advertisement
FYI

James Barker Band: Never Be The Same

As part of its Spotify Single sessions, the gold-selling award-winning Canadian country group takes a song from an unlikely source, pop hitmaker Camila Cabello, and adds its own spin that includes a compelling video.

James Barker Band: Never Be The Same

By Kerry Doole

James Barker Band  - “Never Be The Same” (UMC): Pop hitmaker Camila Cabello may seem an unlikely source of a cover song for a top Canadian country act, but, in a smart move, The James Barker Band has done just that.


The group recently tackled Cabello’s massive 2017 hit, “Never Be The Same,” recording the cover at Toronto studio Revolution Recording, the first-ever Spotify Single session to be recorded in Canada and released globally.

A video for the track features World of Dance contestants Luka & Jenalyn, and the well-executed dance moves are integrated with performance footage that offers a nicely-paced depiction of the power of an addictive love affair. Sample lyric: "And I'm a sucker for the way that you move, babe And I could try to run, but it would be useless."

advertisement

In a label press release, lead singer James Barker explains the band’s connection: “We landed on this song because it is just a plain and simple HIT. The chorus melody just sounds like a smash. That melody would have been a hit no matter the genre or generation; it made our job pretty easy!”

Formed five years ago, The CCMA-winning James Barker Band has earned over 50M streams for its material, including four gold-certified singles. 

The group plays Gold Horse Casino in Lloydminster on Jan. 19 and has summer shows lined up.

Links

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Publicity: Allison Phillips, UMC

advertisement
Kneecap Blasts Norwegian Government at Oslo Festival, Accusing It of Funding ‘Genocide’ Against Palestinians
Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Mo Chara, DJ Provaí and Móglaí Bap of Kneecap performs on the West Holts Stage during during day four of Glastonbury Festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 28, 2025 in Glastonbury, England.

Music News

Kneecap Blasts Norwegian Government at Oslo Festival, Accusing It of Funding ‘Genocide’ Against Palestinians

The Irish rap trio went after the Norwegian government over its investments, which are currently under scrutiny, at Øyafestivalen.

Irish rap group Kneecap – which has drawn a storm of criticism, support, attention and legal action over the past half-year – continued to speak out about the war in Gaza during an afternoon set at the Øyafestivalen in Oslo, Norway, on Friday (Aug. 8).

Right before the trio of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí took the stage, an English-language white-text-on-black-background message played on a video screen, accusing the Norwegian government of “enabling” the “genocide” against the Palestinian people via investments held in the county’s sovereign wealth fund (referenced as “oil pension fund” in the message). “Over 80,000 people have been murdered by Israel in 21 months,” the band’s message continued. “Free Palestine.” The message was greeted readily by a cheering audience. Most estimates (including those from health officials in the area) place the Palestinian death toll at more than 60,000. That number does not distinguish between civilians and Hamas militants. An estimated 18,500 of those killed were children.

keep readingShow less
advertisement