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Music Biz Headlines: Bruce Springsteen & Other Artists Speak Out Against ICE, Meryl Streep Cast as Joni Mitchell
Also this week: Charting UK rapper EsDeeKid's hype comes alive in Montreal, Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Aujla announce major Canadian concert dates and more.
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The two biggest stories of the week were the Grammy Awards on Sunday and the appearance of The Boss and Tom Morello at an anti-ICE rally in Minneapolis. The events were linked thematically, given that many of the Grammy-winning stars added their voices to the protest against ICE violence.
Read these stories and more in this week's roundup of music biz headlines of the week from Canada and beyond.
Canadian Music Biz Headlines
Spotify Removes Seemingly AI-Generated Songs Uploaded to Anne Murray's Profile
Four songs featuring a noticeably different voice appeared on the Canadian music legend's Spotify catalogue before being taken down days later. – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
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EsDeeKid Makes His Hype Come Alive at Floor-Shaking Montreal Concert
The viral Scouse rapper returned to the stage for the second leg of his Rebel tour after his major viral rise and chart breakthrough at Montreal's Théâtre Fairmount on Friday night (Jan. 30). – Stefano Rebuli, Billboard Canada
Humber Professor’s Grammy-Nominated Album is a 360-degree Love Letter to Toronto
Justin Gray is the first Canadian to ever be nominated in the best immersive album category — for a project brought to life with 38 Toronto artists from his own orbit. – Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
Hamilton Venue The Music Hall Will Be Ready For the Junos
After extensive upgrades to the flooring, the Music Hall in New Vision United Church will be ready to take a major role in Juno Week events. – Demar Grant, Hamilton Spectator
Diljit Dosanjh Announces ‘Aura’ North America Tour With Major Canadian Stadium Dates
The Punjabi star will return to Vancouver's BC Place and Toronto's Rogers Centre in April and May, where he first made history two years ago. He will also go to Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg plus U.S. dates at iconic venues like Madison Square Garden and Crypto.com Arena. – Peony Hirwani, Billboard Canada
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Karan Aujla to Play Arenas Across Canada on 2026 ‘P-Pop Culture’ Tour
The charting Punjabi-Canadian artist is coming home to play in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto this May. – Peony Hirwani, Billboard Canada
Meryl Streep To Play Joni Mitchell In New Biopic
The project had been stuck in development hell for years, but has finally secured the bag with an A-list casting. – Raph Regis, Billboard Philippines
Joni Mitchell and the Guitar That Traveled
Joni’s music is one of stylistic turns, but her acoustic guitar playing reveals an affection for jazz even in her earliest works. – Cassidy Sollazzo, Paste
Canadian Fans React to Tate McRae’s Team USA Winter Olympics Promo
The Calgary-born pop singer stars in the U.S. news network’s “Legendary February” campaign, representing America in advance of the Olympics opening ceremony on Feb. 6. – Heather Taylor-Singh, Billboard Canada
History, Reflection and Pride Make Aquakultre’s ‘1783’ a Must-Listen
History always has a way of informing the present, and Aquakultre has perfectly captured that feeling throughout his new album, 1783. Lance Sampson, the mind and soul behind Aquakultre, has wholeheartedly embraced his family’s history. – Brendyn Creamer, The Coast
Twenty Years Later, Rapper Shad Still Just Wants to Contribute to the Conversation
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Despite two decades in the music business, Shad emphasizes he doesn’t want to preoccupy himself with ego.– David Silverberg, Globe & Mail
International Music Biz Headlines
Billie Eilish Delivers a Pointed ‘F–k ICE’ in Grammys Speech: ‘No One Is Illegal on Stolen Land’
The singer's "Wildflower" won song of the year. – Gil Kaufman, Billboard
Donald Trump Slams Grammys, Threatens Lawsuit Over Trevor Noah Joke
In a lengthy post to Truth Social, Trump criticized the Grammys, the broadcast network CBS, and Trevor Noah. – Jessica Lynch, Billboard
Bad Bunny Calls Out ICE in Grammys Speech: ‘We Are Not Savages … We Are Humans’
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"The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love," he said after winning best música urbana album. – Jessica Roiz, Billboard
Bruce Springsteen Hits Out at ‘King Trump’ in New Song, Streets of Minneapolis
Song takes aim Trump’s ongoing immigration enforcement operations in the city and ends with chants of ‘ICE Out!’ – Globe & Mail
Bruce Springsteen and Tom Morello Rouse Anti-Fascist Fervor at First Ave
Fists were pumped, tears were cried, and 'fuck' was shouted at the Minneapolis anti-ICE rally we all needed. – Keith Harris, RacketMN
How Nicki Minaj Took MAGA by the Hand
Jarring as the alliance has seemed, it grew from a certain attitudinal resonance between the rapper and the president, each raised in Queens and bearing a sense of persecution, as well as some increasingly overlapping social circles. – Dan Adler, Vanity Fair
Universal and Suno are in a PR Battle Over 'Walled Gardens' in AI Music
A PR battle appears to be breaking out between the world's most prominent AI music company and the world's largest music rights company. – Music Business Worldwide
Syrian Rap Star Al Darwish Returns Home After 13 years to Perform in Post-Assad Damascus
Later that night, he would take the stage to perform his unapologetically political songs in his home country for the first time without the Assad dynasty in power. – Omar Sanadiki & Kareem Chehayeb, AP
Bruce Resnikoff has been promoted to Chairman of Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), the global catalog division of Universal Music Group., "Through more than 40 years of excellence at UMG," Resnikoff is "widely considered the architect of global recorded music catalog marketing," read the statement. – MBW
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Charli xcx Just Made a Mockumentary About Prepping for a ‘Brat’ tour. But Where Are the Laughs?
The pop superstar disappoints with the mirthless ‘The Moment,’ featuring Alexander Skarsgård as a buffoonish filmmaker. – Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Is Ween About to Get Back Together?
A cryptic Facebook post offers some new hope for fans of the offbeat band. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight
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