In a world where conformity reigns, Angela Saini fearlessly defies expectations and defines herself on her own terms. Hailing from a rich cultural background as an Indian-Austrian Canadian, Angela’s artistic journey is a testament to unyielding positivity and empowering ideals, a path she paved through both incredible success and her darkest moments. Her newest heartfelt creation, “Wanna Be You” is an anthem of self-confidence to love yourself for who you are.

The song celebrates being unique, not trying to be like everyone else. Angela Saini and producer Devon Lougheed (Altered by Mom, Ron Hawkins, Skye Wallace) approached the recording in the same way; there are pop elements that make the track sizzle, along with roots acoustic instruments like mandolin that keep the song organic and down-to-earth. The empowering and catchy anthem was released in September as the lead single ahead of her sophomore album due early 2025.

The prairie-raised artist has been heard on CBC Radio, Stingray, and Sirius XM across North America. She is most known for her sunshine-soaked song “Living on the Bright Side,” and has captivated audiences at festivals in Canada such as Home County in London, and The Philadelphia Folk Festival.

Name:

Angela Saini

Genre:

Alt-Country, Contemporary Roots, Folk-Pop

Founded:

Solo career started in 2012

# of Albums:

2 EPs, a live album, and first album out in 2019.

Latest Album:

“Remember Who You Are” for release in Spring 2025. My last album was “Hope on the Stereo” in 2019, with a whole bunch of singles in between.

Latest Single:

“Wanna Be You”

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

Dave Grohl. I started out playing in a rock band, and my band pulled every trick from the Foo Fighters live show.

Favourite musician now:

I’m a big fan of Ben Gibbard and Death Cab for Cutie. Great hooks, lyricism and storytelling. This could also be a second answer to the last question.

Guilty pleasure song:

Not really guilty, because it is a very well-written song. “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson. So catchy. The first time I heard it I stopped everything I was doing to figure out what I was hearing.

Live show ritual:

Yoga, then some vocal warmups. I often sing along to “Under the Blacklight” by Rilo Kiley (the whole album) If I’m in the car, because Jenny Lewis hits every note in my whole vocal range.

Favourite local musician:

Julian Taylor. I’ve known him for about 20 years and he just gets better and better.

EP or LP?

Lately, EP. You can cut out the filler songs… longer doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better.

Early bird or night owl?

Night Owl. Sometimes my best ideas come to me when the world is asleep.

Road or studio?

Definitely road. A live show is a big circle of energy, starting at the stage, going through the audience and then back to the stage. Singing is my biggest joy and there is nothing better than performing live.

Any shows or albums coming up?

New album coming out in the spring of 2025, with more singles to come before that. I’ll be playing some shows around Ontario before the end of the year. Shows here.

Where can we follow you? 

Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Spotify | Apple Music

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Rapid Fire Local Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant?

416 Snack Bar. Cool ambience, great service and delicious small plates. I think their tomato toast is one of the best things I have eaten this year.

What is your favourite street in your city and why?

Augusta Avenue, or anywhere in Kensington Market, really. Some great vintage shops and food are there, plus The Supermarket, which is a venue I frequented a lot when I first moved to Toronto. The “Freefall Sundays” open mic is where I really cut my teeth when I started my solo career.

What is your favourite park in your city and why?

High Park. I can literally get lost in those forest trails (that’s another story!) and I bring my dog Banksy to the dog park there at least once a week. You can forget you’re even in a city with all of the trees and wildlife. I could do without the coyotes.

What is your favourite music venue in your city?

The Cameron House on Queen St. You can have an intimate show in the back room, or a loud stompin’ party in the front room and if you stumble in there any day of the week, you know the music is going to be good. Very accessible and run by awesome people.

What is your favourite music store in your city?

Dead Dog Records on Bloor Street. Great selection and staff, and I played “Altered Fest” there during Canadian Music Week this year. The owner built an entire stage for it and it was incredible.

The post Five Minutes With: Toronto Singer-Songwriter Angela Saini appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

The yellow subway line was bustling, serving as the vessel for nearly all attendees to get to the island efficiently. Upon their arrival, guests were greeted with the oasis of Osheaga 2024, a festival with over 18 years of experience. Four stages of music hailed on the city for nine hours, each day.

The first day was already off to a phenomenal start.

The intense heatwave didn’t deter Melanie Martinez fans from flocking to the Coors Light Mountain stage, which was adorned with bunnies, cradles, eerie dolls, and dollhouses, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display. A true storyteller, Martinez continually reinvents herself with each album, featuring whimsical characters that deeply connect with young women. Her music and visual style, a fusion of retro and contemporary influences, make her a standout in the pop music scene, as evidenced by the impressive and enthusiastic turnout of her Montreal crowd.

UK grime artist Skepta surprisingly has strong Canadian ties. Featured on Drake’s album More Life in 2017, Skepta instantly began paying homage to his Canadian connections with his track Skepta Interlude. This track alone was enough to warm up the crowd for his set, with everyone roaring back the lyrics throughout the entire song. He finished off with hits such as That’s Not Me, Man (Gang), and of course, Praise The Lord, a hit with ASAP Rocky that has amassed over a billion streams on Spotify alone.

Before we knew it, Saturday rolled around, the sold-out day of the weekend. You could tell Green Day was in town without even looking at the lineup. Countless fans mimicked the early 2000s American Idiot look, with eyeliner and a crooked tie. Highlights of the day included Denzel Curry, T-Pain, Smashing Pumpkins, Elderbrook, and Green Day.

T-Pain brought the nightclub to Osheaga. An artist who experienced an entire resurgence in popularity due to his fans’ discovery of his true harmonies beyond the autotune from his Tiny Desk Concert in 2015. He played infamous songs such as Up Down, Bartender, Good Life, and Low. Despite the heat, T-Pain was able to energize the crowd uniquely, transforming the Bellair Direct stage into a dance floor.

With every great festival comes personal scheduling issues. The Smashing Pumpkins’ set at the Coors Light stage overlapped with multi-talented electronic music artist Elderbrook. The Smashing Pumpkins brought forth a somber, atmospheric tone; the raw soundscape that Billy Corgan brought to the Coors Light stage felt like bliss amid the commotion of the entire festival day.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the festival at the Green Stage, Elderbrook, in a way, did the same. What makes Elderbrook stand out from other EDM artists at the festival is that he is a solo act who not only handles all live production but also performs all of his own vocals live. His sheer talent in balancing these two aspects made leaving The Smashing Pumpkins a bit early worth it.

As Osheaga brings festival-goers from across the country, it does the same with artists. Green Day had a sold-out show in Toronto on Thursday before travelling to Montreal for their next sold-out Canadian show at Osheaga. Before they went on, the audience knew that they would be running through their 2004 hit album American Idiot due to the massive inflatable of the album cover stretching to the top of the stage. Their set was nearly two hours, warming up the crowd with covers of Bohemian Rhapsody, Blitzkrieg Bop, and We Will Rock You.

Diving into their angsty, high-energy punk rock third album, Dookie, they performed tracks like Longview, Basket Case, F.O.D., and When I Come Around. Considering that this tour was for the album’s 30th anniversary, we can confidently say that Green Day still sounds identical to their studio recordings. Continuing with their 2004 album American Idiot, they played hits including Holiday, Homecoming, and Wake Me Up When September Ends.

They finished with the most powerful encore of the entire weekend, ending with the newer single Bobby Sox and the cult classic Good Riddance (Time of Your Life). The chemistry between the band radiated into the crowd, and it was great to see. Green Day proved to Osheaga that they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.

The third day didn’t slow down with massive artists, including Raye, Alvvays, Kevin Abstract, Hozier, Justice, and SZA, to name a few.

A storm began to dawn on the festival grounds during Raye’s set, causing a delay. But like any great artist, she made the most of it alongside her backing band. Raye embodies a 1960s-era aesthetic; she was dressed in a red ball gown, and her band had similar attire, with her drummer in a tuxedo. With her time remaining due to weather issues, she covered James Brown’s It’s a Man’s World followed by her tracks Black Mascara, Prada, and Escapism.

As the storm passed and the sun slowly started to dawn, Hozier took the stage. Beginning his performance with most of his 2014 self-titled album, he performed with a full band, adding the depth found only in a studio. The hymns from The Work Song and Real People Do employed a gospel-like fervour across the crowd. He finished his set with the new hit single Too Sweet and 2014’s Take Me To Church, resonating deeply with the crowd to close his performance.

As Hozier’s performance came to a close, SZA started almost immediately, as the two main stages were next to each other. SZA had one of the most extensive stage designs of the entire festival, delivering a fantasy setting of subterranean caves, macroscopic forests, and robotic themes. These visuals assisted her tracks like Garden, Kill Bill, and Saturn. Her set served as a trip through these realms, and it was clear that most of Sunday’s festival-goers were there for her.

The final night ended with Justice, a French duo that rarely makes an appearance in Canada. Their talent is quite similar to Daft Punk, as they both mixed their sets live. Their lighting and visuals within the night made it seem like the crowd was in a European nightclub in the after-hours. There are few artists that captured the crowd’s energy as Justice did, making their performance the perfect ending to the three-day music extravaganza of Osheaga.

As the crowd slowly dissipated into the night, one thing became immensely clear: Osheaga is more than just a music festival. It’s a melting pot where diverse genres and artists converge, a place that resonates with all musical interests. From Green Day’s raw punk rock energy to Hozier’s gospel-like hymns, it’s clear that Osheaga has become a Canadian tradition where music lovers can unite.

The post Osheaga 2024: A Weekend of Musical Icons appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Andy has had 11 singles reach No.1 across multiple Australian Country Radio Charts and was nominated for a 2023 CMAA Golden Guitar Award (CMA equivalent). He has won 3x People’s Choice Awards (including Best Male Vocals 2024), 4x Independent Country Music Awards (including Most Popular Male Artist 2023), a 2024 TSA Award, and was the winner of the “Australian Busking Championships 2019 – Gundagai”.

Andy was deemed “The Most Successful Australian Male Country Artist” for both 2022 and 2023 by the Australian Radio Top 40 Airplay Charts – determined by calculating the success of total singles over 12 months, across approx. 300 Australian community stations.

Internationally, he has had two songs peak at No.1 on the Nashville Country Independent Radio Charts, his third album peaked at No.1 for three weeks at the Canadian CFUR Radio charts, his song “Ghostly Gums” peaked at No.2 on the UK Country Radio Charts, and “Shades On Me” debuted at No.2 on PlayMPE UK.

Name:

Andy Penkow

Genre:

Country & Contemporary

Founded:

Started singing at the age of 11, and first album was released in 2018

# of Albums:

4 Studio Albums to date

Latest Album:

Shades On Me

Latest Single:

Shades On Me (Title Track)

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20)

Favourite musician now:

Donovan Woods (Canadian Folk)

Guilty pleasure song:

Heart of Gold (Neil Young)

Live show ritual:

A single shot of whiskey on ice

Favourite local musician:

Jessica Sole

EP or LP?

LP

Early bird or night owl?

Night Owl

Road or studio?

Both

Any shows or albums coming up?

My latest album, Shades On Me, just came out on 10 May, so am currently promoting this album heavily, including the Title Track.

For upcoming shows, I will be performing on August 27th at The Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto ON at 3 pm!  I will also be performing at BuskerFest from August 30th to September 2nd, come check it out!

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | Spotify | Facebook | YouTube

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Rapid Fire Local Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant?

Miss Fu in Chengdu, on Yonge St, Toronto ON – Best dumplings and tofu

What is your favourite street in your city and why?

Augusta Ave, Kensington Markets, Toronto ON

What is your favourite park in your city and why?

Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto ON – I used to live on Shaw Street around the corner from the park and it was my go-to place for a walk every afternoon

What is your favourite music venue in your city?

Cameron House on Queen Street West, Toronto ON – Really cool vibes and awesome live music

What is your favourite music store in your city?

Steve’s Music Store on Queen Street West, Toronto ON

The post Five Minutes With: Toronto-based Singer-Songwriter Andy Penkow appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

After the release of her debut EP “Think of Us”, (150k global streams two top 40 hits on SiriusXM Channel 171), Jessica has continued to grow. In March of 2022, she recorded her sophomore EP at Nashville’s legendary Blackbird Studios. Making her mark with singles “In The Name Of Tequila”, (200k TikTok views), and “Good in Goodbye” (multiple editorial playlist adds) Jessica continues to captivate audiences with her music.

2023 holds a lot in store for this rising star, including the release of her sophomore EP, another trip to Nashville for more writing and recording, and a summer on the road bringing her music directly to her fans with a high-energy, captivating, and unforgettable show that is sure to keep fans wanting more!

Name:

Jessica Sole

Genre:

Country

Founded:

March 27th, 1997

# of Albums:

2

Latest Album:

Hometown Cliché

Latest Single:

Fun While It Lasted

Latest Video:

Favourite musician now:

Kelsea Ballerini, Charlie Puth

Guilty pleasure song:

Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus or Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

Live show ritual:

Drink lots of tea, vocal warmup while I do my hair, and then sing along with Voicenotes by Charlie Puth in the car.

Favourite local musician:

I’m absolutely loving Devin Cole!

EP or LP?

LP

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl

Road or studio?

Both!

Any shows or albums coming up?

I hosted my EP Release party on April 22nd at The Supermarket in Kensington Market. I’m also playing tons of shows this summer which can be found on my website.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Tiktok | Instagram | Facebook

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Rapid Fire Toronto Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant in Toronto?

La Carnita, who doesn’t love tacos and tequila?

What is your favourite street in Toronto and why?

I love walking down Queen St West in the summertime.

What is your favourite park in Toronto and why?

Colonel Samuel Smith Park, it’s by where I went to school and has a beautiful view of the city on the water.

What is your favourite music venue in Toronto?

Budweiser Stage has always been my favourite.

What is your favourite music store in Toronto?

My Dads store, Soul Drums, it’s a vintage drum shop and has been open for almost 30 years!

The post Five Minutes With: Toronto Country musician Jessica Sole appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Name: 

David Boyd Janes

Genre:

Country / Rock Country

Founded:

2017

# of Albums:

2 EPs – Thoughts Become Things / Drove Me Country

Latest Album:

Drove Me Country

Latest Single:

“Bleed Country”

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

Ray Charles, Garth Brooks, Lenny Kravitz

Favourite musician now:

Hardy, Coldplay, Ernest, Ray Charles, City and Colour

Guilty pleasure song:

Ordinary World – Duran Duran

Live show ritual:

Burning my own incense backstage

Favourite local musician:

City and Colour

EP or LP?

EP

Early bird or night owl?

Night Owl

Road or studio?

Both! but I prefer being on the road

Any shows or albums coming up?

I will be playing at The Venue in Peterborough on October 20th as direct support for Gord Bamford as part of the Dirt Road Tour.

Where can we follow you?

Website | Instagram | Apple Music | Spotify

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Rapid Fire Toronto Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant in Toronto?

Nimman Thai Cuisine at Mimico and Lakeshore, Jack Astors (Shurway)

What is your favourite street in Toronto and why?

Marine Parade Drive just off Lakeshore BLVD W as I used to live there and there are just so many memories there for me.

What is your favourite park in Toronto and why?

Humber Bay Park and Old Mill. Humber Bay because I spent a lot of time there as a kid growing up long before all the condos were built and Old Mill as I have tons of memories fishing there with my dad as a kid.

High Park is a close second and a fun memory of this one time my mom caught this huge fish and yelled so loud a police officer ran over as he was walking by, true story!

What is your favourite music venue in Toronto?

This is a hard one but I’ll share a few; Opera House, El Mocambo and the Horseshoe Tavern.

What is your favourite music store in Toronto?

It was Sam The Record Man but that’s gone now.

The post Five Minutes With: Toronto Country Artist David Boyd Janes appeared first on Toronto Guardian.