Toronto-based pop singer-songwriter Tara Van’s work gives glimpses of her internal world. She is generous in her self-disclosure. As a textbook ADHD oversharer, you can feel her weather report: sun-soaked, overcast, stormy etc. She lets herself express the mess. Her approach is as gutsy and bold as it is tender and vulnerable. She’s inviting you in. Listen to her diary with care. It’s best enjoyed by an open heart.

Tara’s brand new single, “Glow,” embodies the feeling of vibrancy and joy that you feel when you are living as your most authentic and unguarded self. Though the motivational song seems like it might be talking about someone else bringing out that glow in you, the truth of the song is actually that you are bringing out that glow in yourself and admiring how far you have come and how free you feel after dismantling your walls.

I write a bunch of different stuff but I have really been focusing on feel-good, motivational and empowering music in the past year. I don’t want to sugarcoat the troubles of our times, of which there are many, but my goal is to hammer in imported messages about inclusivity, collectivism, self-love, mindfulness, respect, environmentalism, empathy, living reflectively, deep listening, communicating effectively, etc., in hopes that incremental changes to people’s mindsets and mental wellbeing will positively impact individuals who then affect communities who then affect countries who then affect continents and so on and so forth. Love, joyfulness and hope are all completely infectious but so are hate, sadness and negativity. Though I write sad songs as well, and I believe there is complete merit in songs that allow you to tap into and process any emotion, I personally would like to fill the world with as much love as I can in the short time that I have here. – Tara Van

The music of Toronto based band Good Group Thanks For Coming is a dynamic blend of its member’s diverse influences. It’s a music of everything, lovingly curated to share with everyone. They make musical sandwiches, music soup, music pizza; all your favourite music simmered in an indie rock rue and served on a platter from your local dive bar. 

“It’s a Game,” the band’s latest single, is a hard-luck sing-along layered with metaphors and dualistic intentions. An ode to gaming, internet humor and learning to cope, the song likens life to playing games and even has a few little games written into the song itself. 

I think this song is bittersweet! It’s, basically, a song about accepting disappointments. It’s a song about self-soothing – but there are whimsical elements in it that are silly and fun too. It captures a kind of duality that I’m proud of. It has a certain innocence about it but it also has a certain helplessness about it. There’s, ultimately, maybe a little more sad than happy in it but without a bit of both it wouldn’t be nearly as poetic. – Justin Sullivan (Songwriter/Vocals/Guitar)

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