2025 PARTICIPANTS
Blynk
Québec
Blynk
Blynk is a rising star on Montréal’s R&B scene. Originally from Lebanon, this young artist captivates with his ability to sing in French while weaving in touches of Arabic and English—creating a unique cultural blend through his music. His talent hasn’t gone unnoticed: he first gained attention with his remix of Emiliana, which racked up over 100,000 views, and he recently signed with the French label Demain [PIAS]. With a style that skillfully fuses Eastern and Western influences, Blynk is quickly becoming a key figure in the urban music scene.
Brandi Vezina
Manitoba
Brandi Vezina
Brandi Vezina is a Red River Métis singer-songwriter with roots deeply intertwined with classic country and rock. Her Grit & Glamour EP is a powerful collection of songs grounded in identity, resilience, and rebellion. She’s currently taking the Grit & Glamour Tour across the boreal forest and prairies, sharing stories that reflect the land and spirit of where she’s from.
The EP showcases a striking balance between strength and vulnerability. Drawing on her deep storytelling roots, each track blends personal experience with universal truths.
It’s been a busy and exciting year for Brandi Vezina: she landed coveted showcases at BreakOut West and Country Music Week, earned a spot in the Women in Music Canada Entrepreneur Accelerator, and was named the 2024 recipient of the Vince Fontaine Legacy Award. Vezina writes and sings about what she knows, lives, and loves.
Custie
Ontario
Custie
Custie is an emerging alternative pop artist based in London, Ontario. Blending pop with elements of singer-songwriter, R&B, and alternative music, he brings a distinctive sound that defies easy categorization.
A self-taught musician, producer, and vocalist, Custie launched his professional journey in 2021 after winning the Forest City London Music Awards’ Youth Award, following his victory at the High School Battle of the Bands—achieved with just one song to his name: Jamie Ashland (2021), released under the Custie moniker.
Since then, he’s released Little Island (September 2022, #FACTORFUNDED), and more recently the acclaimed ON E, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN (April 2024), along with its companion EP, E, PT. 2 (June 2024).
In October 2024, Custie was named one of SOCAN and SiriusXM’s Young Canadian Songwriters in recognition of his songwriting on ON E, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. As of August 2025, he will be based in Montréal, where he is completing work on his debut album, Deadhead.
Danial Sheibani
Ontario
Danial Sheibani
From composing the soundtrack for an Amazon Prime series to receiving a touring commission from the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Iranian Canadian composer and conductor Danial Sheibani has written for the Verona Quartet, the University of Toronto Opera and Symphony Orchestra, the Rhythm Method Quartet, the Standing Wave Ensemble, and many more. His music has been performed at prestigious venues including Koerner Hall, the Winspear Centre, TCU Place, Sprague Hall at Yale, and Harbourfront Centre, as well as at leading festivals such as the Norfolk New Music Festival and the Lake George Music Festival. His works have been broadcast by CBC and featured on major streaming platforms.
In addition to his compositional work, Sheibani is the co-founder and conductor of the Blank Canvas Sound Collective—a contemporary ensemble devoted to immersive, boundary-pushing concert experiences and serving as an underground vanguard for the voices of the post-modern avant-garde.
DVBLM
Ontario
DVBLM
DVBLM is a rising music artist from the vibrant city of Toronto, known for her powerful vocals and dynamic stage presence. She has quickly made a name for herself in the music scene, earning the honour of opening for renowned artists—including Shenseea, where she showcased her unique sound and high-energy performance style.
One of her standout moments came when she opened for acclaimed Nigerian artist Davido at Manifesto, performing on the iconic Budweiser Stage in front of 17,000 fans. This electrifying experience helped solidify her place as a force to be reckoned with in the industry.
Most recently, DVBLM wowed audiences once again, opening for the legendary Danny Brown at a sold-out concert at The Lighthouse. With every performance, she continues to push boundaries and leave a lasting impression on fans and fellow artists alike. Now preparing for new projects, DVBLM is poised to take her career to even greater heights and establish herself as a powerful voice in today’s music landscape.
Elizabeth Royall
Ontario
Elizabeth Royall
Elizabeth Royall is an alternative/folk-rock singer-songwriter based in Ottawa, ON. Blending the raw emotion of ’90s rock with the warmth of ’70s classics, her sound has drawn comparisons to Fleetwood Mac, Mazzy Star, Jeff Buckley, and The Cranberries.
In 2019, she took the stage at La Maison de la culture, performing alongside French-Canadian artists such as Dany Bédar, 2 Frères, and La Chicane. Her accolades include being a semi-finalist in the 2020 International Songwriting Competition for her debut single Leave Me, winning SOCAN Foundation’s Young Canadian Songwriter Award in 2023 for her single “Numb,” and earning a 2025 Ottawa Capital Music Award nomination for Newcomer of the Year, presented by OMIC and the National Arts Centre. Most recently, she was selected to perform at the 2025 Ottawa Bluesfest.
Elizabeth is currently preparing to release new music in the coming months, offering songs that reflect the new chapter she’s stepping into as an artist.
J3M
Ontario
J3M
J3M blends pop and disco into slick, unforgettable hooks that live rent-free in your head. A seasoned performer, he’s shared stages with icons like Cyndi Lauper and Jully Black, played venues from The Rivoli to Scotiabank Arena, and even appeared on eTalk Canada! His debut EP AFRONAUT premiered on CBC Q and earned him finalist spots in the CBC Searchlight Contest and Canada’s Walk of Fame Emerging Musician Program.
J3M has brought his signature sound to stages across Canada and internationally, including AFROPUNK Paris and London, Reeperbahn in Hamburg, and Pride festivals coast to coast. As a JUNO-nominated keyboardist, he’s worked with artists like Lu Kala, Yukon Blonde, and Tanika Charles.
A singer, songwriter, producer, musical director, and more, this unapologetically Black and queer artist is a force—and he’s just getting started.
Watch the high-energy video for his latest single G.Y.S.T out now!
Joe H Henry
Nova Scotia
Joe H Henry
Métis singer-songwriter Joe H Henry possesses a voice described as “as powerful as a freight train”—a potent instrument for delivering his blend of early rhythm and blues, soul, and alt-country, enriched by folk-inspired lyrical depth.
Drawing from a life that spans experiences from a homeless, train-hopping youth to a homesteading father of five, Henry’s songwriting is thoughtful and his storytelling deeply compelling, forging strong connections with diverse audiences. That depth of experience resonates in every line he sings.
His debut EP Keep the Fire Burning (2023) earned widespread recognition, including multiple award nominations. His highly anticipated follow-up, Real Things, slated for release in 2025, has already received critical acclaim, with placements on SiriusXM’s North Americana and a spot on the Indigenous Music Countdown.
Whether performing solo or with his trio, Joe H Henry continues to captivate audiences at major festivals, theatres, and on international stages—cementing his reputation as a powerhouse performer.
Kaeley Jade
Alberta
Kaeley Jade
Beneath the vast prairie skies of Edmonton, Métis artist Kaeley Jade has crafted a space where artistry and emotion collide. Her vibrant debut album Turpentine established her as a rising voice in the Canadian music scene, earning accolades such as a Canadian Folk Music Award, a Western Canadian Music Award nomination, and a Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Award. Her songs have reached audiences around the world, with airplay on CBC, SiriusXM, and a #1 spot on the Indigenous Music Countdown. Kaeley’s music has been praised by international media and featured in numerous film and television productions, including Hockey Night in Canada. Blending folk, pop, and indie rock, her evocative lyrics, striking vocals, and magnetic stage presence have captivated audiences at hundreds of venues and festivals nationwide — including the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, JUNOfest, the International Indigenous Music Summit, and the Canmore Folk Music Festival.
Karneef
Québec
Karneef
Karneef is a bedroom jazz alchemist—a Montréal-based sonic shapeshifter who bends time, tone, and tenderness into something utterly his own. His latest transmission, It’s How You Say It is a velvet-drenched voyage through fractured funk galaxies, soul-soaked nebulae, and jazz dimensions where rhythm has its own gravitational pull. Imagine if Weather Report, Thundercat, and BADBADNOTGOOD hosted a séance with George Duke on synth duty—and you’re getting close. Sort of.
With a voice like melted cassette tape and grooves that slither between the cracks of genre, Karneef doesn’t just play music. Together with his group of collaborators—names like Louis Cole collaborator Anatole Muster, Logan Kane (Fievel Is Glauque, Thumpasaurus), Adam Ratner (KNOWER, Genevieve Artadi), saxophonist Nicole McCabe (Dolphin Hyperspace), and guitarist Brad Barr (The Barr Brothers)—he conjures soundscapes where saxophones sigh, drums get existential, and basslines shamelessly flirt with the moon. His compositions are equal parts retrofuturistic and deliciously off kilter, stitched together with analog warmth and a healthy dose of surreal wit.
Where fellow travellers like Kamaal Williams explore smoky noir jazz and Moses Sumney spins airy soul experiments, Karneef brings the party to the mothership—then reroutes it through a kaleidoscope of cosmic daydreams. It’s How You Say It isn’t just an album—it’s a mood ring for your mind, a jazz-funk oracle whispering sweet riddles in the key of “huh?” Cool, clever, and just a little bit weird, Karneef’s music is for those who like their soul deep, their jazz celestial, and their reality slightly melted.
Matt Stern
British Columbia
Matt Stern
MATT STERN is known for his uplifting spirit, soothing voice, and commitment to promoting diversity and community connection. A multilingual and multidisciplinary artist, he has been a featured performer at POP Montréal, Canadian Music Week, Campbell Bay Music Festival, Coup de cœur francophone, Enoshima Music Festival in Japan, and M Comme Musique in France.
His French-language album earned him nominations at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, the Western Canadian Music Awards, and the Trille Or Awards. After being selected to represent B.C. on the Chant’Ouest tour of Western Canada, he won the RADARTS Showcase Award to perform at Francofête en Acadie.
He recently released his new single Come Home, a collaboration with producer Brian West (Nelly Furtado, Maroon 5, K’naan, Bono, Sia).
Michael Zuzek
Ontario
Michael Zuzek
The upcoming roar of a newfound pop-rock powerhouse has been carefully crafted by Michael Zuzek—an artist who knows how to play not just the piano, but your heartstrings. Influenced by the ragtime piano style that helped define the music of the ’50s and ’60s, Zuzek also draws deep inspiration from The Beatles. That adoration shines through in both the sound of his songs and the vocal intensity he brings to his performances.
Born in the heart of Toronto, Zuzek spent much of his early life developing a close relationship with music. He discovered his passion for piano at the age of five, beginning lessons that eventually extended into a broader mastery of the keyboard family.
Michael has since dedicated himself to writing and producing his debut album Everest, which features his UK-charting single Graystone. Music magazines and blogs alike agree: Zuzek has successfully reimagined the sound of the ’60s and ’70s for a new generation.
Mouraine
Alberta
Mouraine
WCMA nominee and Explore Edmonton ambassador Mouraine is a rising hip-hop artist poised for a major breakthrough. His debut album In Search of Gold, produced in collaboration with the duo Deadmen, was released via Birthdaycake Records in May 2023. The album features standout appearances from respected artists, including L.A. native Westside Boogie, Canadian R&B icon JRDN, and MOTO.
In Search of Gold offers listeners a deeply personal and vulnerable look into Mouraine’s life, anchored by bold lyricism and colossal beats.
“There comes a time in every artist’s career to pursue their unimaginable creativity—to find themselves and their sound. In Search of Gold is metaphorically a representation of my life journey. I’ve always thought that chasing possessions was going to fulfill me, but I realized that to find gold is to find your purpose, peace, and happiness—and that’s what this album means to me.” — Mouraine
Naïma Frank
Québec
Naïma Frank
Haitian-born Montrealer Naïma Frank is a singer-songwriter who combines alternative R&B, a glimpse of pop and a little je-ne-sais-quoi that sets her apart.
With her bold vulnerability, the artist sings about feminine hardships, and the power that lies within them. Her debut EP Petite fille devient grande was named one of the “10 albums that flew under the radar” by Radio-Canada in 2022 and drew attention from major medias such as ICI Musique, Le Devoir, and Salut Bonjour.
From 2023 to 2024, Frank took to the stage across Quebec with her gripping voice, heartfelt lyrics, and magnetic sincerity—performing at Festival d’été de Québec, Francos de Montréal and more.
Riding this wave, she received the GAMIQ Award for R&B Album/EP of the Year and was named a finalist for the 2024 CALQ Emerging Artist Prize. She is currently crafting her first album—a bold, liberated body of work set for release in winter 2026.
Orchid Orchestra
British Columbia
Orchid Orchestra
Orchid Orchestra is a Vancouver-based indie pop band that blends choral harmonies, hip-hop grooves, and theatrical storytelling into a bold, emotionally resonant sound. Fronted by therapist and songwriter Rupert Hudson, their music explores grief, self-acceptance, and connection with raw honesty—often moving audiences to tears.
After touring with Chance the Rapper’s camp, Hudson stepped away to live at a meditation centre and work as a fire lookout. Those experiences helped shape the band’s soul. Formed at Vancouver’s Chorus Studio, Orchid Orchestra quickly became a local favourite, headlining venues like The Biltmore and Root Dwellers.
Following their second EP Be Lucky, the band is now developing its debut album, supported by a Creative BC grant for early demos. Orchid Orchestra’s immersive live shows and heartfelt songwriting continue to build a loyal community—creating music that invites both dancing and deep feeling in equal measure.
OSANI
Manitoba
OSANI
OSANI BALKARAN is an Indigenous and Guyanese artist from Winnipeg blending rap, storytelling, and cultural roots. A 2025 Indigenous Music Spotlight artist, he recently opened for The Lytics and is planning a Manitoba tour in August 2025. With a self-produced EP on the way, OSANI creates powerful music to uplift his community and inspire Indigenous and minority youth.
Puma June
Ontario
Puma June
Puma June is a Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer whose genre-blurring sound weaves together pop, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B. Her work is grounded in a feminist perspective that informs both her creative identity and storytelling.
Described as “not just [a] musician but [a] multidisciplinary artist,” Puma June places a strong emphasis on surreal, fashion-forward visuals that complement and deepen the impact of her music. Over the past year, she has garnered attention from outlets such as Earmilk, Canadian Beats, Exclaim!, CBC, and others for her striking aesthetics and refreshingly original sound.
After completing the Independent Music Production program at Seneca in 2023, she entered 2024 with major momentum—earning the RBC x Music x Prism Prize MVP Project Grant and being selected for both the RBC x Music First Up initiative and the SOCAN Foundation’s Equity X Production program. In March 2025, she released her debut EP, A Woman That They Want, establishing herself as one of the most compelling new voices in Canadian alt-R&B.
Rebekah Hawker
Ontario
Rebekah Hawker
Country-folk singer-songwriter Rebekah Hawker tells heartfelt stories of loss, resilience, and self-discovery. Known for her emotionally rich songwriting and captivating live presence, she has opened for acclaimed acts like Dean Brody, Jim Cuddy, and The Good Lovelies. An award-winning songwriter—recognized by Folk Music Canada and the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance—Rebekah was the 2024 winner of the Mariposa Folk Festival Emerging Artist Showcase.
Her music has been featured on The Strombo Show and CBC Radio, with her song Ticket in regular rotation on SiriusXM’s North Americana channel. Her recent single Take Me Back, from her sophomore release “Quit My Habit,” was featured on CBC Music’s In the Key of C and heard on Indie88’s Weekend Café. Released in June 2025 with support from the Ontario Arts Council, “Quit My Habit” marks Hawker’s most personal and ambitious work to date—blending ’90s country flair with intimate balladry that reflects her rural Ontario roots and evolving sense of self.
Shah Frank
Québec
Shah Frank
Made in Haiti, born in Brooklyn, and raised in Montréal, Shah Frank brings a fresh energy to the Montréal R&B scene. More than just music, Shah Frank is a frequency all her own.
Her debut album “Aura” is set for release in late 2024 on the Disques 7ième Ciel label. The 13-track collection, sung in French, blends smooth R&B and soul with touches of hip-hop, Afro pop, zouk, and kompa.
With the rise of French-language R&B and growing industry recognition for the genre, Shah Frank is claiming her space and proving she’s ready to leave a lasting mark on Québec’s musical landscape.
Tess Roby
Québec
Tess Roby
Tess Roby’s explorative brand of electronic music is both unique and visionary. Born in Toronto and now based in Montréal, she is an acclaimed musician and photographer. Her debut album Beacon was released in 2018, followed by Ideas of Space in 2022—the inaugural release on her own record label, SSURROUNDSS.
Her songs blur the lines between synth pop, ambient, and alternative folk structures, with a focus on voice as instrument. In addition to collaborating with numerous celebrated electronic artists, she is a member of the Montréal synth pop trio Dawn to Dawn.
In 2024, Tess was selected as artist-in-residence at Canada’s National Music Centre and participated in the Keychange program—a global movement working toward gender equality in the music industry. She is currently working on her third full-length studio album while expanding SSURROUNDSS, the label she founded to support alternative electronic music in Canada.