Music Biz Headlines: William Prince, Nelly Furtado, Tate McRae, & More

Riding High Following a Career Year, William Prince is Feeling ‘More Ambitious Than Ever’

The Winnipeg-based country and folk singer is set to embark on a massive tour across Canada, which includes a February stop at Massey Hall. - Richie Assaly, Toronto Star

Nelly Furtado on How Drake, Her Friends and a Creative Fire Set Her Comeback Alight

Squished in the back seat of a ride share, Nelly Furtado was dreaming up her comeback single. - David Friend, CP

2024 Vancouver Concerts You Should Know About

Sure, Vancouver has been called No Fun City in the past, but there’s hardly a week that passes without a stellar concert happening somewhere in town. Check out who’s making concert tour stops in Vancouver in 2024. - Kristi Alexandra, Georgia Straight

Keith Urban, Pink, Metallica and the Boss: A Look at Edmonton's Biggest 2024 Concerts

There are a number of major concert highlights coming up in 2024, from rock to metal to country, including a special reunion of sorts. - Fish Griwkowsky, Edmonton Journal

Calgary's Brother Bicker Band Dives Into Shades of Roots, Country on Third Album

In 2018, Jeremy Hrdlicka went on a pilgrimage to Music City. - Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald

Rapper Handed Life Sentence for Two B.C. Murders in Case Featuring Musical Confession

Tyrel Nguyen was sentenced to two life sentences for first-degree murders. Under the stage name T-Sav, Tyrel Hieu George Mahoney Nguyen drew on his experiences as a gangster to make music. A B.C. Supreme Court judge found one of Nguyen's songs was essentially a thinly-veiled confession to a 2017 murder. - CBC

Toronto Rapper DijahSB is Ready To ‘Leave My Imprint On The Industry’

Fresh off the release of the a new album and a new publishing deal with Ninja Tune, DijahSB has set their sights on the global market. - Richie Assaly, Toronto Star

Tate McRae is The Next Taylor Swift, Plus More Breakout Stars of 2024

From the next blockbuster superhero to the next Nora Ephron, these talents will explode this year, shaping pop culture as we know it. - Sarah Laing, The Kit

Nick Schofield Predicts the Rise of Ambient Music in 2024: ‘It Has the Capacity to Open Our Minds'

The Gatineau-based producer and musician will release his third solo album, "Ambient Ensemble," on Feb. 9. -Richie Assaly, Toronto Star

Mark Your Calendar: Band Together to Benefit BC Children’s Hospital at the Rickshaw

Stop and think for a second about the way the members of Vancouver’s music community are not only there for each other, but always willing to rally for a good cause. One example: January 20 sees the Rickshaw playing host to Band Together, a fundraiser for BC Children’s Hospital. - Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight

International

TikTok Parent To Shut Down Music Streaming Service Resso in India

ByteDance is shutting down its premium music streaming service Resso in India on January 31. A ByteDance spokesperson confirmed the news and told MBW that "unfortunately, owing to local market conditions, we can no longer continue to serve users of Resso in India". - MBW

Universal Music to Cut 'Hundreds' of Employees in Q1, With Majority in Recorded Music Division

Bloomberg reported the news on January 12, citing ‘people with knowledge of the matter’. UMG’s recorded music division, Universal's largest division, ‘will be hit the hardest.’ -Bloomberg

Is Believe About to Come Off the Stock Market?

Could the Paris-based music company Believe be set to re-privatize? According to Reuters, the largest shareholders at the company are ‘exploring the possibility’. MBW’s own sources have confirmed in recent weeks that various discussions have taken place between the company and potential private investors. - Murray Stassen, MBW

These Songs and Recordings Are Now Free To Use: Public Domain Day 2024

As of January 1st, 2024, works from 1928 are open to use, as are sound recordings from 1923. The most famous work to become free this year is the film Steamboat Willie, featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse. But thousands of songs and sound recordings also entered the public domain. –Bruce Houghton, Hypebot

Why Is Mainstream Music Now So Sad?

Despite being an avid concert-goer, I had never seen anything like the crowd that Lauren Spencer Smith commanded that night And she’s not alone—there is a growing trend in mainstream music, and its popularity stems from a single emotion: sadness. - Angela Vanatter,Georgia Straight

Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park Looks Back

The frontman on coping with fame, losing his bandmate, and finding new fans 20 years on. - Harriet Gibsone, The Guardian

Are Divorce Albums Breaking New Ground? Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson, Kelsea Ballerini Make the Case

When the 2024 Grammy nominations were announced, one thing was immediately apparent: Women outpaced men in the major categories. - Maria Sherman,AP

Ariana Grande: Yes, And? Review – A Defiant Kiss-off to the Haters

The returning singer rebukes the prurient interest in her personal life. - Laura Snapes, The Guardian

The Woman Beside the Man in Black: Documentary Gives June Carter Cash Her Due

New documentary 'June' celebrates country music matriarch who had a career apart from her famous husband, Johnny Cash. - Nick Krewen, Toronto Star

Elton John Achieves Rare EGOT Status with Emmy Win For Concert Special

The famed British singer-pianist secured an Emmy Award on Monday night for best variety special (live) for “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium,” a three-hour concert documentary. John said he was “incredibly humbled” for joining the elite group of EGOT winners who have won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. - Jonathan Landrum Jr., AP