advertisement
FYI

Songs Created At Kenekt Song Camps Released

SOCAN has hosted these fertile creative sessions in British Columbia, Québec, and Nicaragua in recent years. Some of the songs created at those camps are seeing the light of day with commercial releases, assisting the co-writers and performers, and their record companies and music publishers, in furthering their careers.

Songs Created At Kenekt Song Camps Released

By External Source

Over the past several years, SOCAN has organized and hosted its annual Kenekt Song Camps in British Columbia, Québec, and Nicaragua. Now, SOCAN is pleased and proud to report that some of the songs created at those camps are seeing the light of day with commercial releases, assisting the co-writers and performers, and their record companies and music publishers, in furthering their careers.


Begonia’s brand-new seasonal song, “It Won’t be Christmas (Till You’re Here)” – co-written with Wes Marksell and Jason Crouse of  Darcys – was created at the 2017 SOCAN Kenekt Song Camp on Pender Island, BC, inspired by community – and the cold.

advertisement

“Wes and Jason’s production room was in this beautiful cabin overlooking the ocean,” says Begonia (a.k.a. Alexa Dirks), “BUT IT HAD NO HEAT! We were drawing a blank on where to start that day, but we were freezing cold, so we let that inspire us and decided to write a Christmas song! We basically used every holiday-related word we could think of: mistletoe, snow, fire, gifts, reindeer, stockings… and CHRISTMAS, FIVE MILLION TIMES! We finished the song and showed the [full] songwriting group at the end of the day. A few people laughed, while others said that it was kind of annoying and that they couldn’t get the chorus out of their heads… I think this song reflects both our experience at the retreat, and the spirit of the holidays!”

Inspired more by the thought of a hot climate than the experience of a cold one, Samito, Rymz, and (with later contributions from Realmind and Connor Seidel) co-wrote “Sunny Day,” which became a hit for Rymz (feat. Samito) at the 2018 SOCAN Kenekt Quebec Song Camp, in Rabaska Lodge, on the shores of the Baskatong Lake, in the Laurentians. Maisonnette and Joyride publish the song.

advertisement

Continue reading the interview conducted by Howard Druckman on SOCAN’S Words and Music Website.

advertisement
Goldie Boutilier
Courtesy Photo

Goldie Boutilier

Awards

Goldie Boutilier Leads List of Nominees For 2026 East Coast Music Awards: Full List

Other leading contenders are Daniel James McFadyen, Mallory Johnson and Cassie and Maggie. This year's event follows a year shrouded in controversy.

The East Coast Music Awards are back after a year of controversy.

The 2025 edition of the East Coast Music Awards was surrounded by controversy over the firing of the previous East Coast Music Association CEO Blanche Israël. Several artists boycotted the association's awards show and conference and called for transparency about governance and the nomination processes. In March 2025, the trade org published a six-point action plan, and later appointed former Great Big Sea member Bob Hallett as the new Executive Director.

keep readingShow less
advertisement