CMRRA

Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency

SPOTLIGHT: Montréal’s Justin West and the rise of Secret City Records

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By Isabelle Speerin Justin West has established himself as a formidable force in Canada’s flourishing independent music scene, with both Secret City Records and Secret City Publishing. Born and raised in Montréal, West grew up in the music industry. He was inspired by the success of his father, Jim West, who founded independent jazz record […]

Front of House with Sacha Isaacksz

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This month’s Front of House features Sacha Isaacksz. Sacha embarked on his professional journey fueled by a love for music. He navigates dual paths as both a DJ on the “Roz & Mocha Show” on KiSS 92.5, and as a lawyer in the music industry. Some people may know you as the DJ from the […]

Writers on Track Featuring Dan Mangan

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Dan Mangan is a two-time JUNO Award-winning and three-time Polaris Music Prize-nominated songwriter and musician. Growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia, Dan immersed himself in his parents’ record collection, paying special attention to albums by Nick Drake and the Beatles. Folk and pop then became two of his biggest influences, and he combined both genres […]

SPOTLIGHT: From radio to rights, CMI co-founder Vel Omazic is dedicated to helping artists develop a sustainable career

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By Tabassum Siddiqui Like so many of his colleagues in the music industry, Vel Omazic’s path to a career in music started out as an infatuation with great songs. While growing up in Hamilton, Ont., Omazic – now executive director of the Canadian Music Incubator (CMI), an artist-development non-profit – was constantly tuning in to […]

Writers on Track Featuring Tyler Shaw

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Tyler Shaw is a multi-platinum-selling artist, songwriter, music producer, and is a self-published songwriter at CMRRA under Aisle 13 Inc. His music has been nominated for multiple JUNO Awards, and he has opened for massive international artists, including Shawn Mendes and Alessia Cara, and toured with Selena Gomez. Tyler’s viral rendition of GAYLE`s No. 1 […]

Front of House with Ben Denomme

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This month’s Front of House is Ben Denomme. Ben started his CMRRA journey as an intern through the Music Business Program at Humber College and has since become our Licensing and Distribution Operations Coordinator. His role focuses on licensing products for labels, coordination of work across multiple departments, and special projects. In 2020, you started your CMRRA journey […]

SPOTLIGHT: From drummer to publisher, Kim Temple’s unconventional path to success

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By Isabelle Speerin Not many people can effortlessly balance three jobs in the music industry and remain sane at the end of each week, but music industry veteran, Kim Temple, is one who can. Regardless of which hat she’s wearing publisher, sync queen, or mentor – Kim’s passion for the industry stems from a single […]

Front of House with Ashley Hackett

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This month’s Front of House is Ashley Hackett, Online Licensing Administrator at CMRRA. When she’s not busy updating musical works or providing support for royalty processing, you can spot her at Toronto Blue Jays games, indulging in baking, or unleashing her creativity through crafting using her Cricut machine. More recently, she had the fortunate opportunity to […]

Writers on Track Featuring Joel Stouffer

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Joel Stouffer is a Platinum-selling producer/songwriter signed to Sony Music Publishing Canada and a part of the JUNO award-winning group Dragonette. He recently co-wrote and co-produced the #1 US Dance single “Whitney” by Rêve and received a Gold record for his work on “Princesses Don’t Cry” by CARYS. What’s your favorite part of the songwriting […]

SPOTLIGHT: Canadian country star Dean Brody’s career is fueled by the power of great songwriting – and maintaining control over his own catalogue

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By Tabassum Siddiqui Over his 15-year career, Canadian country singer-songwriter Dean Brody has been racking up number-one hits with tracks like “Bring Down the House” and “Where’d You Learn How to Do That?”, but he never dreamed of becoming a country star back when he was a little boy growing up in small-town British Columbia […]