YUKON MUSIC ON THE FRINGE 2026!

Music Yukon is thrilled to head back to the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival with another cohort of Yukon artists!

The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival is supported by Artist Spotlight Sponsor CKUA. CKUA is a donor-supported broadcaster that inspires and connects through the power of music, arts, and culture. CKUA delivers the best creative work from Alberta and beyond, on-air, online, and in-person.

CKUA is also a massive supporters of Yukon artists! While popping into the Edmonton Fringe, each Yukon artists will have an in-studio session at CKUA to record two live songs, which will be released on CKUA’s Hidden Track series. Keep your eyes peeled for the episode when it airs!

This opportunity is made possible by the support of Air North, Yukon’s Airline (the official airline of Yukon Artists at the Fringe!), FACTOR and the Government of Canada, and the Government of Yukon.

John from Dawson – Friday, August 14 at 9:00pm

John from Dawson is an Anishinabeg Hip-hop artist born and raised in Dawson City, Yukon on the Traditional Territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.
With music that has been described as a mix of Mac Miller and the Bloodhound Gang, JFD uses emotional inner thoughts to create catchy hooks that keep crowds energized and engaged. JFD channels his emotions and life experiences through his music, creating Hip-hop that expresses his positive outlook on life and aims to uplift and inspire the
youth of the Yukon and beyond.
After attending the Canadian Music Incubator’s Artist Entrepreneur West Program and performing at several large festivals such as Dawson City Music Festival, Keno Festival, Edmonton Fringe Festival and Break Out West, JFD set his sights on touring within Canada and Internationally. Opening for Hip-hop artists such as Haviah Mighty, Super Duty Tough Work and Shad, JFD creates genuine connections with audiences making his performances unforgettable.

Claire Ness and the Rubies – Sunday, August 16 at 9:00pm

Cheeky folk-blues nostalgia from a Yukon wordsmith.

Canadian Folk Music Award winner Claire Ness has an imagination as bright as the midnight sun and a wanderlust reaching from the rugged Yukon mountains to the Atlantic coast, seamlessly blending folk, blues, country, and comedy into a bilingual foot-stomping celebration of northern life.

Born and raised in Whitehorse, Yukon, Claire’s artistic journey was shaped by a fierce commitment to the craft of storytelling and a keen interest in colourful characters. From studying the sharp mechanics of comedy writing in Toronto to mastering the gravity-defying poetry of circus arts in Montreal, Claire has spent a lifetime gathering the tools to do what she does best: keep an audience completely spellbound.

When it’s time to truly kick the dust off the floorboards, Claire Ness hits the stage alongside The Rubies, featuring the driving rhythm of Genesee Keevil on upright bass and the soaring, lightning-fast melodies of Keitha Clark on fiddle. Together, this powerhouse trio delivers an interactive, high-energy show that bridges worlds and languages.

“When I listen to her voice, I want her to be my friend. There’s just something so unbelievably appealing.” – RICH TERFRY, CBC

Major Funk – Sunday, August 16 at 10:00pm

A unique brand of Yukon Funk. Two-time Western Canadian Music Award Nominee.

High energy bass-led grooves, soaring vocals, and a tight horn section; this isn’t what you’d expect from a band coming from the Yukon in Canada’s North, but it’s exactly what you get with Whitehorse’s Major Funk. It’s also a great formula to get a crowd moving, and they’ve got this down to a science. Several years of research and development in the studio and on the road has refined the band’s sound into something familiar but fresh, epic but accessible, and dangerously infectious. Most importantly, however, it’s a ton of fun, and it makes you want to dance. It’s all on display in their growing discography of top notch funk-pop music and their unforgettable live shows: a groove-heavy genuinely good time that will stay with you long after the last note.

Ryan McNally – Monday, August 18th at 5:00pm

While Ryan McNally is best known for his interpretative playing of traditional acoustic blues, jazz and old time music, audiences can’t help but notice the influence that Northern living has had on his music. For the past 15 years McNally has called Whitehorse, Yukon his home.

Originally from rural southern Quebec, Ryan first discovered jazz and blues by uncovering a huge collection of ‘78 records that belonged to his grandfather. Then, as a teen, his curiosity for the sound and history anchored his love for the genres and it’s only grown stronger since.

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.