St. Boniface band Ashes and Dreams makes Round 1 of CBC’s national Searchlight event

St. Boniface electro-chill band Ashes and Dreams is feeling the Valentine’s Day love after being accepted into Round 1 of CBC Music’s 2018 Searchlight talent competition.

The national event allows Canadian musicians to compete for a grand prize including a week-long artist residency at Calgary’s National Music Centre, a live performance at Toronto’s CBC Music Week, and a slot at JunoFest 2019 in London, ON.

“We are so happy to be included in this opportunity, and to represent Winnipeg in a national competition,” says lead singer Lisa Saunders. “We entered our song, Believin’, because it is an uplifting, supportive song – and that’s exactly how we feel today: elated and supported.”

You may cheer for Ashes and Dreams by clicking the aqua-coloured Vote button here:

http://www.cbcmusic.ca/searchlight/5155

The news comes as Ashes and Dreams prepares for a busy 2018 touring season. Ashes and Dreams will present its Chillout Groove Experience show featuring the warm vocals of Lisa, electronic keyboards of Paul Claxton, and funky vibes of bassist Kris Kosie at the following venues:

·        Feb. 23 + 24, 2018 at 10 p.m. - The New Club St. B (Le Festival du Voyageur), 177 Dumoulin St., Winnipeg, MB  

·        Mar. 17, 2018 at 10 p.m. - Le Garage Café, 166 Provencher Blvd., Winnipeg, MB

·        Aug. 2, 2018 at 6 p.m. - Portage la Prairie’s Concerts in the Park series, Island Park, Portage la Prairie, MB

Ashes and Dreams is a project started by Lisa and her long-time Transylvanian friend Liv Mircea, who currently resides in the UK. Lisa and Liv spent two years writing and recording songs for its debut 12-song CD, Heart of Stone, released in February 2015. It’s latest album, Havana, was released in November 2017, and includes the Seachlight contest song Believin’.

Ashes and Dreams is represented by the Dream House Beats record label and distributed by Believe Digital UK. The band's recordings have received global airplay on stations like Ocean Radio Chilled, Chilled Lounge Grooves, Stingray Digital, DJ Ampz' The Deep Chill, SBS Chill Australia, Tri Lakes Radio Colorado, KSON California, and Canadian college stations including CKUW and UMFM.  Lounge Masters International also selected Ashes and Dreams' deep chill track Heat Down Low for its world-wide compilation CD Lounge Masters Vibes vol. 12.