Ep. 27 "Charmain Dennison" (Keyboard Marketing Manager for Yamaha Canada)

Welcome to the episode 30 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

My guest today is none other than New England fiddler, folk singer & recording artist, Lissa Schneckenburger.

Over the last several decades Lissa has made music that has showcased everything from traditional New England dance tunes, to original songs inspired by her experience as a foster and adoptive parent. To date she has released 12 albums worldwide. 

Her latest album “Falling Forward” has blended her love of traditional music with her love of writing, in her first fiddle forward album in over a decade.

Raised in a small town in Maine, Schneckenburger grew up with music. She began playing fiddle at the age of six, inspired by her parent's interest in folk music. In 2001 she graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with a degree in Contemporary Improvisation. She has been writing, performing, and teaching music around the world ever since.

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Instagram: @lissafiddle

Web:  www.lissafiddle.com

Welcome to the episode 29 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

My guest today is none other than Live Sound Engineer, Singer, Songwriter & Artist... Joie.

Joie is a compelling presence in the music industry, merging talents as a singer-songwriter with technical prowess in live sound. Their musical journey, which took a professional turn in 2022, is marked by a lifelong engagement with music, culminating in a multifaceted career that spans performing and live sound engineering.

Interestingly, Joie hadn't initially considered a career in live sound. The decision came after a friend highlighted the need for greater diversity within the field, emphasizing the importance of representation for women, people of colour, and LGBTQ+ individuals in Toronto's music scene as audio technicians. This insight propelled Joie to explore the technical side of music, aiming to fill the gap and bring a fresh perspective to the industry.

Over the last year, Joie's work in live sound has taken them across Toronto Canada, working in venues such as The Rivoli, Burdock Brewery, and The Cameron House. Their technical role complements their identity as a singer-songwriter, where they craft songs that weave personal narratives with universal themes, resonating with a broad audience.

Joie's transition into music and live sound engineering not only highlights their adaptability and dedication to their craft, but also positions them as an advocate for inclusivity within the music industry. Their story reflects a commitment to personal growth, diversity, and expression through music, making Joie a standout artist in Toronto's vibrant music community.

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Instagram: @earthtojoie

Welcome to the episode 28 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

My guest today is none other than the current CEO of Music Publishers Canada, Margaret McGuffin.

Margaret’s career has focused on research and policy development related to the creative industries as well as strategic change management. 

She has worked with a large number of music industry trade organizations and collective management organizations, and currently sits on the boards of Theatre Museum of Canada, and on the Advisory Committee at MusiCounts.  She recently left the board of Work In Culture.

Margaret is always happy to talk about copyright or how music publishers are leading the way in making sure Canadian songs are heard around the world.  

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Western University and an MBA in Arts, Media and Entertainment Management from the Schulich School of Business.  

Margaret is an incredibly busy individual as you can see, and we are more than delighted that she said yes to being on this podcast!

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Instagram: @canmusicpub

Web: www.musicpublishing.ca

Welcome to the episode 27 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

My guest on this episode is none other than my good friend, and music industry legend, Charmain Dennison. 

With over 22 years of dedicated service at Yamaha Canada, Charmain's journey from a traditional conservatory piano student, to becoming Yamaha Canada’s Digital Musical Instrument product specialist, and eventually assuming the role of Yamaha Canada's Keyboard Marketing Manager, is a testament to her incredible resilience and unmatched passion.

As a music industry trailblazer, and one of the few women in her role, Charmain emphasizes the importance of breaking down barriers in the music industry.  

She is currently managing the largest grossing category in the business for Yamaha Canada, which is Keyboards, Digital Pianos and Synthesizers.

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Welcome to the episode 26 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

My guest on this episode is none other than one of my favourite songwriters, an excellent musician and very successful troubadour hailing all the way from the Netherlands... Anouk Balins

Anouk has been performing for many years for weddings, anniversaries, business events, birthdays and garden parties.  Her extensive repertoire consists of music from different decades in different styles such as rock, pop, easy listening, and Dutch music.

Her unique style of songwriting has been making waves over the last few years, inspiring all that have heard it.  Her lyrics go well beyond the traditional, and venture into the unexpected yet satisfying.

She is also a good friend of mine, and a beautiful soul.  You won't want to miss this emotional and heartfelt episode!

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Instagram: @anoukbalins

Web: www.soundcloud.com/anouk-balins

Welcome to the episode 25 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

My guest on this episode is none other than composer, producer, musician and artist extraordinaire EmmoLei Sankofa, whose work spans music, visual media, and fine art. 

EmmoLei’s original music can be heard on the stand-out comedy, “Three Ways” on Hulu, Season 3 of STARZ’s “Step Up” series, Lizzo’s Emmy-Award winning series, “Watch Out For the Big Grrrls” on Amazon, Shudder/AMC's horror anthology film “Horror Noire”, and 2023’s smash series on Hulu, “The Other Black Girl”.  These are just a few of her incredible credits! 

Emmolei is a 2021 Sundance Composers Lab Fellow, where she worked closely with Film and Television composers on her craft. The creative advisors for the intensive included Kathryn Bostic, Laura Karpman, Blake Neely, Heather McIntosh, George S. Clinton, Mychael Danna, Jeff Rona, and Christopher Willis. 

EmmoLei has also collaborated with some of the best emerging and award-winning filmmakers, including Jamal Dedeaux, Zandashé Brown, Rhea Dillion, Jonathan Lewis, Imani Dennison, Sekani Solomon, Ajiri Akpolo, and more. 

Her original music has been married to films screened at HBO, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Lionsgate, Warner Bros, the Oakland Museum of California, and film festivals in Miami, Martha’s Vineyard, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Savannah, Las Vegas, London, and beyond. 

EmmoLei has also worked with top brands like Nike, Vans, Buzzfeed, Pandora, Kamala Harris for the People, Pulse Films, and more via her creative audio company, Bèl Son.

EmmoLei’s discography encompasses over twenty-one independently released albums, EPs, and singles collectively, and embodies a mixture of genres but often integrates soul, jazz, classical, and rhythm & blues. Her single, Don’t Fight, was included on Adult Swim’s OPUS compilation album. As a musician, she has performed with Nelly, Ella Mai, Kurt Schneider, and more, and had her debut performance as a solo act on Mobley’s “Devil in a Daydream” Virtual Tour. An alum of The Recording Academy’s 2021 NEXT program, EmmoLei is an emerging talent and active voice among the next generation of music industry leaders. EmmoLei and her work have been featured on various platforms, including Lyrical Lemonade, LANDR, Saint Heron, OC Weekly, The Recording Academy, Gender Amplified, Billboard, and more.

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Instagram: @emmolei

Web: www.e-sankofa.com

Welcome to the episode 24 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

My guest on this episode is none other than New York City based DJ, Songwriter and Versatile Electronic & Dark Synth Artist BANGS.

Previously known as Georgi, BANGS quickly became a rising DJ, playing over 150 shows her first year worldwide.

After a few years in the DJ scene, Bangs decided to focus on making her own music, following her passion as a songwriter.

Known for her distinctive style, BANGS loves to draw inspiration from the 90’s punk scene.  She currently has two singles released through labels “Negative Gain” and “Revealed Recordings”, which you can find on all streaming services.

The coolest thing about doing this episode, is that BANGS and I are about to start working together on her next single, and this is my way of getting to know her a little bit better!

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Instagram: @bangsafterdark

Welcome to the episode 23 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

Today's episode features Toronto's own vocal powerhouse, songwriter, and actor extraordinaire, Martina Ortiz Luis.

Martina has held a reputation as a dynamic live performer. Dazzling audiences all over the country, she’s performed at local live-music venues like Toronto’s famous El Mocambo to Scotiabank Arena, where she became the first official anthem singer in Toronto Maple Leafs history, holding the position for six seasons (2016-2022). 

As an actor, she’s made appearances as a series regular in the People’s Choice Award-winning series, Wynonna Earp and starred in CBC Gem’s musical series “Topline”. 

Martina has recently wrapped a 3-month shoot in Northern Italy, joining an exciting young cast as a supporting lead in “Verona”, a new pop-musical feature film based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. 

Her new series “Most Dangerous Game: New York”, where she co-stars alongside Christoph Waltz, David Castañeda, and Anna Gunn, was released earlier this year and is now streaming on Roku. 

Her original songs can be found on all music streaming platforms, including her newest single, “Mad At Myself” (and so much more to come!). 

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Instagram: @martinaortizluis

Web: www.martinaortizluis.com

Welcome to the episode 22 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

Today's episode features the unstoppable and relentless Ebonnie Rowe - Founder & Executive Director of PhemPhat Entertainment Group & Producer of The Honey Jam Emerging Artist Development Program for young female artists of all cultures and musical genres.  

Founded in 1995, they provide promotional, mentoring, networking, educational and performance opportunities.

Artists such as Nelly Furtado, Melanie Fiona, Jully Black, Savannah Re, Haviah Mighty, LUKALA, Jordan Alexander, Leila Dey and many others performed early in their careers.  

Ebonnie has organized impactful experiences for these artists, such as songwriting camps, industry workshops, mentor cafe's, tickets to major artist concerts, opportunities to attend the Polaris, Juno and Grammy Awards, and sessions to learn from major artists such as Jessie Reyez, Estelle, Fefe Dobson, Marsha Ambrosius, Melanie Fiona, LeToya Luckett, Elle Varner, Erykah Badu, Janelle Monae and more.  The program creates a welcoming, supportive sisterhood and a safe space for young women to be vulnerable, to learn, to build self esteem and long-lasting relationships.

Ebonnie has participated in or moderated panels for CMW, Collision, RPSM Talks, Indie Week and more.   Her work with Honey Jam has been profiled on CBC, e-talk, Global TV, Canada AM, Muchmusic, ET Canada, MacLeans, The Toronto Star, National Post, Globe & Mail and many other publications and media outlets.  

She has been featured in books such as  “Canada 150 Women - Conversations with Leaders, Champions, and Luminaries”, and "Put Your Dreams First, Handle Your Entertainment Business".

Additionally, Ebonnie has received many awards including the prestigious “Roy Thompson Award of Recognition”, “CIMA's Trailblazer Award” and the “YWCA Woman of Distinction Award”.

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Instagram: @thehoneyjam

Web: www.honeyjam.com

Welcome to the episode 21 of "Women In The Music Industry", a podcast that shines a spotlight on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers and making their mark in an industry that has long been dominated by men.

Today's episode features my dear sweet friend, International Music Publisher & Songwriting Coach, Suzan Koç!

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Instagram: @suzkoc

Web: www.suzankoc.com