Organizers of the Third Annual SPEAK MUSIC Be Kind Festival – taking place on one night only, Saturday, February 12, 2022, as a free, virtual event, have announced another impressive lineup.
The 2022 edition - which includes artists Beny Esguerra, Kunle, Ian Lake, Sophie Lukacs, Moonfruits, Grainne Ryan, Tannis Slimmon, Julian Taylor, and Caroline Wiles – will be presented in pre-recorded video performances, via their festival website, linking to our SPEAK Music Be Kind YouTube channel and Facebook. Donations this year go to the Anishnawbe Health Foundation.
The 2022 edition continues the gender-balanced, diversity-supporting approach of the inaugural and second edition of the festival. Among the highly varied performers are: award-winning Beny Esguerra and New Tradition who incorporate hip-hop elements with Afro-Indigenous Colombian música-de-gaita, champeta and modern cumbia; Nigerian-born Kunle’s folk and soul music, which bridges contemporary styles with roots in West African rhythms and stories; Toronto-based Ian Lake, a gifted musician and performer with a voice that ranges from baritone, to the raw intimacy of a high falsetto, who’ll be releasing his debut album this spring; Montreal-based Sophie Lukacs a singer, composer and kora (a 21-stringed African instrument) player who's collaborated with some of the best-known Malian musicians, including Habib Koité.
Also featured, and fronted by partners Alex Millaire and Kaitlin Milroy, is Ottawa-based Moonfruits, bilingual makers of contemporary folk that mixes French and English organically, playfully, and intentionally; Grainne Ryan (whose first name is pronounced GRAWN-ya), a Canadian singer-songwriter who the press says sounds like Lucinda Williams, Joni Mitchell or even a slightly rebellious Mary Chapin Carpenter; Tannis Slimmon whose exceptional voice “full of gentle grace and unobtrusive dignity” (Penguin Eggs) can be heard on more than 100 albums including those by Willie P. Bennett, Valdy, David Francey and Rheostatics, and who’ll be joined by Lewis Melville; Major label veteran, Toronto music scene staple, musical chameleon, award-winning and double-JUNO-nominee Julian Taylor, whose versatility as a songwriter is his signature; and Caroline Wiles who sounds as if she’s exploding out of '70s AM radio, in a perfect combination of her husky, Ann Murray/Karen Carpenter voice and the poetic lyricism and Canadian sound of her hero, Gordon Lightfoot – who himself says her latest album Grateful has got "a lot of really strong material, wonderful vocals and harmonies."
There’s something for everyone to enjoy at the virtual SPEAK Music Be Kind Festival. It’s the ultimate event for anyone seeking new and exciting things to do during lockdown, and who want to contribute to a kind and respectful atmosphere.
Running Order
Grainne Ryan
Kunle
Caroline Wiles
Beny Esguerra
Sophie Lukacs
Ian Lake
Moonfruits
Tannis Slimmon
Julian Taylor
The SPEAK MUSIC Be Kind Festival is a non-profit Canadian music festival, with donations distributed to a different charity each year, held annually in Toronto, showcasing a diverse blend of Canadian music creators in performances and workshops. They endeavour to invite more kindness into our own lives and into the world.
Anishnawbe Health Foundation – An Indigenous-led registered charity that works to inspire donations and partnerships to support the health and wellness of the urban Indigenous Community, and to support the preservation and reclamation of traditional healing practices. The Foundation raises funds to enhance the services available at Anishnawbe Health Toronto (AHT), a fully accredited Community Health Centre that provides traditional healing within a multi-disciplinary health care model. aht.ca
Twitter: twitter.com/SPEAKMusicPR
Instagram: www.instagram.com/speakmusicpr
Youtube Channel: SPEAK Music Be Kind YouTube channel
Artist Line-Up Links
Beny Esguerra
Kunle
Ian Lake
Sophie Lukacs
Moonfruits
Grainne Ryan
Tannis Slimmon
Julian Taylor
Caroline Wiles
