Raised in the small town of Hopeville, Ontario, Rachael Bawn knew she was destined to be a singer before she even can remember. Discovering her voice as a songwriter and developing a core message to help other young women took a bit of time as she weathered life lessons. And now, a few years after the release of Bawn’s debut album, signing a recording and publishing deal in America with BMG New York, and later parting ways with the record label, her innate talent and positive persona are aligned with a melodic missive primed for the masses.

Teaming up with songwriter Rosanne Baker Thornley, and producer Ben Pelchat, Bawn has co-written powerful new songs with an overarching theme of truth-telling. They confront the toxic side of social media (“Snapshot”), inspire courage for the inevitable hard things in life, and encourage listeners to slow down and not allow the busyness of life to overwhelm.

“Snapshot” in particular is about the social media paradox and its negative effects. “We use it to feel connected but we end up doom scrolling, comparing ourselves to others, and end up feeling more lonely and bad about ourselves,” says Bawn.

Dead Levee is a 4-piece old-school, no-nonsense rock band consisting of members Tayler “Izzy” Morgan, Ray Klapatiuk, Rylan “Buck” Dusyk, and Preston Laschuk. Their aggressive, organic, and attitude-driven style harkens back to the high energy rock of the late 60’s with the attitude of 90’s rock. 

Playing alongside established bands such as Chilliwack, The Trews, Monster Truck, The Lazys, The Wild!, Econoline Crush and touring coast to coast for hundreds of shows, they are no stranger to the stage. Dead Levee’s worked with renowned producers Garth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Nickelback, Alice Cooper), Kevin Dietz (The Glorious Sons, JJ Wilde) and Noah Mintz (Arkelles, Billy Talent, Matt Mays, Death From Above 1979).

On their latest offering “Love & Misery,” the group delivers a polished arena rock sing-along wall of sound that chugs with howling swirling guitars in an ode to a toxic but passionate relationship. 

“In the case of this song, it’s about a relationship where the sex outweighs the obvious toxicity. Even though the peers around you can all see how bad it is, they don’t know how good it gets.”

Mitchell Makoons (he/him) is a Roots/Rock musician from Brandon, Manitoba. Mitchell started playing guitar at the age of seven to accompany his grandfather and brother playing Metis fiddle tunes. He continues to be an active member of the Manitoba Metis community and writes songs that incorporate traditional Ojibway music and culture with modern influences.

Under his legal name of Mitchell Mozdsen, he released five EPs accompanied by their own Western Canadian tour. In early 2021, he decided to change his stage name to something that nodded to his Ojibway heritage. Makoons is an Anishinaabemowin word that means “Little Bear or Bear Cub.” Since Mitchell Mozdzen’s spirit name is “Standing Strong Black Bear,” and he is only 5’5, this name is perfectly fitting.

Anytime Mitchell was feeling low while pursuing his first Bachelor’s degree at Brandon University, it was the same three friends that helped him out of it and made him feel better. New single, “Cold Coffee,” was written to show his appreciation for them. Privileged to still have these folks in his life, the trio still play in his band today – Matt on bass, Daniel on lead guitar, and Caitlin on the fiddle. 

On her sixth album, singer-songwriter Norma MacDonald explores new songwriting tactics, reimagines old demos, and conducts sound experimentations that expand her folk and country influences into 60s pop, Motown harmonies, and jangly early millennium indie-rock. 

“The Heart Wants” was actually a song that was written back in 2011. However, it never fit in with her release at the time (her third album, Morning You Wake). Over the years, MacDonald tried rearranging and producing the song in different ways but it didn’t seem right. Luckily, MacDonald’s band and producer Dan Ledwell didn’t give up on it and saw her vision through, capturing that dreamy sound that kept slipping through their fingers until now. 

The upcoming album In Waves (Oct 27) takes listeners through the seasons, starting with winter. MacDonald wrote the bulk of the track list during lockdown in which she and partner Chad Peck (of indie-shoegaze trio Kestrels) would challenge each other to write three songs in three hours to combat their anxieties and Netflix tedium. 

Alternative pop artist ROKI started writing and producing music at a young age as a creative outlet, and later headed up multiple bands. After taking a brief hiatus from music to pursue her love of filmmaking, she returned, producing new tracks with Ben Kaplan (Mother Mother) and Winston Hauschild (Wanting Qu). During the process of recording her debut solo album, MOTHER, she experienced the greatest changes and challenges of her life: becoming a mother while losing her own. The latter spun her into a darker state, and unsure how to process her grief she poured herself into her music. 

Looking forward, ROKI will be releasing a song every couple months until early 2024 when her EP Lovable drops. This EP heralds a new era of sound for ROKI – dreamier, brighter, “loved up” and hopeful for new possibilities. 

The lead single, “The One,” is about watching the person you love hold back the hurt in their life and bear it on their own to save you from feeling it too. ROKI wanted to write this song to reassure those individuals that it’s okay to feel hurt because that’s part of being human, and you should feel comfortable sharing those feelings with your partner. Whatever the reason for hurt may be, your loved ones will be here for you. 

“For these next few songs, this little era of music is definitely brighter than I usually write and release,” says ROKI. “My EP is called Lovable, which sums up this batch of songs pretty well I’d say. We are all lovable, and they are written from a place of peace, happiness, love or wanting to make a relationship work.”

Jaclyn Hull, aka JAXXEE, seamlessly weaves through the rich tapestry of music history, blending the timeless allure of blues and soul with contemporary soundscapes to create a truly unique and entrancing musical journey. Her journey as a musician is a testament to her passion and dedication. Discovering her voice later in life, she has since embarked on a remarkable musical odyssey. Her sultry vocals are a force of nature, transcending eras and touching the deepest corners of the soul. With raw power and genuine emotion, JAXXEE‘s voice becomes an instrument of transformation, carrying her listeners to a place where trip-hop and funk merge in perfect unity.

On the new single, “so tired,” she delves deep into the universal experience of late-night self reflection. Exhausted from that constant feeling of not being enough, it is a plea for some relief. Recording live off the floor forced JAXXEE out of her comfort zone as she and producer Neil James Cooke-Dallin did things on the fly. She learned that this is the thing that makes her unique – singing from her heart and soul with the power and emotion held deep within.

1. Tell us the story of this song?

I was driving and my daughter was playing her music and I heard the line ‘I’ve been so tired’ in the song she was playing (Let Go by Ark Patrol). I was heading into the studio the next day, and had a whole different song planned, but I couldn’t get this chorus out of my head and the lyrics came to me very quickly. I believed so many people could relate to this feeling of being ‘so tired.’ We are all so busy running around in the rat race; we all could just use a good night’s sleep. I know for myself, I am haunted by late-night introspection, overthinking and listening to that inner voice with its constant message that I am not enough.

The lyrical questions posed in the song echo this emotional turbulence – pondering whether faltering leads to fading, or perhaps acting too boldly risks losing those around you. In the second verse, the song scrutinizes the façade we often put up, especially in the context of our social media-driven world. It questions the authenticity of what’s presented, wondering if what we see is genuine or merely a charade, and if the smiles we wear conceal the depths of our pain.

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

I wanted the video to be real, honest, raw and authentic to stay true with the roots of my artistry. So what better way than to capture and share the day in which we arranged and recorded the song at Burning Rainbow Studios. I had hired some of the best studio musicians on the West Coast and this video documents us all playing together for the first time. The song needed a classic soul vibe, and we recorded with this era in mind. Recording in a live off the floor style pushed me beyond my comfort zone, requiring me to adapt on the fly. I wanted the video to tell the story of a truly memorable day working in an incredibly supportive environment.

3. What was the process of making this video?

I had spent a lot time on Instagram researching and finding videos that captured the vibe and recording styles that appealed to me. I was particularly inspired by the Mahogany Sessions. I wanted to capture close up magical moments of the musicians in their element and those details of them playing on the guitar, keys etc. I shared these ideas and examples with videographer Shane Battley, who had worked closely with my producer Neil James Cooke-Dallin before. Shane immediately understood and came in on recording day ready for it all and stayed the whole 4-hour session. From there, I left it in Shane’s very capable hands and I was pretty much ready to sign off upon receiving his first edit. I loved the essence and story that was told in the video right away.