Also this week: The Broken Social Scene documentary gets U.S. distribution, the Springtide and Roots North festivals announce lineups and more.
Blue Rodeo stamp
Veteran Toronto roots-rock hitmakers Blue Rodeo have just received their own commemorative stamp from Canada Post, one honouring their contribution to Canadian music history. The stamp was launched at an invite-only event at The Opera House in Toronto, one featuring Whitehorse, Sam Polley and Fraser covering Blue Rodeo songs and reportedly plenty of schmoozing. The stamp depicts the current lineup of Blue Rodeo, led by co-founders-singer-songwriters Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy, alongside Mike Boguski, Jimmy Bowskill, Colin Cripps, Bazil Donovan and Glenn Milchem.
– Just For You Music (JFYM), a newly launched independent music publishing company, has announced its first signing: Canadian country artist and songwriter Gord Bamford. He has been inked to a global music publishing deal by JFYM founder and head Chris Giansante. He was a former senior executive and director overseeing the global finance and operations of ole, which was rebranded as Anthem Entertainment.
“Chris and I have worked together before during his time at ole, and I’ve always respected his passion for supporting songwriters and championing great country music," Bamford says. "Songwriting has been at the heart of my career, and I know that with Just For You Music, I’m in the right hands to help take my music to new heights."
Bamford is a 26-time CCMA Award winner and 2-time CMA Global Country Artist Award recipient, and has registered over 100 million radio streams, 28 Top 10 singles, and multiple platinum and gold-certified albums. Back in 2020, Billboard Canada FYIreported that Bamford had signed both a recording and publishing deal with ole/Anthem.
The 5th annual Canadian Sync Awards will be held as part of the Departure festival and conference in Toronto on May 6 at Annabel's Music Hall. The event will feature the inaugural THE HUEY Award, created to honour David Hayman, and is presented to an aspiring music supervisor who has a passion for the craft. All aspiring music supervisors from across the country are encouraged to apply by May 17. The Award will grant the recipient opportunities to speak with established Canadian music supervisors to learn the basics of the job. It will also include a $1,500.00 CDN honourarium. More info here.
The main stage line-up for Roots North Music Festival, set to run in downtown Orillia, April 24-27, comprises Royal Wood, Jully Black, Nicolina, Gracie Ella and James Gray, all performing at St. Paul's Orillia and a full announcement of auxiliary venues is coming soon. Weekend main stage passes on sale now here.
– Springtide Music Festival in Uxbridge, Ontario, has just revealed the next wave of artists for the 2025 festival lineup taking place June 12-14. The event will kick off with a launch party on Thursday, June 12 at St. Andrew’s – Chalmers Church with Toronto soul band Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, Plains Cree singer-songwriter Wyatt C. Louis, and local jazz artist Whitney Ross-Barris. New this year, Springtide is offering single venue ticket options for featured mainstage, matinee, and after-party showcases. The impressive lineup includes Päter, Casper Skulls, Cuff The Duke, Reuben & The Bullhorn Singers, Quique Escamilla, The Pairs, Lindy Vopnfjord, Sarah Beatty, Status/Non-Status, Torrance, The Burning Hell, Your Mom, Altered by Mom, Casper Skulls, Hollowsage & the Three Mile Islanders and Lost Faculty. More info here
It’s All Gonna Break, the well-received Canadian film documentary portrait of Toronto indie rock heroes Broken Social Scene, is now headed Stateside. Cargo Film & Releasing has picked up U.S. distribution rights to the doc, and, starting in May, It’s All Gonna Break will kick off a multi-city theatrical run with special event screenings across the U.S. Produced by Fathom Films, It’s All Gonna Break will debut on Crave in Canada following its U.S. theatrical run. It features deep archival footage and exclusive interviews with BSS members Kevin Drew, Feist, Emily Haines, Brendan Canning and more, exploring the band’s impact on indie rock and its lasting cultural influence.
– The spring edition of the CBC Music Class Challenge presented by MusiCounts is now open. Educators from across Canada are invited to teach their students a Canadian song from a provided list for a chance to win prizes for their classes. The top 10 will be announced on Monday, June 2, and the winners and runners-up will be announced a week later. on Monday, June 9. Register here.
– Music PEI has announced June 30 as the next deadline for its Investment Program. Info and application forms here
– 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Victoria Cougars’ 1925 Stanley Cup win. To mark the occasion, veteran rocker Thor has teamed up with Al Harlow, of Prism fame, for a cover of “Victoria” by The Kinks. Thor has also launched a limited-edition Victoria 1925 sportswear line, with merch available online and in select Vancouver shops including Neptoon Records. More info here.
Last week, Mills Hardware in Hamilton hosted a double bill of highly talented, though under-valued, singer-songwriters. Leading off with a solo set was Katie Cruel (aka Kate Boothman), an artist who has recorded under different guises, including Sunbear. Leading off with the song behind her stage name, she focused on material from last year's album, Lost Vagus, impressing with eloquent songs delivered via a clear and strong voice, one with just enough grit to hold your attention. Her witty and charming stage banter is another plus.
Boothman then did double duty by adding backing vocals for Kandle. Now Montreal-based, Kandle's sound is more art-rock, than rootsy, and her dramatic vocal delivery and stage presence are compelling. She featured material from her recent independent album her fifth and one she co-produced and co-wrote with guitarist Jeff Mitchell. One humorous note: Apologizing for her name, Kandle blamed "my hippie parents." As her fans know, she's the daughter of 54-40 frontman Neil Osborne, and the pair collaborated on a duo album, A Family Curse, in 2022.
Aya Nakamura
Nearly a year after her record-breaking performance at the Paris Olympics, France's most-streamed pop star — now fully independent — continues to challenge conventions and captivate audiences around the globe.
How does one reinvent themselves after becoming, in under a decade, a cornerstone of the French music scene, with over six billion streams and 24 diamond certifications (16 in France and 8 internationally, according to the National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing)?
“I’ve asked myself that question,” Aya Nakamura admits.
“My answer is that when you’re an artist, you’re supposed to evolve. Otherwise, you’re no longer living your music. I think as long as you stay true to who you are, if you’re still feeling things, you’ll always be able to put that energy back into your work… at least if you’re passionate.”
At just 29, the singer’s hits have already travelled the world — so much so that she was the natural choice to represent Francophone music at the Paris Olympic Games.
“I wonder if I could have done the same thing if I’d been born twenty years earlier,” she reflects. “It definitely wouldn’t have been as easy… Especially because there’s something new here — a Black woman singing in a completely distinct and unapologetic style, without waiting for doors to open, speaking directly to her audience through different platforms.”
Now striking out on her own, Aya Nakamura is turning the page and launching a new chapter — with the announcement of her very first signing.
Born in Bamako, Mali, Aya arrived in France just a few months later. Coming from a family of griots — West African storytellers and musicians — she grew up in Aulnay-sous-Bois, in a household where music was already part of everyday life.
“It’s kind of special, because my mother was a singer and would’ve loved to have a career. Now, I’m doing it in her place — almost like a form of redemption for her. I want to go all the way, and I hope it can inspire other women to pursue their own dreams.”
Her real start came in 2014, when she posted her first track, "Karma," on Facebook. A fan of the TV series Heroes, she took inspiration from the character Hiro Nakamura to create her stage name.
The turning point came in 2017 with her debut album Journal Intime, now certified platinum. Freshly signed to Rec. 118 (Warner Music France) at the time, Aya Nakamura laid the foundation for the sound that would come to define her. On the track "Oumou Sangaré," she paid tribute to her Malian heritage — a connection she’s been feeling drawn to again.
“Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about doing something like that again,” she says.
It was in 2018 that Aya Nakamura reached international acclaim with the release of Djadja. The track topped the French charts for two consecutive weeks and quickly crossed European borders. In the Netherlands, it made history: for the first time since Édith Piaf in 1961, a French-language song performed by a woman hit number one.
That meteoric rise was solidified with the release of her second album, Nakamura, in November 2018. Driven by diamond-certified singles like Copines, La dot, and Pookie, the album became an unprecedented commercial success for a Francophone artist — certified diamond in France and double diamond abroad. Today, it stands as the most-streamed French-language album in Spotify’s history, with over 2 billion streams.
Following up with two more albums — AYA and DNK — Aya Nakamura reached a symbolic high point on July 26, 2024, performing on the Pont des Arts for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. Accompanied by musicians from the Republican Guard and the French Army Choir, she delivered a historic performance that drew a record-breaking 31.4 million viewers — the highest television audience ever recorded in France.
“People keep calling it ‘iconic.’ It took me six months to truly realize what I had done. In the moment, you’re just pushing forward, head down, working hard to deliver something you’re proud of. Then, when you step back and see the impact, the controversies… it feels like a movie. In the end, I feel like I succeeded.”
On February 23, 2025, another milestone: the "Djadja" video surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube, making it only the fourth French-language song to reach that number — and the first by an African artist.
Next stop, the Stade de France (France’s biggest venue, with a capacity of 80.000 people)? “Yes, but not just yet,” she says. “I want to take my time. In France, it feels like the final step, and I still want to share more shows with my audience before experiencing that big moment.”
How can one explain such a rare ability to transcend language barriers? Aya Nakamura pauses before answering.
“I didn’t realize right away that I had an international audience — it really grew gradually,” Aya Nakamura reflects. “People would tell me, ‘You’re being listened to all over the world,’ but it was really through interacting with fans on social media and stumbling across videos that it hit me. I came across fan accounts in Brazil, in Venezuela… I also travel, and I hear my music everywhere — in the U.S., in Thailand. But I don’t create music for a specific territory. I just try to offer something I feel, and if it can travel far, all the better.”
That global dimension is also reflected in her collaborations. After teaming up with Colombian superstar Maluma for a remix of "Djadja" in 2020, she joined forces with Nigerian artist Ayra Starr in March 2024 for a reimagined version of her hit "Hypé." The track climbed to number 17 on the UK charts — a rare feat for a song sung predominantly in French.
“I think music is energy. The tracks that stand out the most are often the ones where I express what I’m feeling as deeply as I can. People don’t just listen for the lyrics… It’s like when I used to listen to artists like Rihanna without understanding everything she was saying. What resonates with listeners is the energy I’m giving at that specific moment — and also the blend of influences that’s rooted in me and that people can feel.”
This authenticity, paired with her distinctive vocal style and a French language she’s reshaped on her own terms, has forged an instantly recognizable artistic identity.
“I don’t know if that’s what makes the music universal, but I think the honesty I bring to it, the constant drive for something new — not just chasing trends, but putting out things I’m 100% proud of and never compromising artistically — maybe that’s what connects with people. I try to follow my instincts, my creative impulses, while maintaining a high level of quality.”
In February 2025, Aya Nakamura surprised fans with the release of "Chimiyé" — a track that marked a notable shift in her discography. Collaborating with French rapper Alpha Wann and his team (JayJay, Selman and StillNas), she ventured into previously unexplored territory, blending R&B and even elements of spoken word.
“I gave myself the challenge of making something more rap-oriented, without being a rapper,” she explains. “That’s what pushed me out of my comfort zone. I like to stand out, including with the people I work with. Some of my producers don’t even listen to my music — and that creates room to experiment. Without those encounters, I would’ve never made songs like 'Djadja' or 'Pookie.'”
Aya NakamuraMarion Gomez/Billboard France
Aya Nakamura’s cultural influence now extends well beyond the realm of music. In February 2023, she was named global ambassador for Lancôme, marking her entry into the exclusive circle of luxury brand muses — a milestone that would open the door to a new world of opportunities.
On May 6, 2024, she received one of the most coveted invitations in fashion: the Met Gala in New York. With her appearance, she became only the sixth French musical artist to walk its legendary red carpet, following icons like Catherine Deneuve, Vanessa Paradis, Lou Doillon, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Carla Bruni.
Just weeks later, on June 23, 2024, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour personally selected her to perform her single Fly at the prestigious Vogue World Paris show, held in Place Vendôme. Dressed in a custom haute couture gown by Jean Paul Gaultier, Nakamura took part in a striking celebration of music and fashion.
“I really love fashion and the creative universe it represents,” she shares. “I’m enjoying getting deeper into it. I absolutely loved performing at Place Vendôme and being part of this blend of music and fashion. I felt completely at ease — and I found the entire production of the event to be incredibly high-quality.”
Alongside her growing institutional recognition, Aya Nakamura has taken full control of her professional destiny. In a bold move, the chart-topping artist has officially stepped into independence by launching her own label.
“It’s a whole different experience,” she admits. “To be honest, I’ve always felt independent — especially when it comes to creative direction. I’m deeply involved in all the strategic decisions, from choosing the singles and setting release dates to selecting the producers and crafting the visuals. Becoming fully independent gave me a new perspective on the business side. I can make all the decisions and stand by them — whether they lead to success or not. I still have a team around me and I know how to let go when needed, but being able to oversee the entire process, beyond the creative part, is something I find really exciting. It matters a lot to me.”
This commitment to autonomy has also steered her toward a new role: producing new talents.
“I’ve already signed one artist, but no one knows yet: RnBoi. He’s young, just starting out, and it’s going really well. It happened a few months ago. I took the leap — I think he brings something different.”
Behind the icon is a young woman — and a mother of two daughters. Balancing a global career with motherhood is a daily challenge, one she meets with unwavering determination.
“To be completely honest, it’s a bit complicated with fame,” she admits. “But part of my balance comes from trying, as much as I can, to live like a normal person. I go to the park with my kids, I cook for them — those moments are precious to me. It’s not always easy, and I sometimes try to stay low-key to preserve a bit of normal life, because I’m absolutely committed to maintaining that freedom and living fully in those moments, away from the spotlight.”
Despite the pressures of celebrity, she refuses to isolate herself.
“Oh, of course I still have fun — I go out! I’m young, after all,” she laughs. “As an artist, it’s important to pay attention to that — to remember to put yourself first sometimes, too.”
This article first appeared on Billboard France.
