It’s pretty clear that today we are talking about the music industry from a local view and a global view. The national view is fading out with accelerated speed. Only large countries like the USA will have a national industry but it will be also put down to the state level. Canada will also be divided into smaller territories.

The national level is just too small to survive on. The industry today with all its tools for global marketing makes it possible to be global. You have to start locally of course to build a fanbase, but the next level, the national level is soon unnecessary. When I speak to many frontline export offices they have already started to change their operations to fit this new change in the music industry. Gone are the initiatives that you want to sell your artists to another country, in our collaborations and exchange of knowledge and network.

It's all good that we already are doing these changes since it will help us in many ways to get to a more sustainable music industry along with the touring. The problem I see is that the local scene is not ready at all for this big change.

This was the 19th edition of the c/o pop Festival in Cologne, Germany. It’s well established but still is in a lot of development. Like many of the showcase festivals this year they almost had to do a restart. A new area and a new conference space were the big new editions this year. Many of the old visitors also said it was the biggest c/o pop Festival so far and that they had done a giant leap in all sections of the festival.

c/o pop Festival goes on for a staggering five days, Wednesday to Sunday. The conference part is mainly on Thursday and Friday and during the weekend it’s mainly music and the festival closes off streets in the area Ehrenfeld and turns it into a great street festival and club scene.

SPIKE is comprised of a conference and series of music performances. The conference includes panel discussions and workshops that touch upon diverse topics in the music industry.  Read about the first 9 diversified Panelists and check back next week for the rest and see the new additions of talent and artists.

For a full list of the Delegates and Panelists visit: spikeshowcase.com/en/speakers/

Boyan Robert Pinter (US)

Named an ‘Extraordinary Canadian,’ award-winning Canadian rocker and Governor General of Canada Meritorious Service Medal recipient Robb Nash is the “Ally” many who are waging war against mental illness need to have on their side.

So goes the fitting title of his newly available song and EP, “Ally” — the latest in a string of stirring releases shining a stark spotlight on suicide and prevention.

Check out the video on YouTube here:

“With the theme of being ‘at war’ with mental illness, I wanted to show all aspects of it,” Nash shares, citing his forthcoming album’s title, This Is War. “There are moments when you're on the front lines. There are moments when you're in triage

As we begin to leave the chaos of the pandemic and COVID behind us, of course now we have the economical and sustainable problems it created.

It feels like a new start. Everything seems to be starting over. Same with me.  Sure, the artists I work with are still here, but they have their careers and are doing fine. The fresh start though offers me an opportunity to find a new artist that I could breakthrough in the world. I’m also excited about the new networks and places I know where I have a big chance as a manager to make a difference in a career and make the perfect storm.

What do I look for? I will be totally honest here and tell you the things that I’m looking for when I choose to start working with an artist. Not always all criteria are met but most of them must be fulfilled to be able to take advantage of the opportunity I can provide for their career.

While Girl Pow-R may be based out of Toronto, the young, powerhouse women who comprise the group come together from all parts of the globe, and now they’re back with a single that’s outta this “Galaxy” – watch more on YouTube here: youtube.com/c/GirlPowR

The JUNO-nominated girl group — including Emma Bown from Hamilton, Cindy Kofman from Richmond Hill, and Carina Bianchini from Markham — have been inspiring audiences and motivating young people since bursting on the scene in 2017. The pop/alternative/dance outfit found one another on International Women’s Day, and have been leaving their indelible mark on the music community ever since.

Now they’re back with “Galaxy,” the eponymous lead track off their sophomore release. The electro-pop, alternative track is a metamorphosis into a new sonic era for the group. Produced by Jovan Jovanov and Ivan Jovanov IWAYO, the song speaks to the greater purpose of the group: reminding fans that nothing is impossible and that aiming for the stars means landing among the galaxy and new heights.

SPIKE is comprised of a conference and series of music performances. The conference includes panel discussions and workshops that touch upon diverse topics in the music industry.  Read about the first 9 diversified Panelists and check back next week for the rest and see the new additions of talent and artists.

UMONG SHAH (UK)

Umong has collected various accolades during his time in music for example, being noted as IQ magazine’s 2015 Top 10 New Bosses, and Music Week’s 30 under 30, “Best of the rest”. He regularly participates on panels at internationally renowned conferences such as The Great Escape, Live UK and Liverpool Sound City.

Robert Plant joked that his experience of off-grid living at Bron-Yr-Aur Cottage had transformed him into the man seen on the cover of Led Zeppelin IV.

The singer, who’d spent childhood holidays at the remote house in Wales, went back there with Jimmy Page in 1970. In an environment with no electricity and no local services, the pair got to know each other better than ever. The songwriting sessions provided several songs for future albums and gave a new direction for the band as heard on Led Zeppelin III.

Sorry I really don’t have time to sit down and discuss the music of an artist that I have no interest in. I know that you have put all your heart and soul into your music. To tell you the truth, I don’t even sit down and talk music with artists that I’m a bit interested in. In most cases I don’t even discuss music with artists I work deeply with as a manager. Why not you ask?

The same reason the artist never discusses what I’m doing. They expect me to give them results in PR, bookings, development and opportunities. It’s not that we sit down and discuss how I fulfill these requests either. I also don’t really want to. They wouldn’t understand half of the meetings and logistics that I’m doing to create their career. In reality, I don’t understand either how they create their songs or what went into them.

Actor, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pianist Ian Lake releases his debut album What It Is on Friday, April 22^nd and to celebrate, Lake will perform live, with an audience, from 6:30-8:30 pm, doors at 6:00 pm, at The Dakota Tavern, 249 Ossington Ave, Toronto ON. What It Is will be available on all major platforms, and will also be available in vinyl and CD formats via Lake’s website: ianlake.com/

Toronto-based charity Chai Lifeline Canada is pleased to announce that Grammy-winning and music legend Kenny G (and Friends) will headline their annual concert at the Roy Thomson Hall on June 20, 2022.

An Evening Of Ballads And Bravery Benefit Concert At Roy Thomson Hall June 20, 2022
Concert in support of Chai Lifeline Canada / Tickets on sale NOW

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT roythomsonhall.mhrth.com/tickets/chai-2022/
Tickets $75.00 – $165.00; All Ages / Reserved Seating

Chai Lifeline Canada youth Ambassador Jess Rosenbloom will also be on stage, sharing her story of strength and bravery in the face of pediatric cancer. The evening will also include silent and live auctions and awards to celebrate extraordinary community service in support of Chai Lifeline Canada.

Featuring Ojibway Elder Dr. Duke Rebird and Indigenous artists Twin Flames, NY Times and BILLBOARD charting band Sultans of String have released their collaborative new single, “The Power of the Land” – check it out on YouTube here:

The orchestral version of the song is the latest to land from the multi-award-winning and JUNO-nominated group’s most recent album, 2021’s Sanctuary — an 11-track offering featuring a broad range of incredible talents from the USA/Canada, many of whom arrived as recent immigrants and refugees, and essential Indigenous voices.

For most, our weekly to-do lists usually consist of a laundry list of different tasks… Including laundry. For prolific, multi-honoured British singer-songwriter Fiona Ross, her’s always features something music-related, including one recent week devoted entirely to creating new music. Now, she’s treating us to its beautiful results with her brand-new EP, 7 Songs in 7 Days.

Productivity is not a problem for this highly accomplished multi-award-winning music maker. To clear out the remnants from writing and recording her latest, big production and Global Music Award-winning full-length release, Red Flags and High Heels, Ross took on this new project as an ambitious palate cleanser.

“7 Songs in 7 Days is exactly that!” Ross explains. “Each time I work on an album, I seem to get bigger and bigger with the instrumentation, and having just finished my Red Flags and High Heels album, my head is already full of big brass sections and string orchestras…

“So, I wanted to pull myself back a bit before I started, and I tasked myself with writing seven songs over seven days — all acoustic, simple, straightforward, and nothing fancy.”

Ensemble Vivant channels their rich stylistic diversity and innovative programming to create a classical fusion track that’s one-of-a-kind with their latest single, “iFugue,” and album, iFugue ~ A World of Fugues – check it out on YouTube here:

A sonic expedition of musical discovery, and harnessing all the brilliance of Antonio Vivaldi’s Sinfonia in E minor for strings and continuo, RV 134, Ensemble Vivant puts their own spin on an old compositional technique for the new offering.

The most common approach I receive nowadays with what I consider demo level recordings are:
“I want to create music that is different from others, I don't want to be a mainstream artist. I do music for fun, not money.”

I guess everyone that does music wants to be unique. I don’t think that anyone really sets out to copy another artist. When a style of course is successful, you have several artists that sound and look the same, but I still think that it’s more inspirational than these artists stealing. I don’t think an artist just sets out doing music to copy another artist, to be a total copycat, if so then you can be a tribute band, then you can even play your idol's hits.

The 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021.

The following is a list of the nominees and the winners:

Record of the Year
"I Still Have Faith In You," ABBA
"Freedom," Jon Batiste
"I Get A Kick Out Of You," Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
"Peaches," Justin Bieber Featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon
"Right On Time," Brandi Carlile
"Kiss Me More," Doja Cat Featuring SZA
"Happier Than Ever," Billie Eilish
"Montero" (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Nas X
"drivers license," Olivia Rodrigo
"Leave The Door Open," Silk Sonic *WINNER