I hate sports. Nor am I big on flag-waving patriotism. But even I watch the Olympics and root for the home team. Fun fact: Did you know that until 1952, they also awarded medals for painting, sculpture, architecture, literature and music? Too bad they don’t do that anymore — these Canadian singles and videos would surely be in the running. On your mark, get set, rock:
Ryland Moranz | When I’m Gone
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Alberta singer-songwriter Ryland Moranz shares his new single and video When I’m Gone, the lead single from his new album Better/Worse, due later this year. Produced by Leeroy Stagger, the easygoing folk-country track tackles dark subject matter with a positive attitude, encouraging us to live in the moment. “When I’m Gone is my existential dread song, although it’s more optimistic than that may sound,” says Ryland. “When I wrote it I was thinking a lot about the world and our place in it and it occurred to me that most folks ride a binary opinion that’s either fate based or fate averse. But if you look out into nature, you see nothing is really like that. I wanted to write something that embraced the entropy of the human condition; something that showcased how, even if you’re not meant to be anywhere, where you are is where you’re meant to be, even if it’s just for a moment. Because nothing lasts forever, but nothing is truly forgotten, either.”
Dan Palotta | All Of Our Dreams
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Philanthropist and singer-songwriter Dan Pallotta is marrying the two worlds of his life’s work with All of Our Dreams, taken from the recent Stephen Gyllenhaal-directed doc Uncharitable, which advocates for securing greater funding for the nonprofit sector. This stately and cinematic song was produced by Pinar Toprak, known for her work producing grand scores for Marvel blockbusters. A critical decision was to have the song sung not just by Pallotta, but by nonprofit workers from around the world. “It’s about having the grace to say no to old ways of thinking that no longer work, and to say yes to new ways of thinking that can work,” Pallotta explains of the song’s meaning. “Because that grace, or lack of it, is what’s standing between us and the world we really want — it’s what’s standing between us and all of our dreams. It took us seven years to make this movie and a lifetime for me to do the work that led to it. I started out trying to get a record deal and ended up doing decades of work in philanthropy. This song sees those two worlds come together in a way I would never have thought possible.”
The August Arrival | Camped Out
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Yukon indie-folk band The August Arrival share their melodic and emotionally charged new single Camped Out. Led by singer-songwriter Sara MacDonald, The August Arrival is a solo project supported by an array of musicians who slide in and out of the lineup. Sara was working on her master’s degree while working on the upcoming album Hillsides (due Oct. 11), so many of her thoughts at the time were psychology-based, which is apparent on the track. “The song Camped Out was inspired by a podcast about someone using neurotherapy to get over an ex-partner,” says Sara. “This resonated with me, capturing how people, ideas, and thoughts can consume us. Writing this song allowed me to explore my tendency to overthink and obsess while acknowledging the strange comfort that comes from hiding within those fixations.”
Nick Faye | Lonely
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nick Faye is a songwriter from Regina. Growing out of the same Saskatchewan scene that spawned Andy Shauf, Foxwarren and Northcote, Faye crafts timeless songs that honour this past, embracing the hopes, dreams and frustrations of life in the Prairies. Fusing this with a clear love of mid-’90s pop-rock, he creates songs that stick in the mind like a snowdrift, taking their sweet time to melt away, slowly revealing the hope of new beginnings to come. Lonely explores themes around healthy and good love: Approaching a relationship with good intentions of trying to be a good partner, encouraging healthy communication, and trying to make your partner feel safe and loved. It’s an anthem for everyone out there who is trying their best to be a good partner, and trying their best to help their partners feel safe to ask for what they want. Reciprocity is a major theme of this song, and the upcoming album it will hail from.”
Clotheseline From Hell | The Way It Goes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Clothesline From Hell is Toronto songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam LaFramboise. Fusing songs written and performed on acoustic guitar with programmed drums and samples, the result is imaginative, energetic and full of color. Today, he shares a track from his brand-new EP Soon We’ll All Be Smoking. With The Way It Goes, LaFramboise says he “wanted to make a quiet song about the paradoxes of living in the city as a student. It’s like smoking cigarettes outside the bar talking about Byung Chul Han, noticing someone nodding out or sleeping on the street next to you, and feeling incredibly stupid for dedicating your energy to pure intellectualization. It’s mostly a condemnation of myself, as I don’t want to tell anyone else that their endeavours are pointless, but I do think that there is a healthy amount of guilt to be felt about this sort of thing.”
Puma June | Never Satisfied
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hailing from Toronto, Puma June is a pop/R&B multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter with a genre-bending sound that is both nostalgic and distinctive. In a world of hyper-curated personal brands, her introspective new single Never Satisfied speaks to dissatisfaction that many of us can feel and relate to. After starting work as a nurse right at the beginning of the pandemic, she began to find her individual voice in music for the first time. So many of us go down a certain lifepath because of fear or other people’s expectations of us. As Puma June continues to shift more and more toward music, she feels more and more satisfied. The song’s raw lyrics are balanced by a musical sense of power and calm control. “I spent so much time being afraid of music and what my life might look like if I pursued it and this song is a reminder to me that nothing matters as long as I am doing what makes me happy,” she says. “It is a reminder of how far I have come in prioritizing my dreams and joy above all else.”
Raphaela | Be My Hero
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Coming t Canada by way of Lebanon, Raphaela is a multicultural singer-songwriter. She aims to evoke wonder and daydreaming in her audience through her timeless, affectionate and mature sounding voice, lyrics and melodies. Be My Hero stemmed from a feeling of wanting to finally start taking care of herself and placing boundaries where in the past she wouldn’t have. The song represents her journey over the last few years of striving to become a version of herself that she’s proud of — someone who says “no,” who works towards achieving her dreams unapologetically, and who does all that while remaining kind and authentic to others, but most importantly, towards herself. “Sometimes it’s harder to place boundaries with those you love than those you hate,” she says. “As a recovering people-pleaser, oftentimes I’ve sacrificed many of my own values and guiding core principles for fear of losing those I love. I’ve learned that placing boundaries means showing people what you will and will not accept, and ultimately, this always serves the relationship for the better and steers it towards the right direction it’s meant to go in, whatever that may be.”
Summer Bennett | Just A Phase
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “At just 16 years of age, Summer Bennett is emerging as one of Newfoundland’s most formidable talents. She won the 2021 Newfound Talent Contest from MusicNL and is a three-time Arts and Letters Award winner. She is also a multi-MusicNL and ECMA-nominated artist. Summer worked remotely with Grammy-winning producer Greg Wells between on her debut One Thousand Fahrenheit EP. “Working with Greg Wells has been a dream,” she says. “He has worked with the biggest stars in the world and I feel very lucky to have him produce my songs. It’s like he can read my mind!” The EP’s focus track Just A Phase is about the toxicity and negative aspects that social media influence and the internet can bring. Her lyrics cover a unique teenage perspective backed by a modern pop sound.”
