advertisement
FYI

Essentials with ... Sean Jones

Each week, Essentials allows Canadian musicians to share the things that have helped get through through the pandemic, and why they still can’t live without them. Here are the choices of a Juno-winning Toronto R&B star.

Essentials with ... Sean Jones

By Jason Schneider

Each week, Essentials allows Canadian musicians to share the things that have helped get through through the pandemic, and why they still can’t live without them.


Since his days as a member of Juno-winners In Essence, Toronto’s Sean Jones has been dedicated to making some of the best R&B Canada has to offer. He’s just released a new single, Weekend Lover, that’s set to appear on his latest album this fall, produced by Murray Daigle (Keshia Chante, Faber Drive), and described as an homage to a time when Kriss Kross and Bobby Brown ruled the airwaves.

It will be the long-overdue follow-up to Jones’s 2015 debut solo album, Waiting For Midnight, and the fruits of some serious writing Jones has done in the interim. The album promises something for everyone with a mix of fast and mid-tempo tracks, along with the obligatory slow jams.

advertisement

Weekend Lover definitely falls into the former category, and its retro feel is accentuated by a video directed by Brian Gregory that was shot at Jones’s long-time hangout spot, Scooter’s Roller Palace in Mississauga.

The single comes on the heels of Jones getting to treat his fans to two shows at Toronto’s Casa Loma, a far cry from the weekly summer-long Monday night residency he’s performed there since 2015, but nonetheless a small victory in the battle against covid. He’s already planning for a full-on return next summer, which should tie in nicely with his new album and give Canadian R&B everywhere something to look forward to.

Find out more at seanjonesmusic.com.

Essential Song: WizKid, Essence (on Made In Lagos, RCA, 2020)

Other than my new single Weekend Lover, which always puts me in a sweet mood, I’ve been listening to the unofficial song of the summer, WizKid’s Essence. Such a dope track; it’s just VIBES from start to finish.

advertisement

Essential Podcast:The Breakfast Club (iHeartRadio)

I listen to this quite a bit, especially to hear Charlemagne Tha God. The interviews are in-depth and real. Some important discussions happen on the daily.

Essential TV:Schitt’s Creek (CBC, 2015-2020)

I know I’m late to the party, but I just discovered Schitt’s Creek and it’s the funniest thing I’ve watched in a long time. The entire cast is incredible, but Catherine O’Hara is hilarious. Big fan!

Essential Movie(s): Marvel Cinematic Universe (Disney)

I’m not sure why, but I’ve started watching all the Marvel movies again. Black Panther, Infinity War and End Game are on repeat these days. I still think the original Superman movie is one of the best superhero movies ever made, but I do enjoy and appreciate what Marvel has accomplished with their body of work.

advertisement
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.

Record Labels

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.

keep readingShow less
advertisement