Based in Victoria, BC, Jesse Roper is a blues/Americana artist with a penchant for writing modern indie-infused blues music and delivering bombastic live performances buoyed by his virtuosic guitar playing. His innate and impressive musical talent has served him well, giving him the flexibility to play with soul icon Booker T. Jones, rock veteran Colin James, blues belter Beth Hart, and Canadian legend Burton Cummings. 

“Way Down In The Valley” is a song about the house that Jesse lives in. It started out as a classic rock song and evolved into a funky, soulful tune with the help of JUNO-nominated producer, Gus van Go (Metric, Arkells, Sam Roberts, Whitehorse). 

“I’ve wanted to live in this valley since I was a little kid,” says Jesse Roper. “I still can’t believe I actually live here. The ground grows tasty vegetables. The deer, wolves, bears, cougars and even the odd elk roam the surrounding hills. There’s old growth trees and the smell of the ocean freshens it up around here year round. I’m truly lucky to call this place my home.”

Introducing Riley Michaels, a rising star in the world of pop/rock. Drawing inspiration from iconic artists such as John Mayer and Prince, Riley Michaels has developed a unique sound that blends the emotional depth of Pop with the infectious energy of Rock. A two-time Niagara Music Awards winner, his music strikes a chord with listeners, touching their hearts and moving their souls.

His song “Doctor, Doctor!” is largely about that person that you know is bad for you to love, but you do it anyway, because you just can’t get over them – no matter how bad they are for you. It’s like drinking coffee – you know it’s not the best thing you can do for yourself, but it’s just too good and you can’t get enough of it. Your body, your soul craves it and you need it to function. 

Though Riley is known for his sappy and emotional love songs, he wanted to make this one a real “rock ‘n roll” groove. This song was a collaboration between Riley and Ryan Guay from the band, Street Pharmacy. 

Custie is an emerging alternative pop artist hailing from London, Ontario. His distinct sound explores pop music as it intersects with singer-songwriter, R&B and alternative music.

His song “ON E, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN” deals with themes related to addiction. Although he hasn’t personally struggled with addiction, it has affected the lives of people close to him. E stands for ecstasy in the broadest sense, and also energy. There’s been this uptick in songs about energy, the cosmic pull of stars and planets, and attributing behaviours and interactions to continuums beyond our capability of understanding. Though Custie doesn’t believe in astrology, he always seems to write romantic things that bring the possibility of it to light.

“‘E’ is an attempt to stylize and leave much of the song up to listener interpretation,” says Custie. “By giving things concrete names, it makes everything very topical. I always like to find a way to have my listeners move with me by presenting a song with a certain kind of allure in mystery. Hence the ‘E’ – it stands for anything you’d like.”

shn shn (she/they) is an electronic experimental pop artist who ventures into the realm of production and soundscapes, immersing herself in the exploration of sonic textures and emotional landscapes. Their music sounds like a blend of lush vocals, meditative beats, and swelling pads, to craft cinematic-inspired music that transcends conventional boundaries. Creating from a space of curiosity, contemplation and care, they question the nature of existence in this bizarre, absurd and exciting world. 

Glimmers are not always loud and boisterous and in your face, sometimes they are subtle. shn shn’s song “Glimmer” represents moments of joy, hope and possibility; which are themes that they explore in their upcoming album. 

“Glimmer” aims to take listeners on a journey that twists and turns as the music unfolds into its different parts. The frosty bells fold over themselves, the whispered vocal delivery invites you in, and the apex where the music beat and bass create a completely different vibe suddenly return you back to the bells from the beginning, always moving in cycles. This song is for fans of Björk’s album, Vespertine.