Artists Archive | Canada Black Music Archives

The Epics

kenya — Fri, 29 May 2026 20:07:15 +0000

Originally based in Vancouver, British Columbia, The Epics are widely known as one of Canada’s first R&B bands. With humble beginnings, the group quickly rose to national fame. During the height of their career, they toured across Canada and opened for the likes of Ike & Tina (Turner) Revue and CBC’s popular music program “Let’s Go.”

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TOVA

kenya — Fri, 29 May 2026 19:36:03 +0000

Born in Nigeria and arriving in Saskatchewan to attend the University of Regina in 2015, Victor Adeolu Oriola, otherwise known as TOVA, started his career in the midst of the pandemic, balancing between coursework and musical aspirations. His love for music was inspired by listening to records from his parents collection during his childhood years. With his style taking influences from gospel, neo-soul, soft rock and afro-fusion genres, TOVA strives to push his creative abilities into new realms.

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Feven Kidane

kenya — Fri, 29 May 2026 19:01:04 +0000

Feven Kidane is an Ethiopian-Eritrean-Canadian jazz and electronic artist based out of Vancouver. She shared in an interview that she always wanted to be a musician since she was a child. Growing up in Langley, B.C Kidane felt "othered". She states that she "didn't really see people that looked like me and I felt like I didn't really have a voice.", however, when she picked up the trumpet in Grade 6 band class, she soon found a passion for music and an outlet. Later, she would play the bass in high school vocal jazz, and bass clarinet in jazz club. With influences of her music aligning primarily with the' 60's and '70's jazz, her music not only focuses on “studying elements of decolonisation, creation and self-liberation”, but also “tradition, focus and spirituality.” She also publishes electronic genre music on Bandcamp.

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Terrell Morris

kenya — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:21:11 +0000

Toronto native Terrell Morris (aka City) is a poet turned songwriter whose music is a rich blend of jazz, soul and hip hop. He started writing as a poet, which naturally led to songwriting that both honours his personal experiences and leaves room for interpretation for listeners. The deep introspection and warm tones of the neo-soul he grew up with is heard across his discography and that nostalgic 90s vibe is intentional and true to his roots.

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Dynesti

kenya — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:57:21 +0000

Dynesti is an independent rapper, singer, dancer and artist development coach from Toronto. She uses music as a means of spreading mental health awareness, uplifting women, and celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture. She describes her sound as “royal hip-hop/soul with a dash of ‘rudegyal’ (feminine Afro-Caribbean spice)”. Dynesti’s candid lyrics center healing and jubilation after years in the shelter system and growing up in a broken home.

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Backxwash

kenya — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:26:13 +0000

Ashanti Mutinta, known professionally as Backxwash, is a Zambian-Canadian rapper and producer based in Montréal. Her music and visuals draw heavily from horror-core, industrial, metal and hip hop. Raw and discordant industrial sounds are melded with songwriting that explores identity, faith, and addiction as Mutinta grapples with the trauma of her strict religious upbringing in Zambia and identity as a Black trans woman.

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Debby Friday

kenya — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:19:20 +0000

Debby Friday is a Nigerian-Canadian electronic artist based in Toronto, Ontario. As a self-proclaimed “club rat” who loved partying and dancing, Friday’s early years in Montréal’s club scene led her to meeting local DJs and musicians. She credits women DJs, in particular, for inspiring her to pick up the craft. DJing opened up opportunities to travel and meet more creatives. She eventually taught herself how to produce and saw a career path in music inspired by the beats and spirit of the parties she attended.

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Errol Starr Francis

kenya — Thu, 28 May 2026 18:24:28 +0000

Errol Starr Francis is a JUNO award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, and a pivotal figure in the history of Canadian R&B. Born in Jamaica and moving to Canada at age 14, Francis’ musical journey began in Kitchener, Ontario, where he played guitar in his father’s R&B and reggae band, People’s Choice, before exploring the local rock scene. These diverse roots laid the foundation for a career that would eventually bridge the gap between soulful R&B and mainstream pop success.

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Donna Makeda

kenya — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:51:42 +0000

Often hailed as “The Empress of Reggae” and “Canadian Reggae Royalty”, Donna Makeda is an international sensation and multi-award winning “Singjay” based in Toronto, Ontario. Born in Guyana, Makeda’s musical journey is deeply rooted in her upbringing in the church and her diverse training in the performing arts. Before dominating the reggae charts, she was a professional dancer and choreographer trained in Afro-Caribbean, Modern, Kathak, and Classical Ballet. At just 16 years old, she founded her own dance troupe, “Burning Flame International”, a background that still delivers her famously high-energy stage performance today.

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Zal Sissokho

kenya — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:05:29 +0000

Originally hailing from Senegal, Zal Sissokho was born in 1971 in the nation's capital Dakar. He later moved to Montreal in 1999, before forming his musical project “Buntalo” in 2004, which he remains the lead figure of. He has since released the first album under the Buntalo group titled La grande route in 2008, and followed up with two additional group projects, Le Partage (2012) and Le Palabre (2017).

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