RAE SPOON’S NEW LP OUT TODAY, SHARES SHORT FILM FOR “HYPER COUNTRY”

RAE SPOON’S 13TH ALBUM, ASSIGNED COUNTRY SINGER AT BIRTH,
OUT TODAY VIA COAX RECORDS

BUY / STREAM ASSIGNED COUNTRY SINGER AT BIRTH HERE

WATCH / SHARE “HYPER COUNTRY”  FT. THEODORE WALKER ROBINSON (SHORT FILM)

CANADIAN TOUR DATES BEGIN APRIL 12, 2026 | TICKETS AND INFORMATION HERE

"Returning to country music for their 13th solo album, the pathfinding Calgary-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist eschews the songs about loving trucks and beer pervasive to the genre, reminding us that it's as expansive as the people who connect to it by tackling topics like trans rights, disability, religious trauma and colonialism."
Exclaim!, Most Anticipated Albums of 2026

“Thankfully, Spoon is fully returning to their country roots with Assigned Country Singer at Birth ...a stretching of the country canon that we desperately need.”
CBC Music, Albums We Can't Wait To Hear in 2026

"A long-awaited return to country music for Rae Spoon is news enough to lead me to believe that 2026 will be alright. Assigned Country Singer At Birth feels like the album that could finally give them the mainstream attention they deserve. If you don’t know the name Rae Spoon already, that’s ok because luckily for you, we’re all about to be talking about them."
Atwood Magazine, 2026 Artists To Watch

Photo Credit : Laurence Philomene // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Today, Rae Spoon releases their new album, Assigned Country Singer At Birth, an album that is equally subversive and relatable, a testament to the fact that country music is as expansive as the people who are connected to it. Songs about trans folks, harm reduction, disability, inclusion, religious trauma, solidarity and opposing colonial land occupation may seem antithetical to traditional country, but they are as much a part of Spoon’s experiences as love songs, trucks and beer.

To help celebrate the record, Spoon is also releasing the new short film for the album track, “Hyper Country” which features vocalist Theodore Walker Robinson. The song is “a celebration of reclaiming and subverting spiritual trauma,” says Spoon. “As a person who lost the communities I grew up in because of prejudices against trans/nonbinary people, it’s about inhabiting futures I could have never imagined. My relationship with Jesus in the film represents the peace that I’ve found in my own spirituality through near death experiences. 

“Theodore Walker Robinson is the featured vocalist. From the first time I heard them sing, I’ve wanted to record a song with them. Their singular performance as a gospel and pop vocalist is one of the most important elements of the song for me.”

WATCH / SHARE “HYPER COUNTRY”  FT. THEODORE WALKER ROBINSON (SHORT FILM) 

MORE ABOUT ASSIGNED COUNTRY SINGER AT BIRTH
Their thirteenth solo album, Assigned Country Singer At Birth, marks Spoon’s return to country music. It’s arguably not any safer than it was in the early 2000’s to be a transgender country singer, but there's no room for doubting their connection to it when you hear them sing.

WATCH / SHARE “CAN’T FAIL ME” FT. CASSIA HARDY HERE

WATCH / SHARE “COUNTRY MUSIC BREAKS MY HEART” SHORT FILM BY FOREIGNERZ

 On Assigned Country Singer At Birth, Spoon’s musical influences from traditional country, to pop, gospel, bluegrass, electronic and experimental coalesce into unique combinations. Producer and drummer, Alaska B producer of Yamantaka Sonic Titan and Pantayo (both short-listed for the Polaris Prize twice). Collaborators are Robyn Grey, Evelyn Charlotte Joe, Laurie Torres, Thanya Iyer, Christine Bougie and Gambletron deliver nuanced performances that gel seamlessly with Rae's humour and heartbreak. Vocalists Lydia Persaud, Kimmortal, Cassia Hardy, Theodore Walker, Louie Sanchez, Rosina Kazi, Kue Varo, Lianne Hall and Stewart Legere form a chorus of vocal support that illustrate the visceral power of people coming together to sing for change.

BUY / STREAM ASSIGNED COUNTRY SINGER AT BIRTH HERE

TOUR DATES
Apr 12 - Toronto, ON - It’s Okay Studio w/ Lee Waylon and Louie Sanchez | Tickets HERE
Apr 29 - Winnipeg, MB - WECC w/ Tofu Smell and Keri Latimer Tickets HERE
May 01 - Winnipeg, MB - AANM Gallery Show Opening
May 03 - Saskatoon, SK - Art Bar (Matinee) w/ respectfulchild and Pink Snail Tickets HERE
May 07 - Regina, SK - The Cure with MERV xx GOTTI EVENTS
May 08 - Lethbridge, AB - Theoretically Brewing
May 09 - Calgary, AB - Loophole w/ Kue Varo and the Only Hopes, Pink Snail Tickets HERE
May 10 - Edmonton, AB - The Aviary (Matinee) w/ Cassia Hardy and Pink Snail Tickets HERE
May 15 - Vancouver, BC - Green Auto w/ Hyaenas, Claira Sanchez and Pink Snail
May 17  - Victoria, BC - Coda w/ Elise LeBlanc, Pink Snail
May 23 - Galiano Island, BC - Oxeye
May 30 and 31 - Ymir, BC - Tiny Lights Festival
Jun 05 - Smithers, BC - Smithers Pride
Jun 06 - Smithers, BC - Smithers Pride
Jun 14 - Montreal, QC - Turbohaus (Matinee)

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ASSIGNED COUNTRY SINGER AT BIRTH
1 Country Music Breaks My Heart
2 Assigned Country Singer At Birth
3 Pray
4 Last Cigarette
5 Can't Stop Lightening (feat Kimmortal, Louis Sanchez)
6 All Drugs Safe Legal And Free
7 Ostomy Cowboy
8 Not Too Sick To Love
9 Can't Fail Me (feat Cassia Hardy)
10 Hyper Country (feat Theodore Walker Robinson)

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FLORE LAURENTIENNE RELEASES NEW ALBUM, VOLUME III, OUT TODAY

BUY / STREAM VOLUME III HERE

WATCH / SHARE “FLEURS” VISUALIZER HERE

EUROPEAN TOUR BEGINS IN APRIL
CANADIAN DATES COMMENCE ON JUNE 26, INCLUDING MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL AND OTTAWA JAZZ FESTIVAL

TICKETS ON SALE HERE

PERFORMING AT MASSEY/TD MUSIC HALL IN TORONTO ON MAY 16 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CBC MUSIC

SONGS SYNCED IN THE CÉSAR-NOMINATED FILM NINO, AND IN A LOUIS VUITTON ADVERTISEMENT FT. JEREMY ALLEN WHITE

"Thoughtful and naturalistic" - Electronic Sound

Photo Credit: Alex Blouin & Jodi Heartz // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Released today via Secret City Records, Volume III is Flore Laurentienne’s luminous and immersive instrumental album that concludes a trilogy begun in 2019, where organs, analog synthesizers, and string ensembles come together in an approach that is both cinematic and deeply rooted in the Quebec landscape. The album reflects an organic process that enriches the project’s sonic signature. Since the announcement and release of the first single “Régate,” the campaign has generated significant international buzz, with reviews in MOJO, Electronic Sound, and PopMatters, as well as numerous mentions in influential media outlets such as Brooklyn Vegan, Exclaim! and Tinnitist, in addition to notable interviews with Hypebot, Le Devoir, La Presse, and ICI Musique. 

Flore Laurentienne will kick off their European tour on April 9 and visit England, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and more, with a confirmed performance at Rough Trade in Berlin. CBC Music will record the concert for future broadcast at the TD Music Hall in Toronto on May 16, while the Montreal International Jazz Festival will host the project at the Maison Symphonique on June 26. Supported by strong international radio airplay including KEXP, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 6 Music, and more, Volume III has won over a wide audience, bolstered by organic collaborations, notably with Moog Synthesizers, as well as visibility in the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2026 campaign, confirming Flore Laurentienne’s position as a key figure in the contemporary instrumental scene.

Opening Volume III, “Fleurs” sets the tone with its intertwining of a fully acoustic orchestra with another composed solely of synthesizers. “This piece represents a flower’s journey on earth. It sprouts, then grows, and finally returns to the earth. It represents the culmination of integrating synthesizers into a musical style rooted in the legacy of classical music,” says Mathieu David Gagnon, the composer behind the Flore Laurentienne project, about the piece.

WATCH / SHARE “FLEURS” VISUALIZER HERE

Although this series is coming to an end, Flore Laurentienne’s music continues to be relevant in culture and conversation. Three of their tracks feature in the film Nino, winner of the César for Best First Film, directed by Pauline Loquès and starring Théodore Pellerin, who won the César in the Most Promising Actor category for his role in the film. Additionally, the track “Petit piano” from Volume I features in Louis Vuitton’s Spring-Summer 2026 campaign starring Jeremy Allen White.

Since their debut album Volume I (2020), Flore Laurentienne has enjoyed undeniable success and established themselves in the vast realm of instrumental music. Their music has won over audiences and charmed critics, earning them three Félix Awards, two GAMIQ Awards, a JUNO Award nomination, and a spot on the Polaris Music Prize longlist. The track “Fleuve no 1” was chosen to open the CHANEL fashion show during Paris Fashion Week. Laurentienne has shared the stage with renowned artists such as William Basinski, Colin Stetson, Mabe Fratti, and Brìghde Chaimbeul, and has performed at numerous festivals, including Le Guess Who?, Trans Musicales, the Big Ears Festival, and the Montreal International Jazz Festival. The project has also made a name for itself in the media, having been invited twice for live sessions at KEXP and receiving support from BBC Radio 6 Music, Billboard, Stereogum, France Culture, Ouest France, Les Inrocks, La Presse, Le Devoir, Radio-Canada, among others.

WATCH / SHARE “FLEUVE VII” HERE
WATCH / SHARE “RÉGATE” HERE

The message, the essence, on this third album by Flore Laurentienne, is light; it is the sprout of a seed in the earth that becomes a plant and then a flower, blooming at its peak and then inevitably withering so that the cycle may begin anew; it is the quest for beauty in chaos, from which harmony is born. On Volume III, Mathieu David Gagnon and his Flore Laurentienne return to celebrate the magnificence of the river and its floral and wooded surroundings.

This new milestone marks the end of a trilogy begun in 2019 with Volume I—with the inherent and parallel aspiration to reach a third volume in order to pay homage to Volume 3, the debut album by L’Infonie (a cult Quebec collective that blended jazz, prog, classical music, and poetry). The latter did not influence Flore Laurentienne’s music per se, but rather the conception of freedom in composition, notably by blending classical and improvisation.

WATCH / SHARE “(À TRAVERS LES) CHABLIS” HERE

On stage, Flore Laurentienne will be touring Europe this spring with six announced dates in London, Brussels, and Paris, and a performance at Rough Trade in Berlin, before a highly anticipated concert at the Maison Symphonique, presented as part of the Montreal International Jazz Festival on June 26. Flore Laurentienne will also tour Quebec, notably at several festivals such as Le Festif! and the Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée. Flore Laurentienne will perform at the Massey/TD Music Hall in Toronto on May 16, and the concert will be filmed for a future broadcast on CBC Music. The project comes to life on stage thanks to an ensemble of seven musicians—a string quartet, two keyboardists, and a percussionist—led by Mathieu David Gagnon, who plays the Minimoog, an instrument emblematic of Flore Laurentienne’s signature sound. Tickets are on sale now.

Rooted in the Quebec landscape and inspired by the immensity of the St. Lawrence River, Flore Laurentienne’s music—a harmonious blend of strings and analog synthesizers—takes us on a journey to the edge of the sublime, where we find ourselves both fragile and powerful, suspended between vulnerability and wonder. Flore Laurentienne draws inspiration from contrasting worlds: the melodic clarity and counterpoint of Johann Sebastian Bach, the narrative intensity and progressive audacity of King Crimson, and the electronic minimalism of Hans-Joachim Roedelius.

SONGS SYNCED IN THE CÉSAR-NOMINATED FILM NINO, AND IN A LOUIS VUITTON ADVERTISEMENT FT. JEREMY ALLEN WHITE

VIDEO COLLABORATION WITH ICONIC INSTRUMENT BRAND MOOG MUSIC

FLORE LAURENTIENNE TOUR DATES
Thursday, April 9 – Bratislava, SK – Nova Cvernovka
Friday, April 10 – Prague, CZ – Palac Akropolis – Spectaculare Festival
Saturday, April 11 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall – Elgar Room
Monday, April 13 – Berlin, DE – Rough Trade Berlin
Tuesday, April 14 - Brussels, BE - Botanique - Rotonde
Wednesday, April 15 - Düdingen, CH - Bad Bonn
Thursday, April 16 - Enghien-les-Bains, FR - Centre des Arts
Saturday, May 16 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
Friday, June 26 - Montreal, QC - Maison Symphonique (Montreal International Jazz Festival) Saturday, June 27 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre (Ottawa Jazz Festival)
Tuesday, June 30 - Petite-Vallée, QC - Festival en chanson de Petite-Vallée 2026
Friday, July 24 - Baie-St-Paul, QC - Le Festif! de Baie-St-Paul
Friday, October 23 - Otterburn Park, QC - Les Diffusions Pointe-Valaine
Saturday, October 24 – Sherbrooke, QC - Théâtre Granada

BUY / STREAM VOLUME III HERE

DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

VOLUME III TRACKLIST
01 Fleurs
02 Régate
03 Petit matin
04 Le temps
05 Fleuve VII
06 Fleuve VIII
07 Navigation VII
08 (À travers les) Chablis

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GARRET T. WILLIE SHARES NEW VIDEO, TOUR BEGINS THIS WEEK

WATCH / SHARE “GOING TO TORONTO” HERE

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES BEGIN TODAY, FULL DATES LISTED BELOW

GARRET T. WILLIE’S NEW LP, BILL’S CAFE, OUT NOW

BUY / STREAM BILL’S CAFE HERE

“Going to Toronto” is a stone-cold Canadiana classic” It’s no surprise that, before Willie’s first writing session, he wandered through the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville. Bill’s Cafe is rambling and rollicking music that would make the Man in Black proud.” The Georgia Straight

“From a burned-down pool hall in Alert Bay to Nashville studios, the 25-year-old bluesman turns whiskey, small towns and hard truths into Bill’s Cafe.” RANGE Magazine

“Willie blends hard-hitting AC/DC riffage with a baritone voice that sounds like he has been making music for decades. The truth is, this devilishly good guitar-slinger isn’t even 30 yet.”
The Vancouver Sun

“Named after his grandfather's pool hall and café in Alert Bay, Bill's Cafe superimposes those Pacific ghost towns atop the streets of Nashville, communing with them in honky-tonk bars with a signature gravelly, blues rock pluck.” Exclaim!, 2026 Most Anticipated Albums

Photo Credit : Sydney Woodward // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES

Today, celebrated songwriter and guitarist Garret T. Willie is sharing the new video for his latest single “Going To Toronto” to help pave the way for his North American tour which begins today. Full tour dates can be found below. "Going To Toronto” picks up “right where ‘I’m Late’ left off, me chasing the next gig, somewhere between where I’ve been and where I’m headed,” says Willie. “Just me, the highway, and a single cab truck that’s seen a few miles of its own.”

The official music video for “Going To Toronto” continues Garret T. Willie’s road-driven narrative, following the artist as he sets out on another journey. Opening with intimate, observational moments, getting dressed, packing gear, and preparing to leave, the video captures the quiet rituals that come before life on the road.

From there, the story unfolds largely inside the vehicle, blending documentary-style travel footage with stylized performance shots of Willie singing while driving. The visual approach mirrors the themes of the song: movement, urgency, and the in-between spaces that define a touring musician’s life.

Serving as a continuation of the storyline introduced in the “I’m Late” music video, "Going To Toronto" places Willie back in transit, still chasing the next stage and love interest, still running behind, and still driven by the pull of the road. The result is a stripped-back, immersive portrait of an artist in motion, grounded in authenticity and a deep connection to the journey itself.

WATCH / SHARE “GOING TO TORONTO” HERE

MORE ABOUT BILL’S CAFE
Bill’s Cafe is more than a record — it’s a tribute, a turning point, and a reckoning. Named after his grandfather’s pool hall café in Alert Bay, British Columbia, the album carries the ghosts of home into the bright lights of Nashville. It was there, under the guidance of Grammy Award-winning producer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Kingfish, Susan Tedeschi), that Willie sharpened his blues-rock fire into something bigger, bolder, and truer.

The album is a road map of grit, heart, and soul. Written and recorded between late nights, long drives, and Nashville sessions, the record captures the restless spirit of a young artist carrying old-soul blues and rock traditions into the future. Across the album, Willie threads tales of whiskey-fueled nights, missed chances, stubborn resilience, and the freedom that only comes with chasing music town to town.

With his guitar in hand and a voice that cuts like hi-beam headlights on a dark backroad, Willie delivers songs that feel lived-in and timeless. Bill’s Cafe is about the forces that hold us — love, loss, addiction, ambition, and the unshakable call of music as a means of survival. It’s a live wire of raw energy and soul — a reminder that sometimes the most dangerous thing is also the most irresistible.

WATCH / SHARE “I’M LATE” (MUSIC VIDEO) HERE

That edge runs through the whole record. From roadhouse stompers to backseat ballads, Willie shines a light on hustlers, heartbreakers, and the broken pieces we all carry. He doesn’t just sing the blues — he spits them, shouts them, and bends them into something both timeless and dangerous. 

In Bill’s Cafe, Garret T. Willie doesn’t just honor his past — he builds a bridge between worlds: Alert Bay and Nashville, tradition and reinvention, the ghosts of family and the fire of the future.

On stage, Garret T. Willie is undeniable. At just 25 years old, his towering stature and deep, gravel-soaked voice channel the weight of an artist who has lived every shade of the blues. His performances are electric — no gimmicks, no fluff, just raw shredding, searing tone, and solos that rip straight through the room. He plays with the intensity of the greats, often bending the guitar behind his head mid-solo or leaping into the crowd to bring the fire even closer. Willie’s live show is more than a concert — it’s a shockwave of blues-rock energy that leaves audiences speechless and makes believers out of anyone.

Willie first made his mark with his debut album Same Pain, written with Parker Bossley at Afterlife Studios in Vancouver. The record lit a fire that spread far beyond Canada’s borders, earning praise from The Toronto Star, RANGE, Guitar World, Wonderland, Blues Matters, Blues in Britain and Classic Rock Magazine, while also landing airplay on BBC Radio 2’s The Blues Show with Cerys Matthews. Same Pain broke into the Top 20 on the UK Blues Albums chart and the US Roots Music Blues Rock chart in 2023, earned Willie two Western Canadian Music Award nominations for Blues and Indigenous Artist of the Year and a nomination for Best New Touring Artist at the Canadian Live Music Industry Awards. He carried those songs across Canada and in the US, opening for legends like Kenny Wayne Shepherd, John Fogerty, Kingfish, and recently performed on Joe Bonamassa’s Blues Cruise with Marcus King, Jimmy Vivino, Jeremie Albino, Ariel Posen, and more — proving that his firebrand blend of blues, rock, and raw honesty could hold its own on any stage.

BUY / STREAM BILL’S CAFE HERE

TOUR DATES
04/08 Rossland, BC - The Flying Steamshovel
04/09 Lethbridge, AB - Owl Acoustic Lounge
04/10 Edmonton, AB - Blues on Whyte 
04/11 Calgary, AB - Palomino 
04/14 Golden, BC - Rockwater Bar & Grill
04/15 Salmon Arm, BC - Canooligans
04/16  Kelowna, BC - Red Bird Brewing
04/17 Kamloops, BC - The Effie Arts Collective
04/18 Cobble Hill, BC - Cobblestone Pub
05/14 Cumberland, BC - The Waverley
05/16 Nanaimo, BC - The Queen's
07/11 Evansburg, AB - Pembina River Nights
07/17 Winthrop, WA - Winthrop Blues Festival
09/08 Newcastle, UK - Cluny 2*
09/09 York, UK - The Crescent*
09/10 London, UK - 100 Club*
09/11 Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms*
09/12 Norwich, UK - Adrian Flux Waterfront Studio*
09/13 Manchester, UK - The Deaf Institute*
09/15 Glasgow, UK - Stereo*
09/16 Bristol, UK - The Exchange*
09/17 Faversham, UK - The Old Brewery*
10/08 Toronto, ON - The Baby G
10/09 Guelph, ON - Sonic Hall
10/10 Hamilton, ON - Mills Hardware
11/12-14 Sumperk, CZ - Blues Alive Festival

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