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Demi Lovato Headlines PlanetPlay’s Latest Environmental Video Games Action Campaign

Chart-topping, Grammy-nominated musician, actor and author Demi Lovato is stepping into the virtual world, joining PlanetPlay’s visionary Make Green Tuesday Moves (MGTM), an initiative that channels the passion of gamers and music fans into real-world environmental action.

Demi’s musical star power now shines alongside the gaming world’s biggest names, encouraging millions to support sustainability projects simply by playing their favourite games.

Demi Lovato is a GRAMMY-nominated and award-winning musician, actor, advocate and New York Times best-selling author. She was first known for her onscreen talents, and soon after became a musical phenomenon for her remarkable vocal ability. With an audience of over 266 million on social media, Demi has established herself as a global sensation. With nearly 49 billion streams earned worldwide, Demi has released eight original studio albums, all of which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 and four which boast over one billion streams on Spotify. Recent projects include Demi’s directorial debut Child Star, a documentary which was released on Hulu in September of 2024. On the acting front, Demi can next be seen in Stephanie Laing’s Tow alongside Octavia Spencer, Ariana DeBose, Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa.

PlanetPlay is a not-for-profit platform that empowers gamers worldwide to contribute to environmental action through in-game purchases and gameplay with our affiliated game studios. Alongside the pioneering eco-conscious games marketplace, it is also a movement designed to inspire, educate, and mobilise players to support our planet and its rich diversity of life. We are dedicated to unlocking the potential of green initiatives powered by gamers. With its vast reach and influence, the gaming industry has immense potential to drive positive environmental impacts. In our first year, we have driven over $2.2 million in funding for environmental and nature projects. By partnering with forward-thinking game studios, PlanetPlay is on the front line of the fight against the environmental crisis and continuously developing and launching new initiatives to make a significant impact. For more information, visit www.planetplay.com

Starting today, her fan community and gamers across the globe can enjoy exclusive in-game Demi Lovato avatars in select games throughout December.

The best part? 100% of proceeds go directly to certified sustainability projects, including reforestation, renewable energy, and ocean conservation, all powered by PlanetPlay’s eco-donate platform.

In a personal message to fans, Demi breaks down how the MGTM initiative works, and why she’s lending her voice to this important cause. Watch the video here.

Demi takes the spotlight as December’s MGTM Star of the Month, following in the footsteps of fellow icons David ‘The Hoff’ Hasselhoff and Joe Jonas. Supported by a major global social media push, Demi’s involvement is set to spark a wave of #GreenTuesdayMoves across the world.

Games featuring Demi during the month include Avakin Life (Lockwood Publishing), Bowling Club & Darts Club (Boombit), Fishing Clash (Ten Square Games), Klondike Adventures (Vizor), Peridot (Niantic), Puzzle Adventure (Pixel Federation), Standoff 2 (Axlebolt), Subway Surfers (SYBO), Text Express (Kwalee), The Great Ocean (Actrio) and Top Drives (Hutch).

Players can make a difference with every download, with proceeds funding essential environmental projects like the Hongera Project in Kenya, which manufactures and distributes clean cookstoves, and New Zealand’s WAI Wanaka water conservation initiative.

As a special MGTM partner Google has launched a dedicated page on the Google Play store showcasing the movement, featuring Demi’s exclusive content and all the games that are part of this groundbreaking initiative.

With PlanetPlay’s growing list of games, the MGTM initiative has already mobilised a global community of gamers to make a positive environmental impact. To date, PlanetPlay has raised over $2.2 million for sustainability projects through its eco-conscious gaming marketplace.

Rhea Loucas, CEO at PlanetPlay, said: “Demi Lovato’s passion for music, gaming and the environment is infectious. We’re thrilled to have her on board for December’s Make Green Tuesday Moves and to see the games community continue to drive positive environmental change.”

For more information and the full list of participating games and partners, click here.

 

 

 

Rising Pop-Soul Artist Donny Smith Shines with New Single “Adore You”

Sometimes the best creative sparks in life come from making a small mistake. For folk, pop, and soul musician Donny Smith, a simple phrase directed to his wife one day was all that was needed for “Adore You,” an engaging piece of ear candy that shines thanks to highbrow pop sensibilities and packs plenty of style.

“One day, I looked at my wife and, instead of saying ‘I love you’ as I usually would, the words ‘I adore you’ came out,” Smith, says. “That small but meaningful phrase struck with me, and I knew it had the potential to blossom into something special. From that moment, the song was born.”

“Adore You,” written and recorded by Smith but with production and mastering duties done by his brother David Smith, is pristine adult contemporary pop that is as flawless as it is catchy. Smith attributes the song’s synergy to the near telepathic nature the brothers have when it comes to creating music. “Over the years, we’ve developed what I call a ‘musical sixth sense,'” Smith says. “We instinctively know each other’s strengths, sounds, and creative limits, which makes collaborating feel seamless. This connection was invaluable in bringing ‘Adore You’ to life.”

The mid-tempo, melody-driven single features Donny Smith on vocals and guitar while David Smith plays keyboards, giving the song a “retro ’80s-inspired sound” that melds “nostalgia with fresh vibrancy.” “Adore You” brings to mind the likes of Robert Palmer, Stevie Wonder, and Luther Vandross, among others, with equal parts of pop and soul weaving into the track. It’s a song Donny Smith describes as a “heartfelt pop track that blends soul, indie, and ’80s pop influences.”

“For me, ‘Adore You’ is more than just a song; it’s a love letter wrapped in music,” Smith says. “It captures the joy of finding true love and the gratitude of cherishing that connection. I hope it resonates with listeners and becomes a soundtrack to their own stories of love.”

“Adore You” is the latest single from Donny Smith, who, alongside his brother, was in the family group Fairchild. The musician’s journey in music began as a child when his other brother Jeff brought home an electric guitar and Donny learned his first song: AC/DC’s “Highway To Hell.” From there, his professional career later blossomed with Fairchild, which had two Top 40 hits and played alongside groups such as Finger Eleven and Marianas Trench, among others. He also performed in the Blue Veil Band, which toured various schools and raised funds for Blue Veil Ministry, which helps the special needs community.

Influenced by an array of artists ranging from Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Bob Marley, and Ed Sheeran, Smith is also the Sara Elizabeth Centre’s Program Coordinator and Music Director. He also performs with his other seven siblings as With The Smiths, an annual event that sees the family record and release a festive song and accompanying video. Smith’s previous solo releases include a 2019 EP entitled Breaking Through while singles include “Something To Smile About,” “Split In 2” and “Know I Love You.”

“Adore You” is a finely tuned single that is simply adorable and screaming for airplay. It’s also one that should keep people falling in love with Donny Smith’s music.

Trent Agecoutay Honours Father’s Legacy with “Burn A Smudge”

As a child, Cowessess First Nation band member Trent Agecoutay would listen to his father Jim Agecoutay craft songs at the family’s kitchen table. With a tape recorder, cigarette, and pot of coffee at the ready as his father wrote, Trent’s admiration for his father’s music grew. Now, Trent is honoring his late father with “Burn A Smudge,” the excellent new single from Trent’s forthcoming album entitled Uncle Trent and Friends – Legacy.

Trent, who grew up in Red Deer, Alberta but currently resides in Calgary, has done his father proud with this single. “Burn A Smudge” is one of the tracks from Legacy featuring material all written or co-written by Trent and his late father who performed across Western Canadian barrooms for over 40 years.

“Burn A Smudge,” which Trent says is “a song about redemption,” is a fantastic track that instantly brings to mind the ’70s country outlaws, particularly Waylon Jennings. Trent strums a guitar, singing about the big city and urban life while looking to happier, simpler times of being around family, and cooking bannock over an open flame. Trent is backed by a great supporting cast who flesh out the toe-tapping nugget with aplomb. The instrumental homestretch allows each musician to show their talents in mini solos, whether it’s piano, lap steel guitar, mandolin or electric guitar.

Trent helped his father (a residential school survivor) in various ways, whether through loading gear into and out of venues or playing alongside him for over 20 years dating back to 1993. And he has done a remarkable job in capturing his father’s music. “Burn A Smudge” is one of the tracks to be featured on an album set to be released in the spring of 2025. Trent’s musical journey began when he started writing songs when he was 12. In 2014, Trent released his debut album I Don’t Regret A Thing. Since that time, he released Now…And Then in 2018 and A Place To Call Home in 2022.

“Burn A Smudge,” alongside other material on the album, was cathartic for both Trent and his brother Bryce to grieve their father’s passing and “reconnect” with him spiritually. Unfortunately, Jim Agecoutay passed away on April 29, 2023, before the project was completed. But various organizations, including the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Calgary Arts Development, and The Central Music Festival Society, helped in getting the album across the proverbial finish line.

It’s also the latest offering from a musician who has used his music to “express the human experience; raw, witty, and unwavering.” Trent was nominated for a Native American Music Award for Best Blues Recording (“Dancing Along”) which also hit number one on the Indigenous Music Countdown in 2023. Additional nominations have come from the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, the Indian Summer Music Awards, Indigenous Music Awards, and the 2023 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards. He was received the Shane Yellowbird Award for Music at Edmonton’s Okimaw Awards.

In addition to his music Trent has done voice over work including two audio books for Durville Publishing in addition to being an on-air personality at Windspeaker Media. He’s also a podcaster, with his initial podcast Do You Hear Me Now…Amplifying Indigenous Voices (along with Curt and Chelsie Young) helping spread music from Indigenous Artists across the country during the pandemic. The second podcast with Curt Young is The Deadly Uncle Podcast, which is a “safe space to connect Indigenous men and boys to their culture and communities.”

A video for “Burn A Smudge” is also in the offing, but for now fans will have to settle for an amazing and authentic single. “Burn A Smudge” is proof that when it comes to Trent Agecoutay and his late father, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

Mike Herriott Reflects on a Landmark 2024: ‘Tales of Tricksters and Vagabonds’ Caps a Year of Musical Triumphs

It’s been a whirlwind of music and life for Mike Herriott, recently capped off with his fantastic and his latest incredibly novel album Tales of Tricksters and Vagabonds. The native of St. John’s Newfoundland who now resides in Toronto has been busy supporting the record, which uses shadier figures through classic literature for Herriott’s innovative and imaginative sonic jumping off point.

“I have always found a certain fascination with the more troublesome characters of the fictional world – maybe I’m not unique in that as there are so many stories exploring the seedier side of our imagination,” Herriott says, opting for a “‘programmatic’ way to tell the story of someone of whom we already know their complete narrative arc and is from the mind of someone else.”

Whether it’s Sir John Falstaff from Shakespeare’s Henry VI and Henry V, Puss in Boots, Mercutio from Romeo & Juliet, Rumpelstiltskin, Uriah Heep from Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, or Rodion Roskolnikov from Doestoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Herriott crafted a brilliant piece of music inspired from the literary greats. The album (featuring Herriott’s cat Quincy on the cover much to the consternation of Herriott’s other cat Zsa Zsa) was widely acclaimed by Record World International, The Wholenote, and The Muse who described it as “light-hearted” and “whimsical” while being “classic and timeless.”

“Tales” is the latest masterpiece in a career that’s seen Herriott involved in works that have earned various awards including Grammy Awards and Emmy Awards. He was the lead trumpeter on “To Be Loved”, an album which earned a Grammy Award (Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album) for Michael Bublé as well as Juno nominations. Juno nominations have also come from his work with the Canadian Brass, Jann Arden, and country star Paul Brandt, demonstrating Herriott’s spectrum of musical malleability.

He was also the principal trumpeter for Sounds of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, which earned an Emmy Award. Herriott has also worked with a wide array of musicians, ranging from Brandt and Bublé to Arden and former Bon Jovi guitar legend Richie Sambora. This is in addition to working on a slew of projects with Canadian media broadcasters and channels such as CTV and CBC and Sony, PBS, Disney, Warner, Universal and NBC in the United States.

Herriott’s own discography dates back to his 1995 effort Free At Last (Mike Herriott Quintet), 2001’s A Piece of the Action (Mike Herriott Quartet), 2004’s Unto The Breach (Mike Herriott Sextet), 2010’s Flights Vol. 1 and 2011’s Home for the Holidays (both as “H2” or the Harkness Herriott Duo with collaborator Sean Harkness). His first exclusive solo album was 2013’s Off The Road (which featured Arturo Sandoval) which was followed by 2016’s Isn’t Life Grand. In 2019 he appeared on (his wife) Ofra Harnoy’s Back To Bach effort and her 2020 follow up On The Rock (which won a 2021 MusicNL Award). Prior to 2023’s Tales of Tricksters and Vagabonds, Herriott released Portrait, his third collaborative effort with Harnoy.

This past year has seen Herriott touring with Harnoy and appearing with his own quartet, in concert, as well as getting airplay on Toronto’s Jazz FM, Classical FM, NPR, CBC Music and CBC Radio, among many others around the globe. His appearances throughout North America, as well as extensive tours through South-East Asia, have seen him share the stage with the late Doc Severinsen, Maynard Ferguson, Rob McConnell, Phil Nimmons, and Bublé, among countless others.

Whether producing solo projects, working with Harnoy in the studio and on stage, or being in demand as a lead trumpeter in orchestras for musical theatre productions in Toronto and throughout North America, Mike Herriott is making the most of his life and his musical career.

oH! The Artist ‘Risks It All’ With New Single and Wins Big, Bringing Heartfelt R&B Back to the Spotlight

Good news, fellas: It’s safe to share your feelings again. And for that, you can thank Toronto-based R&B soul-barer oH!, who on his new single, “Risk It All,” is single-handedly bringing sincerity back.

With an openness and vulnerability that could make any lady’s heart melt, our hero admits how hard it is to commit to love in a world that’s full of traps and fakes. But he’s real, dammit, and he’s looking to get with a girl who’s real too—ideally, the one who’s standing right there in front of him.

I’m ready and I’m able
Wanna turn the tables, girl
I’m scared but I’m ready for us, yeah
I’m ready to risk it all

As if the message weren’t disarming enough, the music is compelling to the point of hypnosis. “Risk It All” is a sinuous, sumptuous slow jam, of the kind a million closing-time DJs were starting to worry they didn’t make anymore. No wonder oH! has anointed it as the title track to his debut EP, an eight-song statement of intent that’s going to firmly establish him as music’s new paragon of smooth sensitivity.

That campaign got underway in earnest in October, when oH! dropped his first solo single, “The Greatest (You and I),” then watched it swiftly become a hit on internet radio and social-media platforms around the world. The song has charted everywhere from Canada, the U.S., and the UK to Australia, Belgium, Germany, India, Ireland, and North Macedonia; in South Africa, it went all the way to No. 2 in both streams and downloads. Across TikTok, oH! has amassed 2.8 million total views, with 788,000 views on YouTube and a presence on over 350 playlists.

The Risk It All EP not only showcases oH!’s heartfelt vocals and compelling melodies but also highlights his singer-songwriter chops. A standout moment on the record is “Change,” a track co-written with Grammy Award-nominated artist Glenn Lewis. Their collaboration brings an added layer of depth and soul to the project, solidifying oH!’s place as a storyteller with both heart and skill.

Both “The Greatest (You and I)” and the new “Risk It All” are rapidly defining oH!’s persona as an unrepentant romantic—just not a naïve one. On record and in life, he’s well aware of the elusiveness of the perfect pairing but determined to will it into being.

“I’ve always wanted that full, lifelong, fulfilling, heart-bursting, transcendent love that everyone desires in this life,” he says. “The only way to get there was to write it and believe that I was capable of it.
“I love ‘love,’” he enthuses. “There’s nothing more amazing than it.”

Raised in his parents’ record store, oH! was performing on Sesame Street and mastering Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All” by age seven. His teen years were spent with the group The Show, releasing records on major labels and touring Canada with Usher, Yung Buck, Ginuwine, and 98 Degrees. Along the way, he earned a Canadian Urban Music Award and two JUNO nominations.

oH!’s coming-out party as a solo artist was his appearance on the final season of Canadian Idol, where he placed in the top 16 and drew a rare standing ovation for his performance of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine.” Now signed to S.O.G. Entertainment Inc., with distribution by The Orchard (a subsidiary of SONY Music), he’s ready to capitalize on more than a decade of hard work positioning himself as a major talent.

With Risk It All (the EP and the single) making waves, oH! is gearing up for his first national solo tour, cementing his status as an essential presence on the Canadian music scene. Audiences across the country are about to fall for a guy who’s been making it abundantly clear how ready he is to fall for them. Don’t you just love it when both parties in a relationship are on exactly the same page?

Simply Piano Launches on Apple Vision Pro, Redefining the Future of Creative Hobbies

Simply, the creators of the world’s #1 piano-learning app, Simply Piano, today announced the launch of their first augmented reality (AR) experience: Simply Piano for Apple Vision Pro. Launching on December 1, this release represents a pivotal moment for creative hobbies, leveraging emerging technology to bring music learning and playing to life like never before.

With Simply Piano for Vision Pro, Simply takes a bold step into augmented reality, harnessing spatial computing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in creative hobbies and music education. By leveraging Apple Vision Pro’s cutting-edge capabilities, Simply Piano introduces groundbreaking features in piano learning, such as piano keys that light up to guide users, finger-tracking technology, real-time feedback powered by AI, and a virtual keyboard—making it possible to learn piano without a physical instrument for the first time. The app also enables learners to master sheet music in a fully immersive environment.

“Augmented reality has the power to make learning a musical instrument more accessible, intuitive, and awe-inspiring,” said Yuval Kaminka, Co-Founder and CEO of Simply. “With Apple Vision Pro, we’re showcasing today what the future of creative hobbies looks like—one where technology doesn’t just replicate real-world experiences but enhances them, bringing creativity to life in unimaginable ways.”

“This isn’t just a product launch—it’s a leap into the future,” added Eliran Douenias, Head of Product Innovation at Simply. “Augmented reality is transforming how we experience creative hobbies at home. For piano learners, it means turning practice into an immersive and inspiring adventure.”

While AR is still emerging as a household technology, Simply Piano for Apple Vision Pro demonstrates its potential beyond gaming by focusing on education and creativity. This launch aligns with Simply’s mission to make the pursuit of creative hobbies simple and fun, empowering users of all levels to explore their creativity and develop lifelong skills.

Kaminka emphasizes that the app is not just for piano players but a proof of concept for the broader potential of AR in creative hobbies: “When augmented reality becomes part of everyday life, creative hobbies like playing music, drawing, and more will evolve in ways we’re only beginning to comprehend. Simply is proud to lead the way in this revolutionary space.”

The launch of Simply Piano for Vision Pro comes at a time when music learning is seeing a resurgence, driven by the demand for hobbies that offer personal growth and self-expression. Many learners face barriers such as fitting lessons into daily life or the challenges of self-directed learning. Simply Piano has addressed these barriers with its pedagogy and technology, offering real-time personalized feedback and content. Apple Vision Pro’s spatial computing capabilities now take the experience to the next level.

Apple Vision Pro offers unique features such as gesture control, precise spatial tracking, and seamless interaction between real and virtual elements. Simply Piano leverages these innovations, along with advanced AI, to provide a learning experience that feels intuitive and natural. Learners can see virtual keys light up to guide their practice, use hand-tracking technology to ensure proper technique, and receive immediate feedback on their progress—all in an immersive, distraction-free environment.

“We believe the future of creative hobbies lies in blending AR technology with a human-centered approach,” Douenias said. “As augmented reality matures, it will unlock new opportunities for personal expression and shared experiences, helping people reach their creative potential in entirely new ways.”

Simply Piano is enjoyed by millions of active monthly users in over 180 countries and is available in 12 languages. With popular apps like Simply Guitar, Simply Sing, Simply Play, Simply Tune, and Simply Draw, Simply’s expansion into augmented reality underscores its commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation in creative hobbies.

To learn more about Simply Piano for Apple Vision Pro and experience the future of music learning, visit the website.

The Awesome Music Project Presents Plates & Playlists: Food, Music, and Connection for Mental Health

This season, The Awesome Music Project is rallying communities across the country to transform good food, great music, and meaningful moments into vital support for mental health programs.

Through Plates & Playlists, The Awesome Music Project invites individuals and groups to host a special gathering—whether it’s a dinner party, a takeout night, or brunch with friends—and contribute to a shared $30,000 fundraising goal for programs that inspire hope and healing through the power of music.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Pick Your Night – Choose a date between now and the end of January to host your event.
  2. Build Your Playlist – Ask guests to contribute their favorite songs to create a personalized soundtrack and take the opportunity to discuss the impact of music on mental health.
  3. Raise Funds – Aim for a $300 fundraising goal (or more!) with your guests. Together, 100 events will help achieve the $30,000 goal for programs that change lives.

“Plates & Playlists is about bringing people together in simple, joyful ways to make a meaningful impact,” says Kim Slade, Executive Director of The Awesome Music Project. “We want to create a movement of connection, joy, and support through the universal language of music.”

Make this season unforgettable. Sign up your event here and help us bring hope and healing to those who need it most.

Not ready to host? You can still make a difference by donating directly or supporting another event. Every act of kindness counts.

Together, let’s turn shared meals and cherished melodies into life-changing support for mental health programs.

Jam Band DANCELAND Grooves with Intricate Gem “Sapphire” from ‘Licky’ Album

Remembering the first night you met your significant other can bring back vivid memories. Or in the case of Joe Ferland, guitarist and singer for Toronto “neo jam band” Danceland, it can help stoke the fires of creation. The end result is “Sapphire,” a winding but wonderful new single from the band’s Licky album that sounds fresh and exciting while conjuring up images of late ’60s greats like Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead.

“It is about the night that (Danceland singer and Ferland’s wife) Jale and I’s love affair began,” Ferland says. “We had been hanging out and playing in bands together. Then, one night, a bunch of friends went to a dance club called Sapphire that our bandmate and friend was bar tending at. Jale and I danced all night.”

“Sapphire,” written by Jale and Ferland (who also produced the track), is an adventure that has a smooth, laid-back groove starting out as Jale’s vocals lead the way. The chorus is a bit busier but beautiful, bringing to mind Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, Phish, and even Joss Stone at her funkiest. “Sapphire” takes a surprising turn two minutes in, creating a huge wall of sound thanks to Jale, Ferland, drummer Brad Park and guest saxophonist Cameron Draper before returning to the earlier groove. Keyboardist Jeff Heisholt and bassist Ryan Spratt flesh out the five-minute omnipotent odyssey. In short, “Sapphire” is a diamond.

“This is another tune I had been carrying in my head for a year or so,” Ferland says of “Sapphire.” “I had the chorus changes and chorus lyrics. When we scheduled the date to record beds (bed tracks) for another round of tunes, I finished the verses and middle, and Jale and I fleshed out the rest of the lyrics.”

“Sapphire,” recorded and mixed by Carlin Nicholson at Toronto’s Pineship Sound and mastered by Philip Shaw Bova, is the followup single to “Steve Earle” also found on Licky. The single continues a wave of momentum from Danceland which originated when Ferland (a huge fan of the Grateful Dead but originally in pop-punk and rock bands in New York in the ’90) met Jale. After relocating initially to Windsor, Ontario and then to Toronto, the rigors of the music business caused burnout. After leaving music for a decade, Ferland’s passion was ignited when he visited his terminally ill mother and heard a radio program featuring Grateful Dead songs.

After forming the Cherry Garcia Band, which paid tribute to the Grateful Dead and the late Jerry Garcia’s discography, the pandemic threw another wrench into their lives like it did for countless others. Writing their own material while isolated in Huron County, Ontario, the couple decided on calling their new group Danceland after Danceland Road located in Huron County. In 2022, Danceland, who released a handful of singles earlier, released its debut album Pink Lem mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Gregg Rubin (Ben Folds, The Avett Brothers). The album, which the band toured Canada and the Northeastern U.S. in support of, saw Danceland featured in Goldmine and Canadian Beats among other outlets.

Having toured throughout 2024 and performed at various festivals in Canada while headlining shows in Ohio, Philadelphia, and New York City in November, Danceland looks for “Sapphire” to be another jewel in their musical repertoire. It’s a track that’s bound to have you dancing all night long thanks to its groove, vivacious vibe, and dynamic energy.

Folk Rocker Mike Bern Releases Reflective “We Are The Stars”

Songwriters can find inspiration at any place at any time. For Indigenous folk rock Mike Bern, a yard sale discovery was the seed which fueled his latest and possibly greatest effort in “We Are The Stars,” a beautiful ballad which is sure to join previous singles “Reverberation” and “New World” which appeared on the Indigenous Music Countdown charts.

Bern, a native of Tobique First Nation, New Brunswick (Wolasoqey (maliseet)), says he found a poem in an old book he discovered at a yard sale entitled Algonquin Legends. “In the book it has myths and folklore of the Wabanaki People,” he says. “In the 1800s, all these songs and stories were collected. The poem ‘We Are The Stars’ stood out to me, and I loved it so much I wanted to incorporate my style of music.”

The book’s material, gathered by Philadelphia-based journalist and Charles G. Leland (who collected the stories and history directly from Indigenous narrators and died in 1903) contains legends, folklore and myths of the Wabanaki. The poem and the song “We Are The Stars” speaks to the cycle of life and how we are all part of that journey through nature.

“We all come from the stars,” Bern says regarding the single “We Are The Stars.” “When you pass on to the other side, we have to go through a fire, as we do the same when we are born. When we look up at the stars, we see our past and future, our loved ones that passed and future generations that still haven’t been born.”

“We Are The Stars” is a timeless campfire-esque, sing-along ballad that features Bern’s timeless timbre leading the way. Bringing to mind the work of established singer-songwriters like William Prince and Donovan Woods to legends such as John Hiatt and Bruce Cockburn. Its deliberate tempo gives it a depth and reflective quality that makes you look at life’s bigger picture and looking up to the heavens to see those who came before and have yet to come.

“We Are The Stars” is the latest single from Bern, who has crafted a credible, consistently strong discography through singles and albums. Learning to play guitar growing up thanks to his late uncle resulted in Bern teaching him acoustic guitar three decades ago. With his music serving as a strong, deep link to his ancestors, Bern overcame personal demons when a counselor who assisted him in rehab spotted his gift for songwriting. The counselor felt his songwriting was incredibly fluid, as if he was singing the words he wrote. That turning point set his sights on his vocation: music.

Bern has released excellent albums including Waponahkew in 2020 and 2023’s Ancestors. Meanwhile, singles such as “New World,” “Reverberation,” and “Echoes” (which featured the drum group Muskrat Singers) have all been widely lauded while also having two number one hits on the Indigenous Music Countdown. He has also performed throughout Canada, having played the Indigenomics Power Play Gala in Toronto in 2023 and as part of 2023’s MNB (Music New Brunswick) Week.

Now with another fantastic single in “We Are The Stars,” Mike Bern’s career continues to shine brighter with each memorable release.

Dreamville Festival Announces Return April 5–6, 2025, for Fifth Anniversary Celebration

Global superstar J. Cole and Dreamville, the internationally recognized entertainment brand and multi-platinum record label for which he cofounded, are proud to announce today that Dreamville Festival will officially return to Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, 2025.

The 2025 ticket presales will begin next month on Wednesday, December 11 at 9:00 a.m. EST offering two-day GA, GA+, and various VIP packages. These will be the least expensive tickets available to the general public with prices increasing as the event date approaches. If any presale tickets remain, a general ticket on-sale will follow.

After a historic fourth edition last spring, in which 100,000 festival attendees from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and 20+ countries traveled to Cole’s home state of North Carolina to attend the Dreamville brand’s flagship annual event, Dreamville Festival will once again return to Dorothea Dix Park to usher in the spring festival season with a massive outdoor celebration of music, culture, and community.

As an annual reunion for Dreamville fans worldwide that generates an economic impact of $145+ million for the greater Wake County area, Dreamville Festival will continue to offer a true taste of the good life in North Carolina next spring with dozens of local vendors, food trucks, artisans, and muralists spread across the Dix Park festival grounds.

Fans can also look forward to immersing themselves in site-wide art installations; learning more about local community organizations through Dreamville Foundation’s Nonprofit Row; riding the iconic Dreamville Ferris Wheel, which provides unparalleled skyline views of downtown Raleigh and the sprawling festival grounds; and enjoying more surprises throughout the weekend.

Festival organizers would like to thank the many partners and sponsors supporting this year’s event including this year’s charitable partners – Dreamville Foundation and Dix Park Conservancy – for which a portion of proceeds from the 2025 event will go on to support these important nonprofit organizations.

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That Eric Alper
6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week, a 16-time JUNO Award winner overseeing PR campaigns, and have also been truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

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