Oh Vancouver, a gorgeous, mountain-lined seaport of British Columbia. Cradled in that beautiful landscape is a community of outrageously talented artists. Here are five artists to help you get to know the sounds of the city.
1. Haley Blais
Let’s kick things off with Haley Blais. The artist makes playful yet sharp bedroom pop that manages to feel large and intimate, all at once. Her Sofar performance of “Severance Pay” encapsulates that balance, or juxtaposition—it’s mellow, easy to kick back to, but there’s a low level current that carries throughout, and you also find yourself wanting to break out in a singalong.
2. Mauvey
Ghanian born, and raised in both the UK and Vancouver— Mauvey makes dynamic, versatile sounds that come together as energetic, smooth pop. “Veil” is a great introduction, the song just seems to glide by.
3. Marin Patenaude
Originally from Horsefly, now based in Vancouver, Marin Patenaude makes folk that feels like the landscape—saturated in rich deep tones, coming together as pensive, simple folk songs. You get a sense of that with her performance of “Go Home”—folks are listening so intently that around the 3:07 mark, you can actually hear a cup drop.
4. Teon Gibbs
The Vancouver (by way of London and Botswana) artist makes smooth R&B pop that’s easy listening, and just feels inviting. His Sofar just immediately gives you that same feeling. From the start, Teon’s warming the crowd, inviting folks to sing along, and performing alongside his friends (including fellow Sofar Vancouver alum, Makadi). Once you’ve checked out his Sofar, don’t forget to go listen to his new single, “Find Out”.
5. Jenny Banai
Ah, a stripped down, serene solo tune. Jenny Banai’s sound is dynamic yet gentle, lush but simple. Watch her Sofar performance of “About You” to see what we mean.
Photo credit: Teon Gibbs, photo by Katerina Motylova
