February's crew of emerging Canadian artists aren't all lovestruck crooners, but they each bring their own kind of heart-pounding devotion to their particular crafts, imbuing their music with immense feeling, whether it be tender or vengeful. They may not all be appropriate for your Valentine's Day playlist, but they're certainly fit to soundtrack all the raging highs and quiet lows that colour the rest of life. From spirit-stirring throat singing and clear-eyed R&B to thrashing emo and towering shoegaze pop, this month's featured artists cover the entirety of the messy emotional spectrum.
Keep reading to meet Exclaim!'s latest New Faves, and head over to our Spotify playlist to hear them alongside our previous homegrown favourites.
Greg Beaudin
Montreal, QC
For fans of: Anderson Paak, Cordae
Dead Obies and Brown Family member Greg Beaudin has been hitting the studio to define his sound and just released the eclectic Tiamat, mon amour. His debut solo album benefits from beautifully crafted music videos that match its deeply personal and sonically complex content, while features from Les Louanges and a clever connection with D.O's Joe Rocca allow Beaudin to reveal his musical ambition.
Antoine-Samuel Mauffette
blesse
Montreal, QC
For fans of: Porches, Wavves, the Drums
The new project from ex-Zen Bamboo members Léo Leblanc, Charles-Antoine Olivier and Xavier Touikan, Montreal's blesse is an alt-pop Rube Goldberg machine, a chain reaction of sparkling, itchy instrumentation and power pop instincts. The trio craft the kind of textured, hi-fi bedroom pop that raises the hair on your arms and sets feet tapping with abandon, and their latest single — the swirling, Sophia Bel-featuring "creusercreuser" — is all forward momentum, never once letting off the gas as it veers between wiggling, neon keys and battered riffs.
Kaelen Bell
hopscotchbattlescars
Winnipeg, MB
For fans of: MouthBreather, SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Mathcore Index
Since their 2021 debut single, "god hates straight pride flags," Winnipeg's hopscotchbattlescars have been part funhouse, part formidable force; their spartan, white belt mathcore veers through sonic and emotional extremes, pit-whirling riffs, twisting jazzy flourishes and abundant weirdness, all the while satirically railing against bigots, political afflictions, climate issues, capitalism's cruelness and beyond. HOPSCOTCHBATTLESCARS PROMO 2022 teases three demos from their upcoming debut full-length, a beast on the horizon.
Chris Bryson
Kenya Jade
Toronto, ON
For fans of: Snoh Aalegra, Sabrina Claudio, Anderson Paak
With a unique texture to her voice, Toronto-based R&B artist Kenya Jade sings everything with passion, resolve and control. With layered storytelling alongside a smooth and sultry sound, Kenya's growing catalogue of music — including her latest single, "Take It Slow" — is a twist on the signature East End vibe, akin to the Weeknd's narcotic early days. And like Abel, Kenya shines best live, with her performances on YouTube and a live recording of debut single "Coming Down" garnering her a loyal following going into 2023.
Vernon Ayiku
Tommy Lefroy
Vancouver, BC / London, UK
For fans of: Hatchie, Phoebe Bridgers, Soccer Mommy
The UK-based duo of Tessa Mouzourakis (who hails from Vancouver) and Wynter Bethel met in 2018 and released their debut EP in 2021 — and they've since exploded in popularity, earning millions of streams with their mix of bleary shoegaze and tender acoustic balladry. Their latest single, the fuzz-streaked "Worst Case Kid," is their best yet, while the dramatically building "Jericho Beach" shouts out the very relatable problem of trying to park at a Vancouver beach. The band are touring North America as Samia's opening act this month, with their Rivals EP to follow on March 10.
Alex Hudson
Locater
Winnipeg, MB
For fans of: Movements, Citizen, Superheaven
Following a pair of EPs, Winnipeg rockers Locater (formerly Louser) are now poised to make their full-length debut this month on No Sleep Records, the Orange County-based indie label that previously helped launch the careers of groups like Balance and Composure, La Dispute and the Wonder Years. On Clandestine (out February 17), you can hear a band clearly schooled in the Will Yip academy of early-2010s emo, grunge and shoegaze revivalism, but there's also a slightly vintage quality to them — a roughness that calls back to the dark, heavy riffs of Failure and Hum.
Adam Feibel
Nonarchy
Vancouver, BC
For fans of: Laura Stevenson, the Beths, Sarah Harmer
Nonarchy have spent the past few years etching their name into Vancouver's DIY scene and augmenting their sound: sagacious indie pop centred on Kate Cunningham's conversational lyrics. January marked the quartet's first new music since 2021's Cheap Tuesdays, with the A/B single "Stubborn." The title track finds Cunningham taking post-breakup clarity to joyous new heights, while its comedown, "Small Towns," embalms the wistful ache accompanying every visit to one's hometown. With their unaffected energy, girl group chord progressions, and a punky but poised backline, Nonarchy have plenty to like. Here's hoping there's more to come.
Hayden Merrick
Qattuu
Ottawa, ON
For fans of: Joni Mitchell, Tanya Tagaq, Sinéad O'Connor
On her debut solo single "Panikuluuk" — which translates to "little daughter" in Inuktitut — Ottawa-based songwriter and throat singer Qattuu incorporates the sound of her own beating heart with audio clips of her young daughter over a soft guitar strum. This dedication to motherhood is but the first taste of her upcoming debut full-length album, Midnight Sun, and while it may sound like a departure from her work with Silla & Rise, longtime fans have come to expect Qattuu's wide-ranging sonic palette and ability to defy expectations.
Scott Simpson
Listen to tracks from these and other New Faves on our Spotify playlist:
Keep reading to meet Exclaim!'s latest New Faves, and head over to our Spotify playlist to hear them alongside our previous homegrown favourites.
Greg Beaudin
Montreal, QC
For fans of: Anderson Paak, Cordae
Dead Obies and Brown Family member Greg Beaudin has been hitting the studio to define his sound and just released the eclectic Tiamat, mon amour. His debut solo album benefits from beautifully crafted music videos that match its deeply personal and sonically complex content, while features from Les Louanges and a clever connection with D.O's Joe Rocca allow Beaudin to reveal his musical ambition.
Antoine-Samuel Mauffette
blesse
Montreal, QC
For fans of: Porches, Wavves, the Drums
The new project from ex-Zen Bamboo members Léo Leblanc, Charles-Antoine Olivier and Xavier Touikan, Montreal's blesse is an alt-pop Rube Goldberg machine, a chain reaction of sparkling, itchy instrumentation and power pop instincts. The trio craft the kind of textured, hi-fi bedroom pop that raises the hair on your arms and sets feet tapping with abandon, and their latest single — the swirling, Sophia Bel-featuring "creusercreuser" — is all forward momentum, never once letting off the gas as it veers between wiggling, neon keys and battered riffs.
Kaelen Bell
hopscotchbattlescars
Winnipeg, MB
For fans of: MouthBreather, SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Mathcore Index
Since their 2021 debut single, "god hates straight pride flags," Winnipeg's hopscotchbattlescars have been part funhouse, part formidable force; their spartan, white belt mathcore veers through sonic and emotional extremes, pit-whirling riffs, twisting jazzy flourishes and abundant weirdness, all the while satirically railing against bigots, political afflictions, climate issues, capitalism's cruelness and beyond. HOPSCOTCHBATTLESCARS PROMO 2022 teases three demos from their upcoming debut full-length, a beast on the horizon.
Chris Bryson
Kenya Jade
Toronto, ON
For fans of: Snoh Aalegra, Sabrina Claudio, Anderson Paak
With a unique texture to her voice, Toronto-based R&B artist Kenya Jade sings everything with passion, resolve and control. With layered storytelling alongside a smooth and sultry sound, Kenya's growing catalogue of music — including her latest single, "Take It Slow" — is a twist on the signature East End vibe, akin to the Weeknd's narcotic early days. And like Abel, Kenya shines best live, with her performances on YouTube and a live recording of debut single "Coming Down" garnering her a loyal following going into 2023.
Vernon Ayiku
Tommy Lefroy
Vancouver, BC / London, UK
For fans of: Hatchie, Phoebe Bridgers, Soccer Mommy
The UK-based duo of Tessa Mouzourakis (who hails from Vancouver) and Wynter Bethel met in 2018 and released their debut EP in 2021 — and they've since exploded in popularity, earning millions of streams with their mix of bleary shoegaze and tender acoustic balladry. Their latest single, the fuzz-streaked "Worst Case Kid," is their best yet, while the dramatically building "Jericho Beach" shouts out the very relatable problem of trying to park at a Vancouver beach. The band are touring North America as Samia's opening act this month, with their Rivals EP to follow on March 10.
Alex Hudson
Locater
Winnipeg, MB
For fans of: Movements, Citizen, Superheaven
Following a pair of EPs, Winnipeg rockers Locater (formerly Louser) are now poised to make their full-length debut this month on No Sleep Records, the Orange County-based indie label that previously helped launch the careers of groups like Balance and Composure, La Dispute and the Wonder Years. On Clandestine (out February 17), you can hear a band clearly schooled in the Will Yip academy of early-2010s emo, grunge and shoegaze revivalism, but there's also a slightly vintage quality to them — a roughness that calls back to the dark, heavy riffs of Failure and Hum.
Adam Feibel
Nonarchy
Vancouver, BC
For fans of: Laura Stevenson, the Beths, Sarah Harmer
Nonarchy have spent the past few years etching their name into Vancouver's DIY scene and augmenting their sound: sagacious indie pop centred on Kate Cunningham's conversational lyrics. January marked the quartet's first new music since 2021's Cheap Tuesdays, with the A/B single "Stubborn." The title track finds Cunningham taking post-breakup clarity to joyous new heights, while its comedown, "Small Towns," embalms the wistful ache accompanying every visit to one's hometown. With their unaffected energy, girl group chord progressions, and a punky but poised backline, Nonarchy have plenty to like. Here's hoping there's more to come.
Hayden Merrick
Qattuu
Ottawa, ON
For fans of: Joni Mitchell, Tanya Tagaq, Sinéad O'Connor
On her debut solo single "Panikuluuk" — which translates to "little daughter" in Inuktitut — Ottawa-based songwriter and throat singer Qattuu incorporates the sound of her own beating heart with audio clips of her young daughter over a soft guitar strum. This dedication to motherhood is but the first taste of her upcoming debut full-length album, Midnight Sun, and while it may sound like a departure from her work with Silla & Rise, longtime fans have come to expect Qattuu's wide-ranging sonic palette and ability to defy expectations.
Scott Simpson
Listen to tracks from these and other New Faves on our Spotify playlist: