Stratford

The Polaris Music Prize will soon be awarded. Here’s who Charlotte Cardin is rooting for

The Montreal singer will be competing with nine others, including the Beaches, Elisapie and Jeremy Dutcher, for the $50,000 award. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Charlotte Cardin can’t wait. On Tuesday night at Massey Hall, the 19th edition of the Polaris Music Prize — honouring the best Canadian album of the year — will be presented, and the pop chanteuse’s 99 Nights will be competing with nine others: folk, R&B and…

Read More

From ‘Bobcaygeon’ to ‘Sudbury Saturday Night’ — this musician is cycling across Canada to learn about the places made famous in song

Aengus Finnan’s musical journey will end in mid-September on Vancouver Island.  By Nick Krewen Special to the Star As our country celebrates its 157th birthday, July 1 will find Aengus Finnan in the midst of a nation-hugging project of his own, one he calls “The Great Canadian Song Cycle.” It’s both a literal and figurative adventure: the folk musician and administrator is currently wheeling across our land on his trusty…


Editorial: Why streaming services should rescue musicians

Nick Krewen Special to the Star Spotify, YouTube and streaming services in general: It’s time to step up. For way, way too long — Spotify, it’s been 14 years for you and 15 for YouTube — you have ridden on the backs of recording artists, musicians and songwriters that have provided you with content and, in turn, billions of dollars in profits, without offering them much in return. How much…


What is the future of live concerts in Canada?

Nick Krewen Special to the Star There seems to be a light at the end of the pandemic-stricken concert tunnel. As reported by several publications, Michael Rapino, President and CEO of Live Nation Entertainment, during a first quarter earnings call with shareholders on May 7, indicates that his company is gearing up for concert ticket sales “in the third and fourth quarters for 2021 at full scale.” While it seems…


PledgeMusic troubles hit Canadian musicians like Dayna Manning and Amanda Rheaume

Nick Krewen Special to the Star Thursday, March 28, 2019 After singing the PledgeMusic blues, independent recording artist Dayna Manning is breathing a sigh of relief. Like too many other artists — L7, Fastball and Jesus Jones, to name a few — Manning is owed money donated by fans via the nine-year-old U.K. crowdfunding platform, which has all but suspended operations due to financial woes. Delayed payments dating back to…