Dion Todd

A vibrant new voice has emerged on the Canadian music scene. Dion Todd has generated an ever-more audible buzz, quickly becoming one of Canada’s top independent recording artists.
Born in the small town of Twillingate, Newfoundland, Dion has come a long way, geographically and creatively, since leaving his hometown at the age of 9. His nomadic tendencies may well reflect his Viking ancestry. Currently residing in Vancouver, he grew up in southwestern Ontario, has lived in 12 different cities in five different provinces in Canada, and has travelled to more than 25 countries around the world. Dion’s difficult childhood experiences have given him an insight of life, love, and loss that is evident in his music and songs. using his rural origins with urban influences, Dion has matured into a sophisticated, multi-talented, multi-faceted musician. Proficient in more than 14 different instruments, Dion’s versatility encompasses roles as a singer, songwriter, producer, musician, and entrepreneur.
Dion has been singing longer than he can remember. With encouragement from his mother, he auditioned for the world-renowned Cambridge Kiwanis Boys Choir at the age of nine and quickly became the choir’s boy soprano head soloist. At the ripe age of 12, Dion had his first taste of a recording studio when he recorded two solos on the choir’s Christmas recording Christmas Favourites. He travelled around the world with the choir, honing his skills as a singer and performer. At the age of 19, he was ranked as one of the top 10 young vocalists in Canada at the YTV vocal spotlight (an early version of Canadian Idol) and then started to venture into songwriting. Composing primarily emotional love ballads, Todd had found his passion. When approached by an award-winning dance producer who suggested turning one of his ballads into a dance song, Dion figured he had nothing to lose. A hit was spawned.
In 1998, Dion released his debut single, “Maybe”. This slow love ballad evolved into one of the biggest club hits of the year. Appearing on MC Mario’s label, Tycoon Records, “Maybe” appeared on numerous multi-platinum selling pop compilations. Charting on radio and club charts across the country, “Maybe” opened the door to performances on MuchMusic (Electric Circus), MusiquePlus (Bouge), and also gave Todd the opportunity to perform alongside some of the biggest names in the music industry (Destiny’s Child, Love Inc.,) and in front of huge crowds. The success of “Maybe” paved the way for Dion’s follow-up single, “Magic”. With an ECMA (East Coast Music Awards) nomination in 2000, Dion was well on his way to becoming a household name in Canadian dance music. Creative differences with his label surfaced, however, and Dion found himself working as an independent artist. While learning the importance of patience, Todd put his non-musical skills to work. Working as a national sales trainer for a major car manufacturer and, more recently, a regional director for one of the largest travel-related companies in Canada, Dion honed his skills as a successful businessman in the corporate world. Dion realized the only way he was going to make his musical dream come true was to take matters into his own hands. He did that by launching his own record label, Shyre Music Inc., in 2004. This enabled Todd to pursue his musical passions at his own pace while retaining full control over his music. This move has proved to be a very wise one.
In 2005, Dion unleashed his debut full-length album, distributed by MapleNationwide and Universal Music. The product of numerous Juno and even Grammy award-winning producers and engineers, Todd’s self-titled debut is an eclectic mix of 14 infectious pop tracks with multi-hit single potential. His musical and business prowess enabled him to enlist some of the biggest names in music production for his album. The impressive cast list includes Adam Royce (Jacksoul, Ghetto Concept, Laura Pausini), Alex Greggs (Britney Spears, N’Sync, Brandy), Bradley Damond (Love Inc.), Mark Ryan (Souldecision, Daze) and Marcus Kane (Houston, Snow, Glen Lewis). The first single, “Never Surrender,” left nothing to chance. A remake of Corey Hart’s 1985 mega hit, it catapulted to the top 50 CHR Canadian National radio play chart (BDS). Peaking at #31, the single remained on that chart for 13 consecutive weeks: a feat virtually unheard of for an independent artist in Canada. Charting on nearly every major top 40 club list in Canada, “Never Surrender” was featured on one of Canada’s best-selling pop compilations, Groove Station 11 from Sony BMG. It earned Dion his second of two ECMA nominations for 2005, and even attracted the attention and support of Corey Hart himself.
The release of Dion’s second single, “Well Rehearsed Good-bye”, demonstrates Todd’s ever-impressive versatility via the inclusion of a French version of the song as well as an urban remix with renowned rap