Canadian performers who you've never heard of (or didn't know were Canadians).
Following the advice girlnextdoor, represent the magnificent seven talented Canadians I met through local radio and Spotify Music Canada. All genres are represented, for every taste and color: hip-hop, alternative rock, pop, electronica and country. The number seven is my favorite on the blog, because seven is the optimal number for the list, not too little and not too much.
There are many videos and photos in the post.
I'll start with the number one star on the list - Drake. Now he is on the wave of popularity, and was once a simple black guy from the suburbs of Toronto. Although there are numerous gossips about his family, origin and parents. I once heard in a conversation that Aubrey (as his acquaintances call Drake) did not start from the bottom, being from a rich Jewish family, he attended an elite closed school for young talents. And that his song Started from the Bottom and the surroundings of the ghetto are nothing more than lies and a desire to squeeze into a cohort of African American rappers. After reading his Wikipedia page, I came to the conclusion that Aubrey Drake is from a middle-class family, although he was raised by a single mother (white). I don't think that to be a talented singer you have to be born in the lower social strata. Drake is very talented performer and deserves to be called the number one singer in North America. Even though I don't listen to hip-hop, I sometimes make an exception for Drake. Favorite songs are One Dance and Hold On, We're Coming Home.
Rapper Drake is a symbol of Canadian multiculturalism
My university youth (the first five years of study at the university) - Metric. I accidentally heard one song in a selection of tracks on my cousin's flash drive and googled their albums. For me, hearing Metric on local Canadian radio was like a miracle. At first I thought I turned on my playlist. I'm so used to the realization that Metric is an obscure alt rock band that never plays on the radio, and which I accidentally discovered on the Internet. I still rejoice when I hear the voice of Emily Haynes when I walk down the street or sit in a cafe. As someone rightly noted in a music review of their album Fantasies, Emily's voice is a mixture of the hoarseness of Nina Persson from The Cardigans and a certain hysteria of Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. If Madonna's voice is the canon of American pop music, the voice of Metric's Emily Haynes is the canon of alternative North American music (IMHO). Originally from Toronto, Metric came to Calgary three years ago for a gig I didn't get to see. Canadians don't really know them (or I communicate with the wrong people), but they are often played on alternative radio.
Their most hyped songs (Help I'm Alive and Gimme Sympathy) are probably familiar to you if you often watch shows like The Vampire Diaries (which I don't watch, but I heard that Metric is on the show's soundtrack). I love their clip Gimme Sympathy - unusual and very alternative. One of the most underrated rock bands in my opinion. Perhaps they should change the composer and songwriters, because Emily's voice is worthy to conquer the charts. By the way, the “face of Canada” Kristen Stewart admitted that the song Metric Satellite Mind is one of her favorites.
I also love Emily's fashion style (glamrock!)
Metric will remind you of a little forgotten, but nevertheless, beautiful in their own way. The time Cardigans
Tegan and Sara
In Canada, they are considered a mainstream pop group, despite the unconventional surroundings. In the States, they are also considered a group for gays, but in Canada, some do not even know that the twins Teagan and Sarah have been fighting on the other side of the front for a long time. Probably, they can be compared with our Russian Tatu, everyone knows about their reputation, but still they are at the top of the charts. I remember when I was in middle school, a lot of girls dressed up as Tatu soloists. And no one gave it special significance. Just fashionable. So it is with the Canadian twins Teagan and Sarah Quinn. An American friend heard Teagan and Sarah's song and immediately said: “Ugh, they are Canadian lesbians!” (not that lesbians - fu, but that Canadians, some Americans do not like Canadians). A Canadian colleague admitted that she did not even suspect that Tegan and Sara belonged to gay people.
If someone hears the sweet voices of the Queen twins in your headphones, no one will look askance at you - local radio stations love to play cute Tegan and Sara pop songs on the air during the day. Thankfully, their latest album very catchy and catchy.
Also, Teagan and Sarah are from Calgary, raised by the same mother and lived near me (Silver Springs). Therefore, they are especially loved in Calgary.
Forget about the Night Snipers, the glamorous and feminine Tegan and Sara will win your heart with one cute look.
Coleman Hell
Bearded Ontario electronics artist Coleman Hell delivers a stylish mix of country music and electronic beats, just right for a discotheque in a town like Deep River or Fort McMurray. Can be nostalgic for beautiful views Canadian nature and country bars, sitting at the bar in big city like Toronto.
Every time I hear the first notes of 2 Heads, I remember my two years in small town Fairbanks, Alaska. And the clip is appropriate - a country wedding in a small place with a beautiful blonde bride and a smug groom.
Dear Rouge
I once shared a room with journalism student Annie from Juneau, Alaska. Annie finished her studies and moved to conquer New York. When I arrived in Calgary, I saw a video clip of the group Dear Rouge with a girl who strikingly reminded me of my Alaskan neighbor. However, the voice of the vocalist and the style of music were strikingly different from musical material, which I sometimes heard in a local pub performed by Annie. Having experienced powerful cognitive dissonance, I went to research information about the group on Google and YouTube. Dear Rouge's Danielle does look like Annie's big sister, but she's from Red Deer, in northern Alberta.
Dear Rouge is a very interesting alternative band, which is quite unusual for the Prairies. Perhaps because the guys started climbing from Alberta, and not from Ontario or British Columbia, somehow influenced their popularity and recognition, but at the moment, Dear Rouge is not particularly known outside of Canada. But it's worth listening to them. Canadian alternative music itself is quite popular (Alanis Morissette, Lights, Feist, Half Moon Run), but Dear Rouge in Russia, I think I won't hear for a long time.
Annie, take your refrigerator out of my room.
Alessia Cara
Despite her young age (20), Alessia Cara wrote an unexpectedly very adult song Here. When I heard her song on the radio, I thought, wow, finally someone thought of writing a song about stupid house parties that you want to go home as soon as possible.
Looking at such young singers (Kara was born in 1996), you think how much I have matured and how quickly time flies. However, Alessia Cara compares favorably with girls of her own age, mainly due to her lyrics and beautiful vocals.
For some reason, I always thought that Alessia Cara was an Afro-Caribbean singer, but Wikipedia corrects me, saying that Cara is Italian. However, it does not matter, the important thing is that despite her youth, Kara manages to write excellent lyrics and be sincere in her songs.
I would love to go to her concert.
Oh, those Italians: if Alessia Cara is African-Canadian for me, then Ariana Grande is Asian
The Weeknd
We started with a global hip-hop star, and we will end our list with a Canadian rap artist.
Everyone knows Weekend, but not everyone knows that he is Canadian from Ontario. Unlike Drake-Aubrey, whose father is African American, Weekend's parents are Ethiopian. What is interesting about Canada is the fact that African Canadians, unlike African Americans, are usually descendants of immigrants from the former British colonies of Africa, or immigrants from the Caribbean (Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Islands).
As I said, I don't really like hip-hop, but I like The Weekend's duets with Lana Del Rey (Stargirl and Lust for Life). I think many people know The Weeknd, if not by name, then by songs.
Which Canadian do you listen to?
FavoritesThis small selection of the top 10 most famous Canadians will remind us that apart from the US, there are other countries where celebrities are born.
William Shatner, actor.
William is a well-known Canadian actor who gained fame for his role as James Kirk, captain of the USS Enterprise in the TV series " Star Trek". In addition to his acting talents, he is also known as the author of a series of books that describe the work on the Star Trek series.
Michael J. Fox, actor.
Michael is an actor, producer and director. His most famous roles are Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy and Alex Keaton in the series Family bonds". After he was diagnosed with Parkinson's syndrome, he stopped actively filming. Michael organized a fund to finance the search for a cure for Parkinson's disease, he actively appears on television, talking about this disease, supporting those suffering from this disease.
Alexander Graham Bell, inventor.
Alexander Graham Bell is known throughout the world as the inventor of the telephone. In 1877 he founded the international company Bell Telephone. He also conducted research in various fields of technology, including aeronautics and the use of a light beam in telecommunications.
Alex Trebek, a popular TV presenter.
Alex earned his popularity by starting a career as a TV news anchor and sportscaster. He himself was born to a Ukrainian immigrant and a French-Canadian mother. He is currently the host of the popular TV game Jeopardy!
Wayne Gretzky, athlete.
Wayne is one of the most famous athletes of the 20th century. This Canadian hockey player won the Stanley Cup four times as part of the Edmonton Oilers club. In 1999, Wayne Gretzky completed his sports career, and in 2002 he was awarded the Olympic Order. After leaving the sport, Gretzky is engaged in business and social activities.
Pierre Trudeau, politician.
Pierre Trudeau is the 15th prime minister of Canada, who opened this country to the rest of the world, which won the favor of the majority of citizens. Was named the most popular person Canada in the 20th century. It was he who made the country finally independent from Britain. Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada for 16 years, starting in 1968, with a nine-month hiatus from 1979-1980.
John Kenneth Galbraith, economist.
John is one of the most famous American economic theorists of the 20th century. He was a professor of economics at Harvard, served on the Price Committee during World War II, and served as ambassador to India. Among his merits, work as an adviser to the president should also be noted. In 1993 he was awarded the gold medal. M. V. Lomonosov for outstanding achievements in the field of economic and social sciences.
James Cameron, director.
If you ask anyone to name the three most famous directors, the answer usually consists of names such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and James Cameron. Thanks to James Cameron, the world saw films such as Terminator, Aliens, Abyss, Titanic and Avatar. And the most amazing thing is that James did not graduate from any profile educational institution He is completely self-taught.
Neil Young, singer / composer.
Neil Young - famous Canadian musician with a unique technique for playing the guitar. He wrote all the songs for himself. Along with Bob Dylan, he is one of the most prolific and influential songwriters in the history of rock music. Music magazine Rolling stone conducted a massive poll of status musicians and critics, during which Young was named 34th in the list the greatest musicians era of rock and roll.
Shania Twain
, singer / composer.
Shania is one of the most famous Canadian singers, her style is country and pop music. Since the age of 11, Shania has constantly performed on various television and radio broadcasts. Her album entitled Come on Over, released in 1997, became a real bestseller. It has sold over 40 million copies, making it the best-selling album in modern music history.
However, Shania did not immediately succeed in going his own way. Shania wrote songs herself and wanted to sing exactly her own songs, but the producers imposed material from other authors on her, as a result, on her first album there was only one of her songs (God Ain't Gonna Getcha For That), and even then with an arrangement alien to her. The resulting album, simply titled "Shania Twain", was released on April 20, 1993 and was a complete flop in the market. Even on the US Specialized Country Music Albums Chart, it only peaked at number 67.
However, thanks to the first album, no matter how disastrous it was, Shania notices famous producer who worked with Def Leppard, AC/DC and Brian Adoms, Robert John "Mutt" Lang. Their acquaintance took place by phone. For a long time they write songs and communicate only by phone. However, after a personal meeting at the Fan Fair festival, between them flashes strong feeling, and on December 28, 1993, they become husband and wife. The producer husband allows Shania to go his own way in music and she immediately achieves success, releasing her second album "The Woman In Me" in 1995. In 1996, Shania received a Grammy for this disc in the nomination " Best Album country style." In 1997, the album became the most successful female country album in the history of music - it sold 12 million copies.
Shania's third album "Come On Over" (1997) was even more successful than the second album. For "Come On Over", Shania received 4 Grammys, the album became the best-selling female album in history - more than 40 million copies of this disc have been sold worldwide, 20 million of them in the USA.
As an introduction to the work of Shania Twain - two songs from the album "Come On Over":
Shania Twain - Don "t Be Stupid. Performance in Chicago in 2003.
Shania Twain
In 2002, Shania's 4th album, "Up!", was released, which sold 20 million copies worldwide. Twain became the first woman in the history of music, whose three albums, one after the other, reached diamond status (i.e., sold more than 10 million copies).
In the summer of 2010, Shania and her producer husband Robert John "Mutt" Lang divorced. According to rumors, the reason for the divorce was the infidelity of her husband.
On January 1, 2011, Shania Twain married Swiss businessman Frederic Thiebaud. Unlike his first husband, who became famous for his reclusiveness, Frederic is an active comrade who shares Shania's love of adventure and travel.
Shania Twain's height is 162 cm, body measurements are 90-60-89.
Shania Twain's Russian fan site - shania.net.ru
September 8, 2017 - Canada has many talented singers and singers who are known all over the world: from folk to progressive rock. All of them contributed to the popularization of Canadian culture and helped to prove that this country does not live by sports alone!
Since such lists can be quite subjective when ranking them, we decided to list the most famous ones in the usual alphabetical order.
Alanis Morissette
There was a period when almost no American comedy was complete without one of the most popular songs Alanis "Ironic". It was this track that made her famous all over the world and opened up many new opportunities to conquer the audience not only in Canada, but also in other countries.
However, this was only the beginning. In her subsequent albums, the singer will open from a more original side, affecting not only romantic themes but also social. The Ottawa native boasts a plethora of awards, including 16 Juno Awards and 7 Grammy Awards. She is not only a performer, but also a songwriter, guitarist, producer and actress.
Avril Lavigne
Little girl in men's world. This image worked perfectly for millions of young fans who liked Avril's rebellious nature, her driving compositions and uncompromising outlook on life.
A native of Belleville (Ontario) most spent her youth in Napanee. At the age of 15, she appeared on stage with the famous Shania Twain (we will recall her later), and already at the age of 16, Avril signed with recording studio Arista Records two album deal total cost two million dollars. Having broken into the charts with the soft-punk song "Sk8ter Boy", the singer eventually moved into more formatted music, which, by the way, only contributed to attracting more listeners.
Bryan Adams
The unique Bryan Adams is known all over the world, and these are not just words - his voice is familiar to everyone. Particularly popular in the 80s with hits like "Summer of 69" and "Cuts Like a Knife," he successfully cemented his status as a true star with the timeless 90s ballads in the style of "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You." This track still holds the record for the longest period spent at number one on the prestigious UK charts.
However, this Canadian legend is more than just the author of popular songs for school discos. His trademark huskyness, combined with an incredible talent for creating recognizable and truly beautiful songs, has made him one of the most influential and successful performers in contemporary music.
Celine Dion
The future star was born in a small town near Montreal. She was the youngest of 14 children in the family. Celine began her musical journey at the age of five. She has many prizes and awards to her credit, the status of the first Canadian to receive a gold record in France, and much more. A huge step towards world stage, after which Dion's fame only grew, became the official soundtrack for the film "Titanic" - a composition called "My Heart Will Go On". The singer also has duets with Barbara Streisand and Luciano Pavarotti.
Drake
While the rappers Dream Warriors and K-os remained only representatives of the underground in the 90s and zero, no Canadian musician could achieve massive success in this area. Then came Drake, who started his career as a child as an actor, but then devoted himself to music.
Drake has taken Canada to the map of mainstream rap culture and become one of the best-selling and most influential rap artists in the world. He founded the Canadian record label OVO Sound, used CN Tower on his album artwork, and helped introduce another of Canada's most talented artists, The Weeknd, to the world.
k.d. Lang
With his distinctive singing style and voice capable of making any listener cry, k.d. lang just couldn't become a regular country singer. The highlight was also her androgynous image, which made her even more memorable and free from all sorts of patterns.
The singer-songwriter was born in Edmonton (Alberta), and the beginning of her musical career I had to work in the Patsy Cline team, which performed cover songs. In the 90s k.d. lang broke into the country industry with her album "Ingénue", and then became a real star of the genre with compositions such as "Crying" and "I"m Down to My Last Cigarette". After some time, she pleased the listeners with a real hit "Constant Craving" , which attracted fans of pop music to the army of her fans.
Leonard Cohen
Creating a song that will later be covered by more than a hundred famous performers, the famous "Hallelujah" - this is just a small part musical heritage, which remained in the world thanks to this legendary performer.
The successful poet and novelist was already famous on the Montreal literary scene, and only then did he begin his career in music. His reflections on love, faith, despair and politics can be deep and simple at the same time - this was his genius. Songs such as "Suzanne", "Bird on the Wire" and "Sisters of Mercy" would cement his reputation as the most successful folk songwriter, with an incredible voice that no one else could match.
Rush
Take a band of "Yes"-obsessed Canadians, add an English progressive rock vibe, and you have one of Canada's most successful rock bands, with more than a million records sold worldwide in the future.
Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson grew up near Toronto and in their youth decided to embody cherished dream about your own rock band into reality. Another member joined them, and in 1974 the Rush trio released their first album. Although over time their style has evolved and faced the necessary changes, their amazing lyrics and musical complexity of the compositions have remained intact and easily recognizable.
Shania Twain
title of one of the most successful performers not only in Canada, but throughout the world, belongs to the charismatic and talented Shania Twain. Eileen Edwards (real name of the singer) was born in Windsor (Ontario). Years later, she would be known to the world stage as the "Queen of Pop Country".
The most popular album of the performer was the disc “Man! I feel like a woman…”. In total, Shania has sold more than 85 million records worldwide, and her album "Come On Over" became the best-selling album in history in the category female vocals all genres.
The Weeknd
One of the stunning Canadian discoveries of recent years is musical creation Abel Tesfaye, who is known to millions of listeners under the pseudonym The Weeknd. The Scarborough native is not only a songwriter and performer, but also a producer.
At the end of 2010, he anonymously uploaded several of his songs to the Web, and thanks to Drake's attention to his work, the rest of the world learned about him. He now has three wildly successful albums to his credit, with critical acclaim calling him "the best musical talent since Michael Jackson, and huge army fans.
Did you know that quite a lot of celebrities and Hollywood stars were born in Canada? You may be surprised by some of the people on the list. Most of them were born in Canada, but some have become Canadians over time.
Jim Carrey
Perhaps this comedian needs no introduction. The only thing we would like to note is his place of birth - Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.
Pamela Anderson ( Pamela Anderson
An interesting fact about Pamela Anderson: she was officially the first child to be born on Canada's 100th anniversary. Birthplace: Ladysmith, British Columbia
Ryan GoslingRyan Gosling
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves was born in Lebanon but is a Canadian citizen.
Celine Dion
Photo By Denise Truscello
Near, far...wherever you are, strings that are familiar to everyone. famous singer was born in the province of Quebec.
Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry was one of the main actors in the cult TV series "Friends", which many are revisiting to this day. Despite the fact that Matthew was born in the US in Massachusetts, his mother is a Canadian citizen, which automatically gave Matthew dual citizenship.
Mike MyersMike Myers
Austin Powers or Mike Myers is also a native of Canada. He was born in Scarborough, Ontario. In general, he already has 3 citizenships - British, American and Canadian.
Deadmau5
Renowned Producer and Performer electronic music was born in Toronto.
Shay Mitchell (Shay Mitchell)
Pretty Little Liars fans probably don't realize that Shay is a native of Toronto.
Patrick J. Adams
The protagonist of the series Suits, like Shay Mitchell, was also born in Toronto.
Seth Rogen
Famed producer and actor Seth Rogen is a native of Vancouver. By the way, most of his films were filmed in British Columbia, including the latest sensational film, a comedy about North Korea, "Interview".
Avril Lavigne
The famous pop-punk-rock singer was born in Ontario, in a city called Belleville.
Justin Bieber
One of the most popular and probably hated singers of our time. He was born in London, which is in Ontario. By the way, many Canadians are not proud that Justin is a native of Canada. Read more in our article The list can be continued by such people as Evangeline Lilly (Evangeline Lilly), Ellen Page (Ellen Page), Michael Fox (Michael Fox), Nelly Furtado ( Nelly Furtado), Rachel McAdams, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Nielsen and others.
And who did we forget to mention in the list? Write in the comments!
