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4 days ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Kerry Doole
Kenny (Kenneth John) Marco, a Canadian guitarist, vocalist and songwriter best known for the 1969 Motherlode hit, "When I Die," died on May 24, at age 78, after a battle with cancer. In its obituary, The Brantford Expositor reportedthat "Marco attended Pauline Johnson Collegiate in Brantford and while there put together his first band called The Galaxies that would play regional dances, along with gigs in Toronto and Windsor.
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2 weeks ago | 
billboard.com | Richard Trapunski |Kerry Doole
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.
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2 weeks ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Kerry Doole
Awards Each recipient will be granted $10,000 to advance their careers, with an additional five Ones to Watch Awards each valued at $1,000. The Ones To Watch recipients are: AfrotroniX, Kwazii, Seago, Laurie Torres, and iaamSaam. All winners were chosen by a jury composed of Black Canadian artists and music industry professionals. Notable previous winners of SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards include AHI, Savannah Re, Nonso Amadi and Zach Zoya.
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1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Kerry Doole
Jill Sobule, the acclaimed U.S. folk-pop singer and human rights activist, died in a house fire on May 1. She was 66 years old. A Billboard obituary notes that "The groundbreaking artist, who identified as bisexual, began her career with her 1990 debut album Things Here Are Different.
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1 month ago | 
billboard.com | Richard Trapunski |Kerry Doole |Rosie Long Decter
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.
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1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Kerry Doole
Mark Kieswetter, an in-demand Toronto jazz pianist, arranger, music director and composer, died on April 21, at age 71, after a long battle with stage 4 neuroendocrine cancer. The U.S.-born Kieswetter earned a degree in classical piano from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music before discovering his affinity for jazz and relocating to Toledo. A JAZZ.FM obituary reported that "he left a lasting impact on the jazz scene in Toledo before immigrating to Canada in 2004.
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1 month ago | 
billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter |Kerry Doole
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.
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1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Kerry Doole
LU KALA continues her rise with a new EP this week. No Tears On This Ride is the keenly anticipated new offering from the Congolese-Canadian pop dynamo. The big-voiced vocalist was honoured with the Rising Star award at last year's Billboard Canada Women in Music, and performances at the 2024 SOCAN Awards and opening for Cyndi Lauper further boosted her profile.
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1 month ago | 
ca.billboard.com | Kerry Doole
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. It is founded by two Nigerian-Canadian music executives, Ikenna Nwagboso and Camillo Doregos, both with deep experience of 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.
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1 month ago | 
billboard.com | Rosie Long Decter |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.
