BENNY ADAM
Signed to the Universal Music Publishing Group, Montréal singer-songwriter Benny Adam now finds his name on the lips of every record label and music publisher in Paris. His debut album, due in 2019, is being handled by Valéry Zeitoun, a renowned music executive in France, who was the distributor there for U2 and Amy Winehouse. Managed by Sebastien Catillon (Diam’s, Ben l’oncle soul…), the album is expected early in 2019.
Watch the video for the Benny Adam-produced “Mon Lit,” by Leila Lanova featuring Fababy.
MORMOR
MorMor (born Seth Nyquist) writes, plays, and produces almost everything on his songs, an eclectic mix of psychedelic, soul, shoegaze, and R&B. “Heaven’s Only Wishful” has earned him almost three million YouTube views, and a signing to September Management (alongside Adele, Rick Rubin, King Krule and Rex Orange County), and critical acclaim from Pitchfork, NPR, and The Fader. He’s expected to tour in 2019.
Watch the video for “Heaven’s Only Wishful.”
PEACH PIT
Indie band Peach Pit went from regional obscurity to international sensation when their song “Peach Pit” went viral on YouTube (currently at more than 20 million views). Now they’ve toured North America, Europe, India, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia; signed a worldwide deal with Columbia Records; and continued to expand their stylistic range all the while.
Watch the video for “Peach Pit.”
SAVANNAH RÉ
One of Toronto’s hottest emerging R&B artists, Savannah Ré is working closely with renowned beat-maker/producer Boi-1da and went on a fall 2018 North American tour alongside Jessie Reyez. She’s also caught the attention of producers Jordon Manswell and Babyface. According to The Fader, “she blends… casual confessional writing with a more traditional approach to melody and delivery — a real treat.”
Hear “The Best is Yet to Come.”
SORAN
A self-taught multi-instrumentalist, SORAN has earned 102,000 Instagram followers, and more than 10 million streams. Making music that blends dance, reggae, funk, and soul, he was busking in Montréal’s subway when someone from La Voix [the Québec franchise of The Voice] walked by and convinced him to sign up. He didn’t win, but gained massive TV exposure, and a record deal followed.
Watch the video for “Emma.”
ALEXANDRA STRÉLISKI
Alexandra Stréliski has a million monthly listeners on Spotify, over 30 million streams across all platforms, and her music has been used in filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée’s last four projects, from Dallas Buyers Club to Sharp Objects. She’s just started her live-concert career, and is signed to Secret City Records, a home for high-quality, exportable music. Billboard magazine calls her “one of the foremost new stars in modern classical.”
Watch the video for “Changing Winds.”
TENILLE TOWNES
As a young prodigy, a teenaged Tenille Townes toured throughout Canada, and made frequent visits to Nashville to co-write. Now living there, she’s signed a publishing deal with Big Yellow Dog Music and a record deal with Columbia Nashville, both U.S.-based. In 2018, she toured with Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town, and she’ll open a 2019 tour for Dierks Bentley.
Watch the video for “Somebody’s Daughter.”
Photo: Thomas Dufresne-Morin
ZACH ZOYA
An Anglophone rapper who emerged from rural Abitibi-Témiscamingue in Québec, Zach Zoya saw his first single, “Superficial,” streamed more than 325,000 times on Spotify, and his second, “Who Dat,” reaching more than 100,000 in one month. Zoya has opened shows for Loud and Alaclair Ensemble, and has already performed at the Festival d’Été de Québec and the Montréal International Jazz Festival.
Watch the video for “Who Dat.”