rnb Archives - Toronto Guardian

Five Minutes With: Toronto-based Musician Nick Souza

Lauren Kannwischer — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 07:33:44 +0000

Nick Souza, the Toronto-based musical visionary weaves a distinctive sound. With Brazilian roots and a passion for R&B, Nick effortlessly merges smooth vocals and chord progressions with the lively beats of Brazilian drums. As a songwriter, producer, and saxophone player, he creates a unique blend that defies genres. Nick’s music invites you on a journey where tradition and modern flair harmonize, promising a celebration of diversity and true artistic expression.

Name:

Nick Souza

Genre:

RnB, Baile Funk/Dance

Founded:

2019

Latest Single:

Running

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

Justin Timberlake

Favourite musician now:

Cash Cobain

Guilty pleasure song:

You and I Anjulie

Live show ritual:

Stretch, warm up like I’m about to play a soccer game or go to the gym lol

Favourite local musician:

Sadboi

EP or LP?

Early bird or night owl?

Night Owl

Road or studio?

Studio

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | TikTok | Spotify

***

Rapid Fire Local Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant?

850 Degrees Pizza

What is your favourite street in your city and why?

Lake Shore Blvd because it’s by the water and has tons of great stores/restaurants and things to do from East to West

What is your favourite park in your city and why?

High Park, lot of nostalgia because I went there a lot growing up

What is your favourite music venue in your city?

I love Revival, Axis, The Drake, and History, but all of Toronto’s venues have cool aspects and parts of history attached to them

What is your favourite music store in your city?

Horns Reborn on Lake Shore Blvd W. It’s a woodwind service/repair shop. I forget his name but it’s run an older gentleman who has helped me out of some tight spots, like once when I dropped my Saxophone a night before a show. He fixed it by the morning and I killed the show. Legend.

The post Five Minutes With: Toronto-based Musician Nick Souza appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

“Five Minutes With” with Matthew Isaacs, AKA: Kromatix_

Demian Vernieri — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 07:33:10 +0000

Born and raised in Toronto. Kromatix_ is a unique soul musician who discovered the piano at a very young age. Music isn’t ‘in his genes’, as he went into foster care from birth and was adopted before the age of 2. However, Kromatix_ developed a profound love for everything Soul, Funk, Jazz and R&B. Kromatix_ has a soulful voice that is incredibly euphonious, and harmonies that leave the ears over satisfied. His deep and expressive lyrics will leave the heart fulfilled while taking you down a relatable journey that explores the sex, love, and relationships.

Kromatix_ is known for his buttery tone, great lyricism, head-bopping beats, and unique approach to his vocals and his trademark harmonies and soulful chord progressions that leave you wanting more. It’s often said that his songs can’t be listened to just once and that his choruses will keep you hooked for days.

Kromatix_ realized his passion for his musical pursuits while studying for Jazz at Humber College’s Jazz program and playing for their Varsity volleyball team. And while Kromatix_ was quickly recognized as the guy who played ‘phat chords’ on the piano or ‘cool voicings’ and came up with unique melody lines. He was also known for his height, athletic ability and athletic achievements.

Kromatix_ spent 5 years helping other artists develop their music and sound, he looks forward to sharing his truths in which his original music and art connect deeply.

Name:

Kromatix_ (aka Matthew Isaacs)

Genre:

Soul, Funk & Modern R&B

Founded:

Established in 2021

# of Albums:

1 album (EP)

Latest Album:

Thoughts & Afflictions: Even Something Beautiful Can Fall To Pieces

Latest Single:

Don’t Waste My Time

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

Stevie Wonder. As a child who initially learned music by ear, before studying jazz, I remember hearing the funky and complex chord progressions with digestible lyrical content from the timeless Stevie. In grade 8 my Dad had bought me a Stevie Wonder discography music book, and from there began my in depth love and appreciation for Stevie’s music, and his incredible contributions to music. He has definitely been one of my longest-lasting musical inspirations!

Musiq Soulchild. Musiq has so much musical swagger that is hard to deny and hard not to enjoy his soulful stylings. He has this affinity for music that comes out in his vocal delivery and he hooked me from the first song of his I heard, which was “B.U.D.D.Y”. I remember coming home from school excited to watch his videos on BET so I could sing along and vibe with his music videos. Lost are the days of ‘world premiered music videos’. Good ol’ days!

Michael Jackson. My favourite qualities of MJ were his amazing ability to write tasteful and timeless melodies and lyrics, and his cool contributions to how he wanted his production to sound. His tone is undeniable and I’m grateful for the few times my vibrato has been compared to his! For all three artists, I was the guy who knew their whole catalogue aside from their hits. And I take a lot of pride in knowing their catalogue, and the impactful inspiration it’s had on me as a musician, piano player and artist.

D’Angelo. Being a 90’s kid who grew up around the end of the Boys2men era and into the Backstreet Boys era, when D’Angelo came out with his “Brown Sugar” album, it changed my world. There was something so fresh and compelling to his soulful and funky approach to music, that songs like ‘Lady’ and ‘I found my smile again’ opened up my world, and my ears, to a fresh new wave of soul music. To this day, I still heavily consume all three artists’ music!

Favourite musician now:

Mac Ayres. Mac Ayres, to me, is like the reincarnated D’Angelo. Like D’Angelo, Mac has this rhythmical and funky approach to his music. While keeping this J Dilla vibe to his tracks with these unbelievable drum stylings (from Chris Anderson), Mac Ayres has this fresh modern R&B sound that is uniquely his own. And I take inspiration in that to have my own sound that people can recognize me for.

Allen Stone. Allen has the dopest pipes in today’s modern soul. From his incredible vocal range to his easily recognizable tone. He has had a huge influence on my music, my singing, and my songwriting. Allen conveys stories through his music so well, and I feel like that is lost in the way some male soul singers approach and deliver their writing. He has inspired my songwriting greatly!

Kwaku Asante: Like Giveon, Kwaku Asante is a great singer with a unique voice, but Kwaku has a diverse sound and all-around amazing vibes.

Guilty pleasure song:

Bobby Brown – My Prerogative

Live show ritual:

I like to work out the day of a show, catch a nap, and honey + ginger tea on the way to the venue. While I do my weird vocal warmups incognito. Lol

Favourite local musician:

Jesse Gold and Loony

EP or LP?

Early bird or night owl?

Complete night owl. I work best when the world quiets down. I find myself doing my best creative thinking and songwriting, late at night.

Road or studio?

I love the recording process in the studio. It is where my creativity shines. I haven’t toured yet, but I equally love the process of band rehearsals and sharing my music with others!

Any shows or albums coming up?

In the fall of 2022, will be releasing a Soul LP titled ‘Not Expected, But Selected: Home is Where the Heart is’. This dives into the deep and emotional story of my past in dealing with being adopted as a child, the struggles I went through, as well as the unconditional love I was shown. I’m excited to share my music and my story.

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

***

Rapid Fire Toronto Qs

Favourite local restaurant:

The Real Jerk on Gerrard. Great Caribbean food and they had the dopest karaoke nights.

Favourite street in your city:

Augusta. It is always a cool vibe. walking into Kensington Market. There is definitely a large artistic vibe in the air, and the people are always welcoming in the Kensington area.

Favourite park in your city:

Trillium Park. I never really knew it existed until I was asked to feature in a music video that was filmed there. When you’re not in the perfect view of the CN Tower, it has this ‘out of Toronto’ feel. Music Video feature

Favourite music venue in your city:

Mod Club. I love the sound in that venue. It has a great aesthetic, and it is a venue that is solid in its capacity but allows for a great intimate experience at a show.

El Macumbo also has great acoustics, has a cool history, and it’s always a vibe.

The Phoenix. I love going to shows here. The sound is on point, and it’s just big enough that no matter where you are in the venue, you still feel close enough to the stage to get the best live experience.

Favourite music store in your city:

No favourite store, but I often find myself in Shoppers Drug Mart using my pc points, or Long and Mcquade nerding out on music gear.

The post “Five Minutes With” with Matthew Isaacs, AKA: Kromatix_ appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

“Five Minutes With” Canadian rapper, singer and producer, Sty-Low

Demian Vernieri — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 07:33:29 +0000

Sty-Low AKA Mister D.O.P.E (Determination On Point Everyday) is a Canadian rapper, singer and producer out of Toronto. Mixing the roughness of Hip-Hop and the melodies of R’n’B, he is all about making good music with a meaning. Influenced by 90’s West Coast Hip-Hop, especially artists like Bone Thugs N Harmony and 2Pac, producers like Dr. Dre, Dj Quik and DJ U-Neek, his trademark is a low-toned yet energetic/fast rap style he named “Whisper Roar”, and very melodic beats. Sty-Low is all about “Keeping good music afloat in a wack music ocean” and brings you the kind of music you want to abuse the repeat button for.

Name:

Sty-Low

Genre:

Hip-Hop/RnB

Founded:

2017

# of Albums:

I am more of a single driven type of artist

Latest Single:

Rid’n & Vib’n

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

2pac, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Dr. Dre

Favourite musician now:

2pac, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Dr. Dre

Guilty pleasure song:

Notorious Thugs by The Notorious BIG ft Bone Thugs N Harmony

Live show ritual:

Nothing in particular

Favourite local musician:

Legendary Toronto rapper Infinite that I had the chance to work with for my next single.

EP or LP?

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl

Road or studio?

Studio, I love creating

Any shows or albums coming up?

I am getting ready to shoot a video for my next single called “DIF’REN”

Where can we follow you?

Instagram

***

Rapid Fire Toronto Qs

Favourite local restaurant:

4c Broast Chicken in Scarborough

Favourite street in your city:

Bay St (every time I am downtown and see all the banks and businesses it just motivates me to work harder)

Favourite park in your city:

Don’t have one in particular

Favourite music venue in your city:

Rebel

Favourite music store in your city:

I am more of an Amazon Prime type of guy but if i go to a music store it is Long & McQuade

The post “Five Minutes With” Canadian rapper, singer and producer, Sty-Low appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

“Five Minutes With” Alternative Soul/RnB singer-songwriter, Avery Raquel

Demian Vernieri — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 07:00:18 +0000

From recording artist to radio co-host, 20-year-old Canadian singer/songwriter and Billboard charting artist Avery Raquel has been entertaining audiences professionally for over ten years and has channelled her passion for performance into an impressive list of accolades. The alternative soul artist has released three solo albums to critical acclaim and has previously worked with award-winning Canadian producer/musician Greg Kavanagh. Raquel’s 2018 album, My Heart Away, debuted at #11 on the iTunes Top 200 RnB/Soul Chart and garnered significant media exposure and radio airplay across Canada, the U.S., and Europe. Passionate about supporting causes close to her heart, Raquel champions a variety of issues such as anti-bullying, mental health awareness, and music education, and is a featured artist and co-host of the weekly online broadcast ‘The Memphis Show’, on Heart of Indie Radio, a large supporter of mental health awareness for youth. With influences ranging from Etta James and Carole King to Lauryn Hill and Bruno Mars, Raquel’s versatile musicianship and powerful vocals shine on her most recent releases. ‘Please’ debuted at #8 on the iTunes Top 200 RnB/Soul Chart and was a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition in 2021, and her prior masterful and emotive release, ‘Helpless’, debuted at #4 on the iTunes Top 200 RnB/Soul Chart and serves as the lead single from her forthcoming self-titled debut album due out this Spring. With its infectious groove and playful lyrics, listen to Avery’s newest funky, single “All up to You” now.

Photo by Jemall Earle

Name:

Avery Raquel

Genre:

Alternative Soul/RnB

Founded:

Brantford, ON – I started singing professionally when I was 10 in 2011. I now live in Toronto.

# of Albums:

3 full solo albums, 1 Remix EP which landed on the Dance Song Chart on

Billboard in February 2020, and a new studio album expected in Spring 2022.

Latest Album:

Avery Raquel (Self-titled) Spring 2022

Latest Single:

All Up To You

Latest Video:

Favourite musician now:

I don’t have just one, as my taste changes monthly. I enjoy all kinds of music from Jazz to Blues, Pop to RnB, especially old school 70’s.

Guilty pleasure song:

Help Me by Joni Mitchell

Live show ritual:

Breathing exercises, light meditation and I speak through all my lyrics in my head as fast as I can. Oh, and my mascara gets applied last!

Favourite local musician:

Daniel Caesar & Charlotte Day Wilson

EP or LP?

Early bird or night owl?

Night Owl

Road or studio?

Road – I prefer performing over recording, especially lately.

Any shows or albums coming up?

Upcoming Shows:

April 7 – Bar Cathedral – Toronto, ON (Album Release)
April 15 – Townshend Theatre – Fort Francis, ON
April 16 – Port Arthur Polish Hall – Thunder Bay, ON
April 17 – Geraldton Country Club – Geraldton, ON
April 30 – St. Francis Centre – Ajax, ON

Where can we follow you?

***

Rapid Fire Toronto Qs

Favourite local restaurant:

Zander’s Fire Grill and Brew Lounge in Brantford

Favourite street in your city:

Lorne Crescent in Brantford – My dad’s name

Favourite park in your city:

South Humber Park, good walking trails and the Humber river is beautiful in the Spring and Summer.

Favourite music venue in your city:

Sanderson Centre, Brantford – just performed on the main stage last December.

The post “Five Minutes With” Alternative Soul/RnB singer-songwriter, Avery Raquel appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

“Five Minutes With” RnB singer-songwriter, Omega Mighty

Demian Vernieri — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 08:00:27 +0000

Omega Mighty is an eclectic female singer-songwriter and performance artist from Toronto, ON with a distinctive lower-register and an amazing skill for arranging. Her sound is a fusion of r&b/reggae and dancehall. She began to perfect her artistic craft from the age of 4 training in classical piano and by age 9, she furthered her love for music and performance with formal vocal lessons and dance training in tap, ballet, dancehall and hip hop. Her early years include opening for acts such as Danny Fernandes and performing as a dancer with the South African cast of Umoja at Toronto’s Elgin Theatre. Growing up, Omega would regularly listen to a wide variety of music spanning genres of pop, hip-hop, RnB, roots reggae, dancehall and afrobeats. By grade 10, she enrolled in music and computers where she dabbled in music production and started recording her own vocals. Somehow those skills were transferable as her latest project “Me & Youforia” was self-recorded and engineered while in lockdown. Intrigued by full-scale productions, Omega often finds herself activating her many talents having choreographed the Grey Cup Half Time performance for the Arkells, and sister Haviah Mighty’s performance at the Polaris Awards 2019. She creatively directs her own visuals, and you may have even come across her viral wedding dance performance on YouTube with over 1.5 million views. Most notably, her latest EP “Me & Youforia” has been garnering attention, creating a brand new sound by merging elements of classical RnB, reggae-dancehall, afrobeats and even trap. The project features productions from brother and sisters Mighty Prynce, Alicia Mighty and Haviah Mighty, and is executively produced by Taabu. Despite the many lockdowns, Omega is determined to have her music heard by the masses.

Name:

Omega Mighty

Genre:

Rnb/ Reggae-Dancehall

Founded:

2018

# of Albums:

Latest Album:

Me & Youforia (EP)

Latest Single:

“Ayo (Color Your Love) “ featuring EverythingOShauN

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

Brandy

Favourite musician now:

Rihanna

Guilty pleasure song:

“Act up” City Girls

Live show ritual:

Stretch my body + vocal exercises

Favourite local musician:

Haviah Mighty

EP or LP?

LP (the more music the better)

Early bird or night owl?

Night Owl

Road or studio?

Love being on the road

Any shows or albums coming up?

Performing at AfrowaveTO Feb. 24, plus new music in the works. Link here

Where can we follow you?

Instagram |TikTok | Twitter | YouTube

***

Rapid Fire Toronto Qs

Favourite local restaurant:

Planta – Queen

Favourite street in your city:

I love to walk and shop the shops on Queen Street

Favourite park in your city:

Woodbine Park, nice view, nostalgic & host of many local music festivals

Favourite music venue in your city:

El’ Mocambo. Historic intimate venue with bright acoustics. One of my first shows booked after the release of Me & Youforia

Favourite music store in your city:

Long & McQuade hands down. I can have a field day!

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