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BILLBOARD CANADA FYI
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Matty Vogel
Sofia Camara
FYI
New & Upcoming Canadian Albums: Rising Pop Star Sofia Camara Releases 'Hard To Love' EP
This week also sees the release of albums by Vivek Shraya, The Besnard Lakes, Great Lake Swimmers, Babygirl and more.
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A strong and eclectic group of Canadian artists are releasing new music right before Thanksgiving weekend.
Rising pop star Sofia Camara has released her second EP of the year, Hard To Love, on Universal Music Canada and 21 Entertainment Group. The Toronto singer has been making a splash on the Billboard charts, recently earning her first Canadian Hot 100 entry after multiple on the Airplay charts.
Her charting track, "Girls Like You," is on this EP, along with previously released single "Parking Lot" and four other new tracks. Most songs are produced by Mike Wise, with co=production from Lowell and Nate Ferraro (part of the superstar team behind Beyoncé's hit "Texas Hold 'Em").
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Vivek Shraya is described as an artistic multi-hyphenate, having made a splash as an author (the best-selling book I’m Afraid of Men), playwright, visual artist, filmmaker and singer-songwriter. Her new solo album, New Models, is her 11th, and is typically adventurous.
For New Models, Shraya reunited with long-time producer-engineer James Bunton (Donovan Woods, Celeigh Cardinal, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson). Shraya states that “the challenges and questions he poses are always different with each project, which keeps things fresh. Here, there was a two-week period where I spent every evening demoing from 6 pm –11 pm, and it was such a generative and joyful experience." She performed at Montreal's Festival Phenomena last night and plays Toronto's Long Winter on Nov. 15, followed by Western Canada dates in Jan. Details here.
Acclaimed Montreal indie rock outfit The Besnard Lakes, still going strong more than 20 years into their career, make a welcome return with The Besnard Lakes Are the Ghost Nation. They were formed in 2003 by husband and wife duo Jace Lasek (now also a renowned producer) and Olga Goreas, and the pair remain at the heart of the group.
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The new effort is considered more upbeat than its predecessor, 2021’s The Besnard Lakes Are The Last Of The Great Thunderstorm Warnings. “The last record was so heavy, it was just death everywhere," Lasek reflects. "This album doesn’t really seem to be that. To me, it seems very playful.” Expect the band's signature lush soundscapes and vocal harmonies to remain.
They have early Nov. shows in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa and Montreal, followed by U.S. and U.K. dates. Itinerary here. Here is the latest single and video from the new album.
Here are some other Canadian artists with new releases this week:
Great Lake Swimmers, Caught Light
Carmen Toth, Fix the World
Rachel Cousins, What Hasn’t Killed Me
Babygirl, Stay Here Where It’s Warm,
Kate Wyatt, Murmurations
Valley Voice, Stars, Engines
Here is the full calendar of new Canadian music releases:
October
1: Beauty in the Riot, To Do
2: Madison Violet, The Best of Brenley & Lisa
2: Amy Millan, I Went To Find You (Redux) (Last Gang Records)
3: Robert Adam, Governed by the Seasons
3: The Penske File, Reprieve (Stomp Records)
3: Eucalyptus, Topology Of Time & Up Express Etc. (Telephone Explosion)
3: AV & The Inner City, S/T
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3: Deep Dark Woods, The Circle Remains (Victory Pool)
3: Laura Hickli, dark secrets ( ba da bing records)
3: Maria-Therese, Monarch
7: Carmen Toth, Fix the World
8: Matías Roden,, The Verdict
9: Babygirl, Stay Where It's Warm (Arts & Crafts)
9: Vivek Shraya, New Models (Twin Fang)
10: The Besnard Lakes, The Besnard Lakes Are the Ghost Nation (Full Time Hobby)
10: SHY FRiEND, Snaggletooth
10: Valley Voice, Stars, Engines (Elastic Recordings)
10: Rachel Cousins , What Hasn’t Killed Me (Scilly Cove Records)
10: Sofia Camara, Hard to Love (Universal Music Canada)
10: Valley Voice, Stars, Engines (Elastic Recordings)
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10: Kate Wyatt, Murmurations
10: Great Lake Swimmers, Caught Light
14: Seth Anderson, These Exact Days, These Peaceful Nights
15: Brodie Christ, Big Feelings
16: Fredy V & The Foundation, No Tribe No I (Moonsun Musik)
17: BirdBelly, The Wind The Wood
17: The Barr Brothers, Let It Hiss (Secret City)
17: Josh Ritchie, So Much More Than A Dream (Meriläinen Music)
17: bbno$, S/T
17: Rachel Bobbitt, Swimming Towards the Sand (Fantasy)
17: Oranje, In Irons
17: Royal Wood, Dear John (Cordova Bay Records)
17: Living Hour, Internal Drone Infinity (Paper Bag Records)
17: Beauts, Marigolds
17: Alix Fernz, Symphonie publicitaire sous influence
17: Terra Lightfoot - Home Front (Sonic Unyon)
17: Pleasure Craft, Ep3
17: Corey Payette, The Music From Starwalker
17: Bob Moses, BLINK
17: Larker, Romanticide (Finicky Records)
21: The Boojums, S/T (Having Fun/We Are Busy Bodies)
22: Clela Errington, Walkin' Each Other Home
23: Skinny Dyck, More Easy(Victory Pool)
24: Ark Identity, Deluxe Nightmare
24: Julianna Riolino, Echo In The Dust
24: John Borra, Last Dance at The E Room
24: Begonia, Fantasy Life (Birthday Cake Records)
24: Douance, À la prochaine
24: Alexandra Kay, Second Wind
24: Jerry Leger, Waves Of Desire (DevilDuck Records)
24: The Mendozaz, The Completely Fictional History Of This Great Nation of Canada
24: Jory Nash, The Light Still Shines On The Main
24: The Strumbellas, Burning Bridges Into Dust (Glassnote Records)
24: Alonekitty, Sad Not Sad
24: NADJIWAN, Now Is The Right Time Of Year
24: Bahamas, My Second Last Album
24: Rebecca Foon, Black Butterflies (Envision Records)
24: Noam Lemish, There’s beauty enough in being here
24: Anthony D’Alessandro, City Lights
24: Ouri, Daisy Cutter
29: Evan Redsky, THE LANGUAGE OF FISHERMEN
30: JEEN, For the Romance
30: Les Secrétaires Volantes, Méconium and Thermoplastique (double album vinyl)
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31: Shad, Start Anew (Secret City Records)
31: The Boojums, The Boojums (Having Fun Records / We Are Busy Bodies)
31: sundayclub, Bannatyne (Paper Bag Records)
31: THE 456, Life On The Head Of A Pin
31: Gaspard Eden, Crooked Lines (Coyote Records)
November
1: SHEBAD, Music is the Answer (Stripped)
3: His His, '25 (Victory Pool)
7: Jade Lemac, It's Always At Night (Warner Music Canada)
7: The Dears, Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful!, (Next Door Records)
7: Alexisonfire, Copies of Old Masters Volume 1
7: Duke & Goldie, Romance & Ramblin’
7: Days of Lavender, Already Everywhere
7: Niall Mutter, Silver
7: Noah Franche-Nolan, Rose-Anna (Cellar Music)
7: Eliana Cuevas & Jorge Glem, Mi Pequeña
7: Crasher, Odditi Populaire
7: Peter Katz, Everything Unfolding
11: KeAloha, My Book of Prayers
12: Eddie Schwartz, Film School
12: Rise Carmine, Come In Closer (Paper Bag Records)
14: Odonis Odonis, S/T ( Royal Mountain Records)
14: Austra, Chin Up Buttercup (Pink Fizz/Domino)
14: Yves Jarvis, All Cylinders (Deluxe) (In Next Door Records)
14: Hélène Barbier, Panorama ( Bonsound)
14: Gaspard Eden, Crooked Lines (Coyote Records)
14: Colter Wall, Memories And Empties Memories and Empties (La Honda Records)
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21: Raj Ramayya, Spice Oddity (Hopeful Tragedy Records)
21: Rheostatics, The Great Lakes Suite (Cordova Bay)
21: TUSH, Heavy Weather
December
1: The Jellyfish, S/T
26: Sean Stephens, Lest I Remember
January 2026
9: Calling All Captains, The Things That I’ve Lost Out (New Damage Records)
23: Jo Passed, Away (Youth Riot Records)
.30: Softcult, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow (Easy Life Records)
February
6: Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Laughter In Summer (Transgressive)
13: Boy Golden, Best of Our Possible Lives (Six Shooter Records)+
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