NEWS

In this week’s episode, we chat to Ellorie McKnight, a climate researcher and indie folk artist. We get into her journey as an artist and how she approaches songwriting as a way to explore both personal and collective experiences. We also dive into her climate work and how it informs her artistry, using music as a way to invite reflection, connection, and engagement. It’s a thoughtful conversation about creating with intention and finding meaning through your work. Check out

Folk Pop Fusion @ Art House Cafe Robin Kenny, Zoe Matthews & Strawberry Fields Forever Presented by Loch Monster Media Saturday, May 16, 2026 - 8:30 doors - 9:00 show Art House Cafe - Ottawa, ON Plans to fill the perfect long weekend don’t come easy, but this art house event is exactly what you’re looking for on May 16th. Indie folk pop to tickle you out of your creative funk and lift your spirits is with Robin, Zoe, and the Strawberry Fields duo. Loch Monster Media never mis

Claire Porter: Yellow Spider Tour I’m dropping my new single, “Yellow Spider,” and that starts a whole web of music! Tour Dates w/ Evan Aucoin May 6 - The Ship - St John’s, NL May 9 - Freshwater Coffeehouse - Carbonear, NL May 16 - The Green Room, Glasgow Square Theatre - New Glasgow, NS May 17 - Gus’ Pub - Halifax, NS May 23 - ECMA Showcase, Breton Craft House - Sydney, NS I’m so excited to share my new song with everyone, and to come back to Nova Scotia after so long away

Matt Gower: Vacated Shapes Vacated Shapes is Matt Gower’s second solo album. The songs on this LP reflect Matt’s Hard Folk aesthetic, with themes such as gender fluidity, anti-fascism, depression, his own shortcomings as a husband & father, murder, imperfection and apathy. Taking equal influence from Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska and Jason Isbell’s Foxes in the Snow, Matt was inspired to produce Vacated Shapes with a minimalist ethos in order to let his songwriting and raw

Sophie d'Orleans: Chocolat “Chocolat” is a soft, radiant French pop track celebrating exogamous love, where two languages and cultures meet. Blending warm acoustic textures with quirky bilingual storytelling, it delivers a fresh, intimate take on the modern love song.

Moira Chicilo: Bred in My Bones Recorded in an afternoon at Blue Door Recording in Regina, Saskatchewan, the live EP, titled "Bred in My Bones”, gives us a glimpse into Moira’s connection to the land and people of the prairies. There’s a casual, melancholic style to her performance, and she is accompanied by David Bushko’s haunting swells on pedal steel guitar. Stripped down, simple and honest, this live collection showcases Moira’s blues, folk and country musical range.

Oh Clementine: Upcoming Album "Oh Clementine sings thoughtful, family-inspired folk—crafted music for kids, cherished by grown-ups! Since her debut album 'One Thousand Mornings' (Feb 2025) landed two major nods — Canadian Folk Music Awards: Children’s Album of the Year and a Western Canadian Music Awards nomination for Children’s Artist of the Year — indie/kindie-folk rising star Oh Clementine has been unstoppable. Highlights: standout CBC performances, a showcase at the CFM

Lisa Richard @ Stan Rogers Folk Festival Award-winning Nova Scotia singer-songwriter Lisa Richard will return to the Stan Rogers Folk Festival this summer, performing on the Main Stage on opening night, July 23. This year’s festival marks the 30th anniversary of the Stan Rogers Folk Festival, with opening night featuring a special tribute to the legendary Canadian songwriter Stan Rogers. Richard joins a lineup of well-known and respected artists to help launch the celebrati

Malia Rogers w/ Mallory Chipman @ Red Bird Friday, Jun 12, 2026 Red Bird - Ottawa, ON Nova Scotia raised, Ottawa based singer-songwriter Malia Rogers has a clear musical mission: be the first person in the room to drop her shield, and in doing so, move others to lower their own. Her introspective, conversational folk offerings carefully balance melancholy and hope, touching audiences with precise lyricism, warm alto vocals, and gentle wit. Having released her debut EP at Red

Come Together: Songs of Unity @ Brampton Folk Club The Brampton Folk Club's Annual Showcase Concert will take place on Saturday, May 23rd starting at 7:30 p.m. in Sanderson Hall, St. Paul's United Church , 30 Main St. South, Brampton. This year's theme is ""Come Together - Songs of Unity"". We've got a terrific line-up of two dozen (!) BFC performers singing and playing songs that connect us. There's a great mix of originals and covers, including lots of sing-a-longs. Advanc

Two Graces @ Few Acres Farm Concerts Saturday, May 23, 2026 w/ Gracie Jet & Grace Alguire Doors 7:00 - Show 7:30 Few Acres Farm Concerts - Russell, ON On Saturday, May 23, Two Graces brings together singer-songwriters Gracie Jet and Grace Alguire for an intimate evening of storytelling and original music at Few Acres Farm Concerts - Russell ON. After meeting at Folk Canada in 2025, the two artists decided to create a show built around connection, honest songwriting, and pow

Cassidy Houston w/ Magic Machine @ Night Oat Friday, May 22, 2026 Night Oat - Ottawa, ON Tickets - $20 Northern Ontario meets the Nations Capital! Ottawa’s own Magic Machine are hitting the stage again, this time in support of touring superstar Cassidy Houston, all the way from Thunder Bay! Don’t miss what is sure to be an incredible evening of harmony and folky goodness at Night Oat! Tickets are limited… only 60 available! Get em while the gettin’s good! Cassidy Houston:

Cameron Nickerson: Album Release Tour After a successful run of shows across the Maritimes, Nova Scotia’s Cameron Nickerson is expanding his "The Wagon" album release tour into Ontario and Quebec this spring. The tour follows the March 20 release of his debut bluegrass record, which has quickly gained traction for its raw honesty and modern take on a traditional sound. TOUR DATES May 16 - Copper Bottom Brewing - Montague, PE May 21 - Cameron House - Toronto, ON May 23 - East

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Mimi O’Bonsawin for a conversation that moves between life on the road and the deeper connections that shape her work as an artist. We get into her relationship to land and gardening, and how that feeds into her creativity and helps her stay grounded while navigating a demanding touring schedule. Mimi also shares what it’s like managing celiac disease on tour, opening up about the realities of food prep, travel, and trying to maintain y

Matthew Holtby: On Tour Matthew Holtby is playing a handful of dates this Spring / Summer in support of his latest acoustic EP. TOUR DATES May 7 - The Aron Theatre - Campbellford, ON May 14 - Flato Academy Theatre - Lindsay, ON May 21 - The Cove Inn - Westport, ON May 31 - The Pilot - Toronto, ON Jun 4 - Brewer’s Pantry - Bowmanville, ON Jun 20 - The Social - Peterborough, ON Jun 27 - The Pilot - Toronto, ON Jul 9 - Musiikki - Kingston, ON Aug 6 - Jimmy Joy’s - Port Sydne

GRFN & Liam Russell @ Robo Lounge An Alumni Folk Showcase Presented by Carleton University Music & Loch Monster Media GRFN & Liam S. Russell Hosted by Loch Nisse Monster Monday, May 4 - 5:30pm Robo Lounge - Ottawa, ON Free Entry Spread the news 🎻🎶 On Monday, May 4, Loch Monster Media and Carleton Music are co-presenting a folk showcase featuring Carleton alumni. Be sure to catch this intimate yet riveting feature of GRFN and Liam S. Russell at no cost to yourself. Guest ho

Caitlin Jade - wanted: a man with imagination wanted: a man with imagination - my debut single is available now, wherever you get your music!

Satellite Birdhouse: Some Kind of Armour Satellite Birdhouse has released a new single, "Some Kind of Armour" - a deeply personal story of strength and resilience. Speaking about the track, Troy Huizinga shares, "Writing this song really helped me put my past into perspective. A weight lifted from my shoulders." Click here for more info

Ryan Cook @ Greenbank Folk Music Society Ryan Cook w/ Mike T. Kerr Saturday, May 23, 2026 - 7:30pm Greenbank Centennial Hall - Greenbank, ON Season Finale - The wonderful Nova Scotian singer songwriter, Ryan Cook will headline the final concert of our 2025/2026 season. Mixing classic country music with modern satire, Ryan Cook forges a sound between contemporary folk and dyed-in-the-wool country, with authenticity and humor. He will be accompanied by Mike T Kerr. Mike T Ker

Dave Gunning @ Acoustic Harvest w/ Taivi & Garth May 23, 2026 - 7:30pm St Paul's United Church - Scarborough, ON $35 Advance Tickets / $40 at the door Option: Save the service fee with e-transfer of $35 to: acousticharvest@proton.me On May 23rd we are excited to feature DAVE GUNNING (NS) in our annual Healing Garden Benefit to continue raising funds for the creation of patio gardens of peace and solace for patients undergoing the rigours and ordeals of cancer treatment. Cl

We, Otherwise: Tranzac Residency We, Otherwise - Tranzac Residency! We are launching a recurring intimate series at the Tranzac, the second Sunday of every month at 7:30PM. w/ Radhika Baskar & Lina Cao, and Ola Sconola Sunday, May 10 - 7:30 pm The Tranzac - Toronto, ON We, Otherwise – is an encounter where two artists from different cultural backgrounds meet for the first time in a shared space of conversation, live musical exchange, and audience participation. The project

Abigail Lapell: Shadow Child Tour Award-winning Toronto songwriter Abigail Lapell launches her new album Shadow Child with tour dates across Ontario and the Northeast – including a special full-band Toronto show May 22nd at Hugh’s Room Live. Shadow Child is a collection of nine songs about pregnancy and motherhood, arriving May 8th (Mothers Day weekend) on Outside Music. The album features guest vocals from some of Lapell’s favourite singers, all Canadian folk icons, all mot

Bobby Dove: Fortune Teller Eastern Tour Bobby Dove, a trans/non-binary singer-songwriter, originally hailing from Montreal, has worked their magic once again on the new album Fortune Teller, out now on Bandcamp and on all streaming services Fortune Teller’s title track—with an official music video debuting on release day—asks intangible questions from a country artist’s storytelling perspective, through the power of mystical symbols and archetypes. It also sets the tone for

2026 Festival Retreat participants Folk Canada was pleased to host our 2026 Festival Retreat, April 19-21 at the Elmhirst Resort in Keene, ON. Each year, Folk Canada gathers the leadership of our Festival Member operations for 2 days of professional development, including hands-on workshops, sharing of best practices, and networking. Topics of discussion included Revenue Generation, Volunteer Recruitment & Retention, Governance, Marketing & Community Engagement, and an amazi

Listen and subscribe to Refolkus: https://refolkus.transistor.fm/subscribe This week we’re joined by Mark Steiner, founder of GigSalad. We get into his path through the music industry, from working as a booking agent to creating GigSalad. Drawing from his experience on the booking side, Mark shares insight into how talent gets matched with opportunities, what bookers are really looking for, and what actually makes artists stand out when it comes to getting booked. We also ta

беда: Put Trouble On My Tab @ Division 88 w/ music from Kizaba & Martin Ses Sunday, May 3, 2026 Division 88 - Toronto, ON Беда (BEDA) series is dedicated to the people who keep the city’s cultural and hospitality scene alive: musicians, restaurant workers, and tourism professionals who rarely get to experience the events they help make possible. This five-month series offers two shows each night with an early and a late performance, so those who work weekends can finally enjo

Lynne Hanson: Invisible I don’t know if you’ve ever felt invisible - not gone, not lost, just somehow overlooked. Like standing in full light and still fading at the edges. This song grew out of that feeling. It moves on a low, droning acoustic pulse that feels almost like a heartbeat you can’t quite steady, with producer Jim Bryson weaving in textures that shimmer and disappear just as quickly. It’s quieter than some of my songs, but it lingers - a ghost in the room, a que

James LeClaire: If Ever Seven years ago, a good friend of mine’s husband tragically lost his life. She was devastated. In an instant, the love of her life was gone. His retirement was only a few short years away and they had everything planned out, ready to enjoy their growing family and their time together. The absence of his love was impossible to ignore. One day, she said to me, “I want you to write a happy song.” It would be nice to write a happy song for my friend. But

Kaeley Jade: The Great Unknown Edmonton alt-folk artist Kaeley Jade has released her sophomore album, The Great Unknown. Recorded with JUNO-award winning producer Hill Kourkoutis, the album explores themes of change and resilience. TOUR DATES: Apr 24 - The Aviary - Edmonton, AB May 2 - Emmanuel United - Waterloo, ON May 3 - Second Wedge Brewing Co. - Uxbridge, ON May 5 - Departure - Toronto, ON “In writing The Great Unknown, I was interested in exploring the turning points w

The Family Name, Ethan Mitchell, & Matt Gower @ Art House Cafe Friday Night Folk Presented by CKCU Friday, May 1, 2026 - 8PM Art House Cafe - Ottawa, ON Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door CKCU Presents Friday Night Folk is a bi-monthly concert series at Art House Cafe. On the first Friday of every other month Art House Cafe will feature two folk acts, hosted by local singer-songwriter Matt Gower. The latest edition of Friday Night Folk showcases The Family Name and E

In this episode, we dive into a grounded conversation with Guatemalan singer-songwriter Paula Sofía, exploring how she balances her work as both a performing artist and a leader in the arts. Listen and subscribe: https://refolkus.transistor.fm/subscribe We get into what it really means to connect with an audience—how storytelling, vulnerability, and intimacy can turn a performance into something that truly resonates. Paula shares her perspective on songwriting, growth, and th

The Winnipeg Mandolin Orchestra @ Ukrainian Labour Temple May 9, 2026 - 7:30 pm Ukrainian Labour Temple - Winnipeg, MB Tickets from Eventbrite and at the door The Winnipeg Mandolin Orchestra is proud to present our first concert under the direction of our conductor, Slava, who has brought us a whole range of new music, including folk, world, jazz, and classical. This concert will feature an original work by Winnipeg fiddler Susan Israel. The concert takes place in the histo

Mélisande: On Tour On the heels of the release of her upcoming album Sur la même longueur d'onde on May 8th, multi-award-winning singer Mélisande is going on tour across Canada for concerts with her électrotrad band and her acoustic quintet. More details available on her website. Check out the dates!! ÉLECTROTRAD DATES : Apr 23 - Place Henri-Dunant - Montréal, QC Apr 25/26 - Festival Théâtre Jeunesse en Acadie - Caraquet, NB May 21 - Le Ministère - Montréal, QC ACOUSTIC Q