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Canadian Podcast AMPLIFY Aims To Uplift Black Voices In The Music Industry

In its new second season, AMPLIFY shares the stories and experiences of prominent Black voices in Canadian music, from artists like Jully Black to executives, choreographers and producers.

​Jully Black

Canadian artist Jully Black, who's in the first episode of season two of AMPLIFY.

Courtesy of ADVANCE

A Canadian podcast dedicated to uplifting Black voices within the music business has released its second season. AMPLIFY, produced by Canadian Black Music Business Collective, ADVANCE, aims to educate and inspire underrepresented music workers navigating the entertainment and music industry.

ADVANCE was launched in 2020 by founders Vivian Barclay, Craig Mannix and Miro Oballa. As Black professionals in the music business, their goal was to create a space to increase Black presence in the industry. AMPLIFY is a product of this push for change.


Season 2 features interviews with people like artist Jully Black, Canada’s Drag Race choreographer and artistic director Hollywood Jade and Grammy nominated-producer LordQuest, as well as a number of Black executives from record labels and ADVANCE. Originally launched in 2022, the podcast’s second season will explore the teachings of guests and navigating the music industry by providing mentorship to aspiring Black Canadians.

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This season aims to widen the scope from its first set of episodes. Media personality Jesse Jones makes her return as narrator, while TV host Marieme Ndlaye will narrate two episodes in French that explore stories and experiences from a francophone lens within Canadian music.

“Offering conversations with an even more diverse lineup of guests with unique journeys, and expanding the conversations surrounding success, season two advances AMPLIFY's goal of being an accessible resource in our community with universal truths that all people can benefit from,” says Jones in a press release.

“It’s important for us as a part of the quilt of hip-hop, to understand we’re laying in the pages of history,” says Jully Black in episode one, which debuted on Oct. 5. “The next is now.”

First Steps, Big Dreams | AMPLIFY by ADVANCE Season 2 Episode 1

Amplify is currently airing on YouTube. Full audio episodes will come out Nov. 24 on all major podcast platforms.

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Coco Love Alcorn
Courtesy Photo

Coco Love Alcorn

FYI

Music News Digest: Music Community Rallies to Support Coco Love Alcorn Through Cancer Journey

Also this week: more trouble for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Toronto scene veteran Paul James turns 75 with a free hometown show at The Phoenix and a date is set for the first Canadian Blues Music Awards.

Canadian pop and jazz singer-songwriter and choir leader Coco Love Alcorn has just revealed that she is fighting an aggressive form of cancer. This will involve a long period of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and further surgery. Alcorn explains that "I have had to cancel all my touring, teaching, and performances for 2026 and my local choir is on hiatus till further notice. I also had 3 trips planned to BC this winter/spring to record my new album and that project is also on hold."

A GoFundMe campaign to assist her has been set up. Donate here. The rapid and generous response to her campaign reaffirms the peer respect she enjoys.

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