Honey Jam Canada 2020 Highlights!
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Honey Jam Canada
2020 Highlights!
2010
What a year!
What can we say about 2020!? It was an extradorinarily
challenging year to say the least thanks to COVID-19. So many
people told us to just cancel the year but we were determined that
we would move the earth to ensure that we were there for our
artists when they needed us most to provide support and the
mentoring, networking, performance and promotional opportunities
we promised.
We were also committed to mark this historic milestone with a
live concert celebrating our 25th anniversary. We’re so grateful for
the amazing support we received to be able to pull it all together
2010
against all odds, for the longtime supporters who never left our
side and for the new friends we met along the way.
A beautiful spirit of community came together - all hands on
deck - and we got it done! We refused to be defeated and made
lemonade out of the rotten lemons 2020 handed us.
We invite you to scroll through the pages below to see the
highlights of our 2020 journey.
Congratulatory greetings from Mayor John Tory
Congratulations to Honey Jam Canada on your 25th Anniversary. For the
past 25 years you have been doing incredible work in supporting and
promoting and celebrating female artists in Canada’s thriving music
industry. Your work has brought countless Canadian artists into the
spotlight on a global scale including Grammy Award winners Nelly
Furtado and Melanie Fiona as well as Juno Award winner Jully Black just
to name a few. I’ve always seen art and music and all different forms of
art as a great unifier. It's the universal language for our city and for the
world for that matter and I’m happy that through the work being done at
Honey Jam Canada female artists, women right across our country will
feel empowered and be supported to have a voice and to realize their
own dreams. We know that we need to do better when it comes to
ensuring that female artists have the opportunities, they need to thrive in
the music industry here in Toronto and in Canada and right around the
world. Through the impactful experiences; the events whether its
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networking opportunities, performances, songwriting camps, or industry
workshops Honey Jam Canada is making a difference in the lives of
those aspiring artists right across this country. Over the years Toronto has
gained a global reputation for our world class music scene and its through
the work of Honey Jam Canada that we can help ensure that this
reputation is one that is equitable and reflective of the diverse and
inclusive city and country that we live in. So, I want to once again thank
Honey Jam Canada for all the incredible work that you do to build up our
community and I look forward to all the incredible talent that you are going
to help produce going forward. Congratulations once again on an
incredible milestone.
Congratulatory greetings from Grammy Award-
Winners Jessie Reyez and Melanie Fiona
I think that programs like Honey Jam, particularly Honey Jam, are
super important to the city because they are offering a helping
hand to young creatives, women, who are in this massive ocean
that don’t really have a blueprint to follow for how to get to success.
You know, I feel like it’s already an uphill battle, so to foster and
nurture this sisterhood within the city is beautiful and needed, and I
want to say congratulations to Honey Jam…and happy
anniversary!
Jessie Reyez
Happy 25th Anniversary Honey Jam, congratulations Ebonnie - 25 years of
doing anything is an accomplishment! Much less creating something 25 years
ago that would be so necessary for the industry of entertainment and music in
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Canada for female talent.
You created a space and a platform for young, emerging female talent to feel
celebrated and acknowledged and seen and supported. And someone whose
come from that journey of creating a career for myself, I’m eternally grateful.
I’m grateful for the work that you do for other people, I’m grateful for the
support that you’ve shown me, I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of
the community and mentor the girls.
I am wishing you 25 more plus plus plus successful years. You are a national
treasure. Congratulations!
Melanie Fiona
Grammy Week!!! before Covid, with the
assistance of the Consulate General of Canada in Los
Angeles, we were able to give an artist the
opportunity to attend Grammy Week! Along with the
Award Ceremony, we visit the offices of Warner
Chappell Music, attended a tribute to Women in
Music, a SOCAN event and the artist, BlueWill, was
also able to work with some producers. Definitely
one of those “bucket list” experiences!
2010
Grammy
•
Week Feedback from artist BlueWill
Attending Grammy week in LA, was an absolutely amazing experience.
We visited the stunning Warner Music head office, had a tour and met
employees and got some very helpful insight on how the music business
ran from a label perspective.
After the Warner visit, we then grabbed our tickets at the Staple Centre.
Tickets for what you asked?!... The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards!!!
Never in my life did I imagine I would be attending the Grammys so early in my career; I was very humbled and
honoured to have been invited to this extravagant event!
At The Socan Pre- Grammy Mixer, I was lucky enough to meet some of Canada’s music veterans – managers,
producers, songwriters, musicians, publishers, entertainment lawyers, artists, label reps were all there. We visited
the Canadian General Consulate office and then headed over to the Facebook and Instagram brunch called
‘Empowher’. This was one of my favourite Grammy week events, not only was I surrounded by hundreds of
intelligent, talented, powerful, boss-women, but it also gave me hope for my future career in this music industry.
Did I mention I got to meet Charlotte Day Wilson, Ella Mai, the legendary Sylvia Rhone, Ms. Ethiopia (CEO and
2010
Chairwoman of Motown) and Melanie Fiona (who is also a Honey Jam Alumni). I was also able to get some time
in the studio with some local producers.
The big finale to this trip was, of course, the Grammys. It was amazing evening filled with musical celebration.
Sadly that morning we learned the tragic news of Kobe Bryant‘s passing. Even though our hearts were saddened
and shocked, everyone came together for an emotional evening. It was so heartwarming to see how much love
and support was shown. Lots of laughs, tears, memories and tributes were shared, many amazing performances
by artists like Lizzo, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Lil Naz X, etc. The Grammys provide us with a lovely gift bag and
the ceremony was followed by an after party where the attendees were treated to more live music, attractions,
endless amounts of food and treats.
I am thankful for this incredible experience. Thank you so much Honey Jam; I am forever grateful and so
inspired! BlueWill
Activism played a huge part in our lives over the summer
of 2020. We volunteered at and were promotional sponsors for
the Block4Blac fundraiser to raise money for the Black Legal
Action Centre. Our artists wrote protest songs, participated on
panels on racism, marched and promoted blackout Tuesday
where the music industry was asked to pause and reflect for a
day, with one of proponents saying “I don’t want to sit on Zoom
calls talking about the black artists who are making you so
much money if you fail to address what’s happening to black
people.” Many companies and individuals posted black squares
on their social media. The hope is that that performative
gesture doesn’t end there and that we will see meaningful,
intentional transformative change when it comes to anti-
racism.
2010
The Virtual World took over once COVID hit. We found many online learning opportunities
to share with the artists and several agencies and organizations supported our artists by
providing paying online performance opportunities.
2010
LAUNCH – once we were able to gather safely, we were excited to have our launch and share
the plans for our 25th anniversary concert and 2020 programming!
2010
Music Publishers Canada’s “Women in the Studio” Programme is a national accelerator that
offers a series of curated production-related opportunities and networking experiences to producer-songwriters,
including interactive group webinars and tutorials. The goals are to provide access to industry mentors; share
tips & tools for building and developing a professional profile, facilitate hands-on technical workshops and
entrepreneurial training sessions, offer networking opportunities to broader their contact base of collaborators,
potential employers & business partners, develop entrepreneurial business and soft skills and encourage
community participation through volunteer activity.
Honey Jam alum LUKALA mentored some of the producers and another one of our alums, Reeny Smith was
one of the producers in the programme and used her volunteer hours to mentor Honey Jam artist Kelsey Vaz
who says: “the 2-3 hour blocks of learning and deep discussions have been a huge help for me. We covered
topics like work life balance, building relationships, navigating relationships in the industry, studio setup,
songwriting, live shows, basic production on Logic, recording, mixing and a lot more. The idea of a mentor for
me was so exciting at first because I was ready to learn and soak in as much as I could to improve my craft.
After a few months I realized that because of quarantine and lockdown just being able to talk to another artist
this openly about your goals and struggles was invaluable.”
2010Honey Jam alum Jordan Alexander returned to share her experiences in the
industry with some of our young artists.
2010One beautiful serene summer afternoon we gathered at Arthaus for a moving,
informative, inspiring experience with Serena Ryder – hearing about her journey
through the industry as her manager Sandy Pandya acted as moderator. We
surprised her with a medley of her hits that blew her away!
2010Serena Ryder - Attendee Feedback
• The highlight for me today was seeing the physical product that Sandy & Serena created as a safe space. As
• as seeing how people who've been in the music industry for so long haven't been tainted by fame or for a
well
need to be seen. It's easier to see someone and understand them when they don't create barriers. Since both of
them know and trust each other very well, it also gave the interview a different energy.
•AUTHENTICITY. That was the bell that rang more than once for me. I cried twice... especially when she spoke
about people telling artists what is and what isn't aligned with who they are. That resonated with me on so
many levels. I also was really touched by her candid chat about mental health and how she couldn't write in that
state of mind. And that creativity was only made possible after coming out of a dark place. Thank you for
•pushing for this to happen, I'm beyond grateful.
• Thank you for having Serena Ryder I found her very inspiring and very humble I loved everything she said
tonight I felt very connected to her and I loved how she fought depression and came back as an independent
artist and is doing so amazing. I loved that she was able to share something hard and difficult with all of us such a
pleasure and very thankful to have listened to her story. Thank you again for such amazing and educating
workshops I really enjoy learning about the industry.
2010
• The conversation session with Serena and Sandy was insightful to me, as an artist who has similar aspirations
to lead a self-directed career. Collaboration with creatives and administrators who share the values that guide
my creative process are key. Having the opportunity to sit and listen to an established artist and learning that she
has had similar experiences to me on her way to success meant a lot to me and has encouraged me on the path
of my artistry. It was both a humbling and humble experience.
•The most impactful part, besides sharing my craft, was discussing the intricacies of mindfulness and self-
awareness play in the lives of professional artists. This is important to me because it spoke to maintaining a long-
term career where we are able to balance creativity and sensitivity to the world around us, with communicating
and collaborating with teams that will help us reach wider audiences than we could on our own. I’m Inspired!Arthaus Sessions – 5 artists who attended received 1 free day of studio
time in the beautiful Arthaus studio with a producer as well as a future
opportunity to co-write with Serena!
2010Songwriting Camp– United by more than just music, Post Office Sound Inc and Honey Jam
have developed a long-lasting relationship that deepened in 2020. In celebration of our 25th year of elevating
female artists, Post Office and Honey Jam curated a songwriting safe haven. With the support of Converse,
these artists found an opportunity through synchronicity. Together, their voices were amplified, their
individual experiences were highlighted, and their creative processes were explored.
2010Since we weren’t able to do our annual in person
Mentor Café, we connected artists virtually with
industry leaders – below is Artist Kyla Charter’s
feedback on her conversations with Melanie
Fiona, Fraser Hill and Vivian Barclay
“It was a really really wonderful conversation with Melanie, we
touched on what it’s like to be a black woman in the Canadian music
industry, the pros and cons of signing to a record label, as well as
what she thinks my next steps could look like for this first release.. I
am so grateful to have had that chat, it really reaffirmed that I have
to focus on building value for the supporters I have and building
those supporters into a community. From there I’ll have leverage if I
want to approach a label or start building a team. She is such an
incredibly generous and kind woman, thank you so so much for
connecting us.”
“I also had great meetings with both Vivian and Fraser! They were
2010
so insightful and wonderfully helpful! Feeling very inspired and
focused. The big take away from both of them was continue to focus
on the craft. They both said I had some strong material but a lot of it
needs reworking, which I had a feeling they would say as they're
raw demos, and they definitely do need work. They said to reach out
and collaborate with producers, make a solid plan for where the
grant money is going and what the roll out of the music is going to
look like. Fraser really stressed how useless it is to dump a single
on the internet and not have a plan of action to promote it or any
follow up material. ”Toronto Arts Foundation Roy Thompson Award of
Recognition – we were thrilled to win this prestigious award which
came with a $10,000 cash price towards the programme!
2010Concert – 21 artists took to the stage for dynamic performances at the legendary
El Mocambo for a tribute to Iconic Women in Music– over 10,0000 households tuned in!
2010• 2010
Concert Feedback from Artists and Viewers – we were inundated with hundreds of positive
message following the concert – here are just a few…
•
Artists - It was an amazing concert! I was truly blessed to be a part of such a historic event. We did not let limi-
tations of COVID-19 stop us from not only celebrating 25 years of Honey Jam but also women in music who have
paved the way before us. Every artist did amazing, everything was thought out and it was evident that every-one
came and did 100 percent on that stage! I got a ton of positive feedback especially on social media. Everyone
was amazed to see the excellence, professionalism, and the talent that transpired throughout the duration of the
event. I also gained followers, got some amazing media opportunities, and am beyond grateful to have been part
of this fantastic event. I can’t wait to see what else is in store being a part of this Honey Jam Family. Love u guys!
Still haven’t come down from last night’s performance. It felt SO good to be back on stage my goodness. THANK
YOU! It was an absolute honor to be able to perform for your 25th anniversary. Thank you for always supporting
The show was amazing! I had such an incredible time performing. Everyone was so accommodating, professional
& kind. Everything was perfect from the vocal performance coaching, band rehearsals, photographers & sound at
the ElMocambo! I’m so grateful to be part of such an incredible community of female artists. I was able to chat with
the girls that performed and connected with them all on Instagram. We have been talking about collaborating on
material when there is an opportunity! I had a lot of my friends , family and industry friends tune in to watch the
performance! I gained a lot of followers after the show as well and received very kind messages ! Such an
amazing experience to be able to perform with Honey Jam again!
2010
Viewers - Bravo!! I think this show was my fave. The performances were amazing and I LOVED how some of them
were talking to the viewers at home . I just felt, overall, this was tight - fashion, delivery, staging, enthusiasm.
Because I had it on my smart tv screen, it gave it an HD feel, I was able to see the performance without obstruction
and from different camera angles, I could feel their emotion and see their eyes and excitement. I loved the opening
Sade act, Joy Lapps looked and sounded incredible, Christina Smith NEEDS TO BE SIGNED. Me, my family and
friends watched together texting each other throughout the show. And we all enjoyed it, even my cat Bruce perched
on the bed to watch!
This show was off da chain. Everyone was amazing – unforgettable!! I was literally glued to my computer screen
for the full 2 hours. Won Wonderful covers and such a variety of music and song. Exceptional, flawless delivery of
each and every performance. Angeline’s graceful commentary and hosting duties, Mel’s DJ selections, and quality
of AV…. Absolutely phenomenal indeed - Nuff respect and love!Dundas Square billboard – such a thrill to have tens
of thousands of people see this congratulatory
greeting in the heart of the City!!
2010Roots Promo!
2010In1995 the first Honey Jam was held at Ultrasound Showbar Lounge. We went
back to that location which is now an Aveda store! They gave us all goodie
bags and took us on a tour!
2010Media– It was a full circle moment to co-host ET Canada Live with Keisha
Chante. She was a featured artist speaker at one of our music seminars about
10 years ago!
2010MEDIA– Another full circle moment being featured on etalk with Traci
Melchor, who covered the very first Honey Jam in1995 when she was a
VJ at Rap City!
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2010Alum News - our alums continue to make major power moves – Jordan Alexander will play a lead
character in the reboot of Gossip Girl, Phoenix Pagliacci and her group TRP.P did a collaboration
with the legendary Randy Bachman, Jully Black starred in the critically acclaimed “Caroline or
Change”, Krystle Dos Santos starred in a play about Viola Desmond, won R&B Artist of the year at
the Western Canada awards and Stella Meghie’s feature fill the Photograph was released and she
was also tapped to direct the official Whitney Houston biopic working closely with Clive Davis!
2010Alum News - Nelly Furtado’s “Whoa Nelly” celebrated it’s 20 year anniversary, Melanie
Fiona played the legendary Chaka Khan in a TV series about Soul Train, Savanna Re
was featured in Elle Magazine, Savaria auditioned for American Idol and impressed
Katy Perry, Kyla Charter toured Europe pre-covid with Patrick Watson and co-wrote
and performed with July Talk!
!
2010ALUMNI NEWS–LUKALA’s star continued to rise being named Apple’s New Artist of the
Week, 6ix Rising Star, Amazon Fresh Pop and a billboard in Dundas Square. Haviah
Mighty won the Socan Songwriting prize, was chosen for a brand partnership with Good
Life, won a Socan HER Music Award and also had a billboard in Dundas Square!
20102010
For more information Contact: Ebonnie Rowe
honeyjaminfo@gmail.com www.honeyjam.com / twitter & Instagram: @thehoneyjamYou can also read
