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Waveland Transforms A Downtown Toronto Office Building For Black History Month

The music non-profit celebrated the start of February by transforming the Richmond-Adelaide Centre lobby into a celebration of Black music, art and culture.

Waveland Transforms A Downtown Toronto Office Building For Black History Month
Yasseen Ashri

A downtown Toronto office building became a hub of Black creativity last week.

On Thursday, Feb. 1, Waveland Canada, a subsidiary of Billboard Canada publisher Arts Help, hosted a Black History Month kickoff event at Richmond-Adelaide Centre in the Financial District – an intentional decision that brought Black art and culture into the heart of the city.


“It feels amazing to bring this type of event to a workplace, basically to transform an office lobby into a space for community, for culture, for art.” Claire Eastmond, the Community Manager at Oxford Properties Group tells Billboard Canada.

The free event was intentionally accessible and communal, bringing in guests of all kinds together to converse and enjoy live performances. Although the main attraction was the musical guests, a merchandise section offered an opportunity for visitors to support locally-owned Black businesses. Canadian caricaturist Bruce Outridge even offered free portraits.

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The night’s powerful performances – ranging from Kenn Lewis’ smooth steel drums, to Jasmine Kiara’s silky R&B vocals, and Desiree McKenzie’s striking spoken-word – created an upbeat and positive atmosphere. No matter who was on stage, people were smiling, laughing, dancing, and having a great time.

“The music is the most important part of it. We all love to dance, we love to celebrate, and music just brings everyone together. It’s something that everyone can feel good about,” guitarist Mario Posella, one of the event’s performers, says.

The night featured a large lineup of Black Canadian talents, such as Tova. Tova – who was nominated for R&B artist of the year at the Western Canada Music Awards in 2022 – released his new single “Willow” in November of last year, and has an upcoming project releasing in April.

“Black History Month is a celebration of love of art, Black culture, Black lives and history. It’s a moment to sit back and reflect on all the contributions to society black people have made historically, and those who will make contributions in the future,” Tova says.

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Check out a video of the highlights here:

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EMPIRE's Tina Davis (left) and Girl Connected's Lola Plaku at Conversations with the Pros at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto on March 28, 2025.
Courtesy of Girl Connected

EMPIRE's Tina Davis (left) and Girl Connected's Lola Plaku at Conversations with the Pros at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto on March 28, 2025.

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EMPIRE President Tina Davis Gives Strategic Advice to Women in Music at Girl Connected's New Speaker Series

On Friday (March 28), the president of EMPIRE, the Bay Area-independent label and music company, came to Toronto for Conversation with the Pros offering tangible advice to the mentorship program's community. Davis also spoke to Billboard Canada about her impressive journey in the industry.

Girl Connected has launched a new series that connects the next generation of women in Canadian music with powerhouse executives for the global industry.

On Friday (March 28), Tina Davis, president of EMPIRE, sat down with Girl Connected founder and music industry veteran Lola Plaku at Toronto Metropolitan University for the first in-person Canadian edition of Conversations with the Pros (Billboard Canada was a supporting partner). The series brings in inspiring music industry figures from Girl Connected's international network to talk about their journeys and offer actionable information and advice to help the budding music professionals develop their skills and reach the next level of their careers.

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