Sim Bansal of Action Forever, grew up in Brantford, Ontario. His obsession with music began at age five and, for the next two decades, his natural talents were fostered by a musical family upbringing and constant exposure to a unique and eclectic mix of influences ranging namely from 80’s pop, to progressive rock, to jazz and Indie.

For years, he has been working on a body of original fringe-pop music for a 4-piece band, now being released under the name Action Forever. The music, while lively, electric, melodic and danceable, explores darker themes such as loneliness in a digital age, abusive relationships, loss of identity, and mental health. 

The semi-autobiographical track, “In The Dead of Night,” is a reflection on the obvious downsides of being in a long distance relationship – not being able to hold your partner in your arms, look into their eyes, or hear their real voice next to you. For Sim, he started to believe the seed for the song, in part, came from a feeling of codependence. Upon analyzing what he’d written – in the moment, sort of quickly and instinctively, those lyrics struck him as more troubled than romantic. 

Though there is a lot of tension between the characters of the song, Sim wanted to make something upbeat and danceable to accentuate this feeling of stress and urgency. In addition, the counter melodies in the second verse were inspired by little musical carousel toys.

Braeden, also known as NORA, is a 24-year-old mixed-race artist hailing from Toronto. His eclectic musical style captivates listeners, seamlessly blending elements of punk rock, post-punk, shoegaze, post-rock, soft grunge, and surf rock. NORA‘s debut EP, Strange to Bloom, has earned more than 500,000 streams to date.

In collaboration with BIG KILL‘s Cayne McKenzie and Andrew Huckaliak (both formerly We Are The City), new single “Natural Disaster” liberates the rebellious spirit within NORA. 

1. Tell us the story of this song.

“Natural Disaster” is  a representation of what my daily experiences were working at my minimum wage job that I hated. An old boss of mine would always talk behind my back telling others that I was a disaster; when in my mind, it was him who was the disaster. This song was a fuck you anthem to him and I wanted anyone who has ever had a similar experience to being talked down to , or felt in adequate at a job they hate and had to do survive,  to be able to feel this song at their core. I chose to visualize this song because it is a reality of my day to day life. 

2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?

Lebni, our director, drew inspiration from various shows and movies as well as the lyrics of the song when conceptualizing the video. He wanted to showcase Nora and the bustling city he lives in. Ensuring that the visual representation matched the energy of the song was paramount to him.

 3. What was the process of making this video?

Choosing to shoot on 16mm film added a nostalgic touch to the project, complementing the timeless essence of the song. Ali, our talented costume designer, crafted the oversized piñata-like head, despite it being her first endeavour of its kind. Despite our modest indie setup, our close-knit crew operated like a family, and their dedication was indispensable to bringing this vision to life.

When I’m on stage and feel the crowd’s energy building as they connect with a song inspired by a former coworker’s attempt to undermine me with the same words now fueling the audience’s excitement, it’s an incredibly empowering moment. It’s a visceral ‘fuck you’ to anyone who’s ever tried to put me down or make me feel less than my worth.

Get ready to vibe to the infectious beats of Brazilian pop vocalist Gabby B’s latest hit single, “Nothing to Me,” dropping on April 5, 2024. Following the success of her previous singles “Lickorish” and “Si No Sabias,” earlier this year, Gabby B returns with a captivating Brazilian funk pop anthem that transcends language barriers.

“Nothing to Me” is a compelling follow-up to “Lickorish,” boasting Gabby’s signature blend of Portuguese and English lyrics. The song delves into themes of betrayal and disillusionment within relationships, resonating with listeners on a deeply emotional level. Through soulful vocals and vibrant instrumentals, Gabby B delivers a powerful message of empowerment and resilience in the face of heartbreak.

The accompanying visualizer for “Nothing To Me” promises to captivate audiences with its striking imagery. From scenes of Gabby burning mementos of a past relationship to her dynamic performance amidst the rain, the visualizer perfectly complements the song’s evocative narrative.

Gabby B and producer Joseph Lopez (@MrHitRecord) once again prove her prowess as a versatile artist capable of crafting music that leaves a lasting impact. Fans can look forward to immersing themselves in the infectious rhythms and poignant storytelling of Gabby B’s latest masterpiece.

Starting Friday, April 5, the 2:07 single will be available on all major streaming platforms. The release coincides with Gabby B’s music tour in New York and Connecticut later this month with performances during the Brazilian Expo in Long Island City on April 28, and Copacabana Loft 51 in NYC on April 27, 2024. Keep an eye out for additional appearances to be announced on her social media channels.

About Gabby B

Known professionally as Gabby B, a Brazilian songstress with a plethora of superstar talent. The pop vocalist has always been in tune with the entertainment industry. Born in Goiania, Brazil, Gabby B was exposed to the world of entertainment from an early age. With a mother who was a Brazilian performer and a father who was a professional martial arts master, Gabby’s passion for entertainment was nurtured from the start.

In 2023, Gabby B released her single, “Leche,” featuring Latin pop singer Vikina, a Mr. 305 Inc. (Pitbull) recording artist, which has over a million views across platforms. The Latin crossover has also garnered airplay support from Pitbull’s Globalization on Sirius XM from DJ Laz and DJXray, as well as WBTT 105.5 The Beat. Accumulating many international musical accolades in her short career, Gabby B’s single “Pose” charted to top 5 on iTunes pop charts and 15 overall in South Africa in 2021. In 2022, her single “Dance All Night” charted 75 on the iTunes pop chart in Hong Kong. She followed this up with one viral music video after another, tallying millions of views on songs such as “Belly Dancer”, “Pretty Girl Lit”, “Earthquake”, “One Too Many, and Christmas Day.” As of April 2024, Gabby has over 6.1 million views across her videos on YouTube.

Gabby B is also an official ambassador with non-profit Boo2Bullying, a youth development and suicide prevention organization providing mentoring opportunities, educational resources, and mental health support to youth and families adversely affected by bullying. Boo2Bullying connects with over 30,000 young people in-person and many more online.

There are seemingly endless possibilities to self-expression, and Vancouver-based comedian and trained opera singer Toddy is out there breaking new ground. With a winning combination of drag, standup comedy, opera, classical and pop music, Toddy (she/they) is redefining the very idea of pop stardom. Before they found national recognition by winning Season 1 of OutTV’s Call Me Mother, Toddy had been performing professionally since they were nine: singing in the Children’s Chorus and operas in Calgary; studying opera at McGill University in Montreal, and eventually segueing into the worlds of comedy and drag.

Debut single, “Wounded,” produced by Louise Burns and Kevvy Maher (Fake Shark), is very strategically written to be for several different types of relationships whether it be family, romantic or friendship. Inspired by abusive relationships Toddy has been in, they wanted a wide variety of victims to be able to put themselves into this song. 

Cabin Fever Orchestra is Graeme Cornies’ passion project where the lifelong television composer is reversing the usual process; instead of writing music for picture, he is creating visual art posted to Instagram, Twitter and YouTube depicting the feelings and mental states of his music.

“Worn” is the first in a series of collaborations between Cornies and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) to be released this year. “For me, this piece is about feeling worn, but not worn out,” Cornies explains. “It’s about feeling the wear and tear of age and experience, but also the feeling that you have so much left to contribute because of it.” Written and performed by Graeme Cornies (piano) at the end of last summer, CNSO performed their parts in Prague on Halloween of 2023. 

Cabin Fever Orchestra explores the forefront of AI and human collaboration with generative art, with Cornies expanding on orchestration ideas he found while working on other visual media, and has served to expand his network of talented instrumental collaborators. Along with his writing partners, Cornies has become one of the world’s most heard composers. The last five years have brought multiple awards from SOCAN and BMI, the Emmy Awards and the Canadian Screen Awards.