Tanika Charles

Canadian soul singer Tanika Charles first came amongst us with her catchy 'Endless Chain' a year or so ago. The tune was from her 'Soul Run' album which really took off after she licensed it to the Record Kicks label and that label has shown its confidence in Ms C by releasing her second full length album, 'The Gumption' which sonically takes off where 'Soul Run' ended... that's to say it delivers a punchy modern soul sound which at the same time pays huge respect to soul's golden age.

The 12 tracker has been produced by a team – DJ Kemo, Chin Injeti, Daniel Lee, Kevin Henkel and Marlon James. All are well-respected Canadian musos and despite their number the album has a real cohesion and unity – secured by Tanika's consistent and warm soulful delivery and the team's respect for old school soul values.

Amongst the album's highlights is the closing 'Always Restless' – a sweet ballad with the gentlest of atmospheres. Vocally it shows that Tanika is a real contender. 'Look At Us Now' is another ballad – slightly tougher, its flavour is redolent of classic Southern soul. The most striking of the up-tempo numbers is the Northern sounding 'Upside Down'. It's rough round the edges and sounds like it could have come from some 60's obscure US indie studio. In fact, that's this album's attraction ... it's honest and for real –a far cry from the polished, smooth soul that seems to win the airplay these days.

The album's title by the way is a reference to the opening lines of the opening track, the rolling, insistent 'Tell Me Something' but it also alludes to Tanika's stickabilty and her doggedness to deliver what she believes in.

Tanika Charles' 'The Gumption' will be officially released in May and you can learn more about Ms C by checking out our interview with her. Go to out interview archive

(BB) 4/5

Last Updated on Friday, 22 March 2019 15:35 - Soul and Jazz and Funk

BY TEREEFFE ON 10 OTTOBRE 2018 NEWS
La regina del soul canadese Tanika Charles in concerto in data unica in Italia al BIKO di Milano con un nuovo singolo in uscita.

La nuova stella della Soul music Canadese Tanika Charles si esibirà per la prima volta in Italia il prossimo 27 Ottobre all’Arci BIKO di Milano, in data unica Italiana e in chiusura del tour Europeo che toccherà anche Germania, Francia e Spagna. In occasione del nuovo tour è in uscita il 05 Ottobre anche il nuovo singolo di Tanika Charles dal titolo “Love Fool”, estratto dall’acclamato album d’esordio “Soul Run”.
Nata ad Edmonton, ma con radici a Trinidad e Tobago, cresciuta ascoltando Patti Labelle, Stevie Wonder e D’Angelo, in pochi anni Tanika Charles si è imposta come la stella nascente della scena soul canadese. Il suo disco di debutto “Soul Run”, prodotto da Slaka the Beatchild della BBE Records, più noto al grande pubblico per le sue collaborazioni con la superstar hip hop Drake, è stato pubblicato in tutto il mondo ad aprile 2017 su Record Kicks aggiudicandosi il Polaris Music Prize, prestigioso premio della critica canadese, e ricevendo una nomination ai Juno Awards, i Grammys canadesi, come disco R&b/Soul dell’anno insieme a The Weeknd. La rivista inglese Uncut l’ha definita “la cosà più cool uscita negli ultimi anni dal Canada dopo Drake” e la testata americana Afropunk ha parlato di una “ventata di aria fresca nella scena soul”. Dopo aver condiviso i palchi con Estelle, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill e Macy Gray e girato in lungo ed in largo il Nord America e l’Europa, Tanika Charles e i sui fedelissimi The Wonderfuls sbarcano finalmente in Italia in data unica per infiammare il palco del BIKO Milano.

L’occasione è quella del compleanno di Record Kicks, etichetta milanese che festeggia con il concerto dell’artista canadese 15 anni di vita. Attiva del 2003 e distribuita in tutto il modo la Record Kicks è tra le etichette di punta della scena “deep funk” e “retro soul” contemporanea. Fedele al motto “The Explosive Sound of Today’s Scene” nel corso degli anni ha lanciato artisti provenienti da ogni parte del globo, tra cui Hannah Williams, Marta Ren, Baby Charles, e Martha High & Osaka Monaurail e i nostri Calibro 35 e The Bluebeaters. Con un catalogo di oltre 200 uscite vanta il supporto di fan del calibro di Kenny Dope, Mr Scruff e non ultimo Jay-Z, grazie al quale la label milanese ha ricevuto una nomination agli ultimi Grammy Awards per via di “Late Nights And Heartbreak”, brano di Hannah Williams attorno al quale il rapper newyorkese ha costruito la titletrack del suo ultimo album ‘4:44’. - Lost In Groove

16 Fév 2018 - 0 commentaire
(Information : Les photos sont présentes après l’article et ne sont toujours pas libres de droits.)


Tanika Charles + Erotic Market
●●●
La Cave à Musique – Mâcon (71)
09/02/2018


Après une soirée électro, la Cave à Musique faisait la part belle à la soul / r&b vendredi dernier.

C’est le projet Erotic Market qui a ouvert la soirée. Déjà vu en 2013 dans cette même salle, le projet s’est depuis métamorphosé et repose sur les épaules de la chanteuse Rosemary Martins. Accompagnée de Bonetrips aux claviers et Nicolas Taite aux percus, les mâconnais ont pu découvrir la nouvelle ambiance du projet : moins pop, moins lisse et beaucoup plus r&b pêchu, pour ne pas déplaire. Avec un nouvel album prévu pour dans quelques semaines, cet Erotic Market 2.0 m’a largement convaincu et je poserai avec plaisir mes oreilles sur le futur CD !

Photo Erotic Market Cave à Musique Cavazik Mâcon 2018

Pourtant venue de Toronto, Tanika Charles n’a pas chômé pour réchauffer les spectateurs. Si elle s’était frotté au public des Transmusicales l’an dernier, les mâconnais venus découvrir cette soulgirl n’ont pas été déçu et pour cause : ça a vibré sous la voute ! L’ambiance florale sur scène enjolivait la soul canadienne qui a fait danser encore et encore la foule. Et pour cause pas moins de 2 rappels pour des musiciens ravis ! Même si la Cave n’était pas remplie, Mâcon a une fois de plus montré son côté chaleureux !

Photo Tanika Charles Cave à Musique Cavazik Mâcon 2018

Article/Photos : Fabien Dubois

TOUTES LES PHOTOS :

Tanika Charles
Photo Tanika Charles Cave à Musique Cavazik Mâcon 2018 - La Scene Maconnaise

TANIKA CHARLES
"Soul Run"
(Record Kicks, 2017)
4estrellas

Una referencia de 2017 que se nos quedó en el tintero y que de ninguna de las maneras se podía dejar pasar es el trabajo de la canadiense Tanika Charles. Al amparo del prestigioso sello milanés Record Kicks, la vocalista de Edmonton ha facturado un álbum de neo soul vibrante cargado de instantes personales y enérgica feminidad. Con su calida voz, adaptable a multitud de registros se ha ganado una merecida condición de estrella en la escena soul de su país, con nominación a los premios Juno (equiparables a los Grammy) incluida. En el pasado un disco de estas características la hubiera hecho traspasar el umbral del mainstream y su figura se codearia con las divas del género. A día de hoy le ha deparado eso sí, reconocimiento por parte de la crítica, un relativamente nutrido grupo de fans y una agenda repleta de actuaciones, que al fin y al cabo es lo que anhela toda buena artista.

Una intro algo inquietante (por su duración) es la antesala de la pieza que da nombre a todo el conjunto, "Soul Run", donde la intérprete de inescrutable peinado arranca con un tema de rítmica poderosa, casi como si claváramos pernos de acero en un suelo de madera. Canción con recorrido, tatareable y con crujiente capa de delicioso funk. Repostería fina, nada empalagosa, que nos permite saltar al tercer corte, "Two Steps", que desprende un sabor a r'n'b añejo estilo Memphis, espolvoreado con pop vainillado que no oculta un claro himno de reivindicación femenina muy alejado de los temas almabirados de los '60. Aquí la chica no necesita de ningún recio mozalbete para ser alguien y sentirse completa en la vida. De ahí cruzamos a "Sweet Memories" un medio tiempo de melodía alegre pero que nos deja regusto agridulce, todo ello enmarcado en una sencilla pero vigorosa instrumentación, donde destaca una fabulosa aportación de los metales. Justo después la narración se ralentiza para adentrarnos en los vaporosos coros de "More than a Man" uno de los momentos más logrados del disco, portentoso trabajo vocal que va meciendo un tema ligero que recuerda inevitablemente aquellos álbumes legendarios del gran Stevie Wonder de los primeros '70. "Money" baja el telón de la cara A, una pieza que si sonara en medio de un allnighter furioso podriamos atribuir facilmente a cualquier girl group de la era dorada del soul de Detroit.





El arco narrativo del disco se reanuda en "Love Fool" donde una instrumentación elegante y cierto aire tropical envuelve de nuevo un trabajo vocal impecable. El guiño al sonido Motown no es nada disimulado y eleva un punto la calidad del producto. Con "Heavy" volvemos a la calma y a la introspección pero sin ceder un ápice de intensidad, una parada obligada para lucimiento de la artista en un registro claramente más dramático y emotivo. El colorido reaparece con "Endless Chain" donde la factura clásica no pretende revivir el pasado sinó más bien ofrecer un sonido plenamente contemporáneo. La pretensión de sonar actual se mantiene con la estupenda "Waiting" un himno que transita sobre un ritmo sencillo con acertados arreglos que nos muestran una sana devoción por el pop atemporal. Cierra el álbum "Darkness and the Dawn" donde la coctelera se agita con calma con ingredientes de diversas épocas pero con el sabor plenamente de una composición del siglo XXI, un epílogo casi jazzy que nos deja con ganas de más. Una sensación que por desgracia se da pocas veces en la avalancha permanente de lanzamientos que acumulamos en nuestros dispositivos de escucha.

Definitivamente, disco a tener en cuenta, nuevo acierto del bueno de Nico Pozzoli al incluir a Tanika Charles en su ya laureada escuderia. Un ejemplo para seguir confiando en estos artistas que nos mantienen activos, vitales y alegres en éste valle de lágrimas mientras vamos al trabajo, a clase o cuando corremos por el parque. "Soul Run" puede convertirse en un magnífico acompañante para esos momentos. Disfrútenlo.

Tracklist:

1. Intro 01:11
2. Soul Run 03:28
3. Two Steps 03:46
4. Sweet Memories 03:46
5. More Than a Man 03:34
6. Money 02:53
7. Love Fool 03:17
8. Heavy 03:28
9. Endless Chain 03:49
10. Waiting 03:28
11. Darkness and the Dawn 04:02 - Soul Spain

22 FÉVRIER 2017 - 1284 VUES

Le coup de coeur de la rédaction cette semaine, c'est Tanika Charles avec son dernier clip "Soul Run", un morceau hyper énergique, elle réinvente la soul moderne. Après l'EP "What! What? What!? en 2010, elle reviendra le 7 avril prochain avec son premier disque "Soul Run" qui s'annonce très très bon. La chanteuse a déjà un bon CV surtout côté scène car elle a mis le feu sur les premières parties d'Estelle, Mayer Hawthorne, Haitus Kayote, Lauryn Hill, Bendouin Soundclash et Macy Gray.



Par : Eddy - Soul Addict

Everybody has a dream and not everybody gets there, but Tanika Charles isn’t letting anything hold her back. In her new single “Soul Run,” Tanika is pressing towards the mark, leaving behind the fear and embracing the uncertainty of forging her own path. Tanika said, “The video depicts me leaving me day job to pursue my passion, Soul Run is about empowerment. After being locked down in a suffocating relationship (kind of like a 9-5 that you aren’t happy with) I decided to leave. No need to remain unhappy. Live your fullest life. Be your truest self.” If you need a song for motivation to leave a situation or space that is holding you back, watch “Soul Run” and spread your wings! - Afropunk

Female musicians earn their wings in Canada and abroad
Bria Skonberg, Tanika Charles, Reeny Smith among breakout stars

Postmedia News Published: July 10, 2017 - 5:42 PM
Reeny Smith
Reeny Smith Photo: Handout
James W. Wood

The media can be full of stereotypes wherever we look: from the beatnik jazz poet with dark glasses and beret to some sultry R&B vixen showing out on the video for her latest track. Indeed, female musicians are often more susceptible to stereotyping than males in an industry guilty of concentrating on image more than substance, particularly when it comes to selling units.

Happily, there’s a new generation of female musicians emerging across Canada that challenges preconceptions about musical genres, and the way women are portrayed by the music business. They’re also forging international reputations with major recording labels. For all that these young women are on the path to international success, they’re adamant that hailing from the Great White North has made them what they are today.

Bria Skonberg, a native of Chiliwack and winner of the 2017 Juno award for outstanding vocal jazz album, now lives in Manhattan and tours across the United States, having just released her second album, With a Twist, on Sony Masterworks. Despite her touring schedule and teaching commitments, she retains a strong sense of her Canadian identity — as she puts it with a laugh, “I always tell my audiences I’m from the jazz metropolis of Chiliwack, B.C.!”

Skonberg returns to B.C.’s Fraser Valley at least twice a year to visit family and undertake educational outreach work in local schools. “I left Canada to live in New York because I wanted to feel uncomfortable, and to keep growing creatively,” Skonberg reveals. “New York is the best place for me right now for so many reasons — but I still feel grounded and connected to my roots in Canada.”

Bria Skonberg
Bria Skonberg [Handout]
As for being a woman in the traditionally male-dominated world of jazz, Skonberg says, “A lot of women have worked hard for a long time to get female musicians’ respect. By the time I came on the scene, my teachers were always treating me as an equal. You know, if you can play and hang out, the gender thing is just a side issue. I’m not pretending there aren’t challenges to being a woman in jazz, but when you look at what early pioneers like (1940s trumpeter) Valaida Snow went through, I feel really comfortable with the scene now.”
Another emerging artist who praises Canada for creating opportunities for her career is soul singer Tanika Charles. Born in Toronto and raised in Edmonton, Charles returned to Toronto to further her musical career, and credits her Canadian background with creating “a more open and welcoming environment” for her to explore her talents. Charles specifies: “Being a Canadian does not influence my music – but it does allow me not to be put in a box compared to artists from other backgrounds.”

The last five years have seen Charles’ profile rise quickly, both in Canada and internationally. A Juno nomination in 2010 “got more people listening to my music and enabled me to start performing at bigger venues,” such as London’s famed 100 Club on Oxford Street, and other locations in the U.K. and France. A record deal with Italian soul label Record Kicks followed, and the last three months have been something of a whirlwind, with a second Juno nomination in February followed by the release of her new album, Soul Run, in April and a new single, Endless Chain, in May.

Tanika Charles
Tanika Charles [Handout]
She also got to support one of her musical heroes, Lauryn Hill, at Toronto’s Massey Hall, an experience she describes as “a dream. This last year has been wonderful and a blessing for me, managing to balance the workload and a personal life.”
And that workload shows no signs of being reduced any time soon, with appearances on the festival circuit across North America planned for this summer, and a second European tour in December 2017, followed by further European dates in early 2018.

Relocation is not on the agenda right now for Nova Scotia-based R&B artist Reeny Smith, whose family and background have played a huge part in forming her identity as an artist and in forging her career: “My Dad was in a gospel group for 20 years and travelled all over Canada and the U.S. My mother was a singer who played in a band with (renowned Nova Scotia blues artist) Carson Downey,” Smith reveals. “So music was a real part of our family when I was growing up.”

Smith’s work has been garlanded with many awards in her native Nova Scotia, and like Tanika Charles, she credits these awards for opening up opportunities for her to play to wider audiences and record with different artists. Her burgeoning career notwithstanding, Smith says she has no plans to leave her native province just yet: “Right now, I’m staying in Nova Scotia. You know, Atlantic Canada has this rep for folk or singer-songwriters, but there is a great R&B scene in Halifax!” - Canada.com

Tanika Charles on a roll; heading to Sudbury
By Postmedia News By Postmedia News
More from By Postmedia News

Ten years ago, Tanika Charles found herself sitting on a farm about an hour east of Edmonton looking for the courage to end "an emotionally challenging relationship." By her own admission, she tried to steal her ex-fiance’s truck "to get away," but finally had to call her brother for a ride because she couldn’t drive a standard transmission.

"It’s all quite funny when you think about it," she admits, "but when I was in it, it was stressful."

After recouping with family in Edmonton, Charles kept going, driving across Canada to re-settle in Toronto where she hoped to start a career in some branch of show business, maybe comedy.

A decade later, the singer is being celebrated for Soul Run, an uptempo pop-soul number about that day she left the farm. Soul Run is also the title of Charles’ remarkable first full-length album.

Released last spring, it was nominated for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year in the Juno Awards, the only nod to a female performer in that category.

"There was a lot to talk about, a lot to release, but I feel like we’ve all experienced so much, why not talk about it if you’re comfortable enough?," Charles said. "Everything that’s happened since is just a beautiful thing. I’m starting to reap the benefits of a lot of hard work, but it feels like a drop in a pond, like it all happened so fast."

Next week, Charles is in Sudbury for a show Sept. 8, as one of the featured act for Sudbury Jazz Festival.

Charles had virtually no musical experience before she left Alberta in 2007, beyond playing trombone in high school band class (she’s taking it up again for fun). She was raised largely around her dad’s jazz record collection and singers like Stevie Wonder, Patti Labelle and Bjork, and used to sing harmonies to those tunes, but never imagined it would lead to this. Then, after the move east, she auditioned for work as a backing singer, working for two years with Bedouin Soundclash, and on later tours with Zaki Ibrahim, Macy Gray, Emmanuel Jal and others.

"It was comfortable. You don’t have to worry about all the details and getting the band together to rehearse, all the work. It taught me to be on time. But now, if I’m not performing with my band, I start feeling antsy and anxious."

More recently, Charles was on stage touring with the music theatre production Freedom Singer, and while she enjoyed that opportunity, she’s clearly committed to furthering her own sounds and setting up some extended touring.

Soul Run should fix that. Created with a handful of producers and co-writers, her band and her own overdubbed backing vocals, it’s a surprisingly cohesive hybrid of contemporary soul with some great hooks and lively retro touches that echo Motown and classic 1960s’ soul.

Charles credits "some pretty great producers and good friends" from Soul Run, including key overseer Slakah The Beatchild and songwriting collaborators Ian James Jones and Robert Bolton, but she emphasizes the songs come from real life experience. While a few numbers, like Soul Run, the slinky Heavy, and the closing Darkness and the Dawn, take on difficult times, the overall tone of the album grabs you with its uplifting vibe.

sud.editorial@sunmedia.ca - The Sudbury Star

Tanika Charles

For people who don’t know you in the UK, who is Tanika Charles?
Singer/songwriter, beat junkie from Toronto

Where are you from/based?
Born in Toronto to Trinidadian parents, raised in Edmonton… moved back to Toronto.

Have you always wanted to be a singer?
I love singing, buuuuut always thought I’d be a comedienne.

What genre of music would you be on the iTunes library?
Soul/R&B

Do you write your own material?
Yes, but I’m also a huge fan of collaborating.

Who would you love to duet with?
Frank Ocean, Nai Palm (Hiatus Kaiyote) D’Angelo

Who chooses your stage outfits?
Myself. Often I have an idea of a look that I’d like to achieve. If it isn’t already in my closet, I’ll source out designers.

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
Oh my gosh… Where do I start?! Being nominated alongside The Weeknd, DVSN & Partnextdoor for the 2017 R&B/Soul Juno Award.


Locced since 2009. Photography by Zahra Siddiqui
We love your locs, how long have you had them
Thank you! Since 2009..I think.

Have you always been a natural girl?
My hair journey, my goodness. No, I straightened my hair for years, weaves occasionally (for a change, ha!) Just decided, enough! Put in extensions and left them in for WAY TOO LONG! When my stylist took them out she said, “Welp, you can start locs if you want to..” she cleaned them up and here we are!

What do you think of the natural hair movement?
Natural hair gives one a sense of empowerment. We grow up our entire black lives believing straight, long, shiny hair is better. So we do whatever is necessary to manipulate the kink in our hair. However, if you can rock a wig/weave/braids/faux locs etc… Go forth with confidence! At the end of the day, I’m not here to judge.

Who does your hair?
I twist my hair. No interlocking. Every 2 weeks or so, I’ll see my barber for the side shave and get a design. When performing, I love putting my hair in Petal locs (also a great protective hairstyle) or a side victory roll with a braid up the back.

Describe your haircare regime (shampoos, etc)
Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Shampoo and Conditioner. I re-twist my Locs with Royall 4-N-1 Hair treatment!

You’ve got an undercut (shaved off one side), was it a daunting/scary/liberating/bad idea?
I shaved the one side because I felt my hair was thinning out, to be completely honest. Let me tell you, I had to fight with myself to not want to shave the whole thing. It felt so good.

What’s your favourite loc style?
Petal locs!


Favourite style – loc petals
Fave hair products?
Shea Moisture!

Do you have a locstar crush?
Claire Sulmers

On the desert island, which three items couldn’t you be without?
Coconut oil, water and funny reading material.

Designer or chain store?
Chain all day!

Heels or flats?
Heels

Fave perfume?
Omg. I’m obsessed with scents to begin with! I wear Angel or I scour cities for the now discontinued Dolce & Gabbana (the one in the red velvet box)

Where can we find you?
tanikacharles.com Has everything you need, truly.
Twitter
Instagram
Facebook

Tanika’s album ‘Soul Run’ is coming out on April 7th via Record Kicks - Black Beauty

Tanika Charles tells the 'embarrassing' but triumphant story behind 'Soul Run'

Tanika Charles performing at q's live show at Bronson Centre Theatre on Thursday, March 30, 2017. (Michel Aspirot)

Juno-nominated artist Tanika Charles stopped by q's live show to perform the title track from her latest album, Soul Run, last night at the Bronson Centre Theatre.

After performing the track, Charles told the story behind the powerful track.

"I was in a relationship that was questionable and I packed all my things in the middle of the night," she tells Tom Power. "I saw the truck, put everything in there, keys in the ignition.... I didn't know how to drive stick.

"So I got as far as the top of the driveway and I had to get my brother to pick me up. It was really embarrassing but I got out and all is good!" - CBC Radio

Soulstress Tanika Charles Shares New Song "Two Steps" (premiere)

Canadian soulstress Tanika Charles aims her music at international audiences on her break-out debut album, Soul Run.

Sarah Zupko31 Mar 2017

Coming from a musical family in Edmonton, Canadian soulstress Tanika Charles was encouraged by her talented brother to begin singing and recording. Charles grew up singing, but never considered it as a possible career. However, the encouragement helped unleash her latent musical abilities. After a move to Toronto, Charles began working within the musical community there, and she has risen to be one of the leading lights in the Toronto soul scene and Canada at large.

Now Tanika Charles is ready to go international with debut album Soul Run releasing April 7th via Record Kicks. The record was produced by Slakah the Beatchild who has worked with Drake and others. Charles is in the Northern soul camp, possessing a sizable Motown influence blended with contemporary sounds. She and her music are utterly irresistible as you'll hear on her new song "Two Steps" that we're premiering today. Charles tells us that the song "is about that old ex sniffing around, trying to get back into your good books, back into your life any way they can. They’re trying to be all friendly, feeding you all the right lines, but you’ve done this dance before. It’s flattering and all, but no thanks. I’m good. Bye!" - Pop Matters

Joshua Ostroff

"Welcome to unceded Algonquin territory."

That was how Canadian Cree icon Buffy Sainte-Marie opened the 2017 Juno Awards in Ottawa before introducing three-time nominees, and Producers of the Year winners, A Tribe Called Red.

The local indigenous DJ trio's incredible opening performance began with a traditional drum circle before the beat dropped, a voice boomed out "we are not a conquered people," the powwow chants rose and traditional dancers filled the stage with movement and colour.

Then, as if that wasn't enough, Inuit superstar Tanya Tagaq emerged in a red dress and her throat singing blew up the Canadian Tire Centre.

There was power in the blood.

Award shows have taken a lot of guff lately for their lack of diversity as social media facilitates hashtags like #OscarsSoWhite.

"The fact that it’s being noticed for the first time is a massive step in the right direction," A Tribe Called Red's Ian Campeau told HuffPost Canada during the Saturday night gala following their win.

"Realizing that diversity isn't necessarily a scary thing and that having different perspectives and different stories to tell is huge. That's what's going to progress society."

The Junos have gotten better at reflecting that racial diversity, facilitated by the fact that the world's biggest pop stars are Drake and the Weeknd, while Tribe have become international dance heroes alongside Kaytranada, a black French-Canadian who bested them in the electronic album category.

But the awards got their own protest hashtag when Tegan and Sarah tweeted out #JunosSoMale to draw attention to the gender disparity.

Backstage, July Talk's Leah Fay was asked about the controversy and she said "We live in a patriarchal society and there’s a lot of voices that need to be elevated and a lot of people who need to STFU."

This is a perspective with which Campeau agrees.

"Let’s bring women into this, and women of colour into this," said Campeau. "This is what’s extremely important, having voices like Alessia Cara's track 'Here,' writing this really dope thing about how I don't feel safe, I don't feel cool, this party sucks, I don't know why I’m here.

"It’s such a perspective that I’ve never seen. Having women of colour specifically being celebrated in Canada is very important and we need to do more of that."

And the Junos delivered, with Cara winning a well-deserved Pop Album of the Year for "Know-It-All" while a young woman of colour, Edmonton's Ruth B, took home Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

"How many stories can white dudes with guitars say? That story’s been told so often," Campeau added. "Now I want to hear Alessia Cara's perspective on what her party is like instead of the drunk dude that's always raging."

Not that there wasn't still a lot of white guitar dude celebrations going on — the Junos literally ended with an all-star "Summer of '69," jam while the Tragically Hip won Best Rock Album at the Saturday night gala and Group of the Year on the telecast.

But Gord Downie's "Secret Path" album, which told the story of residential school tragedy Chanie Wenjack, also garnered him Adult Alternative Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year.

The singer, who has incurable brain cancer, sent a video acceptance speech in which he thanked us all "for recognizing that we’re not completely Canada yet. For seeing we have friends, our fellow countrymen and women, who are in big trouble. For recognizing our friends who were here before us, at least for thousands of years. First Nations have many many stories like this. This award is for all of us ... all of us bent on trying."

Co-host Russell Peters made a point of noting that Canada's 150th birthday was really 150 AW -- or "After White" -- while the Arkells, 2015's big winners, performed their song "Drake's Dad" (about that time they met Drake's dad) with an all-black gospel choir.

It was a reminder of how the weekend started during the Ole Playlist Live party in Gatineau., Que. where the weekend first achieved #PeakCanada by crossing cultures.

Everyone was doing Canadian covers, and so Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy sang the Hip's "Bobcaygeon" and Billy Talent's Ben Kowalewicz sang "Nautical Disaster" and a tuque-wearing Sam Roberts sang a Gordon Lightfoot song about railroads.

But there was also Tanika Charles singing Esthero's trip-hop classic "That Girl" and children's performer Fred Penner singing k-os' "Crabbuckit" and hip-hop legend Michie Mee performing her Can-rap classic "Jamaican Funk."

What felt organic from that night, and from the rest of the Junos, too, was that no matter how bad the backlash against inclusion has grown in recent months, Canadian music seems to acknowledge that going to separate corners is not the answer.

This attitude has been best exemplified by A Tribe Called Red.

"We're a decent doorway for indigenous Canada to be able to have access to mainstream music and a good way to check out powwow music for non-indigenous people, and create conversations. Seeing both of those demographics experiencing a meaningful thing at our show is important," Campeau said.

"It’s important that we all start hanging out with each other."

Also on HuffPost

Photo gallery Junos 2017 Red Carpet Photos See Gallery - Huffington Post

Butta April 3, 2017 | 12:00 pm

Toronto has long been a wellspring of musical talent. A number of artists from The 6 proliferate our playlists, and there'll soon be one more to add to that number. Soul singer Tanika Charles is the latest export who will likely become a household name after she drops her debut album, Soul Run, at the end of the week. Prior to its worldwide release, the album has already made a few waves and garnered her a JUNO Award nomination for R&B/Soul Recording of the Year alongside The Weeknd, dvsn, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Daniel Caesar. Called “the most buzzed about soul singer in Toronto” by CBC Music, Tanika Charles is someone you need to know now. SoulBounce is doing our part to introduce her to the masses with the world premiere of one of the songs to be found on Soul Run, "Sweet Memories."

Over a bed of horns, guitar and percussion, Tanika wistfully remembers a past paramour as she sings of the "sweet memories of love" they shared. However, according to Charles, the song is more bittersweet than a sugary confection. "'Sweet Memories' is self-sabotage. It is the inability to move ahead with one’s life because you’re too focused on a flame long extinguished," she says. A closer listen to the lyrics does show that she's well aware that it's over, never to start up again. She further explains, "It’s a recollection of past pleasantries without exploring the possibility of good times returning. It’s not about lost love, but of the mental and physical space one finds themselves in when coming to terms with love’s absence." Yes indeed, it's a wrap but of the most upbeat kind thanks to the track's energetic live instrumentation.

The album as a whole could be considered a post-breakup album, but Tanika makes it clear that Soul Run is more "about finding yourself after hitting the reset button." The singer actually did just that when she fled from an emotionally abusive relationship in rural Canada to pursue her singing career in Toronto. Supporting stints with Mayer Hawthorne, Hiatus Kayote and Lauryn Hill have followed along with an EP, and now here we are with her debut album produced in part by one of our favorites, Slakah the Beatchild. We're happy she made that move.

Soul Run will be released on Friday, April 7th on Record Kicks and is available for pre-order now on Bandcamp. We've heard the album in full, and it's a soulful, funky joyride that belongs in your collection. Get more acquainted with Tanika Charles on her official website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. - Soul Bounce

By: Gary Schwind AXS Contributor Apr 11, 2017

Every once in a while you encounter a debut album - regardless of genre - that is truly impressive. Tanika Charles has released a debut album entitled Soul Run that is impressive and full of soul.

After an intro track in which you hear Tanika Charles being introduced, the album opens with the title track. The song begins with the beat and some claps. Then you hear Charles's vocals and you can't help but be hooked - especially since she brings Sharon Jones to mind. This song combines the best of 70s soul and the Daptone sound. It is a very catchy song and also a good taste of what is to come on the album.

Female soul singers have long been good at writing and singing kiss-off songs. Charles has one entitled "Two Steps". With a baritone sax in the background, she sings about living free and having "plans that don't include you". The song builds in the middle with the horns coming in strong and Charles telling a certain someone to "take two steps backwards". If you were ever going to be the subject of a kiss-off song, you might want it to be as catchy as this one.

"More than a Man" is another song about a relationship gone sour. At the beginning of the song, Charles sings in a sweet voice, but then punctuates her message with a couple curse words for the subject. It's not hard to feel the impact of those choice words because you don't often expect to hear them in a soul song.

Lots of songs have been written about the pursuit of money. Charles has one of those too. This song has the feel of a doo-wop song as she sings about not only the things she likes to buy but also the places where she likes to store money. Don't be surprised if you find yourself playing this song repeatedly and introducing your friends to it.

This album is full of soul songs that showcase Charles's strong vocals. The melodies are catchy and the beat throughout the album is practically impossible to resist. Whether you're a fan of classic soul or the more modern soul sounds for which Daptone Records is known, this will be a welcome addition to your collection. Soul Run (Record Kicks) was released on April 7, and is available everywhere now. - AXS

May 18, 2016by Jasmine Salazar

For her debut album, Soul Run, singer-songwriter Tanika Charles chose to wear her heart on her sleeve. It’s a bold move, given its Charles’ first full-length release—apart from 2010’s What! What? What!? EP—but lyrics dealing with the fallout of a relationship often call for a deeply personal narrative.

“It’s basically the evolution of self, you can say,” Charles reflects over the phone, while en route to Montréal. “Each song is a story and an experience that I had in relationships [and] after a break-up.”

The album, which was released May 10, is a retelling of one particular relationship during Charles’ time in Alberta. The Edmonton-expat—she moved to Toronto in 2007—was living on a farm with her now ex-fiancé. It was a mentally abusive relationship, and Charles had enough: she packed her bags, drove off with her ex’s Jeep and never looked back.

“[Soul Run] is going from an unsatisfactory situation and becoming stronger,” she explains. “I recovered, and I’ve grown, and I’m still learning [about] who I am without being dependent on another person to justify who I am.”

Despite the album’s weighty subject matter, Charles opts for an upbeat, feel-good parlance across its 10 tracks—Soul Run continues the vintage Motown flavour established on her previous EP. Charles’ powerful, soul-infused vocals are paired alongside hip-hop beats from production with Slakah the Beatchild, Daniel Lee, Emdee and 2nd Son, Christopher Sandes and Big Tweeze.

There is some flirtation with poppier, electronic sounds here too, (think OVO’s Majid Jordan) most evident on the track “Darkness of the Dawn.” This electronic sound is something Charles is experimenting with these days.

“‘Darkness of the Dawn’ … it’s an introduction to the project that I’m working on now. It’s just a different feel and sound,” she says. “To be honest, it was that beat. I can’t quite describe it. It’s just a sound that I found. It’s a bit of an electronic soul sound that is coming out. I love it.” - Vue Weekly

Mike Devlin / Times Colonist
MAY 18, 2016 07:52 PM



In the years following What! What? What!?, her 2010 EP, soul singer Tanika Charles wanted to quit playing music several times. Charles had written only a portion of her story to that point, however. And that would simply not do.

Soul Run finishes the job, laying bare her truest statement as an artist. “I had to adjust,” Charles said of the tough topics on Soul Run, which arrived last week.

“There was always writing, in my head or on little pieces of paper. It took a long time for the music to come out, but I feel like the timing was right.”

Writing about love both lost and found makes for an emotional journey. Charles, who was raised in Edmonton, spent time in Vancouver and now lives in Toronto, said the songs on Soul Run are part of a story arc that dates back to 2007. The singer, who was engaged at the time, left her fiancé — and their unhealthy relationship — in the dark of night, in a truck that only made it a short distance. She eventually made her way to B.C., where she lived for several years. “I left there, too,” she said with a laugh, “because of a boy. Again.”

Charles returned to Alberta for a brief period, before moving permanently to Toronto, where she performed under the pseudonym Ms. Chawlz. The details of her Alberta exit she prefers to keep largely private. The material on Soul Run is all anyone needs to know about her past, Charles said.

“I’m a little bit shy talking about it. When I’m singing about it, it’s like I make it a little bit of a joke. But it is heavy. I veer away from really explaining what went down, but I’m a survivor.”

The process of writing Soul Run was a healing one, although at various points Charles was unsure what form her songs would take. At times, she wasn’t even sure they would come to light. “We had been working on this album for so long and it had been so frustrating, I started to wonder if this was the path I was supposed to be on,” she said.

Her tour to support Soul Run began May 11 in Hamilton, the day after the album’s release. Charles and her band will appear Tuesday at the Copper Owl in Victoria before the tour comes to a close Wednesday in Vancouver.

She enjoys bringing her music to the masses, having never done a tour of this magnitude. For Charles, the best part of playing her music live is meeting her audience afterward. Those emotional exchanges with fans tell her she did the right thing by not only leaving her Edmonton relationship, but writing about it.

She’s a living, breathing example of how life can change in an instant.

“I know that I write about love and heartbreak and heartache all the time, because I’m engulfed in that all the time — being engaged, and leaving that person, and then meeting other people in between, and then finally meeting somebody that’s good for me.”

Charles has not forgotten the person she once was. But through her music — an uplifting blend of classic soul and funk — she has learned that lives are made of chapters. And the one she is writing at the moment is a page-turner.

“I was really not very healthy, mentally or spiritually. I had no idea who I was. I had completely lost myself. Soul Run is an evolution. It’s rediscovering who I am, and it’s learning that I don’t need to be dependent on anybody. It’s about loving myself, and being OK with that.” - Times Colonist