As we honour International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament on May 24, we delve into the world of Canada’s top 10 emerging female artists.
One thing every Canadian can agree on is that we have no shortage of musical talent – that being said, with the number of artists in the country, it definitely takes a lot of work to stand out from the crowd. Female musicians in particular are steadily on the rise with artists across the nation tapping into the power of social media to grow their fan bases, and it’s totally working. Canada has produced some of the world’s best artists, and now, coast-to-coast we’re seeing a new generation of chart-toppers stepping into the limelight.
Read on for 10 of our favourite emerging Canadian female artists you should add to your playlists (so you can say you were an early fan).
READ MORE: 15 Asian Canadian Artists To Watch Right Now
Zeina
Our favourite song: “Nasty”
Zeina combines her Arabic roots with her French background to create mesmerizing music. You’ve likely heard her song “Give Me Time” all over TikTok, but her other tracks are definitely worth checking out, too. While her career is just taking off, we expect big things from this Montreal-based performer.
Faouzia
Our favourite song: “RIP, Love”
Though still a rising artist, Manitoba-based Faouzia is a Morrocan-Canadian artist who has already had the opportunity to work with names like John Legend, Galantis and David Guetta. Only 22 years old, Faouzia has been fostering her love for music since childhood and has racked up a number of musical awards, even scoring a nomination for the 2022 Junos.
Tate McRae
Our favourite song: “what’s your problem?”
If you haven’t heard of Tate McRae, where have you been? The 19-year-old Calgary-born singer, songwriter, dancer and actress first came into the spotlight when she became the first Canadian finalist on “So You Think You Can Dance”. Tate’s career grew quickly – most recently, she did a brand deal with Atlantis Dubai for her song “10:35” with Tiësto.
Nemahsis
Our favourite song: “what if i took it off for you?”
Hailing from Toronto, this Palestinian-Canadian based artist first found a following on TikTok, largely due to her song “what if i took it off for you?” which helped spark a conversation in the Muslim community, encouraging other women to talk about their personal relationships with the hijab.
Devon Cole
Our favourite song: “Call U After Rehab”
Devon, to quote a song of hers, is “a Woman in Total Control of Herself.” When she duetted a beat originally posted by @johnmarknelson, TikTok users were practically begging the two to work together to release the song “W.I.T.C.H” (Get it now?). She now has nearly half a million followers and is continuing to work on new music.
Ari Hicks
Our favourite song: “Midas”
Toronto-based Ari combines her soft vocals with dark femme energy to bring listeners a unique blend of dark pop and alternative. After the success of her EP “It’s Not That Deep: Chapter 1”, Ari released “Chapter 2” – filled with love, heartbreak and lust – in the same year.
READ MORE: The Weeknd, Avril Lavigne, Tate McRae Top 2023 Juno Nominations
Lennon Stella
Our favourite song: “Kissing Other People”
Born in Oshawa, Lennon started her musical career at just 12 years old as a duo with her sister Maisy before going solo. In past years, she has toured with Anne-Marie, The Chainsmokers and 5SOS, even winning a Juno Award in 2020 for “Breakthrough Artist of the Year”.
Delaney Jane
Our favourite song: “Bad Habits”
From Toronto, Delaney originally sang as a guest vocalist on well-known dance tracks including a collaboration with DVBBS. Delaney has gone on to garner a Juno nomination, perform at the 2022 half-time show for the Canada Life Vanier Cup, release “Just As Much” with Virginia to Vegas, and has started her own independent label, Dirty Pretty Things.
Jade LeMac
Our favourite song: “Meet You in Hell”
An 18-year-old from Vancouver, Jade is an artist you’ll want to keep an eye on. The power of her vocals can be witnessed on songs like “Aimed to Kill – Piano Version”, while you sing along to heartfelt tracks like “Car Accident”.
Rêve
Our favourite song: “Headphones”
Briannah Donolo a.k.a. Rêve was discovered from her viral clip singing the Canadian national anthem at a hockey game. Labelled as “one of the fastest-rising artists in dance” by Billboard, Rêve’s hit song “CTRL+ALT+DEL” seemed to be everywhere during the pandemic and we loved it.
