From rap to ballads, five new tracks by Ottawa artists creating buzz

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The pandemic and its restrictions have given artists time to learn new skills and flex their creativity, resulting in a stream of new music. After reviewing dozens of recent offers from musicians from Ottawa, Lynn Saxberg selected five of the hottest new songs with videos that add to the buzz.

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Here is a look at each track and the artists behind them.

Banggz

“Who gases whom?”

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When the pandemic began, Damilola Salaudeen, a Nigerian-Canadian rapper who goes by the artist name Banggz, made a promise to herself. “I had one goal: I do not get out of it the same way,” the 22-year-old Carleton University student said. Although he had been releasing tracks for a few years, isolation gave him time to improve his skills in production, songwriting, video editing and marketing. He even learned to play the piano. The results of these efforts can be heard in his first release in 2022, the catchy earworm of a single “Who’s Gassing Who?”, Inspired by a debate about the authenticity of some music industry types. The accompanying video, shot by Quest, who also produced the song in his Dreamland studio, depicts Banggz and his friends in the artist collective Twelve07 cruising around Ottawa – not in expensive cars, but keeping it real on their bikes. Keep an eye out for more music in the coming months.

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Lia Kloud

“On everything”

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The 22-year-old rapper took time off from music last year to focus on her education as she completes a diploma at Algonquin College. This track, produced by DDBeatz, signals her return to the music scene, along with a video that captures her dynamic flow and refusal to be underestimated. The song, which was written and recorded in 2020, also expresses Kloud’s commitment to his family. Born and raised in Ottawa, her hard-working Haitian-Canadian parents called her Alissa Ariste. “What pushed me to write the song in the beginning was to promise my family a better life,” she said. “The biggest message is whatever you want to do, do it. I do not come from a musical background, but I love writing and poetry, so if I can do it, you can do it.” Early indicators say she’s got off to a good start – the video is expected to surpass 40,000 views this week, while her second EP, Pray4Keeps, is due out this spring.

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Edison Rupert

“Ticket to a place”

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The indie artist who calls himself Edison Rupert is better known as Mike Raymond, the 39-year-old guitarist, instrument repair technician, sound engineer and former doorman at Zaphod Beeblebrox. He has been in several rock bands over the years, but this is his first singer-songwriter project, a creative outlet that emerged to keep him busy during the pandemic. With a cool sidewalk video recorded in one shot at ByWard Market, the song’s melodic groove revolves around a call for compassion. “It’s actually about real events that took place about 15 years ago,” Raymond said, casting back to the nights he spent guarding the door to the York Street Club. “I saw a lot of street life. People are becoming desensitized to the homeless we have in downtown Ottawa, but if you spend a minute talking to them, they are people. They have a heart. ” To his surprise, the song connects in a way he never expected, which essentially drives him into a solo career. You can find his songs at edisonrupert.com.

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Jessica Pearson and the East Wind

“The devil is coming up”

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The acoustic guitar and clear voice that characterizes this heartbreaking ballad belong to Jess Pearson, a 28-year-old singer-songwriter from Clarence Creek who has been writing songs for as long as she can remember, and has been performing since her teens. This tune, co-written with Nashville’s Tony Zavitson, was created to counteract the negativity of the world. “Tony and I had a long conversation about how it is our duty to really try to be the hope of the world,” she said. “If we give up trying, it’s when the devil rises, it’s when evil wins. We have to keep spreading love and kindness.” To illustrate the message, the video shows Pearson and her fiddler Maddy O’Regan helping Eastern Ontario charity Lionhearts distribute food to those in need. The song is included on Pearson’s first full-length album “On The Line”, which was released last week.

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Eeshii Den Frie

“Jack Harlow”

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One can not deny the appeal of this infectious afro-fusion hip-hop number, which not only sets in motion the success of white rapper Jack Harlow, but, as Eeshii says, is also meant to inflame African pride. With a video shot in front of a popular Mediterranean eatery on Alta Vista Drive (featuring a Harlow lookalike), it has garnered more than 40,000 views in less than three weeks, making it the hottest release ever for Eeshii – the right thing to do. name Hisham Abu -Nura – who was born in Sudan and arrived in the country’s capital at the age of 16. These days, while sharing his time between Toronto and Ottawa, he is determined to keep doing his part to show the multicultural side of this city. “We are trying to rebrand Ottawa as we see it,” the 29-year-old said. “Ottawa has a smaller demographic of immigrants, but at the same time, the smaller demographic has greater appeal to an international audience. To this track, most of the support has been international.” The song is also a teaser for the full album, Million Dollar Immigrant, due out this summer.

lsaxberg@postmedia.com