Do you struggle with self-sabotage? Are you addicted to the drama of personal turmoil? In her buoyant yet bittersweet new single, “Make It Up to You,” Hamilton-based indie rock artist Lisa SQ wrestles with the inner saboteur, the irresistible urge to blow things up, and the hope that there’s still time to repair the mess left behind.

“Make It Up to You” is duking it out with your inner saboteur. “Make It Up to You” is resisting the urge to push the red button. “Make It Up to You” is touching the hot stove, even when you know better. “Make It Up to You” is groveling. “Make It Up to You” is digging out of a deep hole. “Make It Up to You” is one final shot. Recorded live at Toronto’s Dwaynespace with a trusted circle of collaborators, the track begins with the sunniest of guitar riffs from Dave Dalrymple (Wax Atlantic) and a playful body-percussion loop by Adam Hindle (Dwayne Gretzky) – created from couch slaps and self-smacks – before erupting into a full-band groove driven by Michael Brushy‘s (Dwayne Gretzky) explosive drums. Nintendo-like keyboards (Simeon Abbott) and shimmering autoharp (Adam Hindle) add whimsy, while producer Ian Docherty (July Talk) ran everything through tape for just the right touch of drunken floatiness.

The inspiration? Lisa SQ‘s porch-sitting neighbour, whose stories of drama, missteps, and resilience sparked musings on why some people seem to thrive in the chaos of their own undoing. “Tyler Kyte (Dwayne Gretzky) and I were talking about people who always invite drama into their lives, and I kept picturing these classic tragic heroes, doomed but relatable,” Lisa explains. “The song grew out of that and my own pacing, daydreaming, and writing in the attic.”

Her forthcoming debut full-length album – recorded at both Toronto’s Dwaynespace with Tyler Kyte and Ian Docherty, and at Chale Abbey Studios on the Isle of Wight with producer David Granshaw – captures the warmth, laughter, and collaborative spirit of her creative community. “Make It Up to You” offers an early glimpse: bouncy, beachy, a little bruised, and impossible not to move to.

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

The temptation to touch a hot stove, or self sabotage your chances at happiness is a weird human tendency we all have to grapple with. Inevitably things get messy even with the best of intentions. In my observation, people are attracted to friction. Obviously there is a sliding scale of the amount/type of personal drama people invite into their lives, but I think the feeling of losing your grip on things and cracking under pressure is familiar to everyone. The song, “Make It Up to You” tries to capture that moment, when shit hits the fan and life blows up in your face a little bit. So, when it came to choosing a song to make a video to, I asked myself: Who doesn’t enjoy watching a buffoon being put through their paces, trying to make amends for some dumb thing they did? At points, we have all been that same buffoon trying to make it up to somebody, or oftentimes ourselves… no?

The song production on “Make It Up to You” is very playful, including butt, back and couch slaps, autoharp and nintendo-esque keyboard sounds. The recording process was so free and fun, I knew I wanted that scrappy spirit to come through in the video as well. Therefore, I thought the classic storyline of a tragic hero type character (me), on a journey to prove themselves, while navigating some comical chaos; not only seemed hilarious to make, but lent itself well to the lyrics of the song and most importantly, seemed achievable in its simplicity.

The “Make It Up to You” video is definitely not trying to reinvent the wheel by any means. In fact it purposefully embraces lots of classic tropes like, sleeping through your alarm, or falling on your face during a triumphant moment…  The hope was that even though it’s a story we’ve seen a million times the familiarity would be relatable, allowing for viewers to connect their own experiences to the song. I think the quirky, DIY execution is where the creativity and charm really kick into action. Obviously not having a budget beyond some extra pocket money can seem limiting, but I love the challenge of having to think outside the box, it forces you to be crafty and resourceful which I find very satisfying. In fact, the idea of using the projector screen as a background for all of the biking shots was born out of necessity. In my mind, I pictured actually biking around outside but the logistics of filming something like that, on my i-phone, by myself or with a couple of buds seemed daunting (and dangerous!)… In the end I think leaning into using the screen for a good chunk of the video, was like embracing the humbleness of the project by making it a stylistic choice. 

Pre-production was mainly gathering/making props and brainstorming scenarios in which I could be a total fool. My favourite prop was the fake recipe book I made, all about how flan can miraculously save your relationships. Not sure how many people notice that detail in the video but it was “important” to the plot line and I think it looks pretty legit. 

The video was filmed in two parts. The first day we did all of the studio content: shots of Adam Hindle and I goofing around with caution tape, playing instruments, biking and singing in front of the projector screen. I had created some 2D “arcade” style background videos to project behind us, hoping the retro vibe would tie into some of the sounds in the “Make It Up to You” track. I didn’t really know how the screen stuff would end up looking but I trusted that with some creative problem solving and experimentation we could gather enough footage to intersperse with the storyline portion of the video. Lighting was a bit of an issue but c’est la vie… I had packed a bunch of props to play around with including some rhythmic gymnastics style ribbons I MacGyver’ed together, using caution tape, paperclips and old chopsticks. Over a few hours we worked through a shot-list I had prepared with some specifics I wanted to capture, plus a few silly scenarios for Adam and I to improvise around. I also planned to leave space for some good old fashioned tomfoolery as those spontaneous interactions generally become some of the best moments to edit in. 

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

The storyline part was filmed piece meal, a few shots here and there whenever I had some spare time. I did a lot of inserts by myself with a tripod or by propping my phone up precariously somehow. My partner Tyler Kyte (Dwayne Gretzky), the main camera (iPhone) operator for most of the video, was crucial in helping with certain action shots. For example: I was attached to the idea of a long, meandering shot for the opening sequence. I thought this would be the easiest way to set the scene, establish my character and get the plot rolling quickly. I needed this shot to reveal important details for the story to make sense and wanted it to be somewhat timed to the intro of the song, having a similar buoyancy to the track. Every other shot in the video could be puzzled in, but this shot we needed to nail. Overall, I’m happy with how it turned out, I especially love the colourful, sticker-ed up calendar and the “Make It Up to You” post-it note at the very beginning. Also, Arthur the dog swooping in to eat popcorn as the panic begins always makes me chuckle. 

3. What was the process of making this video?

Once we had all of the footage I began editing the video using Final Cut Pro, and luckily because I had a pretty clear idea of the flow in my head, it came together fairly quickly. Some fun things like Adam’s rhythmic gymnastics routine to the song at 2X the speed, or Arthur the dog’s judgmental reactions to my shenanigans mostly ended up on the “editing room floor” as they say in the biz, but overall bits of everything we filmed got used in the final edit. I enjoyed affecting certain shots with distortion, or a bleached out treatment to again lean into the lo-fi production quality. With music videos, finding lots of camera movement and quick cuts I think adds a lot of personality and energy to the finished product. I think the balance between the studio and storyline shots ended up working out well and overall I’m super happy with how the concept came to life! 

Calgary, AB/Los Angeles, CA-based newcomer Ev. G makes a striking debut with And Then I Go Up – a bold, atmospheric, and deeply introspective album that navigates identity, inner contradictions, and the quiet transformations that define us. Pulling from literary musings, mythological lore, and his own existential investigations, Ev brings a unique voice and perspective to some universal curiosities. 

Recorded over several years across multiple iconic spaces – including Sound City (LA), Studio B in Calgary, Tall Pines (Temagami), and Will Maclellan’s Pasadena studio – And Then I Go Up evolved through collaboration with producers Brock Geiger and Maclellan, whose willingness to experiment provides a varied, rich sonic palette from start to finish.

“Anytime Brock, Will, and I were in a room together, it just felt like a good hang,” says Ev. “Making the album over time in different settings allowed us to approach with fresh ears and figure out what the songs needed which resulted in each one undergoing some major revisions. Those were some of my favourite parts of the whole process – taking something I’d grown used to hearing a certain way, then reimagining it to serve the song in the best way we could.”

Haida Gwaii-based artist The Bapti$$ (Joseph LaPlante) unveils his debut LP, Pop Cult(Ure), a fierce and unflinching project that strips away the façades of the music industry and digs deep into questions of authenticity, morality, and survival.

Created in collaboration with Saskatchewan producer Matt Stinn, the seven-track record blends 808-driven indie-pop, acoustic textures, alt-pop hooks, and hip-hop grit. At its core, Pop Cult(Ure) is both a cleansing and a reckoning – a baptism of sound that introduces LaPlante’s new artistic chapter after years of success in hip-hop as Joey Stylez.

“I wanted to do something real,” says The Bapti$$. “There are very few artists out there who are their authentic self. This project isn’t about chasing trends or selling out to fit into a machine that lacks morals. God made me into a man who wins, or loses, my way.”

Title track and lead single, “Pop Cult(Ure),” lays out the mission statement. Written from years of watching the industry distort people’s characters and compromise their integrity, the song fuses sharp lyricism with layered production and haunting melodies. “The music industry is a small group of puppet masters who all pat one another’s backs and give each other tummy rubs,” The Bapti$$ explains. “I’m cool on all that. I am a man with principles. Even in my past life, when I was active in a dark world that very few escape, I never lost track of who I truly am.”

With its stripped-back arrangement and mantra-like lyrics, the track feels like both a confession and a battle cry. “I lost track of how many crosses I’ve inked on my skin,” says The Bapti$$. “Now with Christ my saviour leading the way, like a sword of fire and shield of lightning, I feel like I can take on the whole world myself.”

Ottawa singer-songwriter Heliara returns with the playful and empowering, “Self-Love,” the lead single of her upcoming Everything’s a Love Song EP. Intimate, authentic, and fun, the track blends pop and rock sensibilities with infectious energy, capturing the ups and downs of everyday life and the beauty of embracing oneself fully even when the going gets tough.

“Loving oneself is not always easy, no matter what stage you are at in life. This song is raw, authentic, and vulnerable,” Heliara shares. “Written from the perspective of a mother with two young children feeling stretched in every aspect of her life (me!) and inspired by the beauty and chaos of motherhood, ‘Self-Love’ is a song for all people: we are all together on this human journey.”

Written during the chaos of household chores, Heliara came up with the melody while washing dishes. Encouraged by positive feedback on an a cappella clip, she brought the track to producer Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studio. Together, they crafted a sound that balances attitude and catchiness: punchy drums, electric guitars, punk-inspired harmonies, and playful vocal lines.

“This song is both whimsical and honest,” Heliara elaborates. “And it has a little bit of attitude that I hope will resonate with mothers and really anyone embracing the chaos and challenges that life brings.”

Angela Saini returns with “Where I Put the Light,” a deeply personal yet universally relatable folk-pop anthem about finding hope and resilience in the aftermath of heartbreak. With an uplifting chorus, warm folk-pop textures, and the striking addition of a traditional Russian balalaika, the song blends vulnerability with empowerment, reminding us that perspective is everything.

“In our lowest moments, we still get to decide: do we focus on what we’ve lost, or do we put the light on what we’ve gained and how far we’ve come?” Saini explains. “This song is about learning where to focus my eyes – on the stars, not the shadows.”

Written in the wake of her separation from a nearly two-decade relationship with her high school sweetheart, “Where I Put the Light” is both a reckoning and a rebirth. Its lyrics capture the journey of radical self-transformation: burning down the old, starting fresh, and choosing light over darkness. “It reminds us that even when life feels dark, we can always look toward the stars,” she adds. “By placing the light on possibilities and not limitations, we create space for joy, resilience, and new beginnings.”

The accompanying video visually echoes the song’s themes, portraying two stark versions of Saini: one dressed in white, embodying joy and hope, and the other in black, representing a version of herself she had to let go. The contrast highlights the power of perspective – how choosing where we put the light can determine the outcome.

From the streets of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to the quiet corners of the heart, Jont’s “No Lines” is a tender, contemplative new single that traces the evolving bond between parent and child – in doing so, it reflects on the deeper truths of human connection. Gentle, meditative, and lyrical, the track unfolds like a poem set to music, a sonnet in motion that is both intimate and universal.

The song was born on a wintry morning, the day of his daughter’s 16th birthday. After a small disagreement in the car, Jont returned home to find lines of poetry spilling from him almost effortlessly:

What is yours and what is mine? I could guess and make a line, wouldn’t mean it’s true. It’s just a line between the two of us.

What began as a sonnet written on an envelope – a three-stanza, concluding couplet echoing back to English class – soon evolved into a song. “I picked up the guitar and it just fell into place fairly effortlessly,” Jont recalls. “Though the song was born as a personal acknowledgement and celebration of my relationship with my daughter, its message is universal – a recognition of our true nature, and a prayer for nurturing harmonious bonds in all human relationships.”