Music Nova Scotia (MNS) is pleased to announce the top five acts vying for the MNS Artist in Residence! The Bombadils, Kids Losing Sleep, KXNG WOOZ, LXVNDR, and Pillow Fite will be performing for the grand prize at the Grand Oasis Stage in Halifax, September 17th, 2021.
Returning with support from Halifax Regional Municipality and Light House, the Artist in Residence Program will provide a local emerging musician or group with financial and professional support as well as performance opportunities to help develop their career. This year, the selected act will be awarded $20,000 in cash and prizes.
A public vote will happen in person during the event.
This event is Free and all ages.
LXVNDR –
Based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia, LXVNDR is an East coast Hip Hop artist making waves in the North American music industry. Creating music since 2018 and now working with Black Buffalo Records; she is always pushing boundaries with her sound. Listeners can expect anything from hardcore rap, r&b, lo-fi to even spoken word when tuning in. With a love for the esoteric, poetry and all things taboo LXVNDR’s content covers a wide variety of interesting topics. Always aiming to paint the stage purple, her love of musical expression is a unique and intriguing experience for any interested in hip hop or even simply the unseen forces of life.
The Bombadils –
Canadian Folk Music Award nominees The Bombadils bring together bluegrass, Celtic, and singer-songwriter traditions with front-porch style and classical grace. Canadian arts journalist Bob Mersereau describes their music as “folk tunes done with musical adventure and sophistication” and Elmore Magazine (USA) calls it “an enchanting folk romp.”
The Bombadils met in 2009 while studying music at McGill University in Montreal, QC, initially performing as an Irish pub band as a way to break up their studies. In the years to follow, they began writing original music, recording and touring. Tour highlights include Koerner Hall in Toronto, ON, Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Wintergrass music festival outside Seattle, WA. In 2015 they released full-length album, Grassy Roads, Wandering Feet quickly followed by New Shoes in 2016 which was nominated for two Canadian Folk Music Awards and won Folk Music Ontario’s Album of the Year award.
KXNG WOOZ-
Kxng Wooz is a Canadian hip hop artist from the East Coast who started off hosting monthly R.A.W Cyphers in 2013 until 2016. He followed that up in 2015 by creating the annual festival called U.N.I (United Not Isolated) which was created to bring young athletes, artists, and other communities together in one space to create exposure for all. He has been a consistent performer year after year for festivals like Future Forest, Evolve, and Hopscotch. April of 2017 is when Wooz really took a leap as an artist by releasing his first digital EP “Entering The…” followed by “Abyss” later that month. This project was paired with a sold out Release Party as well as opening for SaRoc an Atlanta based artist signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment the following June.
Pillow Fite –
Pillow Fite is a queer folk pop band from Halifax formed by Art Ross (they/them) and Aaron Green (he/him) over text messages of song ideas throughout 2020. Drawing influence from Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Snail Mail, Pillow Fite uses confessional, matter-of-fact lyrics over intricate arrangements and lush dynamics. The duo’s vastly different musical approaches compliment each other to produce sweet yet biting songs about transitioning, queer love and mental health.
Kids Losing Sleep –
Brandishing larger than life anthems, Kids Losing Sleep transform the sensibilities of a high-gloss pop act into a 4-piece rock band dynamic. This is heartbreak you can dance to.After kicking doors down with their self-produced 2019 debut EP, LOVES, the band is focused on a slate of new music that sees them trading in their darker debut aesthetic for a more refined, HiFi sheen. The band continues to wield an innate ability to write earworm hooks, enduringly memorable melodies, and gut-punching lyrics. As a result, Kids Losing Sleep emerges with songs that create a deep connection with listeners while also coming to life on stage, summoning group sing-a-longs and uninhibited indulgence.