Nimkish
Genre: Soul R&B
Nimkish is a lyrical poet who expresses her Indigenous voice through her music. Her newest album Damage Control features spoken poetry and beats that are sure to get stuck in your head. Taking inspiration from King Princess and Kehlani, Nimkish shows a vulnerability that creates a deep and personal connection with the listener. As a coach for underrepresented minorities through Creative BC, Nimkish also amplifies the voices of the province that need to be heard.
NADUH
Genre: Hip-hop
This Vancouver-based R&B/hip-hop group is something out of this planet. Led by five strong femme voices, NADUH’s music is empowering the listener to be “that girl.” The group started during the pandemic, releasing its first single “Mawnin’” in 2020. NADUH features themes of astrology in their music, perfect for those who know their charts by heart. With only two years active, the group has already released an album and was featured in the show The Lake on Prime Video.
Iron Kingdom
Genre: Heavy Metal
Started in 2011 in Surrey, Iron Kingdom is defining the new wave of traditional heavy metal. The band’s main inspirations include Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, to name a few. With multiple tours across the world and an opening act for Blaze Bayley (Iron Maiden’s frontman for five years), the band has an established name in the metal scene. Iron Kingdom recently released their newest album at the beginning of November, hopefully with more new music to come.
bbno$
Genre: Mumble Rap
bbno$ is an Armenian-Canadian “meme” rapper who fully embraces the internet culture. With many of his songs going viral as TikTok sounds, such as “Lalala” and “Edamame,” It would be surprising if you hadn’t heard some of his music. Getting his start from a group called Broke Boy Gang, bbno$’s solo career took off internationally, taking China by storm. Dropping an album just over a month ago, he is not slowing down anytime soon.
Frazey Ford
Genre: Country and Folk
Frazey’s journey began as a founding member of The Be Good Tanyas, a band that shaped Vancouver’s music scene. However, her solo career is not any less impressive. Her latest album, U kin B the Sun, features powerful bass and an unforgettable rhythm. Frazey’s immaculate vibrato makes every song feel dynamic and it’s hard not to break into a line dance while listening.
Rare Americans
Genre: Punk-pop
A band that started off as a passion project by James and Jared Priestner has an ever-changing sound that cannot be described, only heard. Rare Americans’ storytelling is expressed through animated music videos with storylines and reoccurring characters. Recently coming back from an extensive North American tour, Rare Americans has many exciting projects in the works.
Want to hear more about Rare Americans? Check out the MicroLink interview with James Priestner in the Winter podcast episode!
References
“About Nimkish.” Nimkishmusic, 2022, https://www.nimkishmusic.com/.
“About Page.” Rare Americans, 2022, https://www.rareamericans.com/.
“BBNO$ Music, Videos, Stats, and Photos.” Last.fm, https://www.last.fm/music/bbno$.
“Biography.” NADUH, 2022, https://www.itsnaduh.com/bio.
“Career Development.” Creative BC, 21 Oct. 2022, https://www.creativebc.com/services/funding-programs/music-sound-recording-programs/amplify-bc/career-development/.
“Iron Kingdom Biography.” Iron Kingdom, 2022, https://www.iron-kingdom.com/biography.
Morrow, Fiona. “Soul, Style and a Life of Music with East Vancouver’s Frazey Ford.” MONTECRISTO, 16 Sept. 2021, https://montecristomagazine.com/magazine/volume-14/soul-style-life-music-east-vancouvers-frazey-ford.
“Press Kit.” Frazey Ford, 2020, https://www.frazeyford.com/.
Roberts, Chad, director. Cold Ones with Bbno$. Cold Ones, 8 Mar. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA1Atd_BsKw. Accessed 27 Oct. 2022.