working with Young Smoke for a while”, CR told SHIFTER. “I met him through Jermaine Prime, owner of Prime brand. I’ve been sending beats and working with him for like a year now…Specifically that beat though, it’s just some emotional chords…

After a successful 2020 campaign which saw them chart on SoundCloud’s New and Hot Canadian R&B, get some spins on major Canadian radio stations such as Toronto’s Hip-Hop Flow 93.5, and feature on popular Spotify and Audiomack playlists, Toronto R&B duo $VN (pronounced “Seven”) is back with their brand new single “The Code”. Known for providing fans with cathartic listening experiences, the duo, alongside their longtime friend and producer, shubs, drew inspiration from the dark and cold winters of Toronto. The single is a song of contrasts, featuring both the gritty and soft vocals of childhood friends nyXsun and SAGS,…

Canada’s R&B scene has been on fire in recent years and now there’s another name to look out for. International fashion model turned artist, Brent Williams, recently dropped his new single “Songs About You”, an early 2000’s inspired take on the classic break up song. On the track, Williams masterfully combines his soft vocals and smooth delivery to depict the harsh realities of pain and heartbreak. The long-time poet tells the story of a toxic relationship and love gone wrong, turning it into a story of growth and self-love as Williams doesn’t allow the experience to taint his ability to…

Ottawa rappers Yungcudii and 4Steppa are back with their latest single “Dior Socks”, a follow up to their previous joint releases “Youngins”, “2nd Guessin'”, their EP Scared 2 Love, and their 2019 album Purge Season which landed on Apple Music’s top 100 albums chart. This time they brought fellow Ottawa rapper Turky along for the ride. The trio also dropped a high energy music video for the single, shot and directed by Solaris Media, that shows the crew outside and having a good time. “After writing and perfecting ‘Dior Socks’, adding 4Steppa and Turky was something I knew I wanted”, Yungcudii…

SHIFTER’s new “People On The Move” feature takes a look at people in our moving on to new and exciting roles in our community and culture. Today, Craig Mannix is “on the move”. Following the murder of George Floyd and the increased awareness surrounding anti-Black racism, artists including The Weeknd and Jessie Reyez took to social media to condemn the lack of Black professionals at major record labels despite the popularity of Black music and the financial benefits reaped by labels from the work of Black artists. Today, Universal Music Canada responded by hiring long-time industry vet, Craig’ Big C’…

Toronto hip-hop artist, Loco City, recently released the visuals for “Dead N*gga”, the latest release off 6ixbuzz’s upcoming compilation project. The track is a follow up to recent 6ixbuzz collaborations with 88Glam and Top 5. We last heard from LocoCity in June when he dropped the video for “Credit Card” which has over 442K streams so far on YouTube. Directed by King Bee Productions, the video opens with shots of Loco City’s Bleecker Street neighbourhood. We also get the occasional shot of LocoCity flashing some jewellery and sitting in a white Rolls Royce. Once again, some great melodic storytelling from…

After a big 2020 which saw him drop big singles like “Bigger Issues”, “Up2Me”, and “Keep It Real”, which has been featured in Fortnite gaming videos with a combined four million views on YouTube, rising Ottawa artist, TwoTiime, is back with his first single and video of the New Year titled “Slower”. The Sixty-produced track sees TwoTiime explaining the need for patience and doing things right as he steps closer to stardom. “Nowadays, in a world full of instant gratification, everyone wants everything now,” says TwoTiime of the single. “Sometimes you gotta take things slower. Whether it’s relationships, business, or…