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FYI

Liz Lokre: Believe

The track starts with minimal energy with Lokre's voice gently edging us in, and then slowly builds to a crescendo with Christmas bells ringing out and a soulful-sounding choir towering over the top.

Liz Lokre: Believe

By Kerry Doole

Liz Lokre - "Believe" (Independent): It is always nice to come across a robust original holiday song, and this one certainly fits the bill.


The track starts with minimal energy with Lokre's voice gently edging us in, and then slowly builds to a crescendo with Christmas bells ringing out and a soulful-sounding choir towering over the top. A crisp sounding production comes courtesy of OVO Festival musical director Adrian X an ace guitarist who has worked extensively with the likes of Drake, The Weeknd, and Partynextdoor. 

Toronto vocalist/songwriter Lokre is enjoying a career breakthrough year, thanks to two online hit singles, “Buh Bye” and "Rise Up!” Together, they have registered close to a half million Spotify streams and over three million YouTube plays, and now "Believe" is racking up high numbers on its own.

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In keeping with the spirit of the season, she is donating the proceeds from "Believe" to The Red Door Family Shelter.

She has a show at Oakville's Studio Theatre on Dec. 16 and performs this song nationally on Global-TV's “The Morning Show” on the 22nd.

David Tysowski at Canvas Media is handling press. 

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Charlotte Day Wilson
Jessica Foley
Charlotte Day Wilson
Concerts

CNE 2026 Bell SOUNDSTAGE Lineup: Charlotte Day Wilson, JoJo, Finger Eleven and More

As part of its partnership with NXNE and a renewed focus on live music, CNE will also welcome a special soon-to-be revealed global headliner presented by Billboard Canada on Aug. 28.

The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) is embracing its musical roots with a high-profile lineup for 2026.

The beloved long-running fair, baptized The Ex by Torontonians, has unveiled the full list of artists who will be headlining the newly-named Bell SOUNDSTAGE at the Bandshell to celebrate the event's 147th edition. Canadian stars like Charlotte Day Wilson and Finger Eleven as well as international pop star JoJo have been added to this year's programming, which reflects a diverse mix of renowned names and rising stars across a multitude of genres including pop, hip-hop, Punjabi music and soca, among others. They join previously announced acts like Lights, Lupe Fiasco, Shaggy and more.

This year, the exhibition is partnering with Toronto music festival NXNE, to modernize its musical programming with chart-topping artists and newer acts, and revamping the Bandshell as the Bell SOUNDSTAGE. “Music is such a massive part of who we are,” Mark Holland, CEO of the CNE, told Billboard Canada in April during his Executive of the Week interview. "Connecting everybody to that is a democratic mission that we are really invested in."

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