Author Archives: Quinn Taylor

Canada’s sweetheart, BBNO$

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Out of the 40 awards handed out each year at the Junos, the Fan Choice Award is the only award where the winner is chosen by the fans.

Most years the award has tended to be given to an artist who transcended borders or had the most hit songs. But, in the past two years it has gone to BBNO$, an artist who is not only known for his music but also known for his unique yet relatable personality, that keeps Canadian music fans intrigued. 

It’s no secret BBNO$ has a polarizing personality. With over 4.9 million followers on Instagram and 10.4 million on TikTok, his persona transcends music as well as the borders that so often restrict Canadian artists from reaching global popularity.

For the Vancouver native it hasn’t been much of a struggle. Bursting on to the scene in 2019 with his hit song “La La La”, it was clear to listeners and viewers that BBNO$ not only had a different sound from the rest of the music industry but a quirky personality that could be seen through his lyrics and unique sound that listeners heard..

His breakout hit “La La La” alone has surpassed 1 billion global streams, making it one of the most successful viral songs to come out of Canada in the last decade.

Since, BBNO$ has built a catalogue with over 5.8 billion total Spotify streams, cementing his place as one of Canada’s most streamed independent artists. 

So, when it comes to an award that fans get to vote on, with the description of the award being “An annual award presented by CARAS that allows the public to vote for their favourite Canadian artist or group, highlighting artistic popularity and cultural impact.” there is no doubt who Canadian music lovers voted for.

Over the past two years BBNO$ has won back to back Fan Choice Awards at the Junos. After his first win there was a sincere sense of gratitude in his acceptance speech.

“I honestly wasn’t expecting to win. This is really sick that I’ve won a Juno in my hometown (Vancouver)”

His first acceptance speech was much more articulate in contrast to his 2026 win. Although he wasn’t able to attend the award ceremony held in Hamilton, as he is on tour, he posted a video to his instagram reacting to the win. 

“Lets go! Lets go! Lets go!” Shouted BBNO$. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXVCEmAS1l8/

As BBNO$ continues his world tour across Europe right now, he will look to become the first threepeat winner of the Juno Fan Choice Award in 2027.



Is Sophia Stel the new face of the BC indie scene?

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Too often, I’ll be listening to new music and be quickly turned off by the overly produced slop. Too many artists have their creative process taken away from them and aren’t able to make the music they feel is best. Well, that’s exactly why myself and over 400,000 Spotify listeners listen to Sophia Stel.

While the old guard of the music industry is still trying to figure out what can sell, Sophia is busy building a cult following from her bedroom. She’s the perfect example of the new Vancouver sound, it’s moody, it’s a little bit weird, and feels perfect for late night in Vancouver.

What makes Sophia different from your average “TikTok artist” is the depth of the music. Her EP “How to Win At Solitaire” dropped late last year and it completely shifted the vibe of the local scene. It’s got this haunted warmth to its songs that feel like they’re glitching out one second and then hitting you with a massive pop hook the next.

But it’s not just about the songs, it’s the whole aesthetic. She pioneered this thrift shop fashion trend look that has every indie kid in the city hitting up the Value Village trying to copy her style. Even the big UK magazines like Wonderland are starting to take notice, calling her one of the “Wonders to Watch” for 2026.

She commonly plays at the Fox Cabaret, and the energy in the room is different than a typical indie show. It’s not just people standing around with their arms crossed, it’s a community of fans who feel like they’ve discovered a secret.

In an industry that can sometimes feel a bit cold and corporate, artists like Sophia Stel are making uncool cool. 


Cameron Whitecomb is having his Juno moment and BC is taking notice

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For the majority of Canadian artists, the Juno award show feels like a milestone moment. For Cameron Whitcomb however, they feel more like a turning point.

Whether it’s the nominations, public appearances, or coming home with some hardware at this year’s Juno award show, Cameron Whitcomb is quickly climbing the ranks and becoming one of Canada’s most promising young country music stars. 

Although his rise to fame has been nothing but ordinary.

At the age of 17 before pursuing his musical dreams Cameron was working construction in Kelowna BC, far removed from the life he lives now. Whitcomb, a Nanaimo native, made his breakthrough in the music industry in 2022 when he reached the top 20, in season 20 of American Idol. 

Cameron has always prided himself on writing lyrics that resonate with his experiences struggling with addiction and sobriety. Cameron was only 13 when he was first introduced to alcohol and drugs, and quickly became addicted. Spending a large part of his teen years battling with the disease that is addiction. 

Cameron speaks about how witnessing one of his best friends recover from two overdoses and follow through with recovery inspired him to sober up and focus on what’s most important to him. For him music was a way to express the challenges he was facing in his life. 

“At the start [of my career] I was trying to be honest and writing about things that meant a lot to me, and I think that’s kind of where I found my niche. The more honest I was about things, the more people could resonate with what I was trying to say.”

Now, the 23 year old is getting nationwide recognition as a top artist in Canada, and has the awards to show for it.

Last month’s Juno Award show saw Cameron take home the hardware as well as perform in front of the crowd of Canadian artists. 

Cameron took home the award for Breakthrough Artist of The Year. In his acceptance speech Cameron acknowledged how far he’s come as well as his love for Canada. 

“I’ve been finding myself asking ‘why’ lately, like, why I get to do this, why I’ve been blessed with this opportunity, and honestly, I still don’t know,” 

“What I do know is I will not squander this opportunity. I love you guys, and thank you so much. I’ll keep working hard, and I’ll stay sober, and thank you so much for everything. I love you guys…I love you, Canada.”

Winning Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Junos puts Cameron on a prestigious list of past winners. The list includes, Michael Bublé, Drake, and the Weekend. 

Cameron also won Country album of the year for his 2025 album The Hard Way. 

Cameron’s night wasn’t over there however, as he participated in a performance alongside Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell, honouring Joni Mitchell with the Lifetime Achievement Award Tribute Performance Presented by the National Music Centre.

Yesterday, at the Vancouver Canucks last home game of the season, Cameron was honoured on the jumbotron and given a round of applause by the crowd as well as a custom Canucks jersey. It’s safe to say that Cameron Whitcomb is a name that Canadians will soon become accustomed to.


https://www.instagram.com/p/DXI1mkaIPTx/

The unfortunate ending to one of BC’s most iconic music festivals

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If you’re a music fan in BC, there’s one beautiful city in BC that may leave you with the ugly feeling of FOMO.

For a few summers, “Pemby” was a highlight for local music enjoyers. And it wasn’t even just the music that drew people’s attention but the scenic views that Pemberotn has to offer. You were camping at the base of Mt. Currie, surrounded by some of the most insane views in the province, watching artists like J. Cole, Pearl Jam, and Snoop Dogg. It felt like Canada’s answer to the massive European festivals.

But in 2017, the festival crashed in a way that left thousands of fans, mostly students and young adults, completely screwed.

May 18th 2017, the day the music died. 

It wasn’t just a cancellation, the festival had filed for bankruptcy. But the part that felt like a slap in the face was the notice on their website. 

“Unfortunately, there are no automatic refunds.” 

Imagine being one of the people who saved time and money, dropping $500 or more on tickets and camping, only to be told that your money was gone. The organizers had already collected over $8.2 million in ticket sales for the 2017 show, even though they knew they were drowning in nearly $17 million of debt. The industry reaction was immediate and brutal. 

Marc Geiger, one of the most powerful talent executives in music, called the situation “reprehensible.” He didn’t mince words when talking about the situation. 

“This is criminal what they did. They stole people’s money… then hid in bankruptcy.”

It’s hard to wrap your head around how a festival with that much hype could be so poorly managed. While organizers blamed the falling Canadian dollar and “mounting costs,” the reality was that they kept selling tickets right up until the afternoon they shut down. For a lot of fans of the festivalit felt less like business and more personal.

Most people only got their money back by filing “chargebacks” with their banks a long, frustrating process that took months of phone calls.

Pemberton was supposed to be a highlight of our summer. Instead, it became a warning story about the change in the music industry and that anything can happen behind the scenes of the festivals we love. Whenever I see a new event pop up in the valley now, I can’t help but think about those fans in 2017 who were left with nothing but a “proof of claim” form and a lot of questions.



A BC festival too good to forget

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Would you even believe me, if I were to tell you that Drake, Eminem, and Bruno Mars all performed in a field in Squamish over the course of two summers in the mid 2010’s. You’d probably think that I’m lying to you.

I’m a local, who attends multiple local music festivals and I was even shocked to see the old posters for the Squamish Valley Music Festival. It’s weird to think about now, but for a few years, Squamish was essentially a Coachella of the North.

So, why would a festival in one of the most beautiful places on earth with over 120,000 people attending just stop?

It’s a question that’s bugged me ever since finding out about the festival. I’ve driven past the Logger Sports Grounds plenty of times and never realized that some of the biggest icons in music history were standing right there. In 2015, they had Drake and Sam Smith. In 2014, it was Eminem and Arcade Fire. By all accounts, it was a massive success.

But in the music industry, “success” doesn’t always mean “sustainable.”

It wasn’t just a simple choice, it was a math problem. Tamara Stanners from The Peak 102.7 put it best when she noted that most of these huge artists want to be paid in U.S. dollars. She said,

“When most of the artists are looking for American money and our dollar is at 70 cents, it’s difficult to be competitive.”

That 30-cent difference is the gap between a festival existing and a festival going broke. Even the Mayor at the time, Patricia Heintzman, admitted the cancellation was purely a business decision driven by those financial pressures. She surmised that the “mounting costs and mounting competition” from other festivals like Pemberton made it impossible to keep the lights on.

By March 2016, instead of a lineup announcement, fans got a “difficult decision” statement and a deleted Instagram account.

It’s a depressing ending for something that put BC on the global music map. Every time I see a “No Fun City” comment about Vancouver, I think about Squamish, and how those people woulda killed to have been in attendance. We as a city proved we could host the biggest names in the world. We just couldn’t figure out how to pay for it.

Maybe one day someone will try again, but for now, the only thing left of the festival is some old wristbands and the videos and stories that live on in the internet.


The Fox Cabaret. A once adult club turned music venue

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If you’re walking down Main Street in Mount Pleasant, it’s hard to miss the neon marquee of the Fox Cabaret. It looks like a classic, slightly retro theater, but if you go back about fifteen years, this place had a very different reputation.

Until 2013, the Fox was the last standing 35mm adult cinema in North America. It was a stubborn, slightly sleazy holdout from a different era of Vancouver history, kinda my vibe but that’s none the less. But instead of tearing it down to build another glass condo tower, a group called the Arrival Agency stepped in and turned it into the multi-level arts playground it is today.

If you’re a music lover like me then you will love the Fox because it feels like it kept its edge even after getting a makeover. When you’re watching a band like Nobro (who are actually playing this Saturday, April 18) or catching a local legend like Jody Glenham for her EP release on April 30, you’re standing in a room that has seen some serious history.

What makes it a must mention for any local guide is that it’s not just a concert hall, it’s a community hub. On any given Sunday, you can catch The Sunday Service, which is arguably the best live improv comedy show in the city. Then, on Friday and Saturday nights, the space transforms into one of the best dance floors in the province.

Events like “Guilty Pleasures“ and their “80s vs 90s” battles are legendary and authentic. It’s events like those that help me understand how the building has stood the test of time.

Whether you’re there for a $4 “four-band showcase” (yes, they still do those!) or a sold-out international tour, the Fox is proof that Vancouver’s music scene doesn’t have to be  No fun city. It just needs a little bit of history and a lot of neon.



Dandelion Records, a modern trip to the past

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In a world where everybody downloads their music off of Spotify or Apple Music, the vinyl scene has become more of a niche, yet also a trend. And if you’re hoping to listen to music in its purest form you need to head to East Broadway. While the big name record stores on Main Street are great for finding the classics, Dandelion Records is where you go to find the future.

What started as a niche vinyl shop in the Records opening in 2008, has turned into a strong force in the local indie and electronic scene. In 2026, Dandelion isn’t just about selling plastic discs; they’ve become synonymous with the “listening room” culture that is finally taking over BC.

Music purists love Dandelion because it feels like a secret club that everyone is invited to. They’ve been running regular nights at The Lido, bringing in deep cut collectors to spin everything from “cosmic dust” disco to experimental ambient tracks. It’s a total shift from the loud, sweaty clubs on Granville Street. Here, the music is the centerpiece, and the crowd actually listens.

Just this past March, they hosted a series of listening parties that were packed with the young adult crowd, proving that even in the age of online music streaming sites, we still crave a physical space to sit down and experience an album from start to finish. Honestly, I think the idea of going to listen to entire album how it was meant to be listened to is rebellious in a way. In a city that is always moving too fast, Dandelion and The Lido are forcing us to slow down.

If you’re tired of the same old “top 40” hits and want to find something that feels genuinely “underground,” look for the Dandelion crew. Whether they’re hosting a pop-up shop or a midnight set at The Lido, they are the ones keeping the weird, wonderful heart of Vancouver music beating.

 

Haley Blais, making strides in the music industry

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For a long time, the music industry looked down on “internet artists.” The assumption was that if you started on YouTube or TikTok, you couldn’t actually cut it on a real stage. Haley Blais has spent the last few years completely dismantling that myth.

@haley_blais

The accent came without warning #originalsong #newmusic

♬ original sound – Haley Blais

Don’t believe me? Well look no further than the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, where Haley has officially been tapped as a headliner. She’ll be taking the stage at Jericho Beach Park on July 17. For a kid who grew up in Kelowna and started her career with fun online videos to show off her musical talents, this is the ultimate hometown hero moment. Or better yet, home providence hero. 

The data backs up the hype. Her latest album, Wisecrack, didn’t just win over fans, it won over the critics, landing her on the longlist for the Polaris Music Prize. While her early work was defined by a solo ukulele, her current sound is a massive, textured wall of nostalgia pop backed by a five piece band of other BC natives.

What makes Haley stand out in a crowded indie scene is her technical skill. Unlike many of her peers, she spent a decade as a classically trained opera singer before picking up a guitar. That foundation is obvious when you see her live. She has a vocal range that allows her to jump from a whisper to a stadium-filling belt without breaking a sweat. It’s why she’s been able to hold her own on tour with major BC exports like Peach Pit.

Haley represents a new kind of BC artist, one who built their own community online and then proved they could dominate the physical world, too. Watching her transition from a DIY YouTuber to a Folk Fest headliner is a reminder that the most interesting music in the province right now is coming from the people who weren’t afraid to start small.



Jade LeMac is no longer “up and coming”, she’s here.

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When you hear about a new local artist who’s gaining success you’d probably assume they’re from downtown Vancouver. Well, that’s just not true, as one of Canada’s brightest young music stars, Jade LeMac, grew up in Surrey BC.

At just 22 years old, Jade has quietly become one of the most successful musical exports the province has seen in years, and the numbers are honestly staggering.

As of April 2026, Jade is sitting on over 6.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify. To put that in context, that is a larger digital footprint than many of the legendary BC bands that filled stadiums in the 90s. This isn’t just local hype, it’s a massive global audience that started with her viral track “Constellations” and has only grown since she signed with Arista Records. 

What’s even more impressive is that Jade is only 22 years old, and had her first single released in 2021 when she was only 17. She built her music skills at home as she was used youtube to help her learn how to play the guitar and piano as a kid.

The industry is taking notice, too. She just picked up a nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2026 Juno Awards, and this summer, she’s taking the BC sound south as she opens for Hilary Duff and La Roux on a major US tour.

What’s interesting is that while her music has a polished, international pop feel, she remains vocal about her roots. In a recent interview with CBC, she leaned into her west coast identity, noting that the specific mood of the Pacific Northwest is what drives her songwriting.

We often talk about the “struggling artist” narrative in Vancouver, but Jade LeMac represents a different story: a local kid using digital platforms to bypass the gatekeepers and build a career that is already reaching 21 countries. She’s not just a “rising star” anymore; she’s the benchmark for what success looks like for a new artist in BC.



Nelly Furtado featured on Canada’s new FIFA World Cup Song

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An “Electric Circus” won’t just be a way for you to properly describe the upcoming FIFA World Cup. It will also be the title of Nelly Furtado and producer Boi-1da’s new song, a part of Canada Soccer’s official soundtrack album for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Whether it be Shakira’s world famous “Waka Waka” for the 2010 South Africa World Cup, Pitbull’s and Jennifer Lopez’s “We Are One” from the 2014 Brazil World Cup, or most recently Nicki Minaj, Maluma, and Myriam Fares track from the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup “Tukoh Taka”. The World Cup’s musical soundtrack sets the tone for the 40 day event. The music used for the World Cup sound track is meant to unite global audiences, promote the tournament, and most importantly celebrate the host country’s culture.

This year matches will be played in three countries, Mexico, USA, and Canada, with each country receiving their own songs. 

The song “Electric Circus” was released April 10th and will be the feature song for Canada’s official soundtrack album “Perfect Pitch” for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which releases June 5th. It will feature prominent Canadian artists such as, Alessia Cara, Charlotte Cardin, Zeds Dead, Luxury Dead and the Tragically Hip. 

Canadian producer and songwriter spoke about his time working on “Electric Circus” with Victoria British Columbia’s Nelly Furtado.

“I’ve dreamt of working with Nelly Furtado and Jessie Reyez, K-os, and different artists. To finally be able to get in the studio and have a moment with them, on such a high stage like this, there’s no better feeling.”

Electric Circus perfectly matches the vibe that the World Cup is supposed to give off. Fun, motivating, and, well, electric. 

 Although this is only Canada’s 2nd time being in the World Cup in the last 43 years, they didn’t have an official theme song for their 2022 performance. Yet, the team would listen to Toronto native Drake’s hit song “Started from the bottom”. 

In 2022 Canadian defender Kamal Miller spoke about the team’s unofficial theme song for the tournament.

“When I heard the song, it kind of all resonated with the moment,” 

“The fact that we’re a team that really did start from the bottom, so the lyrics fit in with the occasion. And it felt right.”

Canada’s official World Cup soundtrack album will be released June 5th, a week prior to the team’s World Cup debut, set to take place June 12th at BMO Field Toronto.