Ottawa Music, and the Artists You Need to Know

Canada’s music scene has always been a unique star in the industry with much talent coming from artistic hubs like Toronto, but times are changing and the nation’s capital is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with as Ottawa’s music community is growing fiercely and making big waves.

Local Legends in the Making

 SVLM – Ottawa’s BIG FISH

Making huge splashes in the world of Hip-Hop, this ‘Big Fish’ has become somewhat of a master of creating hit after hit, racking in thousands and thousands of streams on Spotify and Apple Music. Having been featured on many high profile playlists such as ‘Hip-Hop Central’ and representing Canada on ‘Northern Bars,’ SVLM shows no sign of stopping in his pursuit to become a Hip-Hop legend. Check out his latest music video for ‘Big Fish,’ featuring a lavish LA dream.

KAM, a DARKK MOON rising

The self-proclaimed ‘DARKK MOON,’ KAM, currently resides in Ottawa and it’s where he’s been working tirelessly in crafting his artistic abilities whether it be in poetry, music, photography, or videography. Maintaining a very dark and eerie aesthetic, his work portrays a certain melancholy that feels almost tangible. 

With distinct versatility, KAM’s musical projects range from experimental low fi indie/alternative, to distortion infused emo-rap, to almost depression inducing R&B, all layered with piercing falsetto. And while the DARKK MOON himself leads the creative direction of all his projects, often shooting and editing his own photos and videos, what sets him apart from other Ottawa or even international artists is his ‘artistry and activism’ in which he dedicates all of the streaming proceeds earned from his projects to environmental initiatives. Most recently he helped combat the Amazon forest fires that devastated the ecosystem in August 2019. Stream his newest single 'BLEED' on Spotify.

 Jayen x District - Emotive Atmosphere

A powerful R&B duo that’s been slowly garnering a cult following in the dark R&B community that extends well beyond Ottawa’s geographical boundaries, Jayen and District are set to be icons in the genre. Capturing an emotive atmosphere, they seek to touch the fragmented hearts of listeners, especially in their recent collaborations with Teflon Saga and other dark R&B kings. Stream their October 2018 album here on Spotify.

 Matroninja - The Future of Future Bass

Emerging onto the Ottawa music scene just this year, Matfroninja has been making a name for himself, releasing music so consistently you’d think he’s got a full production team and label behind him, but that just goes to show his dedication and talent for EDM. With his tracks emanating a bouncy future bass flow coupled with melodic vibes, Matfroninja is set to release his first EP at the end of October 2019 with much hype around the what he’s got instore. Not only that, but he works hard at playlist curation and currently runs the ‘Canadian EDM’ playlist on Spotify, featuring all the names you know and the ones you need to know in the Canadian EDM scene.

 Carde Blanche, the Ghost

It would be a travesty to talk about Ottawa’s music scene and not mention one of its most talented members, Carde. While he doesn’t sing or credit himself with much production (although he is a also an excellent producer), his true calling is audio engineering, the craft that often gets overlooked yet is so critical to the creation of great music. This ghost is the mastermind behind the amazing production heard behind many of the city’s rising artists, including SVLM and Jayen x District whom were mentioned earlier, and his list of collaborators is seemingly endless. If there’s anyone to keep an eye on in Ottawa’s its Carde and whomever he’s working with, because they’ve surely got something cooking that the rest of the world direly wants more of. Follow him on Instagram to stay up to date with his latest projects.

 Other Rising Artists

 Verzache – Toronto

Residing in Toronto, just a few hours away from Ottawa, producer and singer Verzache is becoming an indie star with his frequent release of experimental acoustic tracks. Beginning as an electronic music producer, Verzache came into his own when he began singing indie with releases like ‘I Don’t Wanna Be Nothing’ that quickly picked up the number one spot on high traffic Spotfiy playlists like ‘Chill Vibes,’ which is where I stumbled upon his hit ‘January’ that still doesn’t seem to get old, even months later. Pioneering his own sound Verzache is a name you’ll likely hear more and more of in the indie pop community, especially as he’s set to tour with ‘bulow’ this fall.

 Jay portal – Hamilton

Representing southern Ontario’s Hamilton, Jay Portal has seemingly been flying under the radar while earning many spots on major Hip-Hop playlists on Spotify and generating thoughts of streams. Having a unique sound with almost punk-rap vocals delivered over trap beats, Portal produces and sings, making him a threat in the industry as him and his collective, ‘Glory Made,’ set out to take over. Being one of favourite artists and my most played artist on Spotify, it was necessary to mention him despite being a few hours out from Ottawa. Stream his summer 2019 EP here on Spotify.