Photo by Addi B

Music industry players share valuable experience at “Halloween in Hollywood” mic drop mixer

Story by Howard Druckman, with files from/avec la participation de Racquel Villagante | Thursday November 9th, 2023

PHOTO GALLERY BELOW

Thirteen knowledgeable music ecosystem representatives shared their valuable insights and advice about making it in Los Angeles, with a crowd of about 100 L.A.-based SOCAN members who are new to the city, as we hosted a “Halloween in Hollywood” mic drop mixer at the historic Sound Factory studios, on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023.

Each of these 13 key players in the LA music industry spoke briefly to the members:

  • Jarret Mckenzie – Feels Right Management
  • Livy Rodriguez-Behar – Dreamboat Music Supervision
  • Danny Berkeley-Scott – Hallwood Media
  • Doug Deluca – Lineage Music Group
  • Andre Galuban – Canadian Consulate in L.A. (Head of Music)
  • Max Espinosa – SalxCo
  • Mauricio Ruiz – 8tilfaint
  • Chukwudi Obi and Laura Johnson – Red Bull Records
  • Adrienne Reeves – Versa Music Group
  • Allyson Aranez – Aspect Agency
  • Nat Yaeger – Vnclm_ x Atlantic
  • Gabi Kochlani – The Grey Administration

In addition to providing an educational and networking opportunity for members, we also presented a No. 1 Song Award to Scott Helman, who scaled the peak of the CBC Music Top 20 Countdown Chart on July 2, 2023, with his song “Drive.” Our Creative Executives Racquel Villagante (Los Angeles) and Liam Russell (Los Angeles & Nashville) bestowed the trophy to Helman during the festivities.

Among the SOCAN members attending the event were Zach Zoya, Nathalie Bonin, JESSIA, Jamie Fine, Danny Del, Kareem James, Alicia Creti, Marc Majore, Jude Connors, Kalli Lang, Andrea Wasse, VIBI, Noah  Barer, and Taylor Kernohan.

In addition to the key music ecosystem players listed above, among the industry representatives in attendance were Arian Tehranian and Max Espinosa, of SalxCo (artist managers for The Weeknd, NAV, and Belly); Mya Hansen and Adam Ikner, of Sony Music Publishing; Izzy Elefante, of APG; Dougie Bohay, of YMU Group; Twiggy and Sam Pringle, of Project Gold; Cameell Hanna, of Sound Factory Records; and Bret Disend, of Ozone Entertainment.

In addition to Racquel Villagante and Liam Russell, attending for SOCAN were Alex Golden, Manager, Creative Operations and Programming, and Ayden Pelle, SOCAN Los Angeles  intern, from the University of Southern California (USC).

We also gave a prize away for the best costumes – and you can see the winners in the final photo of the gallery below!

Access a complete set of photos from the event.

Photo by Marie-Michèle Bouchard. Left to right/De gauche à droite : Valaire, Alexandra Stréliski, Philippe Brach, Loud, Kanen

Video: 2023 ADISQ Gala Interviews, Part One

Story by Eric Parazelli | Thursday November 9th, 2023

Welcome to the first round of the numerous interviews we conducted backstage at the 2023 ADISQ Gala and Premier Gala.

 

For the band Valaire, their language of expression is like their music: multiple and varied. It’s no wonder that they won the Félix for the Album of the Year – Multilingual and Other Languages, in recognition of the quality of the work Jazz Futon. The band members spent a few minutes with us to talk about it at the Premier Gala de l’ADISQ.

ADISQ, Gala, 2023, Valaire, Interview

Select the image to play the SOCAN YouTube interview video with Valaire

 

Alexandra Stréliski won the Félix awards for Female Artist of the Year and Artist of the Year – International Success at the ADISQ Gala. She also won the Félix for Album of the Year – Instrumental Music, for Néo-Romance, at the Premier Gala. We caught up with her in the Gala press room to talk, among other things, about the different audiences she’s encountered on her international tours.

ADISQ, Gala, 2023, Alexandra Streliski, Interview

Select the image to play the SOCAN YouTube interview video with Alexandra Stréliski

 

Philippe Brach won three trophies during the Wednesday night galas: two at the Gala de l’industrie (Recording and Mixing of the Year, and Album Cover of the Year) and Album of the Year – Alternative at the Premier Gala, for Les gens qu’on aime. We chatted with him to gather his impressions.

ADISQ, Gala, 2023, Philippe Brach, Interview
Select the image to play the SOCAN YouTube interview video with Philippe Brach

 

With Aucune promesse, rapper Loud chose a different path, instead of following the expectations that weighed on him after the huge success of his previous albums. That didn’t stop him from winning the Félix for Album of the Year – Rap at the Premier Gala de l’ADISQ.

ADISQ, Gala, 2023, Loud, Interview
Select the image to play the SOCAN YouTube interview video with Loud

 

On Nov. 5, 2023, Kanen became the very first Indigenous artist to win the Félix for Revelation of the Year at the ADISQ Gala. She also won in the Indigenous Artist of the Year category. We caught up with her after the gala to discuss her attachment to her community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, now that she’s based in Montréal.

ADISQ, Gala, 2023, Kanen, Interview

Select the image to play the SOCAN YouTube interview video with Kanen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Brad Ardley. Left to right/De gauche à droite : James Disalvio of/de Bran Van 3000; Dream Warriors (Capital Q, King Lou); Mark Gane of/de Martha & The Muffins; Snow

Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inducts four ‘80s, ‘90s hit songs at “Legends” event

Story by Howard Druckman | Tuesday November 7th, 2023

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Four hit songs from the 1980s and 1990s were inducted to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) on Nov. 1, 2023, in a celebratory show at the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in downtown Toronto, as part of the Legends Series, supported by the RBC Foundation through RBC Emerging Artists.

The four honoured songs are generational, culture-defining, internationally influential hits co-written by Canadians, and recorded by Canadians:

  • “Informer,” the biggest selling reggae-rap recording in the ‘90s, recorded by Snow (Darrin O’Brien), and co-written by Snow with American rapper/producer MC Shan (Shawn Moltke), Terri Moltke, and Edmond Leary;
  • “Drinking in L.A.,” a global club anthem recorded by alt-rock/hip-hop/folk collective Bran Van 3000, co-written by James Di Salvio, Haig Vartzbedian and U.S.-based Duane Larson;
  • “My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style,” a Canadian hip-hop trailblazer, recorded by duo Dream Warriors, and written by one of its two members, King Lou (Louie Robinson), along with Richard Rodwell; and
  • “Echo Beach,” the enduring new-wave classic written by Mark Gane, co-founder of the Toronto band Martha and the Muffins.

At the show, onstage interviews with Snow; King Lou and Richard Rodwell; James DiSalvio and Haig Vartzbedian; and Mark Gane – along with new honourees Marc Jordan and John Capek, who were inducted for their entire catalogues, including co-writing Rod Stewart’s “Rhythm of My Heart” – were conducted by host Sonia Benezra, who delved into the stories behind the songs.

The evening included video tributes to the songs, including one from Rod Stewart for “Rhythm of My Heart,” and standout performances of “Drinking in L.A.” by Luna Elle and Cameron Phillip; “My Definition” by TOBi and Dream Warriors themselves; “Echo Beach” by Sam Casey; and “Informer” by Snow himself.

“The four songs that were inducted are vastly different from each other, but they all pushed the boundaries of convention, celebrated individuality, and influenced popular culture,” said Stan Meissner, CSHF Board Chairman.