Opinion: 5 x Artists To Watch 2022 (Toronto)
By Lavinia Tanzim
As capacity restrictions are lifted and the local music scene in Toronto springs back to life, we asked our new contributing writer to recommend five local artists to watch in 2022.
It’s been over two years since we’ve had a new voice writing for the website, so we’re pleased to announce that longtime Precision Record Pressing team member Lavinia Tanzim will be contributing to the blog throughout 2022. A lover of music and events, she’ll be covering a number of topics as well as highlighting some of the awesome vinyl projects that we’ve pressed recently over on the projects page. While the pandemic has been a tough time for the live music industry, artists have been busy working throughout the lockdowns and the creativity and productivity levels have never been higher. We asked Lavinia to highlight five artists who should be on your radar in 2022 and here’s who she chose.
DijahSB
It’s been an exciting couple of years for Hip-Hop in Toronto as rapper DijahSB (they/them) can attest to. While the world was slowing down, Dijah’s been on the come up since releasing their first two albums 2020 the Album and Head Above the Waters, with the latter receiving a nomination for the 2021 Polaris Music Prize Shortlist. From the perspective of a Black non-binary artist, Dijah’s music candidly speaks on the struggles of survival and depression that were familiar to so many of us trying to make it through the past few years, but packaged in bouncy beats and punchy hooks that can’t help but put a little spring in your step. Fresh off their latest release 2022 the EP, check out the track Daily.
Ceréna
A bastion of Toronto’s vibrant queer community, multidisciplinary artist Ceréna (she/they) released her debut album resurrection last year and has kept the world dancing throughout the pandemic. This album is a celebration of queer joy, created in the process of discovering her trans identity. It deals with themes of love, acceptance and resilience delivered through infectious pop anthems that we can’t get enough of. Also, as a member of Toronto’s ballroom scene (belonging to the Kiki House of Siriano) and one of the co-founders of Club Quarantine (hosting weekly queer zoom parties during lockdowns), they’ve supported essential spaces for the queer community to connect and thrive when opportunities to do so were so limited. While we wait to see what more Ceréna has in store for us, check out her Juno Award nominated song see below.
Joyia
In a city bursting with talent, Joyia (she/her) is one of Toronto’s best kept secrets. A songwriter, composer, DJ and producer, Joyia weaves emotional stories that are touching and relatable. Having received nods from CBC Radio, Complex and Exclaim!, her recent EP Baptism is an honest diorama into her life exploring matters of the heart while grappling with her spirituality. Her vocal talent is on full display, crooning over soulful moody soundscapes that effortlessly blend influences from R&B, Jazz and Hip-Hop. Give the song Meu Amor a listen and let Joyia bring you to absolution.
Mellow Fields
A lot of us have spent the lockdowns working out of our bedrooms during the pandemic, and the story is no different for electronic composer, producer and DJ Michael David (he/him), better known as Mellow Fields. Hailing from the suburbs of Toronto, there’s no doubt that his trancey synthwave beats take you on a journey. He masterfully builds complex melodies and rich sonic textures that transport you to a dreamy neon cyberspace straight out of a Tron movie, and we are delighted to be along for the ride! Don’t just take our word for it, experience the journey for yourself with his track Cascades.
Babygirl
Babygirl is the lovechild between Kiki Frances (she/her) and Cameron Breithaupt (he/him), making self-described “bubblegum emo” which essentially translates to dreamy bedroom pop songs with sad guitars. Together, they co-write snappy tunes that are sometimes bitter and sometimes sweet, but always sincere. Garnering acclaim from NPR, Noisey, Stereogum and more, their latest EP Losers Weepers continues their exploration of love, heartbreak and all the situationships in-between. No matter where you fall in that spectrum of feelings, there’s probably a Babygirl song for you. How do they make it look so easy? We’ll keep thinking about that while listening to their titular track Easy on repeat.
