Long before Killer Mike stepped onto the Calgary Folk Music Festival stage, the voices of The Mighty Midnight Revival travelled across Prince’s Island Park.
In “Sound Before Sight,” Kimberley Dooshima Jev reflects on encountering an artist whose music has accompanied her life—from OutKast and ATL to Run the Jewels and Michael Render’s evolution as an artist, entrepreneur, community leader and public voice.
Blending personal history with reflections from Calgary artist TeaFannie, the story explores how hip hop, gospel, soul and testimony transformed one festival performance into something larger: a meeting place for memory, legacy and community. It is also a reflection on the stories, songs and cultural touchstones that travel across borders and generations until they meet us where we are.
Read “Sound Before Sight” in full at Afros in tha City or in our print publication.
Read MoreAfro Picks is a curated cultural roundup by Afros in tha City spotlighting the music, artists, and creative moments shaping contemporary culture across the globe.
From emerging voices and underground discoveries to internationally recognized artists, Afro Picks exists as a space for thoughtful cultural observation highlighting the sounds, stories, and creative energy driving music and artistry forward today.
More than recommendations, Afro Picks focuses on evolution, storytelling, experimentation, and creative excellence celebrating artists and projects that leave a lasting impression.
Read MoreBuilt alongside longtime collaborator Mario Caldato Jr. with orchestral arrangements from Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, The Other Side moves through jazz, bossa nova, symphonic arrangements, MPB, and contemplative cinematic textures with remarkable confidence and restraint.
Read MoreAfro Picks is a curated cultural roundup by Afros in tha City spotlighting the music, artists, and creative moments shaping contemporary culture across the globe.
From emerging voices and underground discoveries to internationally recognized artists, Afro Picks exists as a space for thoughtful cultural observation highlighting the sounds, stories, and creative energy driving music and artistry forward today.
More than recommendations, Afro Picks focuses on evolution, storytelling, experimentation, and creative excellence celebrating artists and projects that leave a lasting impression.
Read MoreKindé isn’t trying to prove anything.
With her latest single, “WTF (What You Take Me For)” featuring Bkay Won, the Calgary-based artist steps into hip hop on her own terms. Grounded in the neo soul and R&B foundation that continues to shape her sound.
There’s a familiarity to what she creates. Warm chords. Brushed percussion. A quiet ease that feels reminiscent of late ’90s neo soul. But it never feels borrowed. Instead, Kindé reshapes those elements into something that feels distinctly her own
Read MoreThe Calgary Folk Music Festival returns July 23–26, 2026, bringing its 47th year to Prince’s Island Park. But calling it a festival doesn’t fully capture it. This is where Calgary gathers.
Read MoreSome albums move us forward and there are albums that move the listener inward.
Arima Ederra’s sophomore release, A Rush to Nowhere, does both.
Released via Arima’s Lab/RCA Records, the LA-based artist’s latest body of work resists the pressure of linear storytelling, choosing instead to move through time as something fluid. Something that folds, returns, and reshapes itself. Written across periods of travel and distance from home, the album reads less like a timeline and more like a meditation.
Read MoreCanada’s most prestigious music prize announces its 2026 season, culminating in a September celebration of artistry and sound.
Read MoreFor Gabriela Richardson, music has always been a space where identity, memory, and emotion quietly collide. Now, the Spanish and African-American artist is stepping into a defining moment of her career with the announcement of her debut album, ISOLA, which arrived on platforms February 20.
Read MoreFor an artist whose music has always balanced vulnerability with rhythm, the next chapter for Omah Lay feels both intimate and expansive.
The GRAMMY-nominated Afro-fusion star has officially announced his highly anticipated sophomore album, Clarity of Mind, arriving April 3. A project that signals a deeper, more reflective phase in his evolving artistry.
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