Alternative Trends is proud to profile Alberta’s rising young singer/songwriter talent participating in Alberta’s Top Music Artist (ATMA) competition.
Category: Youth (10-16)
Lucas Chaisson
City/Province: Cochrane, Alberta
Genre: Folk/Blues/Soul
Lucas Chaisson’s soulful original songs and imaginative arrangements of covers make a strong emotional connection with his audience. With comparisons to John Mayer and Martin Sexton, Lucas has received accolades from marvels such as Ian Thomas, Sam Baker, and Justin Rutledge. Influenced by artists like Neil Young, Eric Clapton, the Beatles,and early Motown to Andre Boccelli, his percussive guitar style, insightful lyrics and honest vocals keep audiences engaged and wanting more. His recently released debut album entitled “No Loitering” received attention across the province.
Olivia Rose LeafCity/Province: Elk Point, Alberta
Genre: Country
Olivia Rose is a young artist that loves to play with melody and words. The last three years have given her a chance to explore different forms of music through her involvement with Edmonton Childrens Choir, Elk Point United Church Junior choir, along with theatre and solo performances.
Kayla PatrickCity/Province: Edmonton, Alberta
Genre: Country
Kayla Patrick is a 13-year-old classic country singer who has been singing since the age of three. Her love for country music was founded after competing in the local Country Vocal Spotlight Talent Show in 2002 and she has many awards to her credit which include Gold medal winner in the Edmonton City Wide Talent show, Female Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the year and Co-writer of the Year which she shared with her dad at the 2007 North American Country Music Association International Competitions. In 2007 Kayla released her first CD, “My Heart’s Beating Country”, and she is currently recording her second self titled CD.
Category: Under 22 (17-22)
Cilena MathieuCity/Province: Lethbridge, Alberta
Genre: Country/Pop/Rock
Cilena Mathieu is from Enchant, Alberta and has been singing since she was eight, but took a break due to school, work and other commitments. Currently a teaching student at the University of Lethbridge, she’s got the itch to perform again.
Paul CreseyCity/Province: Edmonton, Alberta
Genre: Folk
Paul Cresey is a University of Alberta teaching student. Having performed at the Edmonton F o l k F e s t a n d Canmore Folk Fest, Paul wrote over 100 songs before he turned 20. He was nominated for Young Performer of the Year 2008 by the Canadian Folk Alliance.
Tatum WilliamsCity/Province: Edmonton, Alberta
Genre: Country
Like many artists, Tatum Williams has been singing since she was little, but her true love for performing began when she started writing her own songs. She plans on singing/songwriting for the rest of her life, either as a hobby or career.
Category: Young Adult (23-30)
Lauren BusheikinGenre: Pop/Folk
Lauren Busheikin has spent the past three years establi-shing herself as a singer/songwriter in Edmonton’s music scene. With a versatile musical background, she creates a unique blend in her songs that have listeners humming along. Lauren was a finalist in the Newcomer category in the2009 Calgary Folk Festival and the recipient of one of Rawlco Radio’s recording grants which will go toward her first commercial full-length album, to be recorded with producer Russell Broom in late 2010. With a diploma in vocal performance from MacEwan University as well as over 18 years of performance experience, her thoughtful lyrics and mature vocal style will leave an audience wanting more.
Ray MailmanCity/Province: Edmonton, Alberta
Genre: Indie rock
Ray Mailman, a funk/soul/pop performer has transcended the realms of many genres of music, creating his own eclectic style and groove. Mailman combines complex chord patterns, catchy song styling and “in-your-face” lyrics that come from life experience, compassion and divine inspiration. Using Funk, Rock, Jazz, Soul and Pop influences, his music appeals to a wide audience. 2008 saw the release of his first EP, “Sideways” with six original songs from jazz to latin to rock. It’s difficult to find a single artist with which to compare Ray Mailman’s music, but comparisons are often drawn to Jason Mraz, Maroon 5, Jamiroquai and occasionally Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Sherry Anne FulgencioCity/Province: Calgary, Alberta
Genre: Ballad/R&B
Sherry Anne Fulgencio is a singer/songwriter and winner of the 2008 Canadian Superstar Singing/Composing competition sponsored by the Beach Audio Recording Studio together with Mile One. Her prize allowed her to record four original compositions with her carrier single “Don’t Hate” and “Never Give Up.” Having been featured in various Canadian and US magazines and her music recognized by the Canadian Library, Sherry also does radio shows for Pinoy Radio 94.7FM in Calgary.
Chris GheranCity/Province: Calgary, Alberta
Genre: Folk
Selected for the 2010 Calgary Folk Music Festival, singer/songwriter Chris Gheran has complaints to make, demons to exorcise, and stories to tell, all wrapped up in tunes that pulse in your right brain. Chris has over 100 compositions, 24 on his albums “Coup d’etat” and “Monster”. The lyrics will touch your soul.
Manuela WuthrichCity/Province: Sherwood Park, Alberta
Genre: Pop/Soul
Without taking away from the beauty of her lyrical themes, it’s the music that really makes Manuela Wuthrich stand out as an emerging artist. Embracing the spirit of old soul and present musical mentors like John Mayer and Corinne Bailey Rae, Manuela has the ability to take her influences and effortlessly reinvent them into her own unique style. With the release of her first full-length album “A Different Kind of Fire”, released on her own independent label, Golden Recordings, and a Western Canadian tour under her belt, this year will surely see great things from this artist.
Category: Adult 30 plus (over 30)
Scott CookCity/Province: Sherwood Park, Alberta
Genre: Folk
Scott Cook is a world traveling songwriter and storyteller. After performing on and off for 15 years, he left his teaching job in Taiwan and turned to music full-time in 2007. That year saw the release of his debut CD “Long Way to Wander” which made the Folk/Roots Top Ten on Canadian college and community radio. His 2009 release, “This One’s on the House” features many of Edmonton’s finest musicians, including Jesse Dee, Bill Bourne, Darrek Anderson and Dana Wylie.
Stan KonigGenre: Roots
Stan Konig is a Edmonton singer/songwriter with more than 30 years experience in the music business. He is currently employed by the Government of Alberta as an broadcast engineering technologist.
Alice SinclairCity/Province: Edmonton, Alberta
Genre: Folk/Patriotic
Alice Sinclair is a singer/songwriter/musician who has just completed her newest CD with a cause close to her heart – our country. Titled “Canadians and our Heroes”, the title track is called “My Heroes Have Always Been Soldiers” and is a thank you to members of the Canadian military. Alice has performed at summer festivals throughout Alberta and BC, along with singing on US radio station,at Tootsie’s and Legends during winter.
Virginia MakofkaCity/Province: Edmonton, Alberta
Virginia Makofka’s vocal stylings are inspired by all genres, but favorites include a blend of jazz and electronica. Musical influences encompass everything from MSTRKRFT and Of Mont real to Neko Case and MIA.
SOCAN profile review
What do Celine Dion, Michael Buble, Bryan Adams, Nickelback, Avril Lavigne and Nelly Furtado all share in common? Aside from all being Canadian and Grammy Award winners or nominees, they are all members of the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, also known as SOCAN.
With over 90,000 members including composers, songwriters, lyricists and publishers, SOCAN’s main purposes are based around three P’s: the protection, preservation and promotion of the performing rights of Canada’s music creators. The Society sells access to its members’ music to a vast array of customers- TV and radio stations, cable stations, podcasters, concert halls, movie theatres, restaurants, hotels, bars, fitness clubs, airlines and stores. With this access, these customers have permission to publicly broadcast or perform the music in Canada.
SOCAN’s other roles include distributing royalties obtained from international organizations to its members, raising awareness and educating the public about its members through workshops and seminars, promoting its members’ work at music industry events, and publishing its quarterly magazine Words and Music, distributed nationally and overseas.
A merger in 1990 between the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of Canada (CAPAC) and the Performing Rights Organization of Canada (PR OCAN) saw the birth of SOCAN. It was at around the same that artists such as the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan, amongst many others, reached global success along with film companies like Alliance-Atlantis.
It was also during 1990 that the SOCAN Awards were established and in which various categories presented artists with awards in country, pop, rock, national and international achievement, folk and lifetime achievement, to name a few. Previous years winners have included Nelly Furtado, Michael Buble, Nickelback, Finger 11, Shania Twain and the legendary Leonard Cohen Along with its members, SOCAN’s Board of Directors are also made up of composers, publishers, lyricists and songwriters, with new CEO Eric Baptiste, former CEO of the International Confederation of the Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC),taking over the reigns from Andre LeBel in May of this year.
A multi-million dollar organization, SOCAN collected over $246 million in royalties and domestic license fees in 2007, in which almost a quarter of its members shared those royalties. The organization has offices in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Dartmouth.
– Vicky Stojanovska