On the heels of Session 14 of filltheBLNK, SHIFTER highlights 10 rising Toronto artists you should know and follow.
SHIFTER recently attended the latest session of filltheBLNK, held at It’s OK Studios at 468 Queen St West in downtown Toronto. It was the first session of the year for filltheBLNK which has become one of Toronto’s leading communities for artists and other professionals in the scene. It’s also a way to keep your finger on the pulse of Toronto’s artists on the rise.
So here are 10 rising Toronto artists you should know and follow, as featured at filltheBLNK Session 14. Click ‘Next” to see the full list.
Anintoye
Anintoye is a rappers’ rapper. In other words, he can spit and command the stage like a true MC. He can give you those 90’s boom bap vibes or mix it up with more modern sounds. With his 2.9M followers and 63.3M likes on TikTok, he’s beyond an artist to watch. He’s here!
LATEST RELEASE:
Dante Leon
Toronto’s Dante Leon appeared at filltheblnk just ahead of the June 14th release of his latest album Till The Last Petal Falls. His smooth vocals and polished sound, which you may have heard on Flow 98.7, make him an artist to pay attention to.
LATEST RELEASE:
Divine Lightbody
Divine Lightbody showed out on the filltheBLNK stage, performing her song “till the morning”, a romantic ballad where she flexes her vocals and strong songwriting and storytelling abilities. Thanks to a technical issue, we even got to experience her powerful vocals a cappella. She also previewed some unreleased material and it’s safe to say she has some heat on the way so stay tuned.
LATEST RELEASE:
Seko
An MC with traces of Biggie Smalls, Seko is a throwback to a different era in hip-hop. He has a strong voice with a lot of bars and a 90’s flow. If you like real hip-hop Seko is an artist to watch. He’s more active on Soundcloud where you find him dropping freestyles over legendary beats like “Doin’ It”, “Let’s Ride”, “Ol’ Time Killin'”, and “Hell On Earth” off his project Season Of The Don.
LATEST RELEASE:
Ashley “The Artist”
Not only does Ashley “The Artist” have an engaging personality on stage, but she has an easy and effortless tone to her vocals. Her latest single “Strawberries & Passionfruit” is definitely a nice track to bump this Summer.
LATEST RELEASE:
Rye.783
Rye.783 is dope with the melodies. He can give you more traditional R&B vibes, but can also float on more bouncy production where he’s almost rapping.
Aside from his solo materials, he’s also garnering success as a part of the R&B group 143. Signed to Nycesound Production/Amory Records, their latest single “Let Me Love You” is straight fire so make sure to check it out below.
LATEST RELEASE: (143)
The Kid Named Tapper and NC Capo
The Kid Named Tapper and NC Capo are two artists who know how to put on a live show. They portray a competitiveness on stage as they banter about who is better at their craft. The word “banger” is often overused, but The Kid Named Tapper and NC Capo have real bangers, boasting dope flows and production with a lot of drums and bounce.
LATEST RELEASES:
Kibra
Fresh off her national appearance on CityTV’s Canada’s Got Talent, Kibra graced the filltheBLNK stage. She has a big voice and a soulful and nostalgic sound captured in her latest single “James” where she draws inspiration from Soul music legend Etta James. She let us know she has some new music coming soon so stay tuned!
LATEST RELEASE:
Sewà
Sewà is another artist to watch, fusing Jazz and R&B with sounds from her native Nigeria. The talented singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist graced the stage at filltheBLNK, acoustic guitar in hand, belting out some of her latest tracks.
Her vocals are clean and strong as seen on songs like “Don’t Come Back” and “Carry Your Love”. She has an international appeal that makes her an artist to follow.
Ansíra
Ansíra is another soulful vocalist who did her thing on the filltheBLNK stage. On her latest single “Lie 2 Me” she showcases those strong yet effortless vocals, accompanied by keys and trumpet. Alongside her previous single “Hold Me”, you hear that her sound is all about being timeless.
Kevin Bourne is SHIFTER’s Toronto-based editor and Senior Entertainment Reporter focusing on Black music and film & TV. He was named one of 310 international voters for the 81st Golden Globe Awards by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and a Tomatometer-Approved Critic by Rotten Tomatoes.
