In their Twitter bio, BizZarh describes themselves as ‘two intuitive girls from the hood’ but it’s clear that they are so much more. The genre-bending duo rap and sing over a diverse array of beats to create a variety of vibes that can’t be defined or contained.
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Theo
Caitlin aka Theo is an emerging R&B singer and songwriter whose raw sound fits right into Toronto’s moody musical tapestry spearheaded by artists like The Weeknd.
Read MoreFreeza Chin
Where do you live?: Toronto
What do you do for work?: I am a DJ as well as an audio engineer and music producer. I co-own and operate a professional recording studio called Genesis Sound Inc.
What do you do for fulfillment?: My work basically crosses over into what I do for fulfilment, but on top of the music stuff I enjoy helping my friends in their creative endeavours.
What is your dream creative project?: My dream creative project is to build a musical body of work from the ground up for an amazing artist - writing, producing, recording, mixing and mastering the whole thing from start to finish (ideally with an unlimited budget).
Do you consider yourself a freshman, sophomore or senior in your field?: I would probably say somewhere between sophomore and senior. I've been a DJ for over 15 years and a profesional engineer for 8 years.
What can’t you leave the house without?: My phone!
Where's your favourite place to eat?: House Of Gourmet for legit chinese food at any hour
Where's your favourite place to dance?: Parts & Labour for PartyBoobyTrap, Apt. 200, The Socialite for Unruly Fridays or wherever YYY is at (usually NEST)
Where's your favourite place to drink?: I'm a pretty casual drinker and only really drink while I'm DJing, so wherever that may be at the time I suppose!
Where's your favourite place to shop?: MOOG Audio
What are your go-to tunes for getting ready to leave the house in the morning?: My alarm clock on my phone is "Heart Monitor Riddem" by Kurupt FM (and JAYEMKAYEM hates it).
What are your go-to tunes for exercising?: "Know Better" by Headie One, "Hold That (L)" by Rocks FOE or anything from Aidonia
What are your go-to tunes for going out for a night on the town?: "Bussdown" by Maxo Kream and "Turf" by Sean Leon makes me want to punch people.
Kindly recommend 3 people that inspire you:
Tre Mission
Diamond Osoteo
Marcus Visionary
Who recommended you?: JAYEMKAYEM
Nader Abouzeid
Nader aka FunkyWhat is a forward-thinking beatmaker based in Montreal. The sophistication of his beats can be attributed to his background as a guitar player and his immersion in rock and skate culture. The amalgamation of these factors makes for stand-out hip-hop and R&B beats with an edge.
Read MoreAudré
Audre is an emerging artist from Scarborough. She seamlessly switches from fire freestyles to silky vocals to tell unique stories and create well-rounded tracks. Her infectious energy is juxtaposed next to her smooth vocals and moody beats from her producer IVI.
Read MoreMe Time
By day, Sarah Barrable-Tishauer is a marketing consultant for major brands. By night, she is DJ Me Time, a self-proclaimed ‘bass witch’. Since her character Liberty Van Zandt graduated on Degrassi, she has spent a decade putting in work in the marketing industry and has recently transitioned to freelance life to make room for more Me Time practicing behind the decks.
Stats: 13.1K followers
Read MoreIVI
IVI is a self-taught producer based in Scarborough. In contrast to some of his peers, IVI’s talents go beyond beatmaking. He works closely with artists to produce and develop their vocals, transforming a great beat into a great song.
Read MoreMookie Morris
Mookie Morris is a Canadian Idol alum with a laid-back, nostalgic musical style that spans far past the defunct show’s history. Mookie heads his own band, The Mooks, which features Owen Norquay on bass and Luis Figuero on drums. With Mookie on lead vocals and guitar, The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.
Read MoreLuis Figuero
Luis Figuero is the dynamic drummer for The Mooks, which also features Mookie Morris on lead vocals and guitar and Owen Norquay on bass. The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.
Read MoreJaz Aminata
In their Twitter bio, BizZarh describes themselves as ‘two intuitive girls from the hood’ but it’s clear that they are so much more. The genre-bending duo rap and sing over a diverse array of beats to create a variety of vibes that can’t be defined or contained.
Read MoreOwen Norquay
Owen Norquay is a soulful,seasoned bass player with The Mooks, which also features Mookie Morris on lead vocals and guitar and Luis Figuero on drums. The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.
Read MoreGimme Mar
Gimme Mar is a participant of Freshmen Friday's Sound Off! program.
Where are you from?: Serbia/Vancouver
Where do you live now?: Toronto
What do you do for work?: DJ/Singer-Songwriter
What do you do for fulfillment?: Write, sing, dance, train/workout, travel
What is your dream creative project?: Creating a sick album and touring the world with it.
Do you consider yourself a freshman, sophomore or senior in your field?: Sophomore
What can’t you leave the house without?: Phone/Keys
What's a typical day in the life for you?: Quite different every day...but for the most part:
Morning:
Wake up, say my thank you's for being alive and well. Stretch, water, tea/coffee.
Reply to emails, look up new music/research pop culture stuff. Cold calls/Emails for new potential clients. Update my moodboard. Write.
Afternoon:
Workout (boxing, pilates, gym, run etc), meetings/errands
Evening:
If not DJ'ing - take a dance class, record some ideas at home or a studio, write, read, watch a film or documentary.
What would your perfect 24 hours consist of?: Travelling, being with loved ones, creating some cool shit - music/film/visuals, laughing, and eating good food/hydrating/sweating.
Where's your favourite place to eat?: Fresh, Calii Love
Where's your favourite place to dance?: UnderGround Dance Centre, at home in front of my mirror
Where's your favourite place to drink?: When I do go out (rare these days) - Soho House, Apt 200, Mahjong Bar, any rooftop with a good view
Where's your favourite place to shop?: Sub Rosa Vintage, Value Village, Uniqlo, Top Shop, Urban Outfitters, Nordstroms | Some favourite brands: IAMGIA (online), Nike, Vintage Prada/Gucci/Versace/Armani,
Is there something you really want to do in your city that you haven't yet?: Perform my own music at a big venue sold out show.
What are your go-to tunes for getting ready to leave the house in the morning?: 90's feel-good reggae
What are your go-to tunes for exercising?: HARD RAP - A$AP/SKEPTA/KANYE/DRAKE/FUTURE
What are your go-to tunes for going out for a night on the town?: Hard rap (same as excersizing) or sexy funkadelic 60's/70's soul sexy R&B keywords: HARD & SEXY
What was your new years resolution?: Didn't have one specifically for the year, but my motto this past couple of months is: ENJOY LIFE!!!
What do you think are the qualities of a life well lived?: Knowing what you want, what you enjoy doing, what you're good at and DOING IT EVERYDAY. Surrounding yourself with love and good energy, staying consistent and disciplined in anything you put your mind to. Achieving milestones you set for yourself and enjoying the feeling of all those accomplishments.
Kindly recommend 3 people that inspire you that we can continue the conversation with...: Nina Kiridzija ( @neeenze )
Teaunna Gray ( @teaunnagray )
Charlotte Johnston ( @charwhore)
Just John
John Samuels aka Just John is one of the rappers at the forefront of Toronto’s DIY art scene. His distinct look merges contemporary, bold leather looks and more classic militant vibes. Meanwhile, his musical style often blends trap with jazz. In addition to his own musical projects, John is the founder of Blank Canvas, a multidisciplinary arts collective that doubles as a platform for underrepresented emerging artists. You can often spot him vibing out to his own music and rocking his signature beret.
Read MoreDom Dias
Dom Dias works double time as a graphic designer by day and music producer by night. His intricate production paired with his hands-on recording approach always makes for A1 quality tracks that push Toronto’s sound into further greatness, just as he did in his collaborations with Just John, Don and the upcoming Don II.
Read MoreBeatrix on the Beat
in Nike, toronto, vancouver, female, music, graphic designer, music producer, 3
Beatrixx is a bicoastal beatmaker, originally from the Philippines. Just as she splits time between Toronto and Vancouver, between beats she moonlights as a graphic designer. As a woman in a very male-saturated industry, each of Beatrixx’s beats breaks barriers and bops.
Read MoreZachary Roher
If you have been seeing boobs everywhere, it’s likely thanks to Zachary Roher, the Cultural Curator, Artist Manager and Clothing Designer at the helm of Collectif NUDE. In addition to designing their signature boob merch, sold at Urban Outfitters and seen everywhere, Collectif Nude manages a growing roster of artists and hosts dope parties that have featured the likes of ASAP Mob, Kaytranada and Ravyn Lenae.
Stats: Combined following of over 5k (collectifnude + personal acct).
Read MoreDana Wright
in toronto, female, 3, influencer, model, music, los angeles, dancer
This emerging genre-bending musician has already caught the attention of Into the Gloss, Wonderland, Dazed and fashion industry fave Petra Collins. Drawing inspiration from Marilyn Manson, Eminem and the Backstreet Boys, her diverse influences transcend to her broad online reach.
With over 11k Instagram followers, Dana receives 410 likes per post and 2.5 video views, on average. Last year, Dana’s music was streamed for 29k hours in 57 countries on Spotify, where she currently received 5286 listeners each month.
Read MoreMonique Hinds
Monique Hinds is a master dot-connector. During the day, she coordinates membership and DJ Programming for Soho House’s Toronto chapter. Once she clocks out of her day job, Monique continues to hustle as a freelance DJ consultant, Event Producer and Project Manager.
Read MoreLola Plaku
Lola Plaku, aka ILuvLola, is an industry insider who catapulted her career from fast food cashier to hip-hop journalist to artist development expert, supporting the careers of artists like Dej Loaf, Kehlani and Drake. After applying her OG industry wisdom to her role as manager for French Montana, Lola now takes care of marketing and brand development for Belly and Safe.
As Lola’s following soars past 70k, each post received over 2k likes, with an overall engagement rate of 3.3%.
Read MoreMatthew Progress
in music, toronto, CLASH, 2, RHUM CORNER
Matthew Progress masterfully blends house and hip-hop to craft a unique sound that goes beyond Toronto’s signature moody vibe. As his haunting deep voice flows over bass-heavy beats, he gets personal on most tracks, giving listeners a glimpse into his insightful thoughts. His years of experience in the music industry could easily classify him as an OG but his constant reinvention makes him just as fresh and exciting as a newcomer.
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