Carousel Scene

To wrap up a productive year, Surrey’s own Carousel Scene hit the stage for their last show of 2016 at Studio Records on Granville. This particular performance was in celebration of the electro-pop group’s latest release, “Red Lipstick” (available on Apple Music, Bandcamp, and Spotify).

Carousel Scene had a packed 2016. Not only did they make the transition from alt-rock to pop, but they’ve had exciting releases and added new members to their lineup. Produced by synth man Terence Trusdale, each track from the 6-song set captured the band’s new sound in a different way.

Their 2016 finale had a family-like atmosphere, with the multi-talented Dianne Ocampo making her return after five months of travels. Her stand-in, Reid, joined the band on stage on percussion, bringing the whole squad back together. Their most dedicated fans and closest friends gathered to celebrate the year the band had, singing and dancing their way through their set. Always gracious performers, Carousel Scene showed the crowd that they appreciated all who came: whether it was through getting down in the pit, or flashing their beaming perma-smiles that couldn’t be contained.

Opening the show with “All We Do,” they kicked off on an upbeat note. The set continued with a good balance of electro-pop bangers (“Girls”) and slow jams (“Secrets”). Though they haven’t been pop for long, they’ve mastered their new sound quickly. Take their cover of Majid Jordan’s “Small Talk” – spicing up the song’s classic OVO Sound feel, the group put a Carousel Scene/’80s pop twist on the tune.

It’s tough to come up with solid adjectives for lead singer Ashley Weis’ unique vocals and engaging stage presence. To get an idea, she’s best described as a “purée of Billie Holiday, Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, Alex Turner, Karen O MJ, Julian Casablancas and Hayley Williams.” Guitarist Khalvin Canhe’s smooth backing vocals added new dimension to the set, and it’s great to see the band experimenting with each member’s talents.

With the band coming back together in time for the new release, 2017 is looking full-speed ahead for Carousel Scene. Hoping to hear plenty more new beats and catch many a body roll at shows they’ve got lined up for this year. - The Permanent Rain Press

Carousel Scene was playing as I settled in and everyone was crowded around the small stage. The lead singer, Ashley Weis, serenaded everyone over the perfectly synchronized band. She danced around the stage, totally intoxicating the audience with her honeyed voice. I figuratively melted when the band performed their most recent, and sexiest, single “Red Lipstick.” - CiTR Radio

Introducing the new Vancouver-based electronic/alt-pop quartet CAROUSEL SCENE which is comprised of singer Ashley Weis, guitarist Khalvin Canhe, producer Terence Trusdale, and multi-instrumentalist Dianne Ocampo who have known each other for years but only recently came together as a group and from there pure magic was made. With catchy melodies alongside mellow downtempo beats which are accompanied by Weis' ethereal and hypnotizing vocals, they create a sound that you can't help but get pulled into. Check out their dreamy and seductive latest single that I have had stuck on repeat "Red Lipstick" below - Musical Heart Beat

After more than 2,000 entries from across Canada, we're down to the Searchlight top 25. Comprised of one winner from each of the 23 regions, plus the two artists who got the most votes nationwide, these artists will compete for a slot in our televised finale.

To determine the top 25, we sent the industry panel our regional top 10 acts and asked them to rate them. Below, you'll see comments from the panelists alongside the winners. From here, we'll send the top 25 to our celebrity judges, Ruth B., Dan Kanter and Jarvis Church, who will help us pick three artists to move on to the finale. On top of that, one act with the highest amount of votes will also be invited to the final four to compete for the grand prize. You can vote for the top 25 artists until Friday, March 17, at 2:59 p.m. ET. Best of luck to everyone! - CBC Music