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Artist: ELIO

Hometown: Vancouver / Wales

Genre: Pop, Dance, Electronic 

ELIO began writing songs when she moved to Canada from Wales as a child and retreated to her bedroom, teaching herself to write, record and produce her own music. A fierce statement of intent, her debut EP u and me, but mostly me arrived in Summer 2020 as an astute snapshot of her universe as an artist and as a young woman; moving, growing, and learning, trying to keep up with the fast-paced world around her. The EP found fans in i-D, FADER, NME, Popjustice, Clash, Sunday Times Culture and more. 

At just 23, ELIO (Charlotte Grace Victoria), is a master of her craft, producing intricately detailed songs from her bedroom, which speak to her generation and their shared experience of loneliness, often played out for strangers to follow online. While being managed and mentored by music business veteran Charli XCX, ELIO has proven to be one of the most exciting artists to watch.

As a musician and activist, KTheChosen believes in the power of storytelling and uses his voice to share the experiences of those around him. Inspired by artists such as King Los and Kendrick Lamar, KTheChosen writes music that is both entertaining and enlightening.

For the album’s debut single “LONO” – a song acknowledging Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the ever-conscious KTheChosen worked with indigenous artists Dwight (Blackfoot) and Chantal (Cree, Ojibwe, Métis) to create a powerful track with a purpose. Proceeds from the single’s sales on Bandcamp were (and will continue to be) donated to Colouring It Forward – an organization that brings awareness to Indigenous issues through discussion with elders and arts and crafts such as journals and calendars.

From +Vice’s first single release to its most recent, the album is centered around themes of feminism, grief, loss, colonialism, relationships and allyship.

KTheChosen continues to create conscious and catchy content with his latest single and video release for “Her Anthem” – an exploration into the experiences of women in the music industry:

The single and video features Calgary artists Bvitae, Dorsa Lena, ZHE The FREE. It was directed and filmed in downtown Calgary in some of the city’s best local spots including 10th Street Boxing Kensington, The Urban Shave and Kaffeeklatsch with local artist Tyler Lemermeyer's pieces displayed inside.

Along with his valiant efforts within the music industry, KTheChosen shares his wisdom through his roles as an Ambassador for Science Genius – a program co-founded by GZA of the WuTang Clan, teaching youth how to rap and create songs using content learned in their science classes – as well as the teacher of a three-part workshop for Antyx Arts, mentoring teenagers on freestyle rap and the importance of storytelling in music and marketing.

With a brand-new album out and more accompanying visuals on the horizon, KTheChosen looks forward to releasing new music and immersing himself in more social activism opportunities in the coming year.

Q: Your brand-new album +Vice just dropped, can you talk about some of the prominent themes and inspirations behind its content?

The album focuses on ideas of grief and mental well-being as I had time to think about these two topics over the pandemic. I found a lot of the conversations I was having with friends and family were about lost ones and the uncertainty of the world we're currently living in. I felt it was important to look at how we can address the root causes of poor mental health and how to cope with grief.

Q: Your latest music video for “Her Anthem” flips the script on a typically male-dominant culture. What is the story behind the visuals?

The album revolves around a female character and so I thought it was important to have one song that was purely from the perspective of female identifying artists. When it came to putting the music video together, we knew it had to be empowering but also fun and entertaining. My director, Rome, and I figured that it would be really cool to have pop culture references in the video and decided to follow inspiration from movies like Kill Bill and Charlie’s Angels. With the album also revolving around the community and checking in on those around us, it was important that we reached out to local businesses to be included in the video. Rome and I spent a day going to businesses and pitching the idea of this video. In the end we ended up having a box gym, a barber shop and coffee shop which gave us a lot to work with story-wise. Fadi, the owner of The Urban Shave Kensington, was also kind enough to lend us his classic, Monte Carlo which was a beautiful touch to the aesthetic of the video.

Q: Lyrically +Vice dives into topics including feminism, grief, loss, colonialism, relationships, allyship and more. As an advocate, how important is it for you to create conversation surrounding these issues?

I feel a lot of these topics are interconnected as quite often when we look at things like mental health they are tied to how we navigate our day-to-day lives. One might be experiencing sadness or stress from the fact that their social life is not be well-balanced or they may be having a hard time financially due to systematic barriers. I felt discussing these root causes would inspire conversations for change within my different audiences and help those most affected feel heard.

Q: How did your collaboration with Bvitae, Dorsa Lena and ZHE The FREE come about?

I've known all three for a fairly long time, as we’re often at the same shows or events together. I pitched the idea to ZHE The FREE first as I’m closest to her. I got her input on the best way to approach the song and then reached out to Dorsa and Bvitae. I appreciated that they each brought a different style and perspective to the song which makes it such a powerful collaboration. We discussed different ideas over Zoom then met in person to record once lockdown restrictions allowed us to.

Q: Thinking back to +Vice’s first single “LONO.” Can you tell us about the track’s Indigenous themes and accompanying fundraising efforts?

I feel Canada still has a lot to correct in terms of its relationship with the original owners of this land and the land itself. However, for many, the curiosity may not exist until they experience it in a more accessible form such as music, visual art, or any other creative format. I made “LONO” to nudge people to do their own work to learn about and support Indigenous folk. The metaphor of the children’s playground simplifies the story of colonialism but also illustrates how the process affected generations of people because of the greed of “the big kids”. Dwight and I often rap together at cypher club (a weekly freestyle community event hosted by ZHE the FREE) but we had never worked on a song together. I pitched him the idea and he gave me great feedback on how to approach the topic respectfully and wrote an amazing verse on the financial impact of the treaties. Chantal then came to the studio and improvised some drumming and singing for use on the bridge and to end the song on a powerful note. Having both artists was important to me because I admire their talents and their impact in the community. They also bring a range of perspectives with Dwight being male and Blackfoot and Chantal being female, Cree, Ojibwe and Métis.

We created a BANDCAMP CAMPAIGN in support of COLOURING IT FORWARD, an Indigenous organization that brings awareness to Indigenous issues through discussion with elders and arts and crafts such as journals and calendars. Every purchase of the song on Bandcamp was (and will be) donated to Colouring It Forward.

Q: You use your music to advocate and teach – can you talk about your involvement with the Science Genius and Anytx Arts programs?

Teaching has been one of the most rewarding parts of this year as it is interesting to learn about your own craft when trying to educate others about it. With Science Genius, I got to teach kids how to write songs about the topics that they were learning in class (grades 7 and 9) which was a fun experience. You immediately realize that some kids are just as academically smart as they are creative and how important it is to provide opportunities for them to explore all their talents. With Antyx Arts, I held three weekly workshops on branding and marketing in between freestyle sessions on Zoom. These online workshops were with an older age group (youth aged 15-18), so it was interesting to hear the vulnerable lyrics that came out in our freestyles but also the interest in how to build themselves as artists. With both experiences I felt honoured to impart my knowledge on future artists.

Originally from Kitimaat Village, British Columbia, the Vancouver-based duo's fourth full-length release was born from personal experience – navigating the highs and lows of the past few years. From the release of their 2019 album TRAPLINE to playing 100 shows in that same year; nods and wins for various awards (WCMA's, JUNOS, Indie's, Polaris); and landing their first 23 city headline US tour, Darren “Young D” Metz and Quinton “Yung Trybez” were elated with the expectation of a breakout year ahead in 2020. 

An accompanying music video directed by longtime collaborator Ben Knechtelv premiered, putting Scott on full display in a pulsating solo performance – experimenting with dazzling makeup and flowing outfits – as he explores and searches for what it takes to feel confident.

“This song was a big step for me in exploration and limits. I wanted to take myself as far as I could down the line of ‘uncomfortable’ while still maintaining what feels like me. Ultimately, I thought it was such a special thought – the idea that someone can be so beautiful that you just want a bit of them to become part of you. In that thought, there is so much beauty and humour – the transcendence of traditional gender roles, the flirt, the strangeness. That’s what excited me about our initial demo, and what continues to excite me now.”

“Pretty” is the second track to be released from Scott’s forthcoming project, due out next year, following the summer release of the angsty anthem “Old Friends.”

Scott Helman has established himself as one of Canada’s leading singer-songwriters. Since the release of his breakthrough 2016 EP Augusta, the seven-time JUNO Award nominee has dominated the Canadian music scene with his 2017 debut full-length Hôtel de Ville and 2018 EP Hang Ups, earning three platinum and three gold certifications to date, plus collaborations with Alessia Cara and Hunter Hayes, as well as tours with the likes of Tegan and Sara, Shawn Mendes, Vance Joy, Walk Off The Earth and Dean Lewis. Earlier this year, Scott was selected as a panelist on CBC’s Canada Reads, following the release of his sophomore album Nonsuch Park (sa), which featured the explosive gold-certified lead single “Wait No More,” the #1 most added song at Canadian radio upon its release.

Since 2019, Scott has invited his fans to sign a document he named the Evergreen Manuscript, an effort to draw attention to the climate crisis and help cut global greenhouse gas emissions in half. Scott collected nearly 1,000 submissions, and through his “MayDay” initiative – which was lauched during the COVID lockdown – is encouraging fans to help deliver the document to politicians and corporate leaders around the world.

The band’s first headlining tour will be a 13-date cross-Canada tour with Skye Wallace joining as support. Tickets will be available on Friday, July 16 at 10am local time on Crown Lands’ website, here.

Commenting on the tour announcement and returning to live shows, Crown Lands note:

“This is the biggest moment in Crown Lands history: our first headlining tour. ‘The Big Wave Tour’ takes its namesake from the opening line of ‘White Buffalo’; ‘The Big Wave has come to wash away the ancient world.’ Live music is back. We are here to push the boundaries of what two people can create together. It’s been a hell of a year and we are emerging out of our musical cocoon better for it. The musicality and the production will set new bars across the board. We promise. We’re excited to have Skye Wallace as our special guest each evening. She and her band deliver true rock n' roll.”

The tour announcement follows the release of two new tracks, “White Buffalo” and “The Oracle,” which Crown Lands shared last week through Spinefarm Records/Universal Music Canada. Both tracks were recorded with three-time Grammy Award-winning, Toronto producer David Bottrill (Tool, Mastodon, Rush, Peter Gabriel).

“’White Buffalo’ arrives as a symbol of aspiration, in recognition of the resilience and strength of Indigenous communities to overcome injustice while manifesting a prosperous future.” Crown Lands explain, “’White Buffalo’ is the third instalment in our trilogy of songs about Indigenous rights,” says Crown Lands. ‘Mountain’ is what happened. ‘End of the Road’ is what is happening. White Buffalo is manifesting what will happen: overcoming oppression and rising up to reclaim one’s land. The White Buffalo is a symbol of manifestation. When Colonizers came to North America, they tried to wipe out the Buffalo to starve Indigenous people to death. The buffalo are still here. We are too, and together we’ll overcome. Also, never has 7/8 ever been more danceable.”

“White Buffalo” was released with the accompanying official music video, directed by Alim Sabir. The spirited visual sees Crown Lands immersed in the elements, performing in a new age forest with dancers that fortify the theme of movement.

 

Friday, October 15, 2021 - Winnipeg, MB - Pyramid Cabaret 

Saturday, October 16, 2021 - Saskatoon, SK - The Roxy 

Tuesday, October 19, 2021 - Red Deer, AB - Bo’s Bar & Grill 

Wednesday, October 20, 2021 - Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room 

Thursday, October 21, 2021 - Calgary, AB - Commonwealth Bar & Stage 

Saturday, October 23, 2021 - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret 

Friday, November 26, 2021 - Waterloo, ON - Maxwell’s Music Hall 

Saturday, November 27, 2021 - Oshawa, ON -Biltmore Theatre 

Sunday, November 28, 2021 - Hamilton, ON - Bridgeworks 

Tuesday, November 30, 2021 - London, ON - Rum Runners 

Wednesday, December 1, 2021 - Toronto, ON - The Axis Club

Friday, December 3, 2021- Ottawa, ON - Bronson Centre 

Saturday, December 4, 2021 - Montreal, QC - Petit Campus