Manitoba Music
BPM X WAG-Qaumajuq Spotlights Black Music Makers with Concert & Mixer
BPM X WAG-Qaumajuq returns with a new edition on Friday, May 9! A partnership between Manitoba Music and Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq, the series celebrates Black music makers through quarterly free concerts and mixers in the iconic gallery through the BPM | Black Professionals in Music program at Manitoba Music. The project was made possible by the financial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada and Canada’s private radio broadcasters, The Manitoba Government, and Manitoba Film & Music.
BPM X WAG-Qaumajuq
Friday, May 9, 2025
Featuring Kwae Kobain, Luana Cunha, DJ Hunky Lee
Free / Doors 6 PM / Music & Mixer 7 - 9 PM
Food by Jollof Life Foods
Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Blvd
The concert will feature the hip hop artist Kwae Kobain, jazz vocalist and musician Luana Cunha, and DJ Hunky Lee spinning tunes throughout the night. The intimate setting allows the artists to express themselves through stripped-down, visceral performances that address identity and community, and celebrate the African Diaspora.
There'll be a mixer throughout the night for Black music makers as well as local music companies, labels, venues, and festivals looking to make deeper connections with the Black music community in Manitoba. Meetups for artists and music entrepreneurs are core to BPM’s community-building focus, offering an opportunity to share ideas, professional needs, and barriers, and make vital career connections.
About the Artists / Coordinator
Kwae Kobain
Kwae Kobain, a talented artist, curator, and music connoisseur, has dedicated the majority of his youth, exploring music as a means of understanding the complexities of the human experience. With a core focus on hip hop, he skillfully blends silky melodies and gritty wordplay to craft a tapestry that reflects his unique perspective.
Lunha Cunha
Luana Cunha is a Brazilian-Canadian vocalist and composer with a vibe all her own—mixing the soul of Black American jazz, the smooth rhythms of bossa nova, and the rich roots of Brazilian Black music. Her magnetic presence has lit up stages at festivals and music events across the map.
Hunky Lee
Hunky Lee is an intentional DJ who curates well-blended sounds that transcend the mind. His love for Afrobeat, Tribal, House and Melodic rhythms allows him to find instruments that brings out your ancestral calling. His favourite artists across time include but are not limited to: Bill Withers, Micheal Jackson, Temptations, Earth Fire Wind, Wizkid, Angelique Kidjo, Fela Kuti, Black Coffee, Fisher and much more to come.
Tomiwa Omolayo
BPM Coordinator
TOMMYPHYLL is an AFRODIEM artist and producer from Lagos Nigeria and has called Winnipeg home for the past 9 years. After releasing his debut self-produced album “Art of DREAMS” in 2020 he’s had his foot on the pedal and hasn’t taken it off since. Having Graced multiple stages with big names in AFROBEATS and more, he continues to deliver electrifying performances with every appearance he makes. He strongly believes that you’ll be a fan once you’re three songs into his discography. When he isn’t working on music, TOMMYPHYLL is working in music and Fashion under the code name “TOMIWA” He has done work with the St Norbert Arts Center, Folk Music Ontario, IRAEDAY and on occasion provides artist consultation
WAG-Qaumajuq
The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)-Qaumajuq is a cultural advocate using art as a catalyst for change. The Gallery features an impressive collection of over 27,000 artworks spanning centuries, cultures, and media, including the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world. Each piece has its own story to tell. Sharing these stories with the world is at the core of WAG-Qaumajuq. This is an engaging, accessible space where visitors can experience art and learning in new ways. Principles of equity, care, trust, and responsibility guide the institution towards meaningful impact and transformation. To learn more, visit wag.ca
BPM | Black Professionals in Music
Launched in February 2021 and facilitated by Tomiwa Omolayo, BPM | Black Professionals in Music is a program via Manitoba Music that supports Black music professionals in Manitoba. BPM presents quarterly mixers for participants to meet and build their community and networks, followed by live performances, as well as other programming throughout the year. Participants can bring ideas, share their professional needs and barriers, and influence the future direction of the program. To get involved, please email bpm@manitobamusic.com. Participants must be residents of Manitoba and identify as Black musicians or music industry professionals.