There was a time when Kreesha Turner’s voice was everywhere. Her music filled Canadian radio, reached international audiences and made her one of the most recognizable artists to emerge from Western Canada. Then she stepped away.

Her return to Edmonton leads back to Music for Mavericks, the grassroots collective that helped prepare Kreesha, Mouraine and a generation of Alberta artists for the world. Twenty years later, they reflect on the music, sacrifice and community behind the movement, as well as the work Alberta still has left to do.

Read the complete feature and see the photographs documenting this history in the September 2026 issue of Afros in tha City. Purchase the digital edition or one of our limited print copies at afrosinthacity.com.