Pop

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…

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…

Beach Boys, Beatles, Elton John, Grammy, Metallica, Nicki Minaj, Oscar, Pearl Jam, Piano, Pop, Rock, Rock 'N Roll, Rock 'N Roll Hall Of Fame, Songwriter, United Kingdom, Voice October 16, 2021

Elton John talks about the magic of collaboration and his new album The Lockdown Sessions

By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Sometimes no plans are the best plans.  According to British pop superstar Sir Elton John, his star-studded, upcoming 32nd studio album, The Lockdown Sessions,  out October 22, wouldn’t have happened without an invitation from Charlie Puth, the L.A.-based singer and songwriter of the hits “Marvin Gaye,” “Attention” and “How Long,” to write in his studio.  “I had no plans to make any music at all,…

Canada, Guitar, JUNO, Music Industry (Trade), Pop, Producer, Record Labels, Songwriter, Therapeutic, Toronto, Voice March 12, 2021

Serena Ryder on touring, living hard and the mistakes that aren’t mistakes

By Nick Krewen Special To The Star        Serena Ryder knows all too well about the art of falling apart.        As a recording artist who used to tour relentlessly, the six-time Juno Award winner found the incessant grind of the road personally damaging, as she relied on a steady diet of drink, drugs and cigarettes to cope and carry on. “Being a touring musician can be one of the most draining…

Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, Electronic, Events, Grammy, JUNO, Pop, R&B, Songwriter, Soul, Toronto, Voice February 7, 2021

The Weeknd does Canada proud in Super Bowl spectacle

Nick Krewen Special to the Star Touchdown! True to his word, Scarborough R&B superstar The Weeknd delivered a Super Bowl LV spectacle during the half-time show at Raymond James Stadium. Using hundreds of extras, a 40-piece choir, and enough fireworks to put July 4thcelebrations to shame,  one of the world’s biggest artists provided a dazzling performance that was glitzy and glamorous, and continued the cinematic theme of “The Character” he’s been…