Music Biz Headlines, Sept. 16, 2021

By Kerry Doole

Feist on how becoming a Mom, losing her Dad inspired her to write a new album live

"I was bookended by what was just incredibly acute — you know, the beginning and end of life," she says of what led her to new performance series 'MULTITUDES.' – Kaelen Bell, Exclaim!

Justin Bieber wins artist of the year at star-packed MTV VMAs

Justin Bieber triumphantly returned to the stage as a performer and as winner of the artist of the year. Bieber won artist of the year and kicked off Sunday’s ceremony with an energetic performance that featured him rappelling from the ceiling of Barclays Center and launching into Stay with Kid LAROI and his single Ghost. – Jonathan Landrum, AP

Yangaroo signs multi-year agreement with Universal Music Canada

The aAgreement with UMC solidifies a longstanding relationship with Canada's largest record company. – Newsfile

Alanis Morissette says she was raped at 15 in new documentary Jagged

Alanis Morissette says in the new HBO documentary Jagged (now at TIFF) that she was raped multiple times as a 15-year-old — and that when she told people about it, no one did anything. – Tim Molloy, MovieMaker

Alanis Morissette blasts documentary ‘Jagged’ as ‘salacious’

Just hours before the HBO documentary Jagged was to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday, Alanis Morissette criticized the film about her life as “reductive” and “salacious.” Morissette participated in the film, directed by Alison Klayman, sitting for lengthy interviews.  – Jake Coyle, AP

Toronto jazz musician Jim Clayton attracted an international audience of 30K during the pandemic

After serenading the world with his own brand of jazz over the past 18 months, Jim Clayton is looking forward to his first live gig in a good long while. But it’s what the veteran award-winning jazz artist has been doing throughout Covid-19 that’s earned him plaudits from an appreciative international audience. – Bruce DeMara, Toronto Star

Dionne Warwick tells TIFF about meeting the late Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson

Legendary singer Dionne Warwick says she never got to work with the late Canadian jazz musician Oscar Peterson but knew him and thought he was a “magnificent pianist.” Both artists are featured at the Toronto International Film Festival in separate documentaries — “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over” and “Oscar Peterson: Black + White.” – Victoria Ahearn, CP

Toronto so far: It’s good to be back, but where's the buzz?

TIFF 2021: In a weird year, crowds are deliberately small and nothing has broken out as a sure-fire awards contender. – Steve Pond, The Wrap

What's In Your Fridge: Ida Nilsen

We ask interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators. Today we feature Ida Nilsen, singer-songwriter behind Great Aunt Ida. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

Weird connection made between folk horror and the Hip

Anybody heard about the connection between the cover art for the Tragically Hip's Trouble at the Henhouse album and the obscure 1983 folk-horror film Eyes of Fire? Me neither--at least not until today. The revelation came when I was interviewing director Kier-La Janisse about her new documentary, Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched. – Steve Newton, Georgia Straight

International

US recorded music revenues grew $1.5BN in H1 2021 vs the first half of 2020

The US recorded music market was off to a flying start in the first six months of 2021. Recorded music revenues in the US (money spent on streaming subscriptions, as well as physical and digital music), grew $1.5 billion or 27% year-on-year, to $7.1 billion in H1 2021 (from $5.6 billion in H1 2020). That's according to the RIAA, which confirmed these new stats Sept. 13 in its 2021 Mid-Year Music Industry Revenue Report. – Murray Stassen, MBW

Sir Lucian turns it up

With the UMG IPO approaching, we asked chieftain Sir Lucian Grainge a few questions about the biz landscape and the fortunes of his company. For some reason, he decided to answer them. – Hits Daily Double

Virtual artists are an opportunity for the music business - Not an enemy

Virtual beings aren’t a new idea (think Platinum-selling Gorillaz, or even Alvin and the Chipmunks). They differ from touring holograms, such as the infamous Tupac hologram at Coachella 2012. These are original creations, with their own identities. And thanks to a host of opportunities offered by the current digital landscape, virtual artists are poised for primetime unlike ever before. – Ian Simon, Spirit Bomb 

The Stones were reportedly forced to miss bandmate Charlie Watts’ funeral due to Covid travel protocols

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood were not able to attend the small private ceremony in Devon, England last week, because they were stuck in Boston, Massachusetts, where they are rehearsing for their rescheduled world tour, which begins in Missouri on 26 Sept. – WENN

Monkees’ Dolenz and Nesmith open farewell tour

Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith have begun what’s being billed as the Monkees’ Farewell Tour. The run was supposed to begin in April 2020 but the shows were postponed – twice – due to the pandemic. The 2021 tour began on September 10 and continues into November, and features “all the hits, deep cuts, and fan favorites.” – Best Classic Bands

Dr. Nicki Minaj tweets about swollen testicles and accidentally makes a powerful case for vaccine mandates

My heart goes out to Nicki Minaj’s cousin’s friend with the swollen testicles. This guy was minding his own business in Trinidad on Monday when, out of the blue, a global superstar blurted out a medical problem he’s having below the belt. – Vinay Menon, Toronto Star

Dr Anthony Fauci says Nicki Minaj Covid claims are complete rubbish

Nicki Minaj’s stupid Covid comment was completely false. Dr Anthony Fauci was asked by Jake Tapper on CNN if there was any evidence of reproductive issues from the Covid vaccine. – Noise11