Vancouver-based alt-rock duo Dear Rouge unveil a poignant reimagining of their breakout single with “Black To Gold (Stripped),” a raw and reflective version that strips the song back to its emotional core, placing the spotlight on its lyrics of resilience, self-worth, and rising through adversity.
Written during a quiet drive across the prairies of Saskatchewan, the lyrics for “Black To Gold” were inspired by C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – specifically the character Edmund, whose redemption arc mirrored the emotional undertones the band wanted to capture. The stripped version offers a moment of deep introspection, shedding the original’s bold gloss in favour of acoustic intimacy.
We’ve always had grit and gloss in our DNA. “Black To Gold” was the first track to really connect with a wider audience because it’s irrefutably who we are. The stripped version reminds us of why we wrote it – to share the hope that even when you’ve made mistakes or lost your way, love is still the answer, and strength can still be found.
I remember driving across the prairies of Saskatchewan when the lyrics of the song came to mind. I had just finished reading one of my favourite childhood stories – The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Edmund made me feel sad – sad that he lost his way, sad that he was the one to make Aslan die. And yet, he was vital to the kingdom getting free. From day one, Dear Rouge has always believed hope is around the corner. That our hearts beat the sound of hope. –Danielle McTaggart
Kingston, Ontario’s Kasador are thrilled to announce the release of their brand new EP, Kasador I. Featuring a powerful grunge anthem, “Butterflies,” the EP ushers in a bold new era for the band, blending raw energy with introspective lyricism.
This collection of songs marks the band’s strongest and most confident work to date, following their successful 2023 album Youth and years of touring across Canada and the US. With Kasador I, the band embraces creative freedom, allowing their personalities to shine through their music in its purest form.
The album’s focus track, “Butterflies,” is a thundering grunge anthem that showcases Kasador at their most powerful. Inspired by frontman Cameron Wyatt’s experience with tachysensia, a condition that distorts reality and causes time to feel like it’s moving quickly, “Butterflies” embodies the struggle of hiding inner turmoil while trying to carry on.
“Everyone has difficult emotions and struggles, but finding the strength to be vulnerable and forthcoming about personal struggles can be so, so difficult,” says Wyatt.
“You’ll find yourself in beautiful and unexpected places when you give yourself total creative freedom,” Wyatt shares. “The quicker you can figure out the identity of a song and what makes it special and then commit to serving that, the better.”
Kasador recorded Kasador I with a newfound sense of camaraderie and creative confidence. “It was the easiest and most enjoyable experience we’ve had to date [recording],” the band reflects. “We went in with a strong collective vision and a trust in ourselves and each other.”
The band’s commitment to authenticity and raw energy shines through on Kasador I. “We have a stronger identity and self-belief in what we’re doing, and that confidence is what has allowed us to break free from some of the rules we might’ve imposed upon ourselves in the past,” Wyatt explains.
Hamilton, ON-based singer-songwriter Bernadette Connors unveils her powerful new single, “White Magnolia”—a deeply personal and emotionally raw anthem about patience, faith, and trusting the timing of life. With a haunting vocal performance, soaring melodies, and a gripping blend of Southern Rock, Americana, and Indie Folk, the song captures the tension of longing and the beauty of surrendering to the unknown.
Written in collaboration with John-Angus MacDonald (The Trews) during a time of creative and personal transition, “White Magnolia” is a reflection on the slow, often frustrating journey of chasing a dream. The magnolia—symbolizing rare, fleeting beauty—serves as a poignant metaphor for the rewards of perseverance.
The track came to life through a collaborative and emotionally charged recording process. Produced by Stu Weinberg, whose experimental and bold approach pushed Bernadette to embrace vulnerability, “White Magnolia” evolved into a cathartic release. With Jeremy Kleynhans on drums (and knee slaps), Anthony Carone (Arkells) on keyboards, and Mike Bruce providing backup vocals, the track carries a rich, full-bodied sound that blends rootsy authenticity with modern production.
The song’s standout moment—a massive, cathartic note coming out of the bridge—was a spontaneous in-studio choice. Encouraged by Weinberg’s unwavering belief in her abilities, Bernadette delivered a spine-tingling vocal performance that elevated the entire track.
Reeya Banerjee’s new single “Misery of Place” isn’t just a standout moment on her upcoming album “This Place”. This is the album’s emotional thesis, wrapped up in crunchy guitars, sharp lyrics and a healthy dose of self-aware swagger.
Inspired by a haunting question that first surfaced in her teenage years – “Are you experiencing misery of place, or profound, lifelong misery of self?” — the song digs into the complex relationship between geography and identity, asking how much of our discontent is rooted in where we are. And, how much in who we are.
To bring those layered themes to life visually, Banerjee teamed up with longtime friend and visual literacy expert Kelly Kingman-Joslyn, whose work translates complex ideas into striking hand-drawn images.
The result is a music video that’s anything but traditional. It is more of a moving sketchbook full of flickering memories, half-thoughts, bold colors and scribbled commentary. It’s part animation, part stream-of-consciousness and entirely unique.
In this exclusive interview, Banerjee explores the origins of Misery of Place, the question that’s haunted her for over 20 years, and the deeply personal (and creatively rich) process of making the video with Kingman-Joslyn.
1. Tell us the story of this song, Why did you choose to visualize this song specifically in this way?
“Misery of Place” is essentially the thesis statement of my upcoming record, “This Place” — a collection of songs exploring how the places we live leave emotional imprints on us.
The song was inspired by a question that’s been rattling around in my brain since high school — over 20 years ago(!): “Are you experiencing misery of place, or profound, lifelong misery of self?”
It came from a teacher, passed along through a friend, and at the time, I was furious. I was 17, and it felt cruel and unhelpful — like, what kind of teacher says something that brutal to a kid still figuring out who they are?
And yet… the question stuck. Through every move and transition in my life, I kept coming back to it. It shaped how I think about identity, belonging, and change — how much of what we feel is about where we are, and how much is about who we are.
This song wrestles with that tension — between geography (physical and existential) and self — and it does it with crunchy guitars, narrative lyrics that nod to Bruce Springsteen’s character-driven storytelling (with a smirk), and the sonic swagger of the 90s power pop I grew up on. It felt right to kick off the album cycle with this one, because it asks the question the rest of the record is trying to answer.
2. What was the inspiration behind this new video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
I didn’t want a traditional narrative video for this song — the song itself is full of characters, but it’s also packed with doubt, cheek, and internal monologue. So I teamed up with my dear friend Kelly Kingman-Joslyn, a visual literacy expert whose job is literally to transform spoken ideas into powerful, hand-drawn visuals. She works with keynote speakers at corporate events, sketching huge live illustrations on whiteboards or easel pads to help visual learners absorb complex ideas — and she also creates animation videos for clients like Goldman Sachs.
That combination of clarity, creativity, and abstraction made her the perfect person to bring Misery of Place to life. I wanted the video to feel like flipping through someone’s subconscious — a swirl of memory, sarcasm, self-doubt, and scribbled footnotes.
Instead of telling a linear story, the video leans into abstraction: sketchbook textures, bursts of color, and hand-written text that echo the psychological layers of the song. It’s part inner monologue, part visual essay — and it adds a new dimension to the song’s central question.
3. What was the process of making the video?
The video was a true collaboration, but also an act of deep trust. I gave Kelly the track and a brain dump of what the song meant to me — a mix of stories, reflections, and the emotional weight behind the lyrics. Then I stepped back.
I trusted her completely to take all of that and filter it through her own artistic lens. Her ability to translate words and feeling into image is extraordinary, and I knew the best thing I could do was give her the space to do what she does best.
There was also something quietly full-circle about working with Kelly. She’s married to one of my closest friends — we met freshman year of college, and after graduation, we were roommates for nearly a decade. He moved out when he married her! So asking Kelly to make this video kind of felt like calling on family. That trust wasn’t just creative — it was personal.
Kelly is based in Beacon, NY — a small city in the Hudson Valley with an enormous artist community. It’s a place filled with visual artists, filmmakers, photographers, writers, and musicians, many of whom I’ve crossed paths with over the years. I lived there for a long time, and it was one of the most creatively rich chapters of my life. So in a way, this video wasn’t just a collaboration between two artists — it was a product of a larger creative ecosystem I was once part of.
A community-rooted project in every sense. We didn’t storyboard it traditionally. Instead, Kelly treated it like a live sketchbook in motion, responding to the song’s tone and energy in real time. What she created was a moving mural — quirky, emotional, and raw — that mirrors the rhythm and spirit of the song itself.
Keep up to date with Reeya Banerjee on her Website.
With the release of their new single ‘Solid’, via Cutters Records / The Orchard, GRAMMY-nominated, ARIA award-winning electronic trailblazers Cut Copy make their long-awaited return—reigniting the pulse that’s defined two decades of transcendent dance music and emotional clarity.
‘Solid’ is Cut Copy’s first original release in five years, following 2020’s Freeze, Melt—a critically praised album that saw the Melbourne-originating band exploring new depths of atmosphere and restraint. Where Freeze, Meltinvited listeners to lean inward, ‘Solid’ gently lifts them forward, guided by the buoyant energy of Cut Copy’s signature synth work, delicate rhythmic builds, and a lyrical core that feels both intimate and universal.
Originally imagined as an instrumental, ‘Solid’shifted shape during a moment of creative clarity. It opens with subdued textures—softly pulsing keys and mellowed basslines—before gradually swelling into something more expansive: twinkling synth layers, tactile percussive hits, and a mantra-like chorus that repeats with quiet insistence: “We’ll be solid.”The result is a track that offers space for both movement and reflection—a kind of danceable resilience.
Speaking on the song, frontman Dan Whitford shares: “I wrote the song as a reminder to myself that things will be ok, even when life gets turned on its head and it feels like there’s no way forward. I hope in some small way it gives other people a little nudge forward in the direction of their dreams. Hang in there… we’ll be solid.”
Written during a period of personal transformation, ‘Solid’ distills the kind of emotional duality Cut Copy has always excelled at: songs that are just as cathartic on a festival stage as they are through headphones at midnight.
The release also comes with a limited-edition, double-sided 12″ vinyl available for pre-order on the band’s website, featuring an exclusive B-side titled ‘A Decade Long Sunset’.
Since its beginnings as a solo recording project by Whitford, Cut Copy has evolved into one of Australia’s most influential and globally celebrated bands, now consisting of Whitford, guitarist Tim Hoey, drummer Mitchell Scott, and bassist Ben Browning. Across six studio albums, the group has shaped the global electronic landscape while refusing to sit still. From the luminous highs of 2008’s In Ghost Colours to the textural explorations of Zonoscope and Haiku From Zero, the band has navigated a sonic journey marked by curiosity, craft, and a connection to the dancefloor.
Their accolades are as numerous as they are varied: In Ghost Colours was named among Pitchfork’s top albums of the 2000s, Zonoscopeearned a GRAMMY nomination and won ARIA’s Best Dance Release, and their expansive remix and DJing work—captured in efforts like Fabriclive.29 and Oceans Apart—cemented their influence beyond the studio.
Cut Copy’s music has found life in cultural moments big and small, from festival main stages like Coachella, Lollapalooza, Primavera, and Big Day Out, to sync placements across film, TV, and commercials—FIFA 18, Dolby, Levi’s® campaigns, and beyond.
With ‘Solid’, Cut Copy reemerges not simply to continue their legacy but to expand it. The single marks the start of a new chapter—one built on the same foundation of heartfelt songwriting, forward-thinking production, and an enduring sense of joy. As the band quietly hints, more new music is expected in 2025.
After five years of silence, Cut Copy has returned. They never lost the beat. And now, with ‘Solid’, they’re inviting us back into motion.
In a powerful tribute to Earth Day, singer, harpist and songwriter Kristy Chmura releases a re-imagined version of her song “Wake Up”.This is a heartfelt environmental anthem that brings together music, activism and visual storytelling.
Originally released on her 2018 debut solo album “Stained…Glass Heart”, the song now returns with a fresh cinematic arrangement and a compelling music video that shines a spotlight on the urgency of protecting our planet.
Deeply rooted in her love for nature and her decade-long commitment as a volunteer with her town’s Shade Tree Commission, Kristy’s passion for trees, forests and wildlife pulses through every frame of this video.
Collaborating with world-class musicians Christian Eigner and Niko Stoessl, along with longtime creative partner Damien Musto, Kristy brings new life to “Wake Up” through haunting melodies, stunning visuals and a message that resonates deeply in today’s climate.
In this interview, Kristy shares the story behind the song, the inspiration for the video and the creative process that brought this urgent and moving project to life:
1.Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically inthis way?
The seed for my song “Wake Up” was planted a while ago. I released my original version of “Wake Up” with my longtime creative partner, Damien Musto back in 2018 on my debut solo album, “Stained…Glass Heart”.
I’ve always felt a deep connection to nature, a sense of belonging that resonates in my soul especially whenever I’m surrounded by trees, and I was becoming increasingly worried and distressed by what I would see in the media: the destruction and attacks on our environment, and how greed and thoughtlessness towards the planet hurts us all.
All these things overwhelmed me – the images of deforestation, the oil spills, the sheer disregard for our planet, even seeing things in my own community like clear cutting properties for new construction – I reached a point where the the inner activist in me became ignited. It wasn’t just about the planet; it was a personal ache, a sense of loss. I had to do something, I couldn’t stand by any longer, so I used what I have: my voice.”
“Wake Up” is a call to action to myself and to anyone, reminding us we need to look within ourselves and become more conscious of how our actions affect one another. We’re all part of a giant ecosystem. If we each do something, no matter how big or small, that contributes to solutions and creating health and balance for our environment – that’s a step in the right direction, and we need to keep going in that direction one step at a time. Sometimes that first step is just becoming more self-aware.
This newly reimagined version of “Wake Up” came to be because one summer, the smoke from the Canadian forest fires drifted south, casting a pall over New Jersey. The air hung heavy, and the poor air quality made it challenging to breathe. The sun was a hazy orange disk in the sky, and you could smell the wood burning from hundreds of miles away. Experiencing that broke my heart, thinking of the acres of trees and the extreme impact on the entire ecosystem.
This reignited the pull inside me to want to do something to help, so I turned to my music once again. I reached out to my team of music collaborators—Christian Eigner, Niko Stoessl, and Damien Musto—and told them I had this idea to rearrange my original version of “Wake Up” into something new and bigger, because I felt the song had an important message that needed to be heard. They were all on board, and there was an electric energy between us as we created this more pop/alternative style of “Wake Up”.
I decided to visualize this song in this specific way because I wanted to make the video more about delivering the message and bringing this important global issue about the health of our planet to the spotlight.
2. What was the inspiration behind this new video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
The inspiration behind this new video came from many things – I like watching documentaries about the environment on Pattrn TV, and I’ve always been incredibly moved by Michael Jackson’s video for “Earth Song.” However, I had to narrow it down and keep my budget in mind, so I chose a source of inspiration from a past experience – a concert I had attended, which was the Live Earth concert organized by Al Gore when he released his documentary, “The Inconvenient Truth.”
That concert was so inspiring, with such an important message raising awareness about climate change, that it has always stuck with me. Melissa Etheridge did a music video for her song that she created for the film, “I Need to Wake Up,” and so I gathered inspiration to create my own version of what they created back then. I decided to try to focus on one climate issue that I feel passionate about, which is our forests, and try to highlight how they are such an important ecosystem that we need for maintaining the health of our planet.
3. What was the process of making the video?
Creating the video was a long process. This video is the culmination of many ideas. It was challenging to create something with such an important message, as there are many different environmental issues warranting attention, so I needed to narrow it down to just one. I didn’t want to be the focus of this video; instead, I wanted the message of the song to be in the spotlight. So I worked with my video team at Sunbeam Productions LLC, and we brainstormed many ideas.
I had a strong vision about gathering many different environmental images and text with different facts to create a story in the form of a mini-documentary, but I still wanted to have shots of me singing interwoven within those images. I researched the text that appears in the video from many different sources, like the Arbor Day Foundation and the Audubon Society, etc. I then put together the text story within the visual story of the images I gathered.
I came up with the idea of projecting all these images onto a large backdrop. We then scouted a location with a cyclorama wall and shot the singing scenes there, and it all worked out perfectly. I have Julia Schnarr and her team at Sunbeam Productions LLC to thank for putting all the pieces of my vision together into this video.
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