Global Canadian Superstars – How Canada Creates Hit Music

Canada has always had a high export of global Canadian superstars and has a sizeable influence on modern music. Neil Young pushed the boundaries of rock and folk, influencing multiple genres and artists after him. Celine Dion is one of the best-selling artists in history. And even if you’re team Kendrick, you can’t deny Drake’s dominance of the rap game in its modern era. But how has this country, which has 0.5% of the global population, made such strides in the music industry, producing undeniable stars and even establishing its cities as music capitals with their regional sounds? From the schools to the local musical communities and supporting funds, many elements help to cultivate Canada’s musical success. In this article, we’ll look at some of the infrastructure, initiatives and influential scenes that have helped to make Canada the powerful player in the industry that it is today.

MUSIC EDUCATION

 For many musicians, the interest in the art starts during their younger years. In Canada, public school musical programmes are strong, with music integrated into the curriculum from an early age. Students will build a basic foundation of musical knowledge, learning theory such as rhythm, pitch and dynamics. They’ll strengthen their listening skills with a diverse range of music from nursery rhymes to folk music, and start creative work, studying notation and learning improvisation and composition of simple rhythms and melodies. While every province has its own curriculum guidelines, these different territories incorporate similar syllabi. The K-6 (Kindergarten to Grade 6) Music Program of Studies in Alberta focuses on playing instruments like recorders and percussion, reading and writing music, listening, moving and singing. British Columbia’s Arts Education K-7 Curriculum also focuses on understanding elements such as notation, rhythm, structuring and texture/layering of sounds. 

 The importance of the subject’s study was stressed in a survey conducted by the Coalition for Music Education in Canada in 2010. With responding schools that made up 7.8% of the 15,500 schools in Canada, participants noted the positive effects provided to students with a strong music education, not just an increased musical ability, but general self-esteem, self-discipline and creativity, as well as effective communication skills and a broader imagination.

 The survey also revealed the strong advantage of having qualified music teachers, with almost all responding schools supported by strong musical education staff, and specially trained music teachers.

 Another strength of Canada’s educational efforts is the wide-ranging repertoire of styles studied in the classroom. The Great White North is home to a diverse range of communities, being one of the most advanced multicultural nations in the world. A study focusing on British Columbia’s curriculum showed that 84% of educators believe in the vitality of a varied, non-Western music education. While a 2014 study from Griffith University notes that high-school musical education is predominantly focused on “Western concert band and choir”, there is still a push to produce a multi-dimensional musical experience for learners – take this report from CBS for example, showing an approach from universities and public schools to give students access to education on hip-hop/electronic styles and music production. Seeing students happily hitting MPC and mixing on turntables is a very different sight from the more conventional classical syllabus that most nations provide!

Image courtesy of the ‘Did You Know: Music Grants for Artists and Musicians in Canada’ by Play MPE

FUNDING FOR ARTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS

Canada doesn’t just support its students taking an interest in the arts – there are multiple musical organizations like the SOCAN Foundation or the Canadian Starmaker Fund providing financial assistance to foster the growth of companies and artists. There is a determination from both the government and charitable organizations to aid artistic ventures and ensure the growth of Canada’s music scene.

First established in 2001, the Canada Music Fund (CMF) is a Canadian government initiative that provides funding for recording artists and businesses. Amongst its goals is the objective to ensure that Canadian artists and entrepreneurs have the “skills, expertise and tools to succeed in a global and digital environment”. The organization distributes its funds through the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR) for the Anglophone market, and Fondation Musicaction for the Francophone market.

A long-standing lineup of popular Canadian artists has received support from this initiative, such as Jessie Reyez and The Weeknd, securing funding from FACTOR during the creation of their earlier projects. Toronto tune-spinner and official Raptors DJ 4Korners told of the benefit of the fund: “With the support of FACTOR’s Juried Sound Recording program, I was able to successfully write, produce, record, release and roll out my debut full length album, “4KORNERS Of The World”, further noting the given access to marketing and promotional activities, as well as supporting his journey as an independent artist.

But it’s not just the next chart-topper or club-bopper to be bankrolled by Canadian infrastructure. As within music education, there’s a drive for diversity within the nation’s donating organizations. Created in 1957 to “foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts”, The Canada Council for the Arts has a keen focus on supporting experimental, classical and jazz music, as well as multicultural and Indigenous artists.

“For me, public support of the arts is… a confirmation, a public confirmation, of the importance and the value that we give to artistic freedom, artistic expression, liberty of speech and fundamental features of democracy.”

Providing millions in funding to musical artists and institutions, they’ve helped musicians such as Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq and indie saxophone-collaborator Colin Stetson to cultivate their careers through touring, recording and global outreach. 

Simon Brault, the director and CEO of the council, expressed the importance of public funding to forward the nation’s creatives: “For me, public support of the arts is a feature of a democratic system… [That public support] should not be, and it’s not in my country, the only source of funding, but it is a confirmation, a public confirmation, of the importance and the value that we give to artistic freedom, artistic expression, liberty of speech, fundamental features of democracy.”

 Alongside Canada’s generous grants and funds for the arts, there is policy too – namely, the Canada Online Streaming Act. This bill requires foreign streaming services like Netflix, YouTube and Spotify to extensively promote Canadian content in Canada and pay into a fund that supports Canadian broadcasting and content. This funding goes on to support various initiatives, including local news, French-language content, Indigenous programming and music production.

MUSIC SCENES

Besides classrooms and council funds, Canada has always had a deep bank of musical talent at its disposal. From legendary artists like Celine Dion and Joni Mitchell, to contemporary pop powerhouses like Justin Bieber or Carly Rae Jepsen, the country has successfully exported some of modern music’s most successful stars. However, it’s plain to see that many Canadian stars didn’t necessarily acknowledge their national identity so much in their art, presumably to make an easier crossover to the U.S./global markets.

But how things have changed – we’ve got Drake, one of the biggest, best-selling rappers of all-time, who makes sure to shout out “the six” and his homeland whenever he can. There’s The Weeknd too, a modern R&B master who changed the sonic landscape of the genre and hasn’t been shy in referencing his roots in Scarborough. Both artists and others, like PARTYNEXTDOOR and Nav, have all cultivated their styles among a similar sonic backdrop in Canada’s most populous city, Toronto.

“Toronto” itself has become an aesthetic, an atmosphere, and a distinct sound – shadowy, nocturnal, cold late-night-drive music. In the same way that London is known for its grime or drill beats, or Atlanta is known for its trap music, Toronto has established its own distinctive character in the international music scene. It’s a style that has been emulated throughout the world, in America and the UK too. As written by Vice, “It’s tough to imagine someone like Bryson Tiller or 6LACK making as much of an impact without the moody foundation Toronto has set”. Even listen to tracks from British rappers, like Stormzy with “Rachel’s Little Brother” or “100 Mistakes” by Krept & Konan – you can hear the sonic blueprint mastered by Canadian producers like Noah “40” Shebib and Boi-1da on their Drake productions, utilizing washy, filtered R&B sampling and deep rumbling bass over punchy trap drums.

It’s not just Toronto that has stood out as a hub for honing talent – the music scene of Montreal is a vibrant melting pot of genres, from electronic music to indie/rock. Bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor helped to create the post-rock identity of the city, with their beautiful, extensive instrumental tunes. Arcade Fire, arguably the biggest success story in Montreal indie rock, broke through with their 2004 debut “Funeral”, often considered to be one of the greatest albums of all time. This opened the doors for a slew of other bands like Wolf Parade, whose album “Apologies to the Queen Mary” is regarded as one of the most influential indie rock releases of the 2000s. 

There have been many other successful acts to come out of MTL, like eclectic hip-hop/house/R&B producer Kaytranada, or experimental electro pop queen Grimes, who herself sharpened her musical skills within Montreal’s DIY music scene. This anti-corporate, self-sufficient scene carried its ethos into its activities, with venues, labels and recording structures made by Montreal creatives like Sebastian Cowan, who founded the Arbutus label after seeing the thriving spirit of his warehouse loft venue, Lab Synthese.  

These are just a few of the elements that have made Canada the hotbed for musical talent that it is today. Whether it’s bringing budding young talent up with a multi-faceted music education, giving financial backing to future stars or raising regional musicians into internationally renowned scenes with distinct sounds, Canada has made itself one of the most distinguished, productive and forward-thinking exporters of music on the world stage. From the Billboard places to DIY loft-spaces, classroom heroes to council funds, they all make up the rich tapestry of Canada’s musical output and every piece of the puzzle counts.