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Friends and Community Members Launch Fundraisers For Musicians Affected By L.A. Wildfires

Tim Darcy of the Canadian bands Cola and Ought, Zachary Cole Smith of the L.A. band DIIV, and pop duo Brijean are some of the many Los Angeles residents who have lost homes in the fires.

Firefighters watch the flames from the Palisades Fire burning a home during a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Firefighters watch the flames from the Palisades Fire burning a home during a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Apu Gomes/Getty Images

Friends and community are rallying to support musicians facing devastating losses in the Los Angeles wildfires.

Tim Darcy, of the Canadian rock groups Cola and Ought, lost his home in the Eaton Fire. A GoFundMe has been launched to support the musician and his partner Amy Fort.


"Amy and Tim are two of the kindest, most generous, talented, special, beautiful people. Let's come together and help them recover from this devastating event. We know they would do the same for us," states the GoFundMe.

Nearly 180,000 people are under evacuation in Los Angeles as fires rage in several neighbourhoods. Many musicians are sharing fundraisers for friends, collaborators and loved ones affected.

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Pop duo Brijean lost their home and music studio in the same Eaton Fire as Darcy. A GoFundMe is raising 70K for the couple. Fundraisers have also been set up to support rapper Anthony Obi, who releases music as Fat Tony, as well as Zachary Cole Smith of rock band DIIV, who lost his music gear with his home.

Musicians' advocacy group UMAW shared resources from Mutual Aid LA Network, with information about shelter, animal boarding and where to find free items.

MusiCares (which has pledged $1 million with the Recording Academy in aid for music professionals affected) is encouraging musicians affected by the fires to get in touch at musicaresrelief@musicares.org or 1-800-687-4227 for possible access to emergency funds.

The fires have also forced cancellation and postponement of major events including the Oscar nominations announcement. Find a full list here. Head here for a list of organizations providing relief for music industry workers.

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Billboard Canada 2025: The Covers
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Billboard Canada 2025: The Covers

Here are all of Billboard Canada’s covers of 2025, spotlighting artists, executives and career moments that shaped the year.

A Billboard Canada cover marks a moment when an artist, a career or an industry story reaches a point worth reflecting on. Across 2025, those moments ranged from chart-defining comebacks and first-ever interviews to farewell tours and leadership milestones that shaped Canada’s live and recorded music landscape. Each cover reflected not just who was in focus, but why that story mattered at that specific time.

This year was bookended by big Canadian rock comeback stories: Sum 41 calling it quits after one of their most successful albums, and Three Days Grace entering one of their highest-charting phases after a reunion with original lead singer Adam Gontier. It was a year of rising stars entering the next level, like The Beaches, and artists returning to their roots, like Daniel Caesar and his intimate show at NXNE 2025. And it was a major year for Live Nation, the dominant live promotions company that has helped turn Toronto into one of the biggest global touring markets.

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