INTERVIEW: Erik Hassle
Erik Hassle has found the groove in his sound. The soul-pop singer has been making musical waves since the release of his first single, “Hurtful”, in Sweden back in 2008. Hassle’s music has gone through a natural evolution through the years, while maintaining the soulfulness and lyrically wearing his heart on his sleeve. I had the opportunity to chat with Erik last week, just before he hit the stage at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver, and before he found out he was on top of Taylor Swift’s playlist.
INTERVIEW: Becky G
Becky G has the keys to success – drive, determination, and passion. At the age of nine, Becky had a moment of realization amidst a rough patch that her family was facing, as they were forced to sell their home and relocated to her grandparents’ garage. She wanted to find a way to relieve the financial stress of her parents, pursuing small entertainment gigs including voice-overs and commercials. It was not only passion that was there, but also talent. Her cover of Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “Otis” captured the attention of Dr. Luke, known for his work with Katy Perry and Ke$ha to name a few, who immediately signed Becky to his label Kemosabe Records. He has referred to the singer / songwriter / rapper / model / actor as the total package – and he may be onto something. I had the opportunity to chat with Becky G just ahead of the first stop of her first headlining tour in Canada for Family’s Big Ticket Summer Concert tour in Abbotsford yesterday.
INTERVIEW: Jon McLaughlin
Jon McLaughlin is gearing up to release his new album Like Us on October 9th, and will be supporting the release with a US tour. We had the opportunity to chat with him about his musical inspirations, songwriting, and what to expect from his new album.
INTERVIEW: Tyler Shaw
Tyler Shaw is ready to show the world what he’s made of. Since winning a cover contest held by MuchMusic and Coca-Cola back in 2012, Shaw has established himself as a talented singer-songwriter. His debut single “Kiss Goodnight” was certified gold, and his latest single “House of Cards” has been heating up on the charts. This October, Shaw has secured an opener slot on Kelly Clarkson’s Piece By Piece Tour with Nick Jonas. I had the opportunity to chat with Tyler about the upcoming tour and the fans.
INTERVIEW: Sam Weber
There is a sense of sincerity in Sam Weber’s music that is as equally mellowing and captivating.
INTERVIEW: The Katherines
The month of May has been the month of The Katherines. This is only the beginning for Kate Kurdyak, Lauren Kurdyak, and Kaitlyn Hansen-Boucher in the adventures of being The Katherines. The trio was officially announced as a band at the beginning of this month, which has been a notion long in the making.
INTERVIEW: Hollow Twin
It was about three years ago when musical seeds were planted to form Hollow Twin. It was on a rainy September day when Emmalee Watts and Becky Wosk learned that they had much in common, from neighbourhoods to musical tastes. Fast forward to the present, the duo has become a band that is ready to release their second EP Keepers, with a release show at The Hindenburg on April 26th.
LOCAL FANS: JPNSGRLS
In a city like Vancouver, the love of good music is perhaps matched by our passion for hockey. With the playoffs on the horizon this month, we thought it only made sense to intersect music and hockey. JPNSGRLS were kind enough to take some time to catch up with us to chat not only about the Vancouver Canucks, but also what they’ve been up to. Their debut album Circulation saw its UK release earlier this week, and the band will be heading on tour in Europe later this month.
Q&ASAP: ACRONYMS
ACRONYMS will soon be headed to a Western Canadian city close to you. With a tour in progress and a debut album in tow, one of the latest additions to Saskatoon’s growing music scene is ready to rock and roll. The band will be supporting JPNSGRLS at The Media Club next Friday March 27th. ACRONYMS were kind enough to answer a few questions via e-mail.
INTERVIEW: The Faceplants
The Faceplants are gearing up for a busy year. The Vancouver power-pop rockers are celebrating the release of their new single, “Why”, with a show at The Roxy this Saturday March 14th. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to chat with lead singer and songwriter Dan Botch about the band’s new single, musical inspirations, and more.
INTERVIEW: Jennifer Hershman
Jennifer Hershman is gearing up for a busy February. The Vancouver singer-songwriter will be releasing her third album Never Ever Wanna on February 17th and will be playing an album release party that evening at the Electric Owl. Hershman’s music career has been seasoned by a variety of collaborations and inspirations, but has notably taken efforts into her own hands.
Q&ASAP: Michelle Chamuel
If Michelle Chamuel looks familiar, it is likely not a coincidence. Chamuel was the runner-up on the fourth season of NBC’s The Voice, putting her own spin on some of pop’s biggest hits. Prior to her television appearance, Chamuel was the lead singer of Ann Arbor based band, Ella Riot. She reunited with her former band mates Tyler Duncan and Theo Katzman to work on her debut studio album, Face The Fire, which was released earlier this week.
Q&ASAP: The Carlines
The Carlines released their debut EP Still The Sun Will Rise earlier this year. In support of the release, The Carlines are currently on a Western Canadian tour with a show in Vancouver this Sunday November 23rd at The Railway Club
INTERVIEW: Alex & Sierra
It was just over a year ago that Alex & Sierra charmed our television screens and ears for the first time. There was magic in the chemistry that Alex Kinsey and Sierra Deaton shared both on and off the stage. The duo became the first group to win The X Factor USA crown, tallying the highest number of votes from viewers every single week. The vision that Alex & Sierra shared for their music was evident from their reworking of songs that they performed on the show. Last week, we had the opportunity to chat with Alex & Sierra over the phone about making their new album and the fans.
Q&ASAP: Olivver
It’s all in the details. That is certainly the case with Bryan Sammis, better known these days as Olivver. From being on the back burner to bringing his ideas to actuality, the project had been a work in progress for Sammis.