New Docuseries 'Sounds Black' Explores Impact of Black Music in Canada

A new docuseries is spotlighting the history and influence of Black music in Canada.

Sounds Black premieres on the HISTORY channel on February 1, kicking off Black History Month with a deep dive into Canadian music past and present.

The four-part series is written and directed by TV storyteller Cazhmere Downey — who also directed music videos for The Backstreet Boys and Kardinal Offishall. It features expert voices including R&B queen — and Billboard Canada Impact Award-winner — Jully Black, hip-hop groundbreaker Maestro Fresh Wes, singer and Broadway star Deborah Cox, and many more.

The project is a co-production of Corus Entertainment, Circle Blue Entertainment and Freddie Films. Episode 1 looks at the roots of Black music in Canada, from the Underground Railroad to 1960s Caribbean migration, with contributions from Shad, Director X and Kardinal Offishall.

Episode 2 takes a look at barriers in the industry and activism that promotes the recognition of Black art, while Episode 3 puts the focus on Black women in Canadian music, like Keshia Chanté, Michie Mee, and Jackie Shane. The conclusion brings things up to date with a look at the current state of Black music in Canada, including the global success of Drake and The Weeknd.

"This project is a celebration of resilience, innovation, and culture. Through our documentary we hope to inspire future generations and ensure that the rich history of Black music in Canada is recognized and celebrated,” say Amos Adetuyi of Circle Blue Entertainment and Floyd Kane of Freddie Films.

The docuseries comes on the heels of a report by ADVANCE, Canada's Black music business collective, emphasizing the immense value of Black music. The report highlights that Black musicians continue to face discrimination and systemic roadblocks to success in Canada's music industry.

The series also follows a CBC series called Paid In Full: The Battle for Black Music, which is streaming on CBC Gem now.

Sounds Black premieres Saturday, February 1 with two episodes at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET/PT on The HISTORY Channel and streaming on STACKTV. The remaining episodes air Saturday, February 8 at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET/PT.