An American citizen raised in the heart of the Canadian prairies, award-winning roots/Americana singer-songwriter Noah Derksen writes with the groundedness of harsh Manitoba winters mixed with the failed optimism of the American Dream. He currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

His new song, “Fuck You and Fuck Your Friends Too,” find humour in the disastrous end of a relationship. They settled on a bouncy, old-timey country groove, kinda like in an old silent slapstick film. It’s the sarcastic idea that everything can go wrong, while still being light and funny. 

“I was dumped twice during the 18 months of the pandemic, and by the same person, no less,” explains Noah. “With all the dust swirling round, my world caving in on itself yet again, all I could really do was laugh at the situation. And in a comedic and desperate attempt at vindication, the only insult I could find to ease my heart was the title of this song, ‘Fuck You and Fuck Your Friends too.’”

Award-winning hip-hop performer and music promoter Vivek Mehmi has faced incredible adversity to get to where he is today. Just as his music career was starting to take off, in 2009 he faced debilitating medical issues that would put his whole life on pause. By 2015, he had embarked on a transformative journey of healing which led to the reinvigoration of his music career. 

There was no use in waiting – all engines were set to go. He performed wherever he could, from festivals to café open mic nights, to the legendary Toronto $5 Dollar Rap Show, and busking on street corners. Vivek’s debut album, Right as Rain, was released October 11th, 2019. Right as Rain included a collection of personal, introspective tracks inspired by his life and the challenges he faced. 

Now, he’s back with “Fulfill You,” from his EP, Relation⛵️Ships, which will be released in stages. The song was inspired by many of his relationships, where he was trying to satisfy someone and put their needs before his own. It touches upon feelings of uneasiness, frustration, and heartbreak. Also, a yearning to be complete, to be rid of emptiness and loneliness. 

https://go.vivekmehmi.com/fulfillyou

“This whole EP has pushed me out of my comfort zone, and has been exploratory, compared to my previous work making hip hop music,” says Vivek. “This song dives further down the genre mash-up rabbit hole. But I really wanted to try something new, specifically vocally. I think my listeners and fans are starting to realize that I don’t like to be boxed into one specific genre or classified as just ‘a rapper.’ I am becoming more versatile with each song that I produce.”

Selfish Bodies are a female lead alternative pop rock trio based in Edmonton, AB, who combine their love of writing with genre-blending, cinematic soundscapes and thoughtful lyrics. They believe music is a universal language. What does the band want to say? Whatever their listeners need to hear. Selfish Bodies’ goal is to connect with their listeners through the creation of relatable and heartfelt content.

Cathartic new single, “Bambi Legs,” was inspired by insecurity. When self consciousness rears its ugly head, it can lead to a lot of fear and second guessing. This is a lonely feeling yet we are oddly united in it as we all feel this way at least sometimes. The duality of the feelings in the lyrics through the instrumentation is magnified as the song sways back and forth between a heaviness to a more lightheartedness. 

While usually playing bass for The Zolas, when the 2020 global pandemic saw the world stop, dwi took the time to create something new, exciting and deeply personal. The songs are reflective in nature, and touch on a range of topics, including childhood, environmentalism, addiction, and the political landscape of the world. 

dwi’s newest single is about being brave enough to share your scars with people. It’s hard and can get ugly.. but it might save you or somebody you love. Despite being darker lyrically, it’s still something you could scream at a party. 

Toronto band, Ace of Wands, formed around Lee Rose in 2017 to reflect a life-altering period of mental illness. Surreal and beautiful, Ace of Wands creates immersive and intricate soundscapes to explore the meaning of Dream Rock. From the tension and dread of a nightmare to the effortless freedom of lucid dreaming, Ace of Wands compels audiences to listen with attention, not shy away from the dreams that may reveal hidden parts of themselves.

Starting off with a bang, their song “Desiring You” showcases the emotional ferocity and creative musicianship that lies at the heart of Ace of Wands’ music. Powerful Alt-Rock guitar chords morph into swirling Dream-Pop countermelodies, while heartfelt female vocals explore the conflict of what it means to desire a hurtful thing. 

The song was inspired by Lee’s toxic relationship and the addictive and sometimes destructive nature of desiring what was not good for her. Her way of dealing with it was to put music to the feeling of being completely unseen by the person she most desired being with. The song explores the tension, the anger and her ultimate refusal to be strung along. 

Brynn Knickle was born and raised in Nova Scotia, where her love for music and the arts was nurtured early by talented and generous mentors. Rather than narrow in on one category of arts, Brynn explored each thread: dance, piano, guitar, singing, and acting. Eventually, it led her to acting and fight choreography in New York. Throughout all of these adventures, songwriting has been (and continues to be) a comfort to her. 

Her first release, “Fool No More,” was initially inspired by an unfortunately unhealthy relationship. After taking a break from the song and coming back to it, however, she realized that it now symbolized the growth and eventual peace that comes with realizing what you need from a partner… and what you don’t. Knickle is an advocate for mental health and finds sharing her stories through music therapeutic and creatively fulfilling.

Her song is a collaboration with one of NS’s amazing singer/songwriter/producers, Carleton Stone.