In Canada
Billboard Canada is getting a major headliner for the inaugural Billboard Canada Live Stage.
Khalid will perform at the heart of downtown Toronto at Sankofa Square as part of NXNE’s 30th anniversary. That’s been the site of many of the beloved festival’s most memorable shows, including performances by Wu-Tang Clan, The Flaming Lips, The National, Iggy Pop & The Stooges and many more.
Billboard’s The Stage is known for bringing major chart-topping artists to festivals like SXSW, and Khalid is a perfect choice to expand it to Canada. He’s a major star of the streaming era, and he’ll return to the city for the first time since playing with Ed Sheeran at Rogers Centre in 2023.
Since debuting nearly a decade ago, Khalid has 40 charting hits on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 and 5 charting albums on the Canadian Albums chart, including Free Spirit, which went to No. 1 in 2019. He returned after a brief hiatus in 2024 with Sincere, his most mature and personal album yet, which has started a new phase of the R&B and pop artist’s illustrious career.
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Khalid has an undeniable connection to Canada, and has collaborated over the years with Canadian artists like Shawn Mendes, Tate McRae, Justin Bieber, Alessia Cara, Majid Jordan and more.
He’s played some huge shows in Toronto, including the city’s biggest arenas and stadiums. This show will bring him to the city’s most bustling intersection for a special moment celebrating his whole career.
Limited VIP tickets are available now, here. –Richard Trapunski
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Steven Guilbeault Becomes Canada’s New Minister of Culture. What Does That Mean For the Music Industry?
Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled his new Liberal Cabinet, which will have ramifications for some key ongoing issues in the music industry.
Steven Guilbeault was appointed as Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, a post with particular interest to the sector. He was also appointed Minister responsible for Official Languages.
The Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) wasted no time in outlining its industry concerns and requests to the new Minister. In a statement, the trade org welcomed Guilbeault to the position while issuing an urgent call to prioritize Canadian-owned culture, IP and sovereignty.
“Minister Guilbeault takes on this portfolio at a critical moment for Canada’s cultural sector,” CIMA writes after congratulating the new Minister. “As venture capital, global tech platforms, and multinational entertainment corporations expand their dominance and market share, the future of Canadian-owned culture — and the intellectual property that drives it — is at risk without renewed, dynamic and stable investment in the sector.”
The organization points to three recent events that they suggest threaten independent music in Canada, and says they “all underscore the growing concentration of global corporate power.” They are: TikTok’s withdrawal from global licensing negotiations with Merlin, Universal Music Group’s acquisition of Downtown Music’s assets and legal challenges launched by streaming services against paying into Canadian Content funds.
Andrew Cash, President and CEO of CIMA, stressed that “Canadian-owned music companies are not just players in our cultural economy — they are part of its foundation. They create intellectual property, generate jobs, tell Canadian stories, and fuel long-term economic growth. Without Canadian-owned companies, our culture risks being outsourced, diluted, and devalued.”
CIMA issued a very similar statement two weeks earlier, when the results of the federal election became known. It also urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to “make the investment in and promotion of Canadian-owned cultural businesses a top priority…to secure a strong future for Canadian culture.”
CIMA’s statement comes at a pivotal time, as hearings begin on drafting a new definition for CanCon in the implementation of the Online Streaming Act. A court challenge by major foreign-owned streaming companies like Spotify and Apple will also begin in June, with tech companies (joined by Music Canada) challenging the CRTC’s mandated fee payments for Canadian Content. –Kerry Doole
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Toronto’s Bowl at Sobeys Stadium Concert Venue Goes Quiet in 2025
Last year, a new concert venue was unveiled. In summer 2024, The Feldman Agency opened The Bowl at Sobeys Stadium, located at the site of Canada’s biggest tennis tournament, the National Bank Open. It was a partnership between Tennis Canada and the Toronto-based talent and booking company.
Now, after one summer of shows, the venue has gone quiet.
“We can confirm that we are hitting pause for summer 2025,” says Jeff Craib, president of The Feldman Agency, in a statement to Billboard Canada. “We will make further comment when there is any news to share.”
In a report by theToronto Star, Tennis Canada also confirmed the news, while saying they will “continue to work with the Feldman Agency with the hope the concert series will return in 2026 and beyond.”
The 9,000 capacity venue hosted a limited series of 2024 shows at The Bowl at Sobeys Stadium, including performances by the Barenaked Ladies, Shaggy, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, The Tea Party and comedian Kevin Hart.
Billboard Canada reported on the launch of the Bowl at Sobeys Stadium in December 2023, and Craib expressed optimism about its potential then. “We will be working closely together with Tennis Canada to provide the best of tennis and live entertainment to Toronto and its surrounding areas,” Craib said, noting that “Sobeys Stadium’s location in North America’s third-largest concert market (after New York and Los Angeles) and surrounding population of more than 6.8 million makes it a well-positioned live entertainment venue for both performers and fans.”
At the time, Craib shared that he expected around 15 shows per year at the open air venue.
Toronto is not starved for major concerts in summer 2025. The demand is high for arena and stadium shows, as stakeholders at the biggest companies have recently reported. This summer will see the opening of another temporary open-air venue, the 50,000 capacity Rogers Stadium, where Live Nation will present a full slate of concerts this summer. –KD
In just a few years, Toronto-born rapper and actor Connor Price has built a global audience and over 2 billion streams entirely on his own terms.
“Staying independent means ownership, creative control and being able to do things my own way,” says Price. “I can put out music when I want. I can say what I want. I can work with who I want. I can market it how I want. I don’t have to wait for a label.”
That mindset has already helped him carve out a career many would envy. Using social media, online savvy, and some help from his family and friends, Price has found a way to reach a wide fan base all over the world. It’s a 21st-century DIY rise. Build the fanbase first, then go out on the road. Release 110 songs, then record your debut album.
Connor Price stars on Billboard Canada’s new Indie Issue digital cover — a look at artists making it work without a label. In the story, he talks about going from a career as an actor into music and content creation, and the viral Spin The Globe project that has resulted in millions of streams not just for him but for independent artists all over the world.
“Being on the independent side and working so closely with my wife [Breanna, his manager], I have to know how the business side works,” he says. “Some artists might be in a label situation with a big team where all they have to do is focus on the music, which is great, all the power to them. But I actually have a lot of pride and enjoyment in both the business side and the creative side.”
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It’s every starry-eyed artist’s dream to sign a record deal — or so the conventional wisdom goes.
The recorded music industry has been built on the label model from its earliest days, with record companies providing funding to artists in exchange for rights to the music.
As recording has become cheaper and more accessible, though, the whole paradigm is shifting. Now, many artists are choosing to remain independent — or, in the case of major Canadian breakouts like The Beaches and Nemahsis, seeing success as independent artists after leaving a label roster.
That dynamic has been changing for decades, with strong independent streaks in DIY-minded genres like punk and hip-hop, but the internet has upended the industry to such an extent that artists across all genres are weighing the benefits of independence.
When you don’t have a label fronting funds or tapping into established release strategies and promotional networks, you need to make sure you’ve got a strong community around.
Ontario indie artist Ruby Waters knows that firsthand. She’s become a major breakout Canadian indie rock act in the last five years, with two Juno nominations, international tours and millions of streams under her belt.
“The main force to my independence as an artist really comes down to the love and support I’ve had from my day one homies and fans throughout my whole musical journey starting from back when I was singing on the street,” she says in another Billboard Canada Indie Issue feature.
Read the whole feature, which looks at the tools artists have without label support, here.
Billboard Summit Brings Global Talent to Toronto This Summer
A major global initiative is coming to Canada.
The inaugural Billboard Summit will bring some of the world’s biggest artists to Toronto’s NXNE Festival for a series of dynamic, artist-led conversations in June.
The full-day event will go beyond industry panel conversations to centre musicians talking about what they’re most passionate about: their processes, collaborations and breakthroughs.
Charlotte Cardin is the first artist announced to join the summit. The Montreal-based singer and songwriter has had an international breakout over the last few years, charting on multiple Billboard charts and touring throughout Canada, Europe and the Middle East.
Her global rise led from Billboard Canada Women in Music, where she was named Woman of the Year in 2024, to the global Billboard Women in Music stage in Los Angeles this past March, where she represented Canada as Global Woman of the Year.
Cardin will speak on the topic of Breaking Through Barriers by sharing experiences and moments that have defined her career and offering inspiration to anyone striving to push boundaries.
Other soon-to-be-announced names will include artists from around the world — from trailblazing Canadians who’ve built influential brands that have resonated across borders to international artists who’ve set chart and live music records throughout the globe.
Stay tuned for the full programming announcement, featuring an exciting lineup of diverse voices and thought-provoking speakers.
More info here.
PUP Chart on Billboard Canadian Albums for the Fourth Straight Time with ‘Who Will Look After The Dogs?’
Punk is back on the charts this week.
Toronto band PUP have debuted their newest album Who Will Look After The Dogs? on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart this week, dated May 17. The album enters at No. 72 and marks the band’s fourth consecutive album on the chart since its sophomore effort, The Dream Is Over, first landed at No. 48 in 2016.
The album is fun and self-deprecating in ways we’ve come to expect from PUP, but also reflects the band’s major life changes: members got married or had kids, one expanded his home studio, and singer Stefan Babcock ended a decade-long relationship.
Although they have previously reached higher peaks on the chart, the band has some serious momentum. Following a stint playing arenas opening for Sum 41 on the band’s farewell tour, they’re now currently on tour in Europe and will also celebrate the record with a citywide summer tour in Toronto. The Mega-City Madness Tour is set to kick off in July, with dates at six venues in PUP’s hometown.
Elsewhere on the chart, legendary British rock band Pink Floyd earns this week’s top debut on the chart with Pink Floyd At Pompeii: MCMLXXII, which lands at No. 45. It is the first-ever soundtrack album for the band’s 1972 concert film Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii, which was recently remastered in 4K and re-released in theatres. It is the only other debut on the May 17 chart.
Check out the whole Canadian Albums chart breakdown here. – Stefano Rebuli
It’s no secret that Canadian festivals have been facing hard times.
The post-lockdown years have seen high-profile festivals filing for creditor protection, like Montreal’s comedy behemoth Just for Laughs; scrambling to reorganize or downsize programming, like Toronto Jazz Festival and Calgary’s JazzYYC, after TD withdrew sponsorship; or cancelling editions altogether, like Toronto food and culture festival Taste of the Danforth.
Of course, major festivals closed before the pandemic, too, for a range of reasons. And many festivals wind down naturally, through generational or leadership shifts. But Erin Benjamin of the Canadian Live Music Association agrees that festivals are facing a difficult landscape in the years after 2020.
“COVID ripped up the playbook,” she tells Billboard Canada.
“The cost of goods and services and labour and talent is extremely high,” Benjamin adds. “And it continues to go up.”
Audience habits have shifted, too. She notes that festival-goers are definitely buying tickets later, leaving event planners with cash flow troubles.
In its 2025 Hear and Now report, the Canadian Live Music Association states that in 2024, the problem stretched beyond Canada. “Cancelled tours and festivals due to lower ticket sales, rising costs, and environmental impacts has led to overall industry decline,” the authors write. “High prices for top acts are exhausting fan budgets leaving less for mid-range artists.”
International mega-music festivals aren’t immune. After slow ticket sales in 2024, more than half of Coachella’s 2025 general admission attendees bought tickets through payment plans.
When festivals shut down, people lose a connection to local history and a chance to meet their neighbours. Benjamin adds that arts workers lose livelihoods, while local communities lose economic impact.
If the live industry is facing hurdles, it’s also true that music tourism is still a popular vacation choice. “We’ve got to capitalize on that music tourism piece here in Canada,” Benjamin says. “We have incredible infrastructure already. We need to take care of our infrastructure, need to continue to create opportunities for artists.”
Benjamin adds that each level of government — municipal, provincial and federal — has a role to play in harnessing that potential.
Every festival faces its own particular set of circumstances that help secure or shut down the next edition. But it’s clear that conditions across the industry are putting pressure on festivals, from Newfoundland to British Columbia.
For a list of festivals that have closed or called for support, head here. – Rosie Long Decter
Craig “Big C” Mannix Joins CMRRA as Industry Relations Consultant – Community Engagement
The Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) is making a key hire to reflect the diversity of Canadian music.
Craig “Big C” Mannix has joined the CMRRA as industry relations consultant – community engagement.
An influential figure in the Canadian music industry, Mannix has served as vp of Black music at Universal Music Canada; held roles at Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music Canada and Virgin Records Canada; and had a founding role with ADVANCE, Canada’s Black Music Business Collective. He has also played a key role in developing the careers of major Canadian names like Kardinal Offishall, K-os and Pressa.
The CMRRA is one of the leading reproduction royalty distribution agencies in Canada. It distributed $96 million in royalties in 2024, a 23% increase from 2023. That growth was significantly driven by music on TikTok, where royalties increased by 126%. Mannix looks to continue working with creators moving forward.
The CMRRA also reported a 50% increase in international revenues, highlighting the importance of global potential in the current Canadian music landscape. Mannix’s role specifically focuses on community engagement and deepening relationships with underrepresented music communities.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to work with CMRRA. My love for music and art is what brought me into this business over 35 years ago — and it’s what’s kept me in it,” says Mannix about his latest career chapter. “I’ve always focused on driving culture with integrity, passion, and decency. I’m looking forward to connecting with more creators and communities through this new role.”
CMRRA is turning 50 this year. In a special industry newsletter, president Paul Shaver celebrated the organization’s growth.
“We have over 7,000 clients worldwide and a well-earned reputation across the industry for being efficient, technology-forward, client-focused, and trustworthy,” Shaver wrote in the newsletter. “Many of these clients represent hundreds or thousands of songwriters, further amplifying our global reach and impact.”
As global reach improves, it’s also important to focus on the communities that exist within the country. Royalty distribution is an important sector of the country’s music industry, and CMRRA is making strides to open it up to the full diversity of Canadian musicians. – Stefano Rebuli
Toronto Music Experience to Open a Permanent Museum by 2029
Toronto’s music scene is getting its own museum.
The Toronto Music Experience (TME) has unveiled plans to launch a permanent cultural home by 2029, commemorating the city’s worldwide impact through music.
The TME announced plans for its expansion on Monday (May 5) at a private event at Live Nation’s The Lounge in Toronto featuring artists including Rush’s Alex Lifeson, Jully Black and Lorraine Segato.
The organization announced that it has been granted charitable status, which means it can go ahead with fundraising, partnerships and community engagement as part of its five-year plan towards its permanent home.
TME’s goal is to highlight Toronto’s musical past, present, and future through immersive exhibits, pop-up activations, live performances and education initiatives. It aims for a storytelling approach, highlighting the achievements that have shaped the city’s music scene, from its historical Indigenous roots to the global impact of superstars like Drake, The Weeknd and Rush.
The museum fulfills the city’s need for a hallmark representation of its impactful musical legacy that is currently missing.
“We don’t have a museum devoted to what is arguably Toronto’s biggest cultural phenomenon, its biggest international export,” TME board director and longtime music journalist Nicholas Jennings told Billboard Canada in November 2024. “This is an untapped area for the city, and there is a need for it, because we’re losing some of these stories.”
TME has been actively telling these stories through a number of exhibitions in partnership with Friar’s Music Museum, located in a Shopper’s Drug Mart at Yonge and Dundas, the former home of the Friar’s Tavern music venue. TME hosted its first-ever live show experience with the Sound of Rhythms & Resistance concert at TD Hall in November 2024, serving as an extension of its “Rhythms & Resistance” exhibit in 2021.
“The success of the two exhibits that we’ve held at Friar’s has shown us that there’s an appetite and a market for something more permanent,” Jennings said.
TME wants to incorporate a mix of production, retail and café spaces as well as pop-up exhibits, pairing music education alongside interactive experiences featuring memorabilia.
“Our mission is to build an experiential space where artifacts meet immersive experiences in tribute to the artists, communities, and cultures that make our city sing,” says Denise Donlon, a music industry and broadcast executive and member of TME’s advisory board. “It’s a powerful way to celebrate our past and inspire the next generation of creators.” – SR
Billboard Canada is getting ready to spotlight some of the most vital players in the music industry: music managers.
Managers to Watch — Billboard’s spotlight on the teams behind music’s biggest breakout artists — will expand to Canada for the first time at this year’s NXNE festival.
A special invite-only Managers to Watch reception will take place on June 11, directly before Billboard Canada Power Players. The event will build on Billboard Canada’s new partnership with Music Managers Forum, which is moving its Honour Roll celebration of the most legendary managers in the business to NXNE this year.
Both recognitions will be given out at the Managers to Watch reception, after which all invited managers will be invited to stay and mingle with the most influential members of the industry at Billboard Canada Power Players.
The event will foster community and opportunity for self-managed artists and managers, who play a critical role in the success of Canadian artists on the international stage.
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“We’re proud to partner with MMF Canada to spotlight the managers powering the next wave of talent,” says Mo Ghoneim, president of Billboard UK and Billboard Canada. “They’re key players behind many of the industry’s biggest breakthroughs, and we’re excited to recognize their contributions on a global stage through Billboard.”
The Music Managers to Watch list will feature a hand-selected list of artists and self-managed artists making waves in the industry. It will be chosen by the editorial team at Billboard Canada. Managers can submit for consideration using this form.
Find more info here. – Richard Trapunski
CIMA Makes an Appeal to Prime Minister Mark Carney
The votes were still being tallied in the Canadian federal election on Monday morning (April 29) when the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) sprang into action. The trade org issued a press release congratulating Mark Carney and the Liberal Party of Canada on their electoral victory while urging Carney to, in its words, “make the investment in and promotion of Canadian-owned cultural businesses a top priority.”
The statement stressed that “the global cultural economy is changing rapidly, and with it come significant risks to Canada’s cultural and economic sovereignty. Recent developments — including TikTok’s decision to walk away from licensing negotiations with Merlin, a key representative of independent music worldwide; Universal Music Group’s acquisition of Downtown Music’s assets; and the legal challenge by global tech platforms, in partnership with foreign-owned multinational record companies, to avoid regulation under Bill C-11 — starkly illustrate the growing concentration of global corporate power in Canada’s cultural sector. If left unchecked, these trends threaten to erode Canadian ownership of intellectual property, diminish our global competitiveness, and compromise the future of Canadian cultural exports.”CIMA emphasizes four priorities for the most industry and suggests the government act quickly:
Prioritize Canadian ownership in cultural policy and investment frameworks;
Strengthen competition, trade, and copyright policies to protect Canadian IP holders;
Champion independent Canadian businesses in international markets;
Defend Canada’s right to regulate its cultural industries against multinational corporate resistance.
CIMA concluded by noting, “We are eager to work with your government to secure a strong future for Canadian culture — Canadian culture remains Canadian-owned, Canadian-created, and world-renowned.”
Read more here. – Kerry Doole
Black Eyed Peas’ Apl.de.Ap and Other Lapu Lapu Day Festival Performers Speak After Van Attack in Vancouver
Artists are sharing their heartbreak after a deadly attack at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day festival.
The attack killed 11 people, leaving dozens more injured, when an SUV drove through the block party on Saturday (April 26.) A 30-year-old man has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder.
Organized by Filipino BC, the festival is a celebration of Filipino hero Datu Lapu-Lapu and an annual occasion for the Filipino-Canadian community to celebrate resilience and cultural heritage.
The attack took place in the evening, following a day of performances from artists like The Black Eyed Peas‘ apl.de.ap (the Filipino-American artist also known as Allan Pineda Lindo), multi-disciplinary artist Kaya Ko and R&B singer Sade Awele. Festival performers are sharing messages and calling for support for the B.C. Filipino community following the attack.
Apl.de.ap and Filipino singer J. Rey Soul had recently left the stage after finishing their headlining set when the attack took place.
“It’s hard to describe the shock and heaviness we feel,” they shared in a joint statement on social media. “Please keep the victims, their families, and the organizers in your prayers.”
“The one thing I have noticed, from the audience to the messages sent around, is the sense of community that wraps its loving arms around us.”
Festival chair RJ Aquino spoke about the support that’s been pouring in from around the world.
“It’s not lost on us … that the spirit of the festival was about that resistance, resilience, that courage, that strength,” he told reporters, per CBC.
“And you know, we’re going to have to call that up in ourselves.”
Awele shared her prayers for the B.C. Filipino community on Instagram. “I was barely able to sleep thinking about the tragic incident that occurred after the festival,” she said. “We can’t keep living like this — treating each other with hate and violence. We have to do better.”
Read more here. – Rosie Long Decter
Music Canada has applied to intervene in a key Canadian music policy battle.
The organization, which advocates for the major labels in Canada, is seeking leave to intervene in the legal challenge over the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC’s) 2024 decision that major streaming services must pay into Canadian content funds as part of the implementation of the Online Streaming Act.
The mandate specifies that foreign-owned services with more than $25 million in annual revenue contribute 5% of that revenue to funding bodies like FACTOR and Musicaction and an in-development Indigenous Music Fund.
That decision has become a major battle in the Canadian music industry. Organizations like the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) and the Indigenous Music Office have welcomed it. Others, like the Digital Media Association (DIMA), which represents the major streamers, have been fiercely critical of what they call the “streaming tax.”
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In December, the Federal Court of Appeal paused the mandated payments until an appeal of the decision is heard this year.
Now, Music Canada is wading into the legal challenge, aiming to speak to what it calls the potential harms the regulation may cause to existing investments made by streaming companies in the country.
“Specifically, we are asking the court to consider music streaming services’ direct investments in Canada among qualifying contributions,” reads a statement from Music Canada. “We are concerned that the CRTC’s base contributions decision risks harming ongoing and direct investments in the Canadian music streaming market and Canadian and Indigenous artists.”
Music Canada points out that streaming services have dedicated teams in Canada, investing in programs and initiatives that support Canadian and Indigenous musicians.
“In setting the 5% levy, the CRTC did not take into account or recognize any of the investments made by music streaming services in Canada,” they write.
However, in a previous interview with Billboard Canada, CIMA president Andrew Cash argued that the investments streamers currently make aren’t comparable to the career development enabled by Canadian organizations like FACTOR and Musicaction.
“Over the last five years, FACTOR has supported over 6,500 artists across the country,” he said, pointing to artists like Charlotte Cardin and The Weeknd as just two musicians who received key early investment from FACTOR.
Music Canada also takes issue with the fact that a portion of the base contributions will be used for a news fund that isn’t specifically related to music. (Specifically, 1.5% of the 5% contributions are mandated for “a new temporary fund supporting local news production by commercial radio stations outside of the designated markets.”)
“While support for news is a laudable goal, it should not come at the expense of artists who are already trying to compete in a highly competitive, global music marketplace,” Music Canada’s statement reads.
Read more here. – Rosie Long Decter
More Than 150 Canadian Musicians Sign Open Letter Against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre Ahead of Canadian Election
Canadian musicians are making their election choices known.
More than 150 musicians have signed a new letter from Music Votes Canada that aims to stop conservative leader Pierre Poilievre from winning the federal election on Monday (April 28).
“An Open Letter to Canadians: Why We Must Stop Pierre Poilievre from Becoming Prime Minister” features major signatories like Allison Russell, Dan Mangan, Raffi, Torquil Campbell (Stars), Haley Blais, Charlotte Cornfield and Damian Abraham (F—ed Up).
Also signing on was The Weather Station, who last week, upon returning home from a tour through the U.S., published an impassioned plea for Canadians to stay engaged in the election.
“Music comes from a place of deep love, and as musicians, we want to use the power of music to help bring our country together in this time of poly crises,” the letter reads.
Canadians are at a crossroads, the letter continued, stating that the “federal election on April 28th is possibly the most important in our country’s history.” It goes on to argue that Poilievre’s platform runs counter to “Canada’s core values” such as public services, climate action and inclusive democracy.
“His agenda echoes Donald Trump’s playbook: sowing division, empowering the wealthy, and weakening institutions that unite us,” it reads.
The letter highlights several parts of the Conservative campaign that are particularly concerning for musicians: Poilievre’s threats to public broadcaster CBC; his commitments to expanding fossil fuel production amidst the climate crisis; and rhetoric that is “fostering division instead of unity” when it comes to marginalized communities.
The letter calls for leaders to ensure that every Canadian has a safe, affordable home; to tackle the climate crisis; to tax corporate profits; and to support arts and culture in Canada through a 1% commitment of the federal budget to the arts.
Outside of its anti-Poilievre position, Music Votes Canada doesn’t explicitly endorse any particular party or candidate in the letter. Instead, it concludes by calling on voters to support candidates who are best positioned to defeat the Conservative Party, endorsing resources such as Cooperate for Canada and Lead Now, which provide candidate and riding guides.
One major Canadian star has come out with a strong endorsement of a specific candidate: Neil Young, who is putting his support behind Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals in a letter titled “I’m With You, Mr. Carney.”
Though Young now has dual citizenship with the U.S >, as he writes on his website, “I am a Canadian and always will be.” He goes on to reminisce about his childhood in Ontario and Manitoba and express gratitude for the platform he has built to speak truth to power.
“Canada is facing threats to its very existence, incredibly from people we thought were our friends,” Young writes. “They want our resources, they want our land, they want our fisheries, they want our water, they want our Arctic, maybe they want our souls. I know the U.S. president could use a soul.”
Addressing Carney directly, he writes, “I believe you are the person our country needs to lead us through this crazy situation and bring us out the other side as a stronger, smarter, more resilient Canada, our core values of caring and fairness and generosity intact, along with our souls.”
Read more here. – RLD
Nigerian Music Executives Ikenna Nwagboso and Camillo Doregos Launch Hi-Way 89 Entertainment in Canada
There’s a new music company bridging Canada and Africa.
Hi-Way 89 Entertainment is a new Canadian music company headquartered between Toronto and Calgary, founded by two Nigerian-Canadian music executives — Ikenna Nwagboso and Camillo Doregos — who both have deep experience in breaking African artists on the international stage.
The new company will focus on providing artist development and label services, concentrating on artists from both Canada and Africa. Its first signing is Canadian pop/R&B singer Chrissy Spratt, who on Friday (April 25) released a new single on the label, “In Too Deep,” with distribution through Vydia/gamma.
“We are a Canadian company and, with the tremendous success we’ve had exporting African music globally, we want to do the same thing in Canada, working with Canadian artists and showing the world the gem that is Canada, and the amount of talent here,” Nwagboso said in a statement. “We understand what it takes to develop global superstars and we have the knowledge, access, resources, contacts, and partnerships to make that happen.”
Nwagboso and Doregos are now based in Toronto and Calgary, respectively. Nwagboso previously co-founded African music company emPawa Africa in 2018, serving as global head of label services and partnerships before stepping down in January. In that role, he oversaw the signing and development of artists including GuiltyBeatz, Joeboy, Fave, King Promise, Minz, Xenia Manasseh, Nandy, Tekno and Nezsa.
Nwagboso also led emPawa Africa’s flagship initiatives: the emPawa 100 and emPawa 30 campaigns, which developed 130 emerging artists from across the continent. Nwagboso is also a co-founder of Exodus Music Group, home to artists Geo Baddoo (U.K.), Nezsa (Canada/Nigeria) and Zubi (Nigeria).
Doregos, previously a manager for Mr Eazi, is the founder of DC Talent Agency, the management company behind Nigerian music stars Pheelz and Kah-Lo and South African amapiano duo TxC. He also operates a booking agency, DC Talent Agency, that has secured festival appearances, live shows and brand deals for artists including Rema, Wizkid, Davido and Moliy.
Hi-Way 89 aims to “cast a wide net with our signings,” the company said, but the initial focus will be on acts from Canada and Africa. In addition to Spratt, the first round of signings includes Nigerian artist Siraheem and South African DJ Chelsea Sloan.
The new label has high hopes for Spratt. The Ottawa artist has made a major splash on Instagram and TikTok, with an audience now numbering more than 5.5 million followers between the two platforms. There, she has grabbed attention with covers of songs ranging from R&B to Latin, with her versions of Afrobeats hits like Kizz Daniel’s “Cough (Odo)” and Ckay’s “Love Nwantiti” especially connecting with listeners in Nigeria and earning endorsements from top Nigerian artists.
Spratt is now concentrating on original music, and Hi-Way 89 plans to release her debut EP this summer. “In Too Deep” was produced by Grammy Award winner Daramola (Danny Ocean, Kapo), while the EP will feature such collaborators as Nonso Amadi, Tems’ “Higher” producer Tejiri, and Canadian songwriting team Coleman Hell & La+ch. – Kerry Doole
Canadian musicians and music organizations are speaking out ahead of the federal election on April 28.
Indie folk artist The Weather Station took to Instagram on April 15 to make an impassioned plea to Canadians not to check out of this election. She had just returned from a tour in the U.S., supporting her new album Humanhood, and told followers that now is the time to prevent Canada from following in America’s footsteps.
“I cannot articulate the level of relief I felt this time crossing the border back into Canada,” she says. “I think we have no lived understanding of how bad things could get.”
The Weather Station, whose name is Tamara Lindeman, has previously spoken out about the U.S. administration, citing authoritarianism, threats to free speech and the right to protest, and dismantling of public services serving climate, education, health care and social security.
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In her new video, she highlights the people fighting for those issues and to build community amidst the crisis south of the border.
“Loved the shows, loved all the people we met, but it’s so incredibly painful to see what people are going through,” she says. “People feel exhausted, they feel afraid and at risk, they feel powerless…a lot of people increasingly feel kind of silenced, which is really scary.”
Speaking to Billboard Canada about why she felt compelled to share the video, Lindeman adds that when it comes to this election, the stakes couldn’t be higher. “For an avalanche of reasons — from Trump’s threats of annexation, to how misinformation and MAGA-style politics are moving across the border, to the immensity of the climate crisis, to the affordability crisis across this country,” she elaborates.
She also points out Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre‘s desire to defund the CBC as particularly concerning for musicians, given how the public broadcaster supports Canadian music through radio airplay and events.
Her post received positive comments from fellow Canadian musicians like Jill Barber and Bells Larsen. Larsen, a folk singer-songwriter, last week shared that he cannot tour in the U.S. due to changes in Visa application policy that target trans musicians, requiring legal ID to match sex assigned at birth.
Canadian music organizations have also been emphasizing the importance of this election across party affiliations, against the backdrop of American politics.
Allistair Elliott, AFM vice president from Canada, sent out a message today to American Federation of Musicians members in Canada titled “Make Your Vote Count.”
“The upcoming election is critical for Canadians — no matter your political leanings, your vote matters,” Elliott writes. “Look south of the border to understand what can happen. In the last U.S. election, 32% of votes went to Republicans and 31% to Democrats. That means 68% of U.S. voters did not vote for the current president. True democracy is achieved when everyone votes. Plan, do your research, and most importantly, vote. It really matters, can, and will make a difference.”
The message stops short of endorsing particular parties or candidates, but highlights policy areas that affect musicians and arts workers, such as generative artificial intelligence, diversity equity and inclusion, trade tariffs, and strengthening public health care.
The Canadian Live Music Association published a note last week from President Erin Benjamin, emphasizing the importance of the live music industry in Canada to both the country’s economy and its cultural identity.
Benjamin called on supporters to send a letter to federal election candidates of all parties, calling on them to leverage Canadian music for the future.
The Canadian federal election is Monday, April 28. –Rosie Long Decter
Hamilton Indie Label Sonic Unyon Launches SUM Artist Management, Headed By Wayne Pett
Hamilton-based independent label and music company Sonic Unyon Records has unveiled its latest initiative, SUM Artist Management. It’s a new arm of the company dedicated to representing and developing artists, identifying and opening opportunities to them.
Taking the helm as both director of artist management at SUM Artist Management and label operations for Sonic Unyon Records is Wayne Petti, a well-known figure on the Canadian music scene as frontman for highly-regarded roots-rockers Cuff the Duke. At SUM, Petti will work in league with Sonic Unyon owner/CEO Tim Potocic, representing a musically diverse and notable roster of clients.
That includes roots-rock singer-songwriter Terra Lightfoot, Polaris Prize-winning auteur Owen Pallett, Hamilton shoegaze combo Basement Revolver, American feminist performance artist and electro-rocker JD Samson (Le Tigre), retro cover band Born in the Eighties, multi-instrumentalist and composer Michael Peter Olsen, and three bands at the forefront of an Indigenous wave in Canadian rock, Zoon, OMBIIGIZI and Status/Non-Status.
“We’re about constant evolution,” says Potocic. “As a label, we’ve signed newcomers and longtime favourites as well as bigger bands like Danko Jones and Big Wreck. All of that is super exciting and some of the best music we’ve ever released. At the same time, this is not an industry that rewards sitting still. It’s a challenging time and a tough landscape, but opportunities still abound. We’ve always believed in the value of our artists, and artists more generally, so artist management is the natural outgrowth of that.”
In an interview with Billboard Canada, Petti notes that, “I’ve been involved in artist management for close to 10 years now. I have a unique perspective on the music business having both experienced what it’s like to be a recording artist and everything that goes along with that, plus experiencing working with artists and helping to guide them through their own careers. I’m very much an ‘artist first’ type of manager. I don’t chase things just for the money. I want the artists I work for to feel supported. I want them to focus on being creative and unique artists and I’m just there to help facilitate their vision and goals artistically.”
“Our main goal at SUM is to work with unique artists regardless of whether they are Canadian, American or from somewhere else around the world,” he continues. “I think we’re off to a great start.”
Petti previously made a major mark in artist management during eight years with Hamilton-based Straight & Narrow Management, which handles major international stars The National, as well as Broken Social Scene, Hannah Georgas, Kevin Drew and Georgia Harmer.
The creation of SUM Artist Management aligns with Sonic Unyon’s expansion into industry sectors beyond the traditional duties of a record label. Sonic Unyon Distribution was founded in 1998 to distribute Sonic Unyon and other labels in Canada, going on to build a roster that included dozens of domestic imprints and the exclusive representation of over 200 international independent labels in Canada. –Kerry Doole
Canadian music is good for more than just the economy — it’s central to the country’s national identity.
That’s the crux of a new open letter written by Erin Benjamin, president/CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association. The letter anticipates the Canadian federal election on April 28 and advocates for elected officials to understand the cultural significance of music to the country. Liberal leader Mark Carney recently became Prime Minister of Canada after Justin Trudeau’s resignation, while Pierre Poilievre is running for the Conservative party and Jagmeet Singh for the New Democratic Party (NDP).
The letter doesn’t mention the U.S. President by name or refer explicitly to tariffs or talk of Canada as the “51st state,” but it situates the country in a moment of national uncertainty, reflecting on what it means to live in Canada and what the country will look like going forward.
Within that context, Benjamin writes, it’s crucial that policymakers understand both the economic and cultural benefits of Canada’s live music sector.
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“In the face of today’s generational challenges, on the doorstep of our nation’s future, the time has come to fully integrate and interlace this formidable industry into the systems and policies that shape our society, for the benefit of all Canadians,” Benjamin writes.
The letter cites CLMA’s recent Hear and Now study, the first-ever economic impact assessment of live music in Canada, which found that live music contributed $10.92 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2023 and supported more than 100,000 jobs. But music’s impact can’t just be measured monetarily, Benjamin writes.
“It’s central to our cultural fabric, shaping how we connect and define ourselves as Canadian,” the letter continues. “As we face growing uncertainty and instability — we risk losing not just critical economic opportunities but the very essence of our national identity.”
“Who are we if our artists can’t continue to create and perform due to financial pressures brought on by the cost of touring, access to performance opportunities, and shrinking resources and supports? What happens to our sense of community, our shared experiences, if we lose our cultural infrastructure…the venues, festivals, and spaces that live music provides?”
Benjamin’s letter is part of a broader conversation happening amidst a swell in national pride in the face of threats from the U.S. The music industry has tapped into that pride, which was on display at the 2025 Junos.
Beyond hockey slogans and beer ads, Canadian cultural leaders are emphasizing the importance of the arts and culture sector in maintaining Canadian sovereignty.
Read more here. — Rosie Long Decter
Billboard Canada Partners with Music Managers Forum
Billboard Canada is teaming up with Music Managers Forum (MMF Canada) to highlight vital, yet often under-recognized, drivers of the music industry.
Behind many great artists is a dedicated and strategic music manager working tirelessly. For nearly three decades, MMF Canada has been the voice of music managers and self-managed artists in the country. The organization builds community and empowers managers with opportunities and mentorship.
MMF Canada also presents the Honour Roll, an annual celebration of outstanding Canadian music managers and self-managed artists. This award acknowledges the critical role managers play in shaping the success of Canadian artists and celebrates those who have made a lasting impact. This year, the honour will be presented during NXNE, the longstanding and well-loved music festival that is also beginning a strategic partnership with Billboard Canada.
“We are excited about this partnership with Billboard Canada and NXNE,” says MMF Canada executive director Amie Therrien. “One of our goals at MMF Canada is to ensure that the work managers do, largely behind the scenes, is recognized and celebrated. As the artist’s representative and support system, the contributions of managers is crucial for a thriving and sustainable music industry. To have a partner that understands and champions that work is invaluable.”
The organization has a thriving network and community of managers representing some of the biggest success stories in Canadian music, and some artists who are well on their way to joining them.
“At Billboard Canada, we recognized a significant gap in the industry: a lack of industry-wide support and recognition for the vital work that music managers do every day,” says Mo Ghoneim, president of Billboard Canada and Artshouse Media Group, the co-owner of NXNE. “Understanding their role as the foundation of the music industry, we felt a responsibility to fill that gap by creating a space to tell their stories, highlight their contributions and provide them with the recognition they deserve.”
The MMF Honour Roll has been presented annually since 2007, though this is the first year it will move to NXNE. The award is given to a Canadian music manager for outstanding career achievements.
Previous recipients have included industry legends and current stalwarts, from Bernie Finklestein, Bruce Allen and Ray Danniels to Jake Gold, Chris Smith, Susan de Cartier, Sandy Pandya and Lascelles Stephens. Whether or not you know their names, you do know the results of their work. Together, they’ve guided the careers of artists including Nelly Furtado, Bruce Cockburn, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bryan Adams, Rush, Colin James, Sarah MacLachlan, kd lang, The Tragically Hip, Haviah Mighty and many more.
Read more here. — Richard Trapunski
Neil Young Will Play a Rare Solo Concert Near His Hometown in Lakefield, Ontario
Neil Young‘s status as a hometown hero in the Peterborough/Lakefield region in Ontario just took another giant leap forward.
On May 23, the Canadian rock icon will play an outdoor benefit concert at Lakefield College School’s Northcote Campus to raise funds for the restoration of the historic farmhouse on the Northcote property — a project that fits with Young’s commitment to the values of preserving history and community.
Young’s roots in this area run deep, as he spent formative childhood years (from ages 4 to 11) in the small community of Omemee, 20 kilometers west of Peterborough and close to Lakefield. “There is a town in north Ontario,” goes a Young-penned line featured in the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young classic “Helpless” that was inspired by Omemee.
Young’s journalist/novelist father, Scott Young, bought a family farm there that was in the family until the late 1980s. The Ptbotoday website reports that “Neil’s connection to the area deepened in recent years when he and his wife, actress Daryl Hannah, relocated to a 116-year-old cottage near Lakefield in September 2020. According to updates on his Neil Young Archives website, the couple winterized the property and spent nearly six months there during the pandemic, embracing the solitude of the Kawarthas.”
This is not the first Neil Young benefit concert in the area. In 2017, he played a solo acoustic show at Omemee’s Coronation that was live-streamed worldwide and raised $18,000 for the music program of the town’s Scott Young Public School. He will also perform solo at the upcoming show.
The Lakefield concert, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will have a restricted capacity of approximately 2,000 concertgoers.
Read more here. — Kerry Doole
Vancouver label Nettwerk is giving a boost to a key west coast accelerator program.
Music BC’s ARC intensive welcomes 10-15 emerging artists annually to participate in intensive workshops and professional development training. For the next three years, Nettwerk will be offering extra resources to the program, to help the cohorts further grow their skills and profiles.
Specifically, Nettwerk will give participants the opportunity to leverage the label’s direct access to digital service providers (DSPs) and social media properties. In an industry where digital presence has become paramount, those tools will help ARC artists reach a wider range of fans and build audiences toward long-term loyalty.
The label is an influential indie music company in Canada, representing Canadian and international talent like pop duo Milk & Bone, folk singer James Vincent McMorrow, and indie pop artist Miya Folick. Founded in 1984, Nettwerk operates in cities across the globe like London, Sydney, Berlin and Nashville. Recently, the label celebrated its 40th anniversary.
“At Nettwerk, we believe deeply in the value of the independent music sector in fostering innovation and elevating exceptional talent,” says Nettwerk president Simon Mortimer-Lamb. “Partnering with Music BC’s ARC Program celebrates Nettwerk’s unwavering commitment to helping unsigned Canadian talent find their places on the world stage and build a lasting legacy in the music industry.”
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“With an undeniable track record and a long-standing commitment to artist development, Nettwerk has helped shape the careers of countless artists on the global stage,” adds Music BC Executive Director Lindsay MacPherson. “It speaks volumes that they recognize the impact of our work through ARC to empower emerging talent in our own backyard.
ARC has hosted three cohorts so far, with alumni including rising hip-hop artist Kimmortal and R&B singer Sadé Awele. The program consists of a three-day training clinic, a five-day retreat, and a culminating performance, tackling topics like building a brand, vocal performance and recording techniques and mental health care.
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bbno$ Lands ‘Check’ on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100
bbno$ has a knack for making the most of a moment.
The Vancouver rapper won the TikTok Fan Choice Award at the Junos this past weekend, and used the time to nab the viral moment of the night. “Elon Musk is a piece of garbage,” he said, eliciting cheers in the patriotic crowd. (He also took the time to remind people his name is pronounced “baby no money” and not “bibinos.”)
Already in the viral zeitgeist, he has another thing to celebrate as his song “Check” debuts at No. 75 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 for the chart dated April 5, 2025.
Built around a familiar sample, War’s instantly recognizable “Low Rider” horns, the song’s nonstop hooks burrow into your head in less than two minutes – though many are hearing it in even shorter 5 or 10 second chunks on TikTok.
bbno$ has had billions of streams on Spotify and TikTok for songs like “La La La” and “Edamame,” with “Check” quickly racking them up too, so expect to see him on the charts again.
Check out more on this week’s charts here.
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SOCAN Celebrates 100th Year: Canada’s largest music rights organization marks its centennial with a record $512.4 million in royalty distributions, a 17.5% increase from 2023. Despite this success, SOCAN warns that less than 10% of online music consumed in Canada is Canadian-made. It urges greater support for local artists, emphasizing their role in the nation’s economy, culture, and global presence. SOCAN’s 2024 Annual Report highlights revenue growth to $559.4 million, new software initiatives, and enhanced educational programs, maintaining an expense-to-revenue ratio of 12%. FULL STORY
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SiriusXM Canada Launches New South Asian Music Channel, SiriusXM Dhamaka
SiriusXM Canada is launching a new channel dedicated to South Asian music.
That makes the satellite radio company the latest in a series of Canadian music institutions to put resources behind the massive growth of South Asian music in Canada.
The new channel, SiriusXM Dhamaka, is available across North America on channel 796. The channel will play a mix of Canadian and international stars, as well as featuring exclusive artist interviews, live performances, talk programming and comedy.
It’s programmed by Canadian radio host and Emmy-nominated music supervisor Raoul Juneja. Juneja previously created Canada’s first South Asian music TV show, V-Mix on OMNI Television in 2011.
Over ten years later, South Asian music is one of the buzziest subjects in the Canadian industry.
Rising superstar Karan Aujla won the Junos fan choice award last year, and heads into this year’s Junos with three nominations In 2024, Diljit Dosanjh made history with two Canadian stadium shows on his Dil-Luminati Tour, while artists like AR Paisley, AP Dhillon and Ikky make waves on the Canadian charts.
The Canadian industry is supporting that growth. The Junos introduced a new category for South Asian music recording for the 2025 awards, and Warner Music Canada’s 91 North records, a joint venture with Warner India, has been a key source of investment in new South Asian talent.
SiriusXM Dhamaka provides a new avenue for that expansion, promising to showcase Hindi, Punjabi, Pakistani, South Indian,Bengali and West Indian artists who make up the global South Asian diaspora.
“This channel has been in the works for some time, and we are so proud to finally announce its launch,” says Michelle Mearns, senior vice president of programming and operations. “SiriusXM Dhamaka showcases not only our incredible South Asian talent right here in Canada, but also international artists, giving listeners the opportunity to discover new and emerging music from around the world.”
New details have emerged in the legal case between Departure and Canadian Music Week’s former owner Neill Dixon.
In an updated statement of claim filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on March 25, Dixon expands on his initial lawsuit. In addition to the approximately $485,000 in damages in that earlier March 18 filing, the new statement also seeks the removal of Dixon’s non-compete and non-solicitation clauses.
Those clauses – referred to in the statement as the Restrictive Covenants Agreement – were part of the sale agreement in June 2024, when Dixon sold the company to Oak View Group and Loft Entertainment for $2 million. Now, he claims the new owners of Departure (who changed the festival’s name from Canadian Music Week after buying it last year) have not lived up to their end of the agreement.
“Announcing my retirement was predicated on getting the full sale price,” Dixon tells Billboard Canada. “Retirement in this economy is not cheap. Not getting paid the final payment threw me for a loop. I now realized I couldn’t even work in the industry I love because of a non-compete clause.”
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A spokesperson for Departure says they have not yet seen the new statement of claim and can’t comment on it.
After Billboard Canada broke the news of the lawsuit last week, The Canadian Press reported that Loft Entertainment co-founder Randy Lennox (a former head of Bell Media and Universal Music Canada) sent an email to his staff referring to Dixon’s legal action.
“We see things very differently,” he wrote in the memo, according to CP. “We stand firm in our position of integrity, beliefs and values.”
Dixon’s new legal filing claims that in the sale of Canadian Music Week, he agreed to a three-year non-competition and non-solicitation clause, which would be effective until June 1, 2027. That would effectively prevent him from working in the music industry in the province of Ontario during that time.
“The plaintiff [Dixon] states that the defendants [the owners of Departure] were opportunistic and took advantage of the plaintiffs’ goodwill and trust when they unilaterally decided to avoid their legitimate payment obligations…” Dixon’s lawyers write in the statement. “Specifically, the defendants knew or ought to have known that the plaintiff was retiring, after having spent his career building the brand and goodwill of CMW.”
The claim further states that the new owners “deliberately prevent[ed]” Dixon from earning income during his retirement.
There are also new details on the financials of the deal and the outstanding payment Dixon claims is allegedly still owed.
In 2024, it says, CMW incurred a loss of $121,072. An earlier draft of CMW’s 2024 financials showed a smaller loss of $14,640, the claim states, and the first $500,000 installment was paid on November 7, 2024.
The agreement requires Dixon to cover any losses, it continues, and the updated amount has been deducted from the remaining $500,000. The statement says no notice or objection was claimed within 30 days, as per the terms of the agreement. Dixon is also claiming unpaid consulting fees and damages, which contributes to Dixon’s $485,428 claim.
Read more here. – Richard Trapunski
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The Indigenous Music Office Brings Inaugural Cultural Cadence Mentorship Participants to 2025 Juno Awards
The Indigenous Music Office (IMO) is introducing the 10 participants in its inaugural Cultural Cadence Mentorship.
The cohort of First Nation, Inuit and Métis musicians and entrepreneurs includes singer-songwriter Cassidy Mann, funk artist Curtis Clearsky and poet and sound artist January Rogers.
The group is set to head to Vancouver this weekend, as the mentorship culminates at the 2025 Juno Awards on March 30, marking the conclusion of a four-month professional development program launched in 2024.
The Indigenous Music Office is a new organization in the national music landscape, with the Cultural Cadence Mentorship serving as its flagship initiative. The program was designed with the goal of bolstering Indigenous expertise in the music industry, where Indigenous professionals are especially under-represented behind the scenes.
“The majority of Indigenous artists in Canada don’t have managers or teams,” says Alan Greyeyes, IMO chairperson. “I’m excited about this project because it supports the development of managers and administrative talent who know just how daunting the road travelled by Indigenous artists is because they’ve had to walk it too.”
Mentors and presenters from the program will be joining the cohort in Vancouver, including Margaret McGuffin of Music Publishers Canada, multi-disciplinary artist Tessa Balaz, folk musician Jason Burnstick and founder of the International Indigenous Music Summit and Ishkōdé Records, ShoShona Kish, among others.
Find the full list of participants here. –Rosie Long Decter
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Universal Music Canada Names Amanda Kingsland and Shawn Marino Co-Heads of A&R
Universal Music Canada is bolstering its talent development team, announcing Amanda Kingsland and Shawn Marino as co-heads of A&R.
Kingsland moves up within the company to a new role as vp of A&R, and will work alongside Marino — VP of A&R operations — to lead the team.
The announcement follows Julie Adam’s recent ascent to president & CEO of UMC, succeeding Jeffrey Remedios.
Kingsland and Marino will have a renewed mandate for signing and developing talent, UMC says. Kingsland has already led the rebuilding of UMC’s country roster — which includes major breakouts Josh Ross (who co-leads nominations for this weekend’s Juno Awards) and Owen Riegling — and now she’ll focus on big picture strategy for UMC’s full roster.
Marino will continue to oversee UMC’s recording facility 80A Studios as well as performance space The Academy and working with artists like The Tragically Hip and Anne Murray who are seeking to revitalize their catalogues.
They will report directly to Adam and are actively seeking new signings.
In addition to Ross and Riegling, UMC breakouts include pop singer Preston Pablo, rock band Valley, and comedian-turned-singer-songwriter Mae Martin, all of whom are currently charting on Canadian radio. UMC also recently signed prominent Punjabi Wave artist AP Dhillon in partnership with Republic Records.
The UMC A&R team is rounded out by Kwaku Agyemang, Widney Bonfils, Natassha Cuachon-Cruz, Ivan Evidente, Morgan “MJ” James, Shirley Ichkhanian, and Shannen Serrano, and supported by UMC’s venue and studio team Don Kitchen, Lisa Lorenz, and sound engineer Phil Hotz. –RLD
The owners of Departure — the conference and festival formerly known as Canadian Music Week (CMW) — are being sued by its former founder/president for breach of contract and unpaid sale fees.
In a notice of action filed with the Ontario Court of Justice this week (March 17), Neill Dixon has commenced a legal proceeding against the owners of Departure, including Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group (OVG) Canada.
Dixon accuses the companies of breach of contract, unjust enrichment and quantum meruit (a reasonable fee for work done) and seeks damages of $435,428 plus $50,000 in punitive and aggravated damages. The claim states that the new owners have not paid the full sale price of $2,000,000 agreed to in June 2024.
“After 42 years of building an internationally respected Canadian music business, I made the difficult decision to sell and retire, trusting the purchasers to honour their commitments under the Agreement we had between us,” Dixon tells Billboard Canada in a statement. “I have been forced to start a lawsuit to hold them to their end of the Agreement we had between us. It’s disheartening to have decades of dedication and hard work met with such an approach by them.”
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In a statement to Billboard Canada, Loft and OVG confirm they have received the statement of claim and write that they have been negotiating with Dixon over the terms.
“LOFT Entertainment and Oak View Group have received a formal statement of claim from Neill Dixon,” they write. “We have been negotiating with Neill and his counsel for an extended period to finalize our agreed upon terms. If we are unable to reach an agreement, we will explore alternative options.”
Dixon announced his retirement and sale of CMW to Loft and the U.S.-based OVG (which has opened an office in Canada) on the opening day of the conference last summer. In a surprise move before the end of 2024, the new owners announced they would be changing the event’s name to Departure. The festival had been known as Canadian Music Week since 1982, which included Dixon’s entire term as president. During that time, it became known as one of the most important music industry conferences in Canada.
The new owners announced the rebranding at a launch event in November at the conference’s new headquarters, Hotel X in Toronto. The new Departure team — including Loft co-founder Randy Lennox, CEO Jackie Dean and executive producer Kevin Barton as well as OVG Canada president Tom Pistore — outlined a new vision for the festival, expanding the music event to also include comedy, tech, food and more. Some of the confirmed speakers for this year include Matty Matheson, Bryan Adams and Dallas Green.
Dixon was at the launch event, where Lennox and Barton announced they would honour the former CMW co-founder with a lifetime achievement award at this year’s festival, which takes place from May 6-11, 2025.
Now, however, Dixon claims the new owners have not honoured their monetary commitments to him.
Full story here. – Richard Trapunski
IFPI Global Music Report 2025 Touts Canadian Revenue Growth, International Punjabi Music Push
Canada’s music market is staying strong, with revenues growing to $660.3 million USD in 2024.
That’s according to the IFPI, which represents the global recording industry. IFPI’s 2025 State of the Industry report again lists Canada as the 8th largest music market in the world.
Canada’s 2024 revenues saw relatively small growth of just 1.5%, but the report notes that the 2024 figures are in comparison to an unusually high 2023, which saw a large one-off performance rights revenue payment.
Meanwhile, Canada’s most popular musician, Drake, saw his global standing rise. During a tough year for the superstar’s reputation, his worldwide popularity increased, rising from No. 4 to No. 2 in the IFPI’s artist rankings, behind only Taylor Swift.
The report highlights Warner Canada and Warner India’s joint venture, 91 North, which has been successfully growing the profile of South Asian music in Canada and abroad. In the report, Warner India’s Jay Mehta and Warner Canada’s Kristen Burke discussed how the collaborative label came to be. Mehta says the idea came to him during lockdown when he noticed the explosion in Punjabi talent coming out of Canada.
“While it was already a big consumption market, Canada was newly becoming a big creator market, which was consistently making great Indian sounds,” Mehta said. He connected with Burke on the idea of a label that could support South Asian artists in Canada who have huge followings in India.
“Jay and I quickly got together and recognized that there was a real opportunity here to be the first label to come together to really support these artists,” Burke added.
Read more on the Canadian insights in the IFPI Global Music Report here. – Rosie Long Decter
Canadian Country Music Association Adds Francophone Artist of the Year Category for 2025
The Canadian Country Music Association is adding a new category for Francophone Artist of the Year.
The inaugural award will be presented during Country Music Week in Kelowna, B.C., this September. It marks a milestone addition for the CCMA Awards, recognizing both the increasing impact of Francophone artists in Canadian country and the popularity of country music in Quebec.
“The addition of the Francophone Artist of the Year category is a significant step forward in celebrating the diversity within Canadian country music,” said Amy Jeninga, CCMA President, in a statement. “We are thrilled to provide a dedicated platform that recognizes and supports Francophone country artists, ensuring their contributions receive the attention they deserve.”
The eligibility period runs from March 1, 2024, through April 30, 2025. Seventy percent of the act’s released repertoire during that period must be in French.
The new award, which joins the 15 established artist awards at the CCMAs, will shine a light on Francophone artists who might not be getting a national spotlight.
Quebec has a robust Francophone country scene. The province’s ADISQ Gala presents an annual award for Country Album, with recent winners and nominees including Acadian group Salebarbes, singer-songwriter Alex Burger and multi-instrumentalist duo Hauterive.
Francophone country artists are also spread across the country beyond Quebec. The Ontario equivalent of the CCMAs, the Country Music Association of Ontario, already features a similar award dedicated to Francophone artists. Reney Ray of Kapuskasing, Ontario, took home the 2024 CMA Ontario Award for Francophone artist of the year.
The new award at the CCMAs is the latest example of major Canadian music associations adapting to account for the country’s musical and cultural diversity.
Read more here. – RLD