Manitoba Music
Midwest Music Exchange
Manitoba Music Teams Up with MPR's The Current for Showcases and Industry Development Activities in Winnipeg and Minneapolis, April 28 - 30
Manitoba and Minnesota share a border and a long history of supporting and celebrating incredible artistic talent. This month, the two music hotbeds are joining forces for the return of Midwest Music Exchange.
Manitoba Music is teaming up with Minnesota Public Radio's The Current for a new edition of the music exchange aiming to continue deepening connections with Minnesota-based industry and media. Launched in 2015, the partnership has had six iterations, including virtual sessions during the pandemic, before a hiatus.
“We’re so excited for the return of this impactful event and thrilled to welcome our Minnesota neighbours back to connect with the stellar music scene here in Manitoba,” says Manitoba Music’s executive director, Vanessa Kuzina. “Minnesota is such an important music market and creating connections across the border can be a critical career step. We’re grateful to work with these talented artists and their teams on new opportunities to share audiences and build relationships with industry and media.”
Anishinaabe MC/Singer/Songwriter Leonard Sumner and award-winning soul/world/pop artist Kelly Bado from Manitoba will be joined by Minnesota-based singer/songwriter Anna Graves and pop/folk/rock artist/multi-instrumentalist and producer Colin Bracewell for a series of showcases and business-building activities in Winnipeg and Minneapolis.
Manitoba Music will lead a delegation south for a showcase at the Green Room in Minneapolis on April 28, part of The Current’s Minnesota Music Month, before returning to Manitoba for music and fun at The Forks’ Room 201 in Winnipeg on April 30. Between shows, each act will have the opportunity to network with key industry players, offering a chance to share and develop their audiences. Leading up to the shows, The Current and UMFM 101.5 will be spinning tunes from a cross-section of Manitoba and Midwest acts.
The Minnesota delegation will converge at the Manitoba Music office for two days of industry programming focused on supporting artists' career development goals south of the border with a radio and touring deep dive, April 29 and 30. The Current's managing director David Safar and program director Lindsay Kimball will be joined by artist manager and merch specialist Chris Moon of Anhedonia Management, Tough Love Podcast, and Ambient Inks; content director Julian Green of Minnesota Public Radio’s Carbon Sound; and concert promoter Shayna Melgaard of Sue McLean & Associates. Delegates will explore strategies artists can use to make Minnesota a launch pad for radio waves and touring the thriving Midwestern market and opening other regions in the US. The professional development sessions are free for Manitoba Music members.
“We’re so excited for the return of this impactful event and thrilled to welcome our Minnesota neighbours back to connect with the stellar music scene here in Manitoba,” says Manitoba Music’s executive director, Vanessa Kuzina. “Minnesota is such an important music market and creating connections across the border can be a critical career step. We’re grateful to work with these talented artists and their teams on new opportunities to share audiences and build relationships with industry and media.”
Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) is one of the U.S.’s premier public radio stations producing programming for radio, online and live audiences and operates a 45-station radio network serving nearly all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states. Reaching 900,000 listeners each week, MPR and its three regional services – MPR News, Classical MPR, and The Current – produce programming for radio, online, and face-to-face audiences.
The showcases are part of a busy spring season for the Manitoba Music Export project, which just wrapped up market development initiatives in Los Angeles, Guadalajara’s FIMpro Conference & Festival, Austin’s massive SXSW music fest, and JUNO week festivities in Halifax.
This year’s showcasing artists from Manitoba have had their activities supported through Manitoba Music’s Market Access Fund, a grant supported by Manitoba Film & Music focused on artists and music companies growing their business activities in export markets.
Bringing Manitoba music to new markets and intensifying business activity in existing and new markets is a key component of Manitoba Music's trade and business development activities. Manitoba Music Export and Market Access are funded by the Province of Manitoba, FACTOR and the Government of Canada, and Manitoba Film & Music. Through events like these, Manitoba Music is able to increase the connection between our province’s music industry and the broader national and international industry, which is vital to the career advancement of Manitoba artists and industry professionals, and contributes to the growth and development of Manitoba’s economy.
About the Artists & Events
Leonard Sumner
"He has been called one of the most important, vital new voices of the First Nations roots music scene in Canada. In truth, Sumner could be categorized as one of the most important, vital new voices in the entire Canadian roots music scene." - Vancouver Island Music Fest
Anishinaabe MC/Singer/Songwriter Leonard Sumner's storytelling flows directly from the shores of Little Saskatchewan First Nation, located in the heart of the Interlake of Manitoba, Canada. With every vibration of the strings on his guitar, Leonard rattles the dust off truths that have been buried for far too long. On stage he poetically sings awake the consciousness of audiences who may have been unaware of their slumber.
Anna Graves
Anna Graves is refreshed, both personally and professionally, after returning to her family’s farm in rural southern Minnesota, outside Minneapolis. Her new music, including her single “Made to Love Someone,” features simple production that puts her vulnerable, ripped-from-her-life lyrics at the forefront. Love is the overarching theme on the album she’s working on for Island Records — not only romantic love, but also, and perhaps more importantly, self-love — and she’s not afraid to mine her own experiences for inspiration, nor to be extremely forthcoming with the details. “The best that I can do,” Graves says, “is just write something that’s completely true to me. How else are people gonna relate to something?”
Colin Bracewell
A Minneapolis-based, Canada-bred singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, Colin Bracewell is paving his own pop-folk-rock path within the Midwest music scene. Releasing his debut EP in March of 2024, Bracewell collaborated with Minnesota-based band Bad Bad Hats to result in a catchy blend of indie-rock and intimate ballads. Bracewell has also had several sold-out shows at First Ave's 7th St Entry, airplay on Minnesota's The Current, and recently had his biggest show yet at the Fine Line March 14th for his "Cozy" EP Release. Colin's 4 song EP, Cozy, delivers a taste of genre-hopping songs served with the pop hooks that he is known for. The set was co-produced with Chris Hoge and saw Bracewell exclusively songwriting on each track.
Kelly Bado
Weaving in influences from her African heritage, la chanson française, and American gospel, Kelly Bado is an award-winning artist whose music crosses cultural barriers to bring people together. Kelly boasts a rich portfolio of over 250 performances across Canada and abroad.
Throughout her career, Kelly has cultivated relationships with esteemed mentors. She has shared stages with renowned artists like Alessia Cara, Serena Ryder, and Angélique Kidjo.
Beyond her performances, Kelly's impact extends to her advocacy work, exemplified by her song "Hey Terre," which was embraced by French-speaking schools. Additionally, her collaboration with JUNO award winner Julian Taylor on the track "Good People," released by Indian City, has soared to the #1 spot on the Indigenous Music Countdown.
Looking forward, Kelly is collaborating with producers Brian West and Chin Injeti on her upcoming records, set for release in 2024-2025. West, known for his work with Maroon 5, K'naan and Sia, and Injeti, recognized for collaborations with Eminem, P!nk and Drake.
Midwest Music Exchange Showcase MPLS
Sunday, April 28
Green Room
Minneapolis
Free / 18+ / Doors 6 PM / Music 6:30 PM
Performances by:
Leonard Sumner
Anna Graves
Colin Bracewell
Kelly Bado
Midwest Music Exchange Showcase
Tuesday, April 30
Room 201 at The Forks
Winnipeg
Free / All ages / Doors 7 PM / Music 7:30 PM
Performances by:
Leonard Sumner
Anna Graves
Colin Bracewell
Kelly Bado
Midwest Music Exchange: Radio & Touring Deep Dive
April 29 & 30
Manitoba Music
Winnipeg
We’re bringing a little bit of the American Midwest to Winnipeg this month with the return of our Midwest Music Exchange program!
Manitoba Music is hosting two days of music industry programming focused on supporting artists' career development goals south of the border in Manitoba’s most accessible international market; the American Midwest.
On April 29 and 30, we’ll welcome seven Midwestern music industry professionals to share their expertise on two of our most requested topics: US radio and touring in the US. Delegates will also be available for group mentor speed meetings and at our Midwest Music Mixer to meet with participants and help them grow their careers across borders.