Manitoba Music
Manitoba Music Strengthens Connections to Global Music Industry in Los Angeles
Export Initiative Returns to Massive Music Market with Nine Local Artists and Companies
Manitoba Music is returning to Los Angeles next month to strengthen connections with the global music industry.
Under the Manitoba Music Export banner, six export-ready Manitoba-based artists and three Winnipeg-based music company representatives are making the trip for business activities including an industry showcase, meetings, songwriting sessions, and networking, March 4 - 6.
This initiative is made possible by the support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio broadcasters, Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) through the Government of Canada; the Manitoba Government, and Manitoba Film & Music. Project partners include SOCAN, Axis Management, NITO, and The Bloom Effect.
“Gathering in global market hubs is fundamental to forging valuable business connections with the international music industry, unlocking new opportunities, and raising the profile of Manitoba’s music industry. In a rapidly changing landscape, these export initiatives are critical to ensuring the long-term success of our music sector. The artists and companies on this mission have been expanding their networks while consistently showcasing remarkable creativity and we’re thrilled to support their career development," says Vanessa Kuzina, executive director of Manitoba Music.
Manitoba Music will host a mixer to build bridges between LA-based industry and the delegation from Manitoba at SOCAN House on March 4.
Three artists will perform at an invite-only industry showcase at Gold Diggers in East Hollywood on March 5. Indie pop act Boniface, Anishinaabe DJ and producer Boogey the Beat, and indie rockers sundayclub will hit the showcase stage and engage in business development opportunities.
Three songwriters will build their professional connections through sessions curated with Terrorbird Media. The roster includes R&B/neo-soul artist CEC, alt-pop producer/songwriter/artist Daggerss, and R&B artist and Soul Supreme curator Keisha Booker.
Producer/engineer Derek Benjamin of label/creative hub CTRL Space, booking agent Gil Carroll of First Date Touring, and Rob Hill and Drew Riekman from studio No Fun Club will make the trip for business-to-business meetings.
The initiative is designed to provide key networking opportunities and one-on-one meetings to facilitate collaborations, licensing opportunities, and international partnerships that will contribute to the long-term success of the music industry in Manitoba.
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. 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.
Boniface
Showcase Artist
Boniface was on top of the world when the world stopped. As one of Canada’s most exciting up-and-coming indie pop bands, they had earned critical acclaim and an ever-growing following through their electrifying live show and grand, heartfelt singles. The band became a go-to opener for a number of the biggest UK indie acts of the 2010s, regularly performing to thousands. Their hard work was set to culminate in 2020, with the release of a debut album and an accompanying world tour. The album was released, but the pandemic-era tour was cancelled.
Now, Boniface prepares their return to the wider world. Fresh from the signing of a new record deal with House of Wonders Records, the band is readying their first full-fledged body of work since their 2020 debut. The songs that make up the new EP blend the worlds of their beloved self-titled LP and the hyperpop demos of their soft-launch return into something uniquely their own. Produced and engineered by Michele ii, with additional engineering from Mark Rankin (Adele, Harry Styles), Adam Fuhr (Yes We Mystic, Amos the Kid, Virgo Rising) and Ryan McVeigh (Boats), the EP will be released in the first half of 2025.
Boogey the Beat
Showcase Artist
For years Anishinaabe DJ and producer Les Boulanger — known by audiences as Boogey the Beat — has toiled behind the scenes, laying the sonic foundations for other musicians’ anthems. As a longtime lover of hip-hop and rap, collaboration is his comfort zone. He’s worked and performed with the likes of award-winning acts including The Halluci Nation (formerly a Tribe Called Red) and Snotty Nose Rez Kids, playing stages across Turtle Island.
sundayclub
Showcase Artist
Having been isolated in rural Manitoba at the time of the global pandemic, Courtney and Nikki began crafting their project, now known as sundayclub. With little opportunity to socialize or collaborate with their peers, they became inspired by their immediate surroundings: a cozy basement bedroom. Their catalogue reflects just that; existing as a multitude of tiny snapshots of singular moments and feelings in time.
CEC
Song Camp
Familiar as an old friend; comfortable as a memory; unexpected as a dream. CEC’s music is the deep sigh of release after recognizing that you’ve been holding your breath for no reason at all. The Treaty One-based artist and producer uniquely blends contemporary RnB and neo-soul while writing in both English and Spanish.
They’re heavily influenced by the work of 70s soul artists such as Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, and more contemporary artists such as Frank Ocean, Lianne La Havas, and Matt Corby. CEC's music is distinguishable by its slow groove, intimate lyrics, and soaring vocal layers, drawing comparisons to Toni Braxton, Charlotte Day Wilson, and Meshell Ndegeocello.
CEC has spent time in Canada, the US, and Spain, and believes that people are attracted to authenticity, and that confidence comes from expressing their true self, which is why they feel liberated in writing more explicitly queer music.
Keisha Booker / Soul Supreme
Song Camp
Keisha Booker is a Winnipeg-based R&B artist and visionary curator of Soul Supreme, a pioneering bimonthly event series and annual festival that has filled a void in the local cultural landscape since 2014. Soul Supreme offers a unique platform for artists, DJs, and visual artists, fostering creativity, community, and cultural exchange. In 2024, Keisha received the Kevin Walters Legacy Award and was named an RBCxMusic First Up Artist, underscoring her impact on Canada’s music industry. She is currently working on an EP set for release in 2025, marking a significant next step in her artistic journey.
Daggerss
Song Camp
The world of Daggerss is a sparkly, joyful effervescent experience layered with emotional grit. The Canadian radio-charting producer, songwriter, and artist crafts her signature alt pop sound using thick synth stacks and catchy melodies out of Sprkl Studio in Manitoba. She has toured, recorded and written songs internationally, and boasts multiple sync placements on major film/tv networks.
In 2024, she was part of the SHE-Q incubator and song camp at NAMM with 11 other heavyweight and Juno award-winning female Canadian producers as well as the Women In Music Canada Export Program to Sweden. Daggerss was co-founder and leading member of indie pop duo Rococode, who toured with Imagine Dragons, their song “Is It Real” made it into the top 40 on Canadian Alternative Radio. Daggerss is also an organizer for the Good and Plenty Producers Club, advocating for women, 2spirit, non-binary and gender-expansive individuals within the music and music production industry.
CTRL Space
Music Company
Derek Benjamin, a Winnipeg-based music producer, engineer, musician, songwriter, and vocalist, boasts a prolific career. After graduating top of his class from Nimbus School of Media, he returned to Winnipeg, contributing to Juno and Western Canadian Music Award-nominated albums. His clientele includes notable artists like YSN Fab, Max Winds, Comeback Kid, and Sebastian Gaskin.
Driven by a commitment to empower Manitoba artists, Derek co-founded CTRL Space Records with Terence Ruiz. This multifaceted company provides artist development, production, publishing, rights administration and label services. CTRL Space aims to connect local talent with the global music industry, fostering a collaborative environment. Derek actively mentors young creatives and advocates for Winnipeg's music scene. His musical achievements, coupled with his vision for CTRL Space, demonstrate his dedication to artist development and community growth, solidifying his position as a leading figure in the Western Canadian music industry.
First Date Touring
Music Company
Gil Carroll is a Winnipeg-born musician, booking agent, concert promoter, composer, and community organizer. Carroll is a founding member and guitarist of Winnipeg-based bands Living Hour and Palm Trees and is the co-founder of Real Love Winnipeg, Real Love Summer Fest, and First Date Touring. Carroll has booked tours for artists all over Canada, USA, and the UK. He has toured extensively in the US, Canada, UK, and Europe with Living Hour. He was the editor of Manitoba’s only music magazine, Stylus Magazine, and hosts the show Space Cadet on CKUW 95.9 FM. Gil was the 2018 recipient of the Kevin Walter’s Legacy Award presented by Manitoba Music.
No Fun Club
Music Company
No Fun Club is two world class recording studios in Winnipeg Canada, offering the best of analog and digital recordings since 2020. Outside of the studios, world class equipment the space welcomes/invites outside engineers to utilize the facility, curating to artist creativity.
The studio offers recording workshops (often flying up notable engineers to facilitate), on-site apartments for out-of-town artists, and is ideally situated in terms of value for US clients, direct flights, skilled local engineers, producers, and players to accommodate international artists. All at literally one fourth of the price of recording in a comparable LA studio even with flights/food factored in.
The studio also has hosted work in voiceover, podcast, and post for film/tv is a growing segment of business. This is all bolstered by the direct flights and growing relationships with larger US production studios.