Meet the 15 artists who were selected to participate in this year’s professional creative journey.
Philadelphia-born and Vancouver-raised, AHSIA is a singer, songwriter, producer, poet, educator and activist. With versatile flavours from R&B, Soul, Jazz, to Hip Hop, AHSIA is as driven as they come, with a deep passion for amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. Despite the challenges, she found solace in her art, pouring her heart and soul into every verse. Through her music, AHSIA invites her audience on a journey through her eyes, revealing the trials of self-discovery, the pain, the healing, and the growth through it all.
Slightest Clue combines post-punk, garage rock and dark pop into a patchwork quilt of genres in the hopes of creating something refreshing within the alt-rock world. Each member provides distinct influences that the others uplift and celebrate within the art. With heavy and high-energy live shows and a consistent work ethic, Slightest Clue hopes to provide the X on the map for those in search of new and exciting music.
Semi Athletic’s specialty comes in the form of impressionistic songwriting paired with tasteful production and guitar riffs, otherwise known as “the tone zone”. As a Canadian who grew up in Prague that calls Alabama a third home, his output is a synthesis of time spent digging through record crates and collaborating with musicians around the world.
Equally at home in the studio and on stage, the recent album “Try Hard” (May 2023) was self-recorded and produced. With a refined artistic voice and vision, the album features introspective acoustic songs with twinkling keyboards next to full-out rock songs with playful, tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
Discography includes the single, “Smoke Alarms (Trampoline Dunk Contests)”, and the debut album, “Fridays I Wear Silk”, which features cornerstones of the Shoals’ music community, recorded at the historic Portside Sound.
Riun Garner is a rising Canadian indie pop singer-songwriter blending Y2K nostalgia with contemporary influences from the likes of Hovvdy, Alex G, and TOLEDO. Since the release of his debut album “Nice To Meet Ya”, he has captivated audiences at prestigious festivals including Canadian Music Week, Khatsalano Music Festival, and Let’s Hear It, and has shared stages supporting notable artists such as Hans Williams and Bobby Bazini. Featured in the official soundtrack of NBC’s rom-com feature film “Ms. Match”, and recently signing a management deal with industry heavyweights Chris Taylor and Dave Faber, Riun sets the stage for his upcoming sophomore album to be released later this year, marking a new era for him as an artist.
Born and bred in Canada but with the heartbeat of the Philippines, she’s a force to be reckoned with on stage.
Her music isn’t just notes and lyrics; rather a tapestry woven with threads of her Filipino heritage and personal experiences. You can feel the pride of her culture and the depth of her soul in every melody and captivating story she shares.
But she’s not just a solo act; oh no, NIKKAELA is a beacon of inspiration within her APPI community, encouraging others to chase their creative dreams alongside her. As she continues to grow as an artist, so does the circle of support and creativity around her.
Embedded in Vancouver’s bustling music scene, NIKKAELA is more than just another R&B artist. She’s a testament to resilience, showing us that being an independent artist in today’s world is about more than just the numbers game. It’s about staying true to your voice and sharing your story with the world, no matter what. Let’s give a warm welcome to the incredible talent that is NIKKAELA!
Vancouver Island’s Neighbourly weds the freedom of psychedelia with layers of pop and funk influences. The group, which debuted in 2022, features four multi-instrumentalist songwriters: Latham, Lauren, Ollie, and Scott.
Their self-titled debut album was released by Earth Libraries in October 2023, which showcases their cohesive style and diverse influences, with each member contributing two tracks to the project.
This year they have released two EPs, each embracing distinct vibes as a deliberate challenge to explore genres beyond their usual stylings. “Outside 311” reflects Neighbourly’s take on post-punk, and “Alla Discoteca” is inspired by disco from around the world and Lauren’s exploration of the Italian language.
If alien means belonging elsewhere, perhaps Kid Filthy is someone who belongs everywhere. The shy rockstar finds himself at home in the eclectic and the contradictory, effortlessly pairing petaled shirts and glasses, suturing vulnerable lyrics to heavy, sinister instrumentals. Born in Congo,DRC in 1997 Filthy was painted by a mosaic of influences from a young age, from Kanye West to Speaker Knockerz to Joey Bada$$ and Kurt Cobain. Kid Filthy is here to stay and the impact he is about to leave will be just shy of a meteoric crater.
From the vibrant city of Burnaby, BC, indie-R&B sensation Jordel is an emerging force in the genre-bending world. Crafting his unique sound entirely from his bedroom studio, Jordel combines eclectic influences to create an innovative musical experience that resonates with listeners worldwide. His journey to the spotlight began when his breakout record “LaSenza” caught the attention of Spotify curators, landing him on many coveted editorial playlists such as ‘Mood Ring’, ‘Fresh Finds’, ‘Indie Fresh Finds’, and ‘Ones-to-Watch’ playlists.
Since then, Jordel has captured the hearts of fans with his soulful vocals, innovative production and introspective lyrics and has already made waves in the live music scene, selling out three consecutive shows in Vancouver. Jordel is committed to creating a meaningful impact within Urban and LGBTQ+ communities.
With every release, Jordel invites listeners to join him on a sonic journey that challenges norms and celebrates individuality as he continues to redefine the landscape of the indie-R&B world.
Jillian’s Lake is gearing up to unleash her metamorphic new album set to be released early next year. Produced by David Vertesi, known for his work on Haley Blais’s acclaimed album ‘Wisecrack’, and Jonathan Anderson, who’s lent his talents to the likes of Andy Shauf, Ocie Elliot + more, the first two singles ‘Worse’ and ‘Playing Dead’ have already made an impact. The release is the follow-up to Jillian’s debut album ‘Younger Then’ which saw millions of streams and led to Jillian playing festivals around North America and her first European tour. Building upon Jillian’s signature honest songwriting and melancholic undertones, the project also marks an evolution into a more vibrant and energetic sonic territory. While maintaining the raw emotion and introspection she’s known for this new project promises to captivate listeners with its fresh soundscape and dynamic vibes, ensuring an immersive journey into Jillian’s mind and musical prowess.
Hailing from Vancouver, this Filipino-Canadian cowpunk artist draws inspiration from outlaw legends like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash to bring you a high-energy blend of country and bluegrass. With fast picking and a high lonesome sound, Janky Bungag is sure to get the dance floor hopping.
Ivan Hartle is a musician who molds a vintage sonic aesthetic with modern elements. Pivoting from a successful US college baseball career, he’s been featured as an emerging artist by DailyHive Canada. His bluesy, soul singer-songwriter stylings are drawn from the sounds of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, to artists like John Mayer and Leon Bridges. With notable festival slots like Rifflandia, Music BC’s ‘Let’s Hear It’, and NXNE, Ivan’s also toured most of Canada, and opened for Jon and Roy and the Grammy award winning Cedric Burnside.
Ivan’s gained CBC and NPO radio 2 airplay, and has over 1.8 million streams on Spotify, including various editorial placements (Blues Roots, Retro Soul). With media coverage from many prominent outlets, he’s poised for continued success following the release of his album ‘A Place to Stay’ (Dec. 2023), featuring the Clash Magazine praised single ‘Love in the Lead.’
Three six-graders ignored all the trappings of typical teenage life and dedicated themselves fully to making music. Growing up in the small town of Vernon, BC, Canada, Aidan Andrews, Carson Bassett, and Nolan Bassett started out playing in cover bands before shifting to writing their own material. Now 24 years old, in Vancouver, with a full album and EP under their belt, the members of daysormay have no intention of slowing down.
The group has connected with 3-time Grammy and Juno award winning producer Chin Injeti (Dr. Dre, Drake, Eminem, Aloe Blacc, Anderson. Paak) and T-Minus (Lil Wayne, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd) for their next full-length album, MODERATION, set to release in 2024.
MODERATION will be released to the world on The Orchard distributed label, TAG Music. The record will be supported through daysormay’s dedicated online following and powerful live show, which has already graced stages at Reeperbahn Festival in Germany, The Great Escape in England, and Bumbershoot in Seattle, to name a few.
Vancouver-based musician Cam Blake released his debut indie rock album (co-produced by Cam Blake and Sam Cutri of Perth, Australia) “Bad Vacation” on January 15, 2021 (Adagio Music/The Orchard). Cam toured Canada in support of the album and has played a number of festivals and showcases including the Barnside Harvest Festival, Khatsahlano Street Party 2023 and Kingfisher Bluez 15th & 16th Annual Christmas Party (opening for Peach Pit) in front of a sold out Rickshaw Theatre (2022) & Commodore Ballroom (2023). Cam Blake has now released his sophomore album ‘SATISFACTION OF SAMENESS’ – an indie-alternative electronic record with elements of hyper-pop and industrial on May 3rd 2024 under Adagio Music Inc. (digital) & Kingfisher Bluez (physical).
Recently heard on the soundtrack of the #1 Netflix show, “”Ginny & Georgia””, Bukola is an up-and-coming Vancouver-based musician who blends contemporary R&B vocal stylings, jazz guitar chords and earnest storytelling to create her authentically soulful sound. She’s been influenced by artists such as India Arie, Amy Winehouse and Corinne Bailey Rae.
The grand prize winner of the Juno Awards Host Committee Battle of the Bands, Bukola has since performed at the Juno Awards pre-event: Let’s Hear it! Live, the Honey Jam and at NXNE. Bukola has also been featured on eTalk, CBC the National, and MuchMusic.
Bukola’s voice can be heard on the 20th Century Studios/Disney+ film, “The Princess”, on the end credit song where she worked with Emmy-nominated composer, Natalie Holt, and multi-platinum producer, Jon Levine.
Most recently, Bukola worked with LA based producers, Baca & Brandn (Shay Lia, Hope Tala, Alina Baraz) on her sophomore EP which is slated to drop this fall.
A contributing soul to Vancouver music culture for nearly a decade, Filipino/Canadian artist Kardias Quing offers a message of love and sovereignty to their community. Through collaborations with fellow Vancouver producers, they have cultivated and continue to create a repertoire that uplifts, and empowers. Influenced by Indie, R&B and Alternative Pop, their creative efforts cut through the woes of modern distraction, and bring us all back to our infinite possibility.