Check us out each Friday as we feature a new up and coming Canadian Country Indie artist!!
~ March 22, 2024 ~
Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Featured Artist is Max Jackson!
Yes we know, she’s Australian and not Canadian by birth but we are making her an honorary Canadian, as she is featured on a song that is being released TODAY by two of our favourite Canadian artists - Dan Davidson and Tim Hicks called “Won’t Forget”!! Plus, we wanted to introduce Canada and all of you, to this amazingly talented artist that is making tidal waves in Australia!
Max was raised on country music and knew from an early age that she wanted to be just like her favourite country singers, traveling far & wide, sharing stories and connecting with country people.
There is an undeniable, and escalating positive energy around Coonamble born artist Jackson. You can feel it through her whole being from her words, to her videos and her energetic stage presence. She’s the real deal!
Max independently released her first album “Life Of The Party” in March 2020, 13 songs written from the heart, with unfortunate timing, just as the pandemic hit. Then, in 2022 her luck changed, as she cleaned house at Australia’s biggest country music competition, the Toyota “Star Maker” and became the 42nd winner of the competition! Following in the footsteps of previous mega Star Maker success stories Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, James Blundell, Gina Jeffreys, Beccy Cole, Brad Cox and Samantha McClymont. That’s pretty amazing and we hope she is as proud of herself as we are of her. She’s in exceptionally good company right there!
Max took every opportunity in 2022 that was thrown at her, travelling far and wide to play shows & festivals wherever they would have her as the new Star Maker winner. This included a trip to Nashville, showcasing her music on the world stage at CMA Fest.
In 2023, Max’s rise continued! She was selected to perform at the inaugural SXSW in Sydney, then scoring the special guest spot on The Wolfe Brothers national Livin’ The Dream Tour. She signed a management deal with Stephen White Management and signed her first record deal with ABC Music. Sounds like it was a very successful year full of accomplishments!
In 2023, Max released a single, “Little More Country”, and it hit and stayed at the #1 spot on country radio across Australia for two weeks, while also being picked up and played in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Sweden. We loved it immediately the first time we heard the song! It’s fun, rockin’ and her voice has tones that are lovely and bold, yet it has a very classic country feel, all mixed together!
She is the Official Ambassador of the Toyota Country Music Festival, Tamworth in 2024 & 2025 and she had a fantastic first year with sell out shows. She added a 2024 Golden Guitar win for New Talent & had a performance on the 52nd Awards show. Check out her reels on Instagram!
Her newest single in 2024 is called ‘Fixin’ Things’ and it’s out now. The video for the song captures her playful nature yet still conveying her raw talent so beautifully.
Max is currently in the studio continuing to work on new music & looks forward to a big 2024, getting out there and playing country music festivals across Australia, and to meet her fans!
We were very excited to hear about her collaboration with Dan Davidson & local country star Tim Hicks released today and we’re certain we “Won’t Forget” about Max Jackson! Look out world, she’s skyrocketing the next generation of country talent out of Australia! You read it here first! We hope to hear and see her live someday soon!
Max’s music is available on all streaming platforms! You don’t want to miss out! She’s fantastic! Good luck Max!
~ March 15, 2024 ~
Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Featured Artist is Allison Daniels!
Allison was born in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, QC and raised in Quebec City. She is the daughter of a musician and began learning guitar and writing songs at age 11. While it took her a moment or two to find the confidence to share her voice, Daniels committed to honing her craft, and to date has made a living almost exclusively as a working musician. That’s inspiring to hear considering the challenges artists face at times working in the industry. It’s a testament to her determination and passion for what she loves.
In February 2024, 604 Records welcomed Allison to their award-winning roster! Very exciting news!
All her dedication and hard work have paid off, giving her the opportunity to share the stage with Country superstar, Keith Urban at Festival d’été de Québec in 2015. It also landed her in the quarterfinals on Quebec’s wildly popular TV Show, La Voix, and she has opened for Canadian Country Music Association Award winning artist Tim Hicks on his Quebec run in 2018. That must have been pretty cool experiences for her!
Daniels is set to make a name for herself in the Canadian country music scene and unveiled her debut release “Who, What, Where, When, Why” via 604 Records/Warner Music Canada’s help earlier this year. There is a great video for that song that was directed by the incredibly talented Stephano Barberis.
This month she was chosen as iHeartRadio Canada’s @Future Star and Allison just released her new single “We Both Know” which was written by Daniels, Ryan Stewart (Carly Rae Jepsen, Simple Plan), and Tavish Crowe (co-writer of Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”). The single made it to the top of the leaderboard of Top Country Downloads List for March 8th! Congrats!
“I’m truly grateful that my work has found its way to the right team as we work towards my first album,” Daniels shares. “After years of dedication to my music, it feels like their recognition is a reward for my efforts.”
“As the head of an independent record label, I get a whole lot of emails from people I don’t know asking me to listen to their music. I do my best to listen to as much of it as I can, but it’s often overwhelming. I often don’t even know what makes me listen to one artist over another. When Allison emailed me, there was something about her email that struck me. It was very straightforward and just felt authentic,” says Jonathan Simkin, President of 604 Records. “What struck me most in those early demos was Allison’s voice. Her ability to express emotion vocally is really impressive. From the very first call, I knew I wanted to work with her. She’s a very intelligent and infectious person, very much like her music.” Such kind words and not something you hear often enough.
Daniels’ love for country music came from exploring the genre online. Pulling influence from artists like Carrie Underwood, Eric Church and Chris Stapleton to find her own voice in the genre, Daniels still taps into her rock and blues sides, finding inspiration in bands like Greta Van Fleet, which lend to her swagger when recording her vocals and performing on stage.
Although she’s been described as an ‘up and coming’ talent she’s been around for quite some time! While Country music is Daniels’ main focus now, her sound is impossible to pigeonhole, a seamless blend of rock, traditional country, and swampy blues, with hints of country pop haunting the edges. Just the way we like it!
“For me,” she says, “it was important to create a style that wasn’t ‘in the box’ – a style that’s truly me.”
Daniels has done just that and more as you will hear and feel through the music she creates! On stage and on record, Allison displays a level of comfort and clarity of intent that only someone who’s spent a lot of time singing and playing their heart out can achieve. Her songs are written from personal experience including her latest “We Both Know”. It’s a song about being vulnerable and willing to give love a try again with the right person, while knowing that you’ve never felt that way before. You’ll be sure to connect with the words as we did, with her new heartwarming ballad.
If you haven’t heard of Allison Daniels you will want to seek her out online, give her a follow on all the socials and her music is available on all streaming platforms! We are very excited to watch her grow and climb the ranks in the country music industry! She has started 2024 on the right path and more good things are coming her way, we can feel it!
~ March 8, 2024 ~
Our pick this week for our “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Featured Artist is Sorrene!
She is a 19 year old performer, songwriter and composer from Quebec. This young lady has a versatile voice that can perform just about anything, that can cross multiple genres from Country, to Rock, Blues, Soul, R&B and Gospel tinged with a little Pop!
A show that vibrates with an unforgetable atmosphere where emotion gives the rhythm to the vocal nuances of this artist that sets her apart from everyone else.
It was through musical theater at the age of 4 that she developed her passion for singing. She began singing seriously at the age of 10. At the age of 13, she wrote her first song “Right or Wrong” which would later be released on digital platforms in her first EP “Find Me”.
At age 18, during Sorrene’s appearance on La Voix 2023, she won the hearts of the public and the 4 coaches who turned for her, at the blind auditions, for her interpretation of “My Church”.
In Marc Dupré's team, she won her Duel, The Battle and won her place for Les Directs in the final. She won with 4 breathtaking performances!
During her adventure at La Voix, Marc presented her with the song -“Me and Bobby McGee” - which shedid as a cover. Such a great classic song! She likes performing the song so much that it’s included in her set list even now, each time she performs at an event, concert or festival.
Since 2019, she has had the honour of having worked alongside, Kevin Bazinet, Grand Winner of The Voice 3 in Quebec on the musical arrangements.
Her passion for Country continues to grow daily. She includes several songs from New Country and Rock artists in her current repertoire, that have inspired her over her young years which includes: Maren Morris, Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, Gabby Barrett, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Jess Moskaluke, & Morgan Wallen to name a few.
Following her TV appearance, she had the privilege of singing in several shows and presented her «Sorrene Live» performance accompanied by her musicians (on stage since 2022). She performs some of her original songs and, in her own way, the great hits that rock the world of New Country/Rock. It’s a great mix of music sure to excite everyone regardless of their favourite genre.
She released her first New Country Rock song called “Caught Me On A Bad Day” in 2023. It is about how anyone can have a bad day, like ANYONE, and that’s okay! The important thing is to realize, that’s just the way that it goes sometimes. “You can't always walk in the sunshine” as the powerful lyrics of the song say.
On all radios and digital platforms, her first Country single “Caught Me On A Bad Day”, found itself in the MEDIABASE Top 100 after one week of its release on September 29, 2023. Songwriters include; Jake Mathews, Trevor Rosen, Josh Osborne, director: Dan Stobbs*, vocal director: Kevin Bazinet, also worked on this beautiful, vibrant project filled with exceptional collaborators.
In 2024, Sorrene followed that up with the collaboration with Kevin Bazinet - “A Smile Brings Good Feelings“. This song is country gospel through and through. You will feel uplifted with their positive vibes and it will speak to your core about all that’s good and possible in the world today when you smile.
“We wanted a song that felt good, that exuded the joy of living and that brought positivity to our daily lives. Mission accomplished!! Kevin with his immense creativity and musical intelligence, he was able to bring up-to-date sounds that remind us that all we need is a smile” - shared Sorrene.
Sorrene is known for her generous nature, as she always makes time with her audience, as well as, her incredible energy and her love of the stage. Sorrene amazes us with epic and intimate performances. A truly unforgettable experience for sure! You can get all her music wherever you buy your music!
~ March 1, 2024 ~
Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Featured Artist(s) is Tandem!
Sam Glasier and Keith Hundt grew up together in Grey-Bruce, Ontario. They have known each other since the early days of circle time on the carpet in kindergarten and they have been sharing a passion for music and performance since 2010.
Both Sam and Keith had a love for music early on. Sam originally took vocal lessons and Keith took piano and guitar lessons growing up. You could say that the writing was on the wall, these two were destined to be in music.
“Our elementary school teachers knew we were musical so they asked us to play a song together at our Grade 8 graduation. We played "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus. We have been playing together since!” That’s an incredibly hard song to do! Kudos to them both! Special Thanks go out to the teachers who brought the two together, as that was when Tandem was born!
Sam grew up taking vocal lessons and would always strive to sound like artists like Carrie Underwood, Etta James, and Nina Simon who had big impactful sounds, and these artists inspired her to try different vocal ranges and styles.
Keith’s mom is a piano teacher so she was very supportive and he grew up around music. He is classically trained in both piano and guitar but it was the jam sessions around campfires when group camping with family friends that introduced him to the Eagles and Toby Keith and gave him the confidence to sing in front of others and inspired him.
Tandem has had the opportunity to play at a few very fun events such as the Hanover Fair concert twice, multiple local homecomings, and the Sauble Beach Night Party. They have opened for Owen Riegling multiple times and will be opening for him again this summer.
“It's also inspiring to see Owen Riegling doing as well as he is and it proves that someone from Bruce County and the same high school as us can make it big. He has done such a great job for himself and we wish him all the success.” Tandem shared.
When asked about why they chose the country genre their answer was simple. They like that the words and music tell a story that’s relatable to everyone, and that country music makes sense to them, it’s where they come from, Sam a small town, and Keith lives in the country.
In terms of contests they haven’t won anything yet as a duo, however, Sam won a talent contest in Hanover when they were in high school, and Keith qualified for the provincial finals for classical guitar one year and they made it to the finals of an Eastlink talent contest down in Simcoe, Ontario. Artists in their own right!
Make sure you keep an eye on their socials so you can catch these two live and in person! They have shows booked for this summer which includes opening for Owen Riegling at Cargill Homecoming and sharing the stage with Platinum selling artist Tebey and Eric Ethridge in Sauble Beach. We love all three of those Canadian artists! Very exciting news!
Leaning on their experience as small-town kids who may know a thing or two about dirt roads and bush parties, they do know a lot about having to work hard in the music business. Tandem are a staple in the local music scene, playing local pubs, outdoor concert series, and the Sauble Beach Night Party.
Now taking their passion to the next level, Tandem have been writing and recording original music, including their first single, “Replay”, and the first song they wrote together, which they’re proud to share with the country music community. It’s catchy, fun and relatable! It’s available everywhere you buy your music!
This is just the beginning of their debut release, but they can climb as high as their dreams go! We can’t wait to see them perform live and to watch their journey and grow! Good luck Tandem, we're rooting for you!
~ February 23, 2024 ~
Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Featured Artist is the Kristin Nicholls Band!
Kristin Nicholls Band hails from Hamilton Ontario. All the members grew up on gospel music and rock’ n roll. It wasn’t until late in 2007, that Kristin teamed up with fellow long time musicians and close friends, Luke Cronsberry, Jamie Altena, and Allen Bilston, to form a new project dubbed "Kristin Nicholls Band”.
The frontman of the band, Kristin started his musical journey at the age of 5 with the piano but didn’t really get into music until he was 12 when he picked up his big brother’s guitar. He grew up singing in church, and music was all around him and he wouldn’t have it any other way!
Nicholls won the Burlington Sound of Music songwriting contest in 2005 for his song “ Be With”. As a band they have gone on to win multiple battle of the bands early on and played at several festivals and arenas across Canada & the US.
The Kristin Nicholls Band blended their past with their present, and have evolved into a very talented group with incredible promise! It’s not always a smooth transition but they made it look effortless!
When we asked why they went into the Country music genre, they explained that it’s the storytelling side that drew them to the genre and that’s what their new songs are all about. With a past that have seen the guys playing in front of thousands of people a night across Canada & the US, along with some radio traction for previous projects, KNB are ready to make some waves with their new direction.
Their debut single “Free Again” was in 2023 and was their first introduction to the world of country music in Canada and earned a spot on Sirius XM’s Top of the Country radio station! Very cool!
Building on the momentum of 2023, where they had the honour of opening for notable country acts like Tebey, and others, the Kristin Nicholls Band found themselves in our favourite place on earth Nashville, TN. Collaborating with their producer, Jordan Honsinger, (Canadian musician and amazing talent in his own right), the band dedicated time to writing and recording new songs.
Now in 2024, Nicholls’ songwriting talent shines through in “You Make Me Feel”, their latest release. Weaving a narrative that takes listeners on a journey from heartbreak to hope. The song showcases the band’s musical evolution.
“Our transition into country felt natural. We were listening to more country music and really getting into and enjoying the sounds of pedal steel guitars, slide, & banjo. I feel at home in this genre where I can sing about faith, whiskey or women.” Nicholls shared.
If you think Kristin looks familiar it may recognize him from years ago, as he was a VJ on a TV show, that ran five nights a week for a three-year stint. Where he conducted interviews and functioned as an MC for concerts at various venues, including the Air Canada Centre. Back then he had short bleach blonde hair. Some may not agree with us or remember the style but it was so cool back then!
He has toured heavily over the last ten years, delivering his music to audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. He’s played everything from tiny clubs to big arena shows with audiences of about 10,000 people.
With the release of “You Make Me Feel,” Kristin Nicholls Band continues to build on their success, and it serves as a great re-introduction to country fans. It’s available on all streaming platforms! We believe you will relate to this song on levels you didn’t even know existed! Check out the video to see his son steal the show! We wish for the Kristin Nicholls Band every success in 2024 and going forward in their musical journey!
~ February 16, 2024 ~
Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Featured Artist is Sarina Haggarty!
Sarina is a versatile artist with roots in London, Ontario, and is now flourishing in Nashville. Sarina's three albums manage to showcase her ability to seamlessly blend country, pop, and songwriter genres.
She grew up in a musically inclined family, where creativity and talent were celebrated and surrounded her. Sarina has been singing since the very beginning. She’s played the cello for years before teaching herself piano, guitar, and ukulele! She did some vocal lessons with various teachers which significantly influenced her voice, and made it as dynamic as it is today!
With international tours across Canada and Europe, Sarina's joy-filled performances have garnered recognition, including Lucknow's Music in the Fields Emerging Artist and a local Fan Favorite accolade. Having shared stages with a wide range of artists like Shawn Mendes to Tim Hicks and many more!
She is an active participant in the Canadian Country Music Association and Country Music Association of Ontario’s community, as a full-time performer, she channels her music not only to captivate audiences but also as a powerful means of community service.
Sarina has generously shared her musical journey with companies such as Make-A-Wish, CTV, CBC, CORUS, and Rogers, extending her impact beyond the stage. All worthwhile causes and we love to see artists giving back to the community when they can.
Her upcoming music explores themes of strength, love, and relatable personal stories, creating an intimate connection with fans through shared emotions and experiences. You can feel her love through every single performance she carries out.
The thrill of performing on any stage has always fueled her inspiration. Attending shows and watching other acts, especially at open mics every Friday growing up, boosted her own confidence and mindset. Witnessing other singers and musicians had a profound impact on her musical journey.
In 2016, she dropped her initial EP, followed by a second one in 2018, and subsequently released numerous singles. In February 2023, she unveiled her debut full album titled "Waste of Time”.
Sarina shared - “Witnessing my songs featured on Spotify playlists has been particularly gratifying. Additionally, receiving support from smaller local radio stations as they stream my music is something I truly appreciate. Every achievement, regardless of its scale, holds significant value in my musical journey.”
When she’s not working she enjoys the following extracurricular fun like; watching movies, traveling, and indulging in some quality sleep. Sarina also likes supporting her friend’s performances and all the gig excitement that it brings. “I'm thrilled about releasing new music and sharing it with my fans. Grateful for existing fans and future ones joining, I'm eager to explore new musical horizons.”
Going forward she’s planning to spend more time in Nashville, collaborating with incredible songwriters, and is excited to share more personal stories and catchy melodies. We can’t wait to see more new music from her in 2024!
She is super excited about the release of her new single, “Lipstick To Myself"! It’s very catchy, sultry, and leaves you wanting more! You can find it wherever you get your music today or through this link! https://ffm.to/db0kelg
~ February 9, 2024 ~
Our pick this week for “FRESH FACE FRIDAY” Featured Artist is Maddie Corinne!
Maddie is a part-time farm girl, part-time singer/songwriter, full time over-sharer born and raised in Pickering, Ontario.
She has always been involved in music, as her family worked in the music industry while she was growing up. Her appreciation for different genres started when she was quite young, and believe it or not, this talented artist wrote her first song when she was 16 years old! From there she started to delve into lots and lots of writing, plus she’s learning how to play guitar, and working hard every day, with all this combined, created the artist that she is today!
“Country music has always been the genre I held closest to me - my first concert ever was Shania Twain! While my family gave me an appreciation for many genres, I always came back to country music when it came to writing my own songs. The concept of storytelling is so important within the genre and that always keeps me coming back!” Corinne shared.
With a large range of influences, whether it be mega-lyricists like Taylor Swift or strong-willed up-and-comers like Lainey Wilson, Corinne has written songs for many Canadian indie tists, and began releasing her own music in 2022. Her debut EP “Emotions Are Weird” was released in March of 2023, produced by CMAO-nominated producer Shawn Moore out of Waterloo, ON. Her debut single “Salt” has been spinning on Sirius XM’s Top of the Country for almost 2 years now, and her sophomore single “Overrated” spent 2 straight weeks at #1 on the Canadian Indie Country Charts.
In that same year Corinne took to Nashville to record her sophomore EP at the legendary Blackbird Studios. Her first single off of this upcoming project “Spillin’ Red Wine” tells the story of a woman taking matters into her own hands once she discovered her husband's infidelity. Corinne is excited to release more music recorded on that trip, including her second single coming out February 9th, it’s available everywhere today and it’s called “Dear Karma”!
Maddie gave us the inside scoop behind her new release. “It’s a song that everyone will relate to at some point in time. You know that person who bullied you in elementary school? You said you would let karma do its thing but…that hasn’t happened yet? Dear Karma is about those people you think karma missed - with comedic (but revenge-filled) lyrics, this song is meant to pick you back up after finding out your cheating ex won the lottery. Sometimes karma just needs to work a little harder!” We absolutely can relate to this song!
When asked who Corinne looks up to in the industry and which stages she was thrilled to perform on, and she said Nicole Rayy at - HarmoniaFest her very own all-woman music festival, had always been a dream. “I look up to her immensely as not only an artist but as a strong-willed force for women in country music, and being able to assist bringing the festival to life and performing in it has been amazing! While I haven't performed with Taylor Swift herself, I'd say that being able to perform for over 500 Swifties at The Rec Room for "Feeling 22: A Live Tribute to Taylor Swift" was pretty close!”
If the opportunity presented itself, Maddie would love to be able to write with some of the amazing Canadian women she’s inspired by like Robyn Ottolini and Madeline Merlo are definitely on her list. “I feel like we have similar ways of saying what we want and how we want it, and that is the energy I love in a co-write.” We hope that happens!
A little about Maddie, she is a regular attendee of Country Music Association of Ontario and Canadian Country Music Association events, both as an artist who is looking to meet new artists, and as a fan who loves live music!
“I would love my fans to know that I am nowhere close to perfect - and I think that as artists, we need to work harder at achieving non-perfection. I write about things that are in my mind, and I hope that when I perform them live my fans will hear it and it will resonate with them somehow. That is all I can ask for really!”
We met Maddie a few years ago at the Moonshine Cafe during a Songwriters Night hosted by In The Country with Dave Woods. She’s such a sweetie! We feel that with music like her latest release “Dear Karma”, that 2024 is going to be the year for lift off for Maddie to the next level in her musical journey and we couldn’t be happier to be along for the ride! Go get ‘em!
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