Band Details

From the Promoter

EMMA COOK

2016 FACTOR Juried Sound Recording recipient Emma Cook combines a powerful and haunting voice reminiscent of Sarah McLachan with the song stylings of Feist, Jenn Grant or Hannah Georgeas. She also knows what it means to struggle. The Toronto indie-folk singer was well on her way to making a name for herself before a falling tree branch caused a serious head injury and forced her to take a hiatus from music to focus on recovery. After a three year battle with Post-Concussive Syndrome, Emma drew 2016 to a close with the release of her third album ‘Same Old Song, produced by Mitch Girio (Emma-Lee’s Never Just a Dream). The cover of Same Old Song shows a single tree branch, an ode to the artists ongoing fight to recover from her injuries and the power of music to get us through the hardest of times. Same Old Song debuted at #3 on the folk charts in Edmonton and landed Emma a synch licensing deal with Community Tree Music in Vancouver.

Before her injury, Emma had logged over 100 shows across Canada, the US and the UK and had official showcases at NXNE, CMW & Indie Week. She was a 2008 Toronto Independent Music Awards nominee and received an Ontario Arts Council grant to record her second album “Hit & Run.” Written and co-produced by Emma, both of her albums have garnered fantastic reviews and sought the attention of campus radio, CBC and the Verge on XM Satellite Radio. The Ontario Arts Council again backed the young artist, awarding her an International touring grant which took her from Toronto down to Mississippi and back in Feb and March 2009, with stops at SXSW, and NYC’s famed Bitter End.

In early 2016 Emma began writing songs again. “They just started pouring out of me” she said, “I am channeling all of the loss and frustration, all of the pain and hardship of the last few years.” Thanks to a recent FACTOR grant, Emma will be going into the studio in Feb 2017 with producer Dean Drouillard (Royal Wood) to record her fourth studio album Living Proof."

NICOLE RAYY

Combining the distinctive sounds of multiple genres from rock, pop, and classic country while refusing to compromise on the raw, emotional honesty that is prevalent throughout her entire body of work, Canadian Country singer-songwriter and pianist Nicole Rayy is a dynamic and powerful force of musical talent. Her distinctive and brutally honest songwriting paired with her energetic performances come through seamlessly no matter where her music is played, live on the stage or in her critically acclaimed recordings.

REBECCA REEVES

Rebecca Reeves is a Country/Pop singer born in Calgary, raised in Toronto.
With her powerhouse vocals and incredible storytelling lyrics she is surely a force to be reckoned with in the Country/Pop world. She is a passionate and driven Country girl at heart living in the city. Her music is inspired by her own personal experiences and the lives of those around her giving her songs life and character.

DENNIS ELLSWORTH & THE MERCY DOLLS

Dennis Ellsworth has been creating original music from the East Coast for the past 15 years. Each project is slightly different from his last and with his latest project The Mercy Dolls he has found a fresh alternative indie rock sound that focuses on building off a familiar place. The Mercy Dolls enter the studio in September 2017 with Joel Plaskett as producer to record their debut full length CD.