Regions

Black Canadian musicians discuss their songs linked to the death of George Floyd – one of them a ‘three-minute history lesson’

Nick Krewen Special to the Star It’s an ugly truth, but racism is more prevalent in Canada than we’d like to admit, say two Black Canadian artists who are illuminating the issue in their current and powerfully candid works. “There’s definitely a problem in Canada,” says Ruth Berhe –   better known as Ruth B. – who recently wrote and recorded the moving ballad “If I Have A Son” in the wake…


City extends ‘lifeline’ to Toronto music venue owners

Nick Krewen Special to the Star The cavalry has arrived in the nick of time for Toronto music venue owners. On May 28, Toronto City Council passed a proposal that enables property owners to claim a 50 per cent property tax break on sites that primarily operate as a live music venue, with the assumption that they’ll pass that savings on to their tenants. With COVID-19 protective measures bringing live…


‘I need to be myself if I want the world to love me’ – Mississauga artist Ali Gatie embraces vulnerability in his music

Nick Krewen Special to the Star Inside the chest of Ali Gatie beats the heart of a hopeless romantic. And the Yemen-born R&B singer and songwriter, who calls both Mississauga and Los Angeles home, is the last to disagree with that assessment. “I’m 100 per cent a hopeless romantic, the most hopeless,” concurs Gatie, who celebrates his 23rd birthday on May 31. The evidence is overwhelming, beginning with his worldwide…


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…