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May 2024 Playlist of Yukon Artists
May 10, 2024
Music Yukon was invited to curate a playlist featuring Yukon artists for an evening function hosted by the International Permafrost Association. We are thrilled to share a little bit of the incredible talent from around the Territory!
Check out these great acts below, and don’t forget to click those links to learn more about them!
1. I Saw The Sun Today (Live) – Fawn Fritzen
Fawn Fritzen is a multilingual singer, songwriter, and storyteller. Raised on folk, classical, and musical theatre, Fawn was a latecomer to jazz, but the bug bit her hard and she quickly garnered accolades. She was name “one of Canada’s top swingers” (Tim Tamashiro). She embodies Canada’s diversity with her mixed cultural roots of Chinese, French, and German, singing in her three ancestral languages as well as English.
Declan O’Donovan is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and musician known for his distinctive voice and genre-blending style as a piano player. With records that showcase his strong rock and roots sensibilities while exploring contemporary sounds, Declan has drawn comparisons to artists such as Tom Waits, Father John Misty, and Bob Dylan.
3. Skagway – Lorene Charmetant
A departure from jazz and other more traditional genres, Lorène’s sound feels like a folk-pop masterpiece. Crisp, rich vocals are punctuated by driving beats. Electronic elements are present in an effective, subtle way while choral harmonies emphasize the strength in her vocals. The slower ballads are dreamlike, and her lyrics feel like a letter to a friend.
4. Song for Margaret – Daniel Janke
Daniel Janke is a Canadian composer, jazz pianist, and media artist. His early piano studies were with the Royal Conservatory of Music. Daniel completed a masters degree in ethnomusicology at York University, Toronto. His most recent recording is an international collaboration between drummer Ariel Tessier (France), bassist Basile Rahola (Spain), with Daniel on piano, titled Available Light.
5. Island and The Sea – Calla Kinglit
Calla Kinglit is a songwriter who draws inspiration from the awe of wilderness and the human experience. In 2018, she released her debut album comprised of songs written while living as a researcher in the Congo Basin in Cameroon, exploring the vast beauty of her home in Canada’s Yukon wilderness, manoeuvring landslides in the Himalayas, and contemplating the spiritual journey of one small being.
Erica Dee Mah is a singer-songwriter, storyteller, and contemporary guzheng player based in Whitehorse, Yukon. In 2022, she released “The Sargasso Season”, an original collection of songs written on the traditional 21-stringed Chinese zither. The album is an exploration of sounds and possibilities on the versatile instrument, and seeks out a place for the guzheng in Canadian folk-roots music.
Keitha Clark is an active teacher, performer and composer based in Whitehorse, Yukon. She has appeared on more than a dozen albums, including the Juno-nominated Annie Lou. Her most recent recordings are The Watershed, an album of original material inspired by Yukon landscapes, and Now is a Far Country, an EP of original Celtic tunes.
8. The Ballad of Salty Hair – Dana Jennejohn and the Bennett Sun
Dana Jennejohn and The Bennett Sun is an all-woman, harmony-rich string band with a sound described as tumbleweed pop and city folk. They’ve been playing together since 2010 after meeting at a late-night jam session under the midnight sun in Kluane country. The songs are inspired by the wild and big landscape of the north and the people living there.
9. Howling at the Moon – Shannon O’Donovan
Shannon is becoming a quiet force in the Beaver Lake songwriting community. Her voice fills you up like a warm cup of coffee – her very relatable lyrics blend humour with darker takes on life, parenting, and social activism. With a style that crosses genres, including indie folk, bluegrass, and country, Shannon captures the attention of her listeners with authenticity and catchy melodies.
10. The Best of Me – Victoria Parker
Victoria Parker is a multi-genre musician/artist known for her ethereal indie-pop sound infused with electronic elements and looping harmonies. Her upcoming EP Gloria, recorded with Jordy Walker is slated for an early Fall release. Gloria is a compilation of soundscapes and familiar melodic lines and represents the intricate lives of friends, lovers, and the natural world.
LOCAL BOY, comprised of Yukoners Jeremy Parkin and Kelvin Smoler, brings a fresh sound to the northern
hip-hop scene. They boast great regional success, having had the opportunity to perform at a handful of music festivals including Breakout West, Forthwith, Atlin, CypherFest, and Paradise and most recently released two singles, FORCES and LOVE!
12. Hayley’s Comet – Mobb Diggity
Mobb Diggitty is a 20-year-old aspiring emcee. Or as he would say; “student of Hip-Hop.” Mobb grew up in a small northern community known as Haines Junction (population 900). Mobb Diggity started rapping when at 13 years old outside the local Youth Centre, and quickly became a great freestyle rapper.
13. Just Can’t Get Enough – Paris Pick
Tirelessly driven, Paris Pick has been busy building her music empire since 2013. Paris has successfully carved a niche for herself and earned her titled as “Yacht-Pop Princess” with her distinctive voice, bold sense of fashion, and uplifting songs about personal growth, life, love, and heartache.
14. Goodbye to the Sun – the august arrival
Yukon-based musician “the august arrival” will resonate deeply with fans of intimate indie folk-rock. The music’s driving melodies, poetic lyricism and atmospheric instrumentation intertwine and create an emotionally charged journey that lingers with listeners long after the final notes fade away. moments.
15. Pasteis De Nada – Alex MacNeil
From Nova Scotia’s rugged coastline to the untamed wilds of Dawson City, Yukon, Alex MacNeil has left an indelible mark on Canada’s DIY rock scene. Alex now ventures into uncharted territory with his new band, Alex MacNeil & The Revenants, a powerhouse four-piece that exudes Yukon power pop charm.
16. No Easy Way Out – Patrick Jacobson
Patrick Jacobson is a Yukon-based indie-rock songwriter. Originally hailing from Vancouver, he earned his reputation as the frontman for The Capitals by writing endearing, dulcet anthems with crackerjack choruses. He also co-wrote songs with The Top Drawers and The Luna Riot. Now he has returned to his roots with a guitar in his hands to sing for anybody who still enjoys a good melody.
Selina Heyligers-Hare is vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter gaining traction in the Canadian music scene. From her bluegrass roots to teenaged rock rebellion, to her jazz focused college years, her love for many genres has led to a versatile and unique collection of original material.
18. Where Did You Go – Old Cabin
Old Cabin is the project of Whitehorse-based songwriter Jona Barr. Personal, but with a national vision developed through extensive touring and collaborations, Jona’s songs are expansive enough to accommodate large arrangements and intimate enough to be performed solo, always with sincerity, honesty, and an in-the-moment spontaneity.
19. Whitepass – Ellorie McKnight
Ellorie McKnight is a bilingual singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Her songs are shaped by delicate vocals, ambiguous lyrics, and a nostalgic old timey-ness which invites wonder and dreaming. Her newest 6-song EP, Equinox, was released in May 2024.
20. Fool’s Gold – The Lucky Ones
The Lucky Ones are a band from the Yukon Territory. They grew up listening to the music of their parents, and their parents’ parents before them. Their unique brand of country-roots music imparts traditional arrangements with a contemporary disposition, reminiscent of old-time dances in hotel taverns and barrooms, barns, kitchens and saloons.
21. Spell of the Yukon – Claire Ness
Claire Ness grew up in Whitehorse, then studied Comedy Writing and Performance at Humber College in Toronto and Circus Training at Ecole Nationale de Cirque in Montreal. Claire is a prolific songwriter in a variety of genres: blues, country, folk, jazz, children’s, musical theatre, francophone, and comedy. Her catchy tunes contain vivid imagery, elaborate metaphors, historical allusions, and intricate storytelling.
22. Rambutan – Caleb Tomlinson
Caleb Tomlinson is a singer-songwriter living in Whitehorse, Yukon. His lyrically-driven alt country ballads weave love stories through landscapes, bringing the listener along for a journey through the woods or down the river, usually with a pack filled with heartache to carry along the way.
23. Wanna Be A Flower – Kim Beggs
Kim Beggs infuses sweet old-time roots country with dark tales of Northern life. Sincere and vulnerable, clear-eyed and tough, Kim is a 2017 Independent Music Award Nominee, six-time Western Canadian Music Award Nominee (2014, 2012, 2011, 2007), three-time Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee (2014. 2012, 2007) and has toured throughout Canada, in the USA and in Europe.
McNally has become known for his diversity as a multi-instrumentalist. He plays guitar, harmonica, mandolin, violin and banjo, all in many different styles. Whether performing solo or with his band, his music is grounded in the legacy of the generations of players that came before him, all the while he continues to push the boundaries of his own signature sound.
25. Sh*t From The Free Store – Andrew Laviolette
Andrew Laviolette is a singer/songwriter based in Dawson City. He has been writing and performing his original folk music for 15 years. Using a finger-picking style of guitar playing, Andrew is able to transport his listeners into the stories he sings about.
26. People Like Me – The Naysayers
Drea Naysayer is a non-binary singer-songwriter and a prolific 20-year veteran artist of the independent Canadian music industry signed to Coax Records. The Naysayers are an indie rock band from Whitehorse, Yukon. Their music feels like a punch in the gut and a warm embrace at the same time. In a sea of similarity, The Naysayers cut through.
Diyet was born in a tent and spent her childhood on the ancestral lands of the Kluane First Nation people in Canada’s Yukon Territory. Coming from a family rooted in traditions but tempered with a good sense of adventurous hippie attitudes, Diyet has created a musical presence that is as diverse as her Southern Tutchone, Tlingit, Japanese and Scottish heritage.
28. Sleepy Northern Town – Vanstones
Vanstones are a Yukon-based folk-pop band recognizable for their soaring bluegrass-inspired harmonies, catchy, heartfelt songwriting and spirited live performances. Reminiscent of the multi-lead vocalist band Fleetwood Mac, Vanstones signature sound highlights the interplay between three distinct voices. Vanstones features the talents of Amanda Fata (vocals, percussion, ukulele), Sarah Murphy (vocals, electric guitar), Nathan Schultz (vocals, acoustic guitar), Hannah Mazurek (bass and vocals) and Rob Jones (drums).
29. Rockin’ Bicycle – Brigitte Jardin
Brigitte Jardin draws inspiration from the country-folk repertoire, and offers a soundscape both familiar and unique. Originally from Quebec, Brigitte was heavily involved in the Montreal music scene as a drummer. Now she is also an up-and-coming singer/songwriter, launching her first EP in 2019 and a single in 2021. She is currently working on her first full-length album.
30. Peace Of Mind – Evrytt Willow
Unfeigned folk songs conjured up from the arcane past, delivered softly with a fervent quality reminiscent of age-old paeans and laudations from a time long forgotten. Having reverence for early field recordings, haunting tales of the unknown and a drifting life spent wandering an antiquated path, Evrytt Willow perpetually articulates the heartfelt and the mysterious in verse and song.
31. Water Runs Clean – Bria Rose N Thorns
Bria Rose: K’ōs Kīs (K-oath Keeth)- North Wind Blowing. Bria Rose evokes power and playfulness through her stories and sound. Her colourful spirit digs deep to share her northern perspective through lyrics, glow, and delivery. Hailing from Dease Lake, BC, this Tahltan/Cree artist now calls Whitehorse home. With the Thorns at her side, this bouquet brings a rock’n’roll edge with heart and grit.
Based in Whitehorse, nestled in the sprawling landscape of the Yukon, Rob Dickson is a songwriter and singer. His songs emerge from a place of discovery, of seeking solidity and forming identity. At the center of Dickson’s world is his family, and his writing is profoundly linked to the emotional expanse of these relationships. Through an autobiographical lens, Dickson reveals himself with a sound that is both raw and modest, inviting reflection, and inviting us to consider the people we become as we grow up.
Critically acclaimed Yukon folk singer-songwriter, Joey O’Neil, is bewitching audiences across Canada with hauntingly heartfelt anecdotes from a queer, woodland life. Sure to make you laugh and cry simultaneously, her performance has been described as “gentle and intimate” by Exclaim! and “absolutely touching, even a little heartbreaking” by NEXT Magazine.
34. Goodbye – Olivier Clements
For over 10 years Olivier Clements has established himself as one of Canada’s least known trumpet players. In spite of his underwhelming presence, Clements has worked as a composer, arranger, and trumpet/flugelhorn performer with acclaimed artists from coast to coast.
35. Nobody is Watering the Plants – Jeremy Parkin
Jeremy Parkin is an indigenous artist and producer from the Kwanlin Dün First Nation in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Blending influences from artists such as Shlohmo, Burial, Flume, and SBTRKT; Jeremy creates detailed and textured soundscapes to vivid pictures throughout his music.
Last year, Jeremy saw himself working with the Vancouver-based Indigenous music label, Land Back Records. Jeremy took on the role as head producer for the label, producing for artists such as Dakota Bear and Pîsim SB. In addition to his work with Land Back Records, Jeremy has produced for the likes of Bali-based pop duo Alien Child, Canadian comedian / Youtuber Kurtis Conner, and handles production for his own hip-hop duo known as LOCAL BOY.
Edzi’u is an innovative songwriter and composer who paints stories of the past, present and future with textures, elders’ stories and words, and her ethereal voice. Being rich in culture, full of passion and spirit, the power behind their use of sound goes deep within the listener, inspiring them to be bold and genuine, while living fully within their hearts.
This multilingual Royal Conservatory-trained chanteuse and songwriter whose velvety voice is unforgettable will leave you spellbound and wondering why this treasure still lives in the North! From a long generation of successful singers, dancers and actors (Brie Larson), Lucie was groomed to perform and hit the stage at the tender age of ten. She is fondly remembered by Canadians as lead singer/songwriter with the bilingual band Inconnu, recording two albums and ruling the Canadian Summer Festival circuit for more than 10 years from 1990 to 2001.
