Alumni News – July 2020

It's shaping up to be the hottest July in Toronto history and we're not just referring to the weather. Summer 2020 has seen some great new music drop and it's awesome to see that Metalworks Institute graduates have contributed to chart-topping and award-nominated tracks! Be sure to check out these new releases below and sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop!

The Short List for the 2020 Polaris Prize has been announced and it's great to see Jessie Reyez's Album "Before Love Came To Kill Us" is on the list! Awesome to know that Juno Award-winning audio engineer Riley Bell, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, has mixing credits on the album. Congratulations to all the nominees!

The albums are judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration of genre, record sales or professional affiliation. The official eligibility period for the titles is from May 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020. $50,000 is awarded to the winner and Slaight Music gives $3,000 to each of the nine runners up. 

The winner will be announced at the end of what the not-for-profit is calling “a special cinematic tribute,” happening Oct. 19 live on the CBC Gem streaming service, CBCMusic.ca/Polaris, and the public broadcaster’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages. Don't forget to mark your calendars and tune in!

US Gold Certified audio engineer Akeel Henry, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, co-wrote "Some Kinda Love" performed by Toronto-based artist LOONY. Great to see that the song is one of ten finalists nominated for the 2020 SOCAN Songwriting Prize! Congratulations!

These annual awards honour the best song be emerging Canadian songwriters. Voting is open to the public until July 30th, 2020. Cast your vote here!

Multi-platinum award-winning producer and engineer Noel Cadastre, a graduate of Metalworks Institute’s Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, was the recording engineer for "Popstar" and "Greece" by Dj Khaled Featuring Drake. The tracks have been out for one week and are already set to make waves in the charts with "Popstar" debuting at #1 on US Spotify!

Both songs are lead singles for DJ Khaled's forthcoming 12th studio album "Khaled Khaled" due to be released later this year. Stay tuned!

Songwriter and artist-development professional Alexandra Soumalias aka Ally Sou, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, co-wrote Myles Erlick's brand new single "Sweat"! Be sure to stream the new tune!

KADEEMA have released their debut EP "Napolean Tornapart"! KADEEMA is the indie rock project of Tal Vaisman, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, and Jimmy Chauveau. Be sure to check out the new tunes wherever you stream music!

Toronto-based artist Sagèlee Archer, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Music Performance & Technology (Guitar Major) Diploma Program, has released a brand new single titled “Ghost” which was mastered by fellow Metalworks Institute graduate Gurjit Thind (Professional Sound (Audio Specialist) Diploma Program). Be sure to listen!

Mike Brandolino, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Professional Sound & Business (Studio Production Major) Diploma Program, is a member of the JUNO Award-nominated indie-pop band Valley! The band has just dropped a new tune! Their single "Nevermind" is streaming everywhere so be sure to listen!

Metalworks Institute graduates Maddy Little (Music Performance & Technology Diploma Program) and Camilo Martinez (Professional Sound & Business (Studio Production Major) Diploma Program) are both members of the Mississauga Music Award-nominated band "We Wander". This up-and-coming indie-folk band just released a new tune "Can't Save You". Don't forget to stream the new song!

Francisco Samayoa AKA wild6lue, a graduate of our Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, has released a new ambient electronic EP called "SANGRIA". Francisco has enhanced each track with a unique visual posted on his Instagram @wild6blue. Check out the dreamy EP wherever you stream music!

Multi-instrumentalist Stephan Di Mambro, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program is a member of the modern prog-rock band "Pyramid Theorem". The band has released a brand new song called "Freedom". This is the lead single for their upcoming album "Beyond The Exposure" which is scheduled to be released on August 21st. Check out the single and don't forget to stay tuned for the album release!

Multitalented music producer turned singer Rahul Sathu, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, has released the official music video for his song 'THODA" which features the famous Indian rapper Raftaar. The video has already been streamed almost 4 million times on youtube! Be sure to watch it!

Colton Maddigan, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Professional Sound & Business (Studio Production Major) Diploma Program, recorded and mixed Veinduze's latest single "Jerry Loom”. You can spot Colton at the console when you watch the official music video! The video takes viewers behind the scenes with the band at Chalet Studios, capturing authentic moments in the life of an up-and-coming indie band. Check it out!

Cameron Di Marco AKA Karvell, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Electronic Music Production Diploma Program, is an up-and-coming Toronto-based music producer and DJ, He recently released a new single called "Hard To Love". Check it out!

Acclaimed audio-engineer Jeff Crake, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program recorded and mixed Erica Assai's debut single "Hold Me" at Metalworks Studios! The new tune is serving straight summer vibes on all streaming platforms so be sure to listen!

Audio engineer, artist, songwriter, and self-proclaimed "audio alien" Dervish Kucukovic, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, has released a new single "Couldn't" under his artist name Cloudy Head. Be sure to listen!

Songwriter Alexandra Soumalias AKA Ally Sou, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, has co-written another banger, "Liquor Store' by Noah Neiman. The track just dropped on world-renowned DJ Hardwell's label Gemstone Records.

Walter Cabral, a graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program has released another uplifting single. Don't forget to listen to "Feel The Love".

Another great new collaboration from the #MetalworksCommunity! Terence Lam AKA TEE and Alexandra Soumalias AKA Ally Sou, both graduates of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, co-wrote Martina Ortiz Luis's new single "NO LOVE". Listen wherever you stream music!

Songwriter and rapper Asher Small, known professionally as Smallz, a 2019 graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, has just released the official video for his song "Don't Know What It Means". The track is off his self-produced 2020 album "Constant Shift". Be sure to watch the video and don't forget to check out the whole album!

Phil Kluba, a 2013 graduate of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, is the founder and C.E.O. of Press It, a Toronto-based broadcast and media company that specializes in live streaming. The company has been streaming a wealth of content during the COVID-19 shut down, including 60 live-remote episodes of "Isolation Nation" with 'Sick Not Week', an organization devoted to helping people understand that mental illness is sickness, not weakness. You can stream the episodes here!

Jeff  'Grimm' Crake and Rainer Millar Blanchaer, both graduates of Metalworks Institute's Audio Production & Engineering Diploma Program, are the songwriting and production duo Rainer & Grimm and they have just released a brand new single. "HOME" with Brianna Corona, released via Rainer & Grimm's Bleeding Hearts Club label, is streaming everywhere! Rainer & Grimm announced the new single on Instagram, telling fans:

"We‘ve all had to find ways to brighten our days while stuck at HOME, and we hope our UKG vibes help you turn your room/kitchen/backyard into the rave everyone’s been missing!!!"

Don't forget to listen to the new tune!