Canada

Ten acts to check out at WayHome festival — beyond the headliners

Before the sun goes down and the headliners come out, here are some less-famous worthies to check out at the WayHome Festival this weekend. Nick Krewen Music, Thu., July 27, 2017 Music festivals have been trimming their sails and spending carefully on performers lately, but the third edition of WayHome — the Burl’s Creek-based, three-day music fest that drew 35,000 people last year — has hung on to headliners that…


Allie X Has Earned More Than 12 Million Streams on Spotify Alone

Story by Nick Krewen | July 19, 2017 For SOCAN Words and Music   Oakville’s Allie Hughes built considerable buzz during her formative years in Toronto, as a must-see act who balanced performance art and theatrical sensibilities with a knack for infectious, melodic pop. But it wasn’t until Hughes left for Los Angeles and transformed herself into Allie X that her career truly took off. Since 2014, she’s issued the…


Maya Kodes is a new kind of virtual pop star

Nick Krewen Music, Wed. June 14, 2017 You may not have heard of Maya Kodes, but over the past year, the slender blond singer has released a dance pop song on iTunes, recorded an EP set for release in June, performed 30 concerts and amassed 5,500 Facebook followers. Pretty impressive for a hologram. Billed as the world’s first interactive real-time virtual pop star, Kodes is the creation of Montréal’s Neweb Labs….


West Coast Bhangra on the Brink

Story by Nick Krewen | June 8, 2017 For SOCAN Words and Music Vancouver-area bhangra is on the brink of something big. The first indicator that the West Coast/British Columbia bhangra and desi music scene is on the verge of wider recognition came with 2016’s “Suit,” a massive hit throughout India that was recorded and released by Indian singing sensation Guru Randhawa and Canada’s own Aneil Kainth, a.k.a. DJ Intense….


Sound Advice: What is Music Nova Scotia and What Does It Do?

Story by Nick Krewen | May 30, 2017 Anyone with a pulse probably realizes that Nova Scotia is a hotbed of musical talent. Joel Plaskett, Classified, Sarah McLachlan, Sloan, Old Man Luedecke, Jenn Grant and Wintersleep are just a few of the province’s most noteworthy artists. But it’s the burgeoning potential of the region’s lesser-known lights that brings Scott Long, Executive Director of Music Nova Scotia, to Great Britain at…