Award Winners

Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, Arranger, Canada, Composer, Dance, Electronic, Grammy, JUNO, Producer, Songwriter, Toronto, Voice July 8, 2022

WORLD PRINT EXCLUSIVE – ‘So humbling and incredible’: The Weeknd talks about his journey from Scarborough to world stages

The Toronto-born superstar, who was supposed to kick off his “After Hours til Dawn” tour Friday, talks about sharing his creative visions and his good fortune. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Does Abel Tesfaye ever sleep? Judging by the hectic pace of his life these past few months for the 32-year-old, Toronto-born superstar sensation known as The Weeknd, one would have their doubts. Aside from being knee deep…

Canada, Indie pop, JUNO, Pop, Songwriter, Toronto February 25, 2022

Singer-songwriter Basia Bulat is back with chamber folk new album The Garden

Nick Krewen Special to the Star February 25, 2022 Toronto-born, Montreal-based one-time Polaris Music Prize finalist used source material from her first five studio albums for album out Feb. 25. There are some strings attached to the new Basia Bulat album that’s dropped. The Toronto-born, Montreal-based, one-time Polaris Music Prize finalist has hired three arrangers — Owen Pallett, Paul Frith and cellist Zou Zou Robidoux — to wrap the 16…

Alt. Rock, Beatles, JUNO, Led Zeppelin, Producer, Rock, Songwriter, United Kingdom February 11, 2022

Tears For Fears discuss the long road to The Tipping Point

Tears for Fears’ Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith talk about the three-day stint at Massey Hall in 1985 when they filmed the video for “Head Over Heels” at Emmanuel College Library. Nick Krewen Special to the Star February 11, 2022 Remember when Tears for Fears ruled the world? Band co-founders Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, both 60, who have sold over 30 million albums around the world, recall the time…

Canada, Composer, Country, Country Rock, Drums, Engineer, Guitar, JUNO, Piano, Pop, Producer, Psychedelic, Rock 'N Roll, Songwriter, Toronto, Voice December 3, 2021

Blue Rodeo on the making of new album Many A Mile: ‘Everybody was willing to let go of how everything was before and it was really great’

By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Sometimes fate intervenes in mysterious ways. For example, take Blue Rodeo: the creation of the Toronto collective’s new album Many A Mile, released Friday, was as much a surprise to the band’s co-founding songwriters Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor as anyone. Even though it’s been five years since their last studio effort, 1000 Arms, it seemed it would be another little while before…

Canada, Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame, Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, Country, Folk, Gordon Lightfoot, Guitar, JUNO, Songwriter, The Tragically Hip, Toronto, Voice November 12, 2021

Gordon Lightfoot, 82, thrilled to be reopening Toronto’s Massey Hall

The 13-time Juno Award winner who has entertained more than 165 audiences at the venue says he would have been in the building for the reopening regardless of whether he was performing. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Well, we almost had a Massey Hall reopening without a Gordon Lightfoot concert. Reached at home by phone on Monday, Lightfoot admits that  even though his Nov 25-27 dates to welcome patrons…