Burgeoning New Brunswick-based singer-songwriter Kylie Fox is happy to be sharing her second studio full-length, Sequoia, that was made with the support of ArtsNB, Music New Brunswick and Canada Council for the Arts. Sequoia has come to life as an 11-track album, developed with her band and six-time ECMA-winning producer, Daniel Ledwell (Jenn Grant, Fortunate Ones, The Good Lovelies).

Sequoia is deeply rooted in folk-Canadiana elements that have characterized Fox’s career, while also exploring folk-rock and jazz-pop fusion. The album could be described as 70s Sesame Street meets Sharon Van Etten. “The 11 songs that make up Sequoia are reflections on gratitude in relation to the women in my life, my environment, my relationships, and myself.” says Fox. The title Sequoia refers to the source of inspiration for the project which struck upon a news story that told of firefighters working throughout the night to prevent a Sequoia tree from burning in a forest fire. “It resonated with me how severely nature and time have been taken for granted.” concludes Fox. Like Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi,” the collection of songs on Sequoia acknowledge moments when something was taken for granted, while also functioning as pieces of gratitude in and of themselves in how they uplift and celebrate love and life. 

The record’s title track features an epic, circus chaos climax at the end, that feels like a life montage. In the song, Fox draws comparisons to how nature is neglected to how she sometimes takes the most important people in her life for granted – something that is pretty honest and can be scary to say out loud.

We recorded Sequoia at Daniel Ledwell’s studio on Lake Echo, Nova Scotia during Thanksgiving weekend. I made a turkey, and chili, and the leaves changed. We watched a horror movie that we still reference. It was very collaborative, creative and cozy and Dan made us feel at home. “Sequoia” was a fun one to work through because I wanted it to build to a chaotic circus climax, so Kelly (Waterhouse) and Dan went wild with their horns and we recorded gong sounds. It was energetic. – Kylie Fox

Harley Olivia is a neurodivergent, Toronto-based alt-rock artist who crafts an energetic blend of rock and pop music. Formerly a globe-trotting flight attendant with over 50 countries visited and 8,000 hours in the air, she decided to swap in her wings for the stage and fully committed herself to music. Since then, she has launched multiple singles, showcased at Canadian Music Week, was crowned the winner of Jack Daniel’s Supporting Act Competition, and now collaborates with JUNO Award-winning producer Siegfried Meier. 

The way Harley commands the stage with her feisty stage presence has earned her the opportunities to open up for acclaimed artists such as SUMO CYCO, Softcult and Terra Lightfoot. 

The main theme of her debut EP, Hiding Little Pieces, is overcoming heartbreak and getting yourself out of a dark place. Over the past few years, Harley has done a lot of growing up, and with her mind always buzzing, she needed to put these feelings down on paper so she could move on. Highlighted single, “You’re Not Ready,” is an empowering, catchy pop-rock song with influences of harder 80’s rock to convey resolve in the lyrical meaning. The inspiration for the track was realizing a romantic partner was not ready for healthy and stable commitment and opted for games and self servitude instead.

Owen Marchildon is a songwriter and guitarist who has been part of the Toronto music scene since 2002. His creative output has been prolific, producing volumes of his own music independently since 2005; 10 full length albums, one EP and several singles under four different monikers – Purple Hill, Rough Skeletons, Marchildon! and High Wasted. Owen also played bass for the critically lauded math rock quartet From Fiction and later with Julie Kendall’s surf-soul project 1977.

2024 sees Owen pulling back the veil of all his previous monikers and releasing new music under his own name. His debut album, Dangling Towards Heavy Sunlight, is a masterful fusion of rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia where power pop melodies meet witty, vivid storytelling. It’s an album that feels both familiar and fresh, a love letter to classic rock ‘n’ roll with enough personality to stand on its own. Longtime bandmates and collaborators, Jordan Bruce and Brent Hough, spread out the sound, complimenting the style, imagination and fabric of Owen’s songwriting. 

Highlighted track, “Weather Gurl,” tells the story of someone harboring a secret crush on a weather anchor, capturing the ache of unrequited love with clever, vivid lyrics. The song is a delightful blend of classic rock influences brought together with a fresh twist. 

Musically, the record was influenced by my love for artists like Big Star, Tom Petty and Lou Reed. As far as the storytelling and lyrics go, I tried to convey a more John Prine meets Micheal Hurley approach with a twist of myself for good measure.  But one of the biggest influences for the record was my guitar teacher at the time, Neil Clark. This was the first time I’d ever taken a guitar lesson and it really floored me. I only took about a handful of lessons from Neil but the impressions he left with me are enough to last a lifetime. So I was really able  to execute what I was hearing in my head instead of trying to convey those ideas to others. – Owen Marchildon

Puma June, an “emerging Canadian artist you need to hear” (Exclaim!), is a Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer. With an eclectic array of influences from Stevie Wonder to Billie Eilish and everything in between, her music is a unique blend of pop, funk, hip-hop, and R&B – a genre-bending sound that is both nostalgic and distinctive to the listener. With a clear political point of view, Puma June’s feminist-laced songwriting pushes unfiltered honesty and centers around regaining power in one’s life, with a particular focus on women’s/gender issues, familial trauma, and the battle of self-doubt as an artist.

Latest single, “Bad Habits,” is an unapologetic jazz and hip hop infused pop track off her upcoming debut EP A Woman That They Want. The song’s themes explore the idea of bad habits being the internal battles like self-hatred and shedding trauma, rather than solely the traditional idea of bad habits

The way we talk to ourselves – create this victim complex and define ourselves by our past – is the space we create for ourselves. Then we allow people into our lives that confirm that low self-worth. It’s about shedding that bullshit, changing your mindset, and freeing yourself from places/people that make you feel like you have to dim who you are. – Puma June

Sia Shells is a Toronto based singer-songwriter that rhymes about the everyday magic we find through relationships, self love, reflection and dreams. Her emotive contralto vocals juxtaposed against upbeat dream pop sounds instantly transport you to another world. She invented a new genre called mermaid pop for ocean lovers. Her new album is diving into the mermaid world, with enchanting lyrics and tropical sounds that are worthy of your next beach day.

Having always felt an affinity for “The Ocean,” Sia Shells’ soothing new track serves as a reminder to send love its way. “The ocean is everything to me,” she elaborates. “She is truly my happy place and sanctuary.” Embodying “mermaid core,” Sia Shells wants her music to unite landlocked sirens.

I wanted this song to be a mantra you can play everyday when you’re not near the ocean or the beach but wish you were. That’s why we added ocean sounds in the song itself, along with the rhythmic flow that reminds you of them. – Sia Shells

Emerging from New Orleans’ vibrant jazz scene, Blessing Tangban debuted an introspective, vulnerable and folky sound with 2014’s debut EP Nowhere Girl that opened us up to the world of a lost a 15-year-old Nigerian immigrant in America, starting college, falling in love, getting heartbroken and finding her faith.

Over the course of the last decade, Blessing‘s musical career continues to bloom. Her soulful musical spirit has led her to tours around the world, working with renowned African musicians (Johnny Drille, M.I. Abaga) and having her music synced in multiple films. She now resides in Canada where the country has welcomed her with multiple prestigious shows and Canadian artist collaborations. Blessing also won the Galaxy Music Award for best vocal performance for her song “Tebe Tebe.” She’s currently nominated for five African Nova Scotian Music Awards (ANSMA) at their 26th annual ceremony for Rising Star of the Year, Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year and Music Video of the Year for her song “Teach Me.”

Blessing‘s latest single, “Prayer,” is a transcendent and hopeful piece written as a prayer to God that she would get through a valley of uncertainty and false promise in her music career and life. The beautiful single is quite literally a written down prayer to God by Blessing which she also hopes restores faith in her listener to continue to be bold and trust in God during times of low light.    

1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically?
I figured having visuals will give my listeners a more immersive song listening process. Most people are also visual learners so I didn’t want to deprive them of that; the same reason goes for some of my fans who listen to music exclusively on YouTube. I just wanted to include everyone and make sure they could get access to the song. 

2.What was the inspiration behind this video (visuals, storyline, etc.)?
I wanted to keep it simple and focused on the lyrics of the song. There are so many ways I could have gone with the video but I wanted the lyrics to be the focus of the video. 

3.What was the process of making this video?
It was quite easy, I had a small team and we found a really nice house to capture the essence of our vision. We shot it in less than 4 hours.