Matías Roden is a Peruvian-Canadian singer-songwriter drawing from classic British synth-pop and combining it with modern sample-based production. His unflinchingly personal lyrics delve into struggles with mental health, referencing his unique childhood of growing up between vastly different cultures (the UK and Peru), as well as experiences as a gay and queer youth. 

Gearing up to release his debut EP on Light Organ Records, produced by acclaimed singer-songwriter Louise Burns, the latest single “Close Your Eyes” juxtaposes an upbeat synth-pop melody with melancholic lyrics. It’s about feeling guilt and regret after breaking someone’s heart. “I wanted the lyrics to be a little creepy to mirror how this character singing thinks of himself, like a monster for hurting someone else emotionally,” Roden explains. “It’s about what keeps you up at night when you go to sleep, what’s inside your mind that is torturing you.” 

The intimate music video is set in the 19th century, filmed at the Roedde House Museum in Vancouver, a surviving Victorian mansion from the 1800s; as well as Central Park in Burnaby in an old-fashioned gazebo. It unapologetically depicts a secret love affair between two gay men during that time period, and how one of them, after choosing to run away from the relationship and dying, becomes a spectral vampire-like figure that haunts his ex lover. “It’s really important for me for this kind of video to not feel sexless and sanitized,” Roden states. “One of my mission statements as an artist is to be the openly gay pop star I did not have growing up, and I want any depictions of love between two men in my work to feel authentic.”

Tara Van is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter who was born to pour her heart out into music. Her genre-eluding sound finds roots in her first loves: soul, folk, pop, and jazz. Tara Van’s life has been steeped in music. Her life sounds like: choral baroque music over breakfast, loitering in the parking lot when the song hits too hard to deny belting out the last notes, or firelit open-mics where guitars seem to appear out of nowhere as loved ones take turns bearing their soul. 

Tara’s new tune “Sunshine’s Callin’” is centered around the importance of getting outside to air out and sun soak your problems. Sometimes when we aren’t out looking for answers, they come to us. This release, like last year’s single “Fucked-up-ness,” points to Tara’s exploration of her neurodivergence. It also paints a universal picture that urges us all to value simple outdoor pleasures and those “aha!” moments of realization that so often follow. The song is the first collaboration produced with Mark Calderone. 

“After officially being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder right before my album ‘Rise’ dropped last year, I began trusting my gut,” explains Tara Van. “The answers I had been searching for my whole life seemed to strike me out of nowhere, all at once, mirroring the lyrics ‘just like lightning’. It electrified me and jolted me into a new reality, one with a lot more clarity. The self confidence that came with the diagnosis is probably the biggest thing. It solidified my ability to trudge forward as my most authentic self and brush off all the abusers and critics.”

Ryan Wayne is a Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He first came to recognition as a founding member and songwriter in the critically acclaimed, award-winning band, The Warped 45s. In early 2022, after several years away from touring and recording, Ryan suffered two strokes. As part of the healing process, Ryan was drawn back to the music world and began the final production and mixing of a series of self-produced songs with Grammy Award winning producer and mixing engineer, Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Patti Smith, Daniel Lanois). The record, Crow Amongst the Sparrows, was released in September 2023 to critical acclaim. 

Ryan’s new single, “Ready My Love,” explores themes of regret and escapism in somewhat abstract terms, juxtaposed with a chorus that offers a simple commitment to growth. The song began when his longtime friend and collaborator, Alex Needleman, sent him this hypnotic synth drone that sparked the whole song. 

Around the same time, Ryan was jamming with some friends on his co-ed arts league hockey team, learning some ‘70s funk songs. He noticed how few chords were used in the songs they were learning – it was all about the hooks and groove. Ryan wondered how far he could take a two-chord folk song by focusing on instrumental layers, counterpoint, groove and dynamics. He and Alex went back and forth on the music (as well as a few contributions from friends and bandmates) to complete “Ready My Love.”

Winnipeg’s Tyler Del Pino truly challenges the concept of genre to deliver his one-of-a-kind brand of “Canadiana.” Del Pino has a pure passion for songwriting and an honest sound infused with starry-eyed narratives; a hybrid of rock-pop, Americana, and East Coast folk-rock that stays true to the roots of timeless tunes.

His new single, “The Drugs Still Work,” was written as social commentary – an observation of the world as we collectively move through it. There are a barrage of issues that we, societally, need to begin tackling – from climate change’s ominous grip to the rise of authoritarianism, the surge in homelessness, and the enduring specter of conflict and suffering. Amidst this disarray, the song provocatively explores society’s coping mechanisms, whether through literal sedation or subtler distractions like social media and binge-watching.

Everything is changing all the time, it’s the impermanence of life that I find enticing. Especially because everything that occurred in the past happened at a time surrounded by different conditions. Wishing for something to be like it once was is a little like wishing for a time machine. Things change, embrace it. We don’t need to make things great like they were before, we just need to improve where we’re at now! – Tyler Del Pino

Canadian singer-songwriter Marshall Dane is a natural born storyteller whose journey has been shaped by a life full of victories and setbacks. He doesn’t shy away from sharing his vulnerabilities and emotions, making him and his music both relatable and heartfelt. His unique blend of country, rock and singer-songwriter has, to date, earned him five nominations for Male Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association of Ontario awards.

What sets Marshall apart is his use of American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate with the Deaf community. As the son of a minister, he was raised with a strong sense of compassion and inclusivity. Since learning ASL in 2017, he has been incorporating the language into his performances to break down barriers and make his music accessible.

He co-wrote his new single, “No Need To Speak,” with award-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Baker Thornley (RBT). “The motive was my appreciation, understanding and conviction that we don’t need words to understand each other. We just need to pay attention, use our eyes, our hearts,” says Marshall. “If there’s someone you love and you need them to know how strongly you feel, that they can count on you in that moment, this song will support you.”

Watch + share the official “No Need To Speak” music video: https://youtu.be/9vpJHY5Bne4

1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically? This song was inspired by my relationships within the Deaf community. The values added to my life from learning Sign Language include the desire to stay connected to people visually, looking them in the eyes and letting them know I understand. The decsion to include an ASL interpreter directly in the video as opposed to in a seperated box in the top corner, was to show the intent that this wasn’t an after thought, but rather, the whole thought…this was the intent, to show the Deaf and Hearing communities the bond I feel when using Sign Language.

2. What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
   
   After shooting my last video and putting Vera’s interpretation in a frame in the top right corner of the frame, I started to feel like I wanted her directly in the video for this one…maybe all videos, going forward. The location and scene set up was conceptualized by my writing partner Rosanne Baker Thornley. The scene set as a living room couch in the middle of a field with side tables and lamps, set the mood for the conversation between Vera and Myself…that we would stay connected, not turn away from each other, and do our best to understand what the other is saying. I had no idea how beautiful Artem Mykhailetskyi would make the final piece of art look, but it’s exactly what I envisioned. We knew we would have the sun sitting behind the couch at approximately 4pm…and we’d have no sun by 5:25…so we stayed focused and were efficient with our time….runnning back and forth the the vehicles to warm up in between takes.

3. What was the process of making this video?
   
   The video took place on a freezing cold, 40km winds, wintery November day in 2023. With a limited indie budget, we had a crew of 3, myself and Vera (ASL interpreter). With a borrowed farm field and everyone bringing items to recreate a living room scene in the back 40, we rehearsed our plan, and with 5 takes only, we captured the entire video as the sun fell. We had 1 hour and 15 minutes to shoot during the desired sun positioning. Although we gave Artem (Video Director) the instruction to keep Vera’s hands present in the composition of the shot, we let him have free reign on “how to shoot’ her hands…which took the ‘typical’ filming of ASL interpretation from the linear, head on framing usually seen in broadcasts, which led to the beautiful and flowing style that Artem used to capture Veras words as he swept in and out of frame.

Being in a band with family is not always easy; a relationship impacted by years of familiarity and family dynamics. The duo, aptly named Jackie and her brother, decided to work on several songs that remained unfinished and forgotten. The result is a new project from Jackie and Mark Andrade. The name, Jackie and her brother, is a simple way to describe their dynamic and their shared love for catchy, pop-inspired bands that they listened to across different decades as they grew up.

We often wonder, and reflect on our life. It’s a healthy part of being human. We’re also told to stay in the present and live for the future. This dichotomy pulses at the centre of their second single, “Best Days,” where Jackie and her brother turn the focus backward wondering if our best days are already gone.

1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically? 

I wrote these lyrics during a dark time in life when I truly considered that all my best days had already happened. In the two years to come, I realized that things were only getting better and better everyday. Whenever my brother and I talk about life and where we came from, its nice for us to remember our childhood days and how our parents brought us up. 

We’re a weird and creative family so it only felt fitting that we highlight the two people that made us. 

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

This song is about memories of the past and that voice inside your head wondering if the best days have already passed you by. 

Our parents are celebrating their 50th anniversary this summer and they’re taking a trip down memory lane. We’ve been reflecting on their best days as a family lately and, well, they are ultimately responsible for the creation of this band/sibling music project. So this visualizer is a bit of a thank you to them and also a showcase of the two people we came from. 

3. What was the process of making this video?

I somehow convinced my parents to have a dance party in their yard. They’re both goofy and fun and weird like my brother and I, so it was an easy ask. After I saved the recording, my talented friend Steve Niilo edited and effected the clips using his magic computer skills. My brother and I like to collaborate with friends and local artists as much as possible and we will continue this trend into our next release- coming very soon!
“The ending has samples of our younger family members laughing and shouting ‘best days’ with their entire life ahead of them,” explains Jackie Andrade. “The addition of these samples adds another interesting layer to the song. When were your best days? Childhood? Or are they happening right now?”