Celebrating Five Talented Musicians On The Rise: Winners Of The 12th Annual Canada’s Walk Of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program Announced

– Bilingual folk pop artist Gabriel Fredette of Quebec makes program history and takes the Grand Prize –

(Toronto, ON) October 17, 2024 – Canada’s music scene continues to shine, with emerging talent making waves across the country. Today, five outstanding musicians have been named as the winners of the 12th annual Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program. Designed to elevate aspiring Canadian artists through industry connections, mentorship, and performance opportunities, 1000 submissions poured in from every province and territory, showcasing the range and strength of Canada’s musical landscape.

Chosen by a panel of industry judges, who reviewed the originality, creativity, and talent of each submission, this year’s winners represent a dynamic blend of talent that highlights the richness of Canada’s cultural diversity. The Grand Prize winner made program history as the first musician to win with a French-language song.

The 2024 Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program recipients are:

Grand Prize Winner
Gabriel Fredette (Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec)
Gabriel Fredette made program history as the first musician to win with a French-language song. The 22-year-old bilingual folk pop artist from the suburbs of Montreal, rose to fame in the 2024 season of “La Voix” in Quebec. Known for his warm, raspy voice, he quickly gained popularity among Quebec audiences. His song, Encore une fois, is a French-language ballad that delves into themes of hope, love, and perseverance. Fredette has been releasing singles since July 2024, with his tracks gaining traction on streaming platforms across Quebec. He is set to release his first EP, Forêt Noire, in November 2024. @gabrielfredette

Second Prize Winner
Dallas (Toronto, Ontario)
An alumna of the American Musical Dramatic Academy in NYC, singer-songwriter Dallas has made waves in the pop scene with over 37 million streams and 200,000+ monthly listeners. In 2023, she became a fixture on Spotify’s editorial playlists like New Music Friday, The Scene, and It’s a Bop. @dallasrodin

Third Prize Winners
Jackie Art (Calgary, Alberta)
Jackie Art is a black British-Canadian artist who started his journey in London before moving to Calgary. Since his debut mixtape Depth in 2020, he’s garnered nearly 200,000 YouTube views, captivating audiences with his blend of R&B, grime, and dance. Jackie’s music is an authentic expression of his identity, aiming to connect globally and make a lasting impact. @jackieartt

Mint Simon (Montreal, Quebec)
Mint Simon blends 80s and 90s pop with themes of love, desire, and self-acceptance. Unapologetically queer, Mint’s music has earned support from Spotify, Apple Music, MTV, and more, and has been featured on TV shows like Orange Is the New Black. In 2024, they played events like POP Montreal and joined the RBC Music ‘First Up’ program. @mintsimon

Tiger Balme (Toronto, Ontario)
Toronto-based alt-indie band, Tiger Balme brings together the grounding forces of drums, guitar, and bass with shimmering vibraphone, harp, and soaring harmonies to create sonic spaces of tender resilience. The band, comprised of Asian-identifying women and non-binary musicians, released their debut album, the self-titled Tiger Balme, in November 2022. @tigerbalme

WATCH 2024 Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musicians Reactions to being selected

Emerging Musician Program logo

Prizes and Opportunities
The Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program is designed to propel the careers of aspiring Canadian artists through invaluable industry connections, mentorship, and performance opportunities.

The Grand Prize winner receives a $20,000 cash prize, exclusive performance opportunities at Canada’s Walk of Fame events—including the 2024 Canada’ Walk of Fame Celebration event on November 20 in Toronto—private studio recording time at the renowned Metalworks Studios, and more. The Second Prize winner receives a $10,000 cash prize, while each of the Third Prize winners will be awarded $5,000.

Additionally, all five recipients will benefit from:

  1. Group mentorship session with a Canada’s Walk of Fame Inductee or Allan Slaight Music Impact Honouree
  2. A dedicated artist page on the Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program website
  3. $2,000 toward the production of a performance video
  4. Career development mentorship sessions with industry executives, music lawyers, and agents
  5. Performance opportunities at Festival du Voyageur 2025 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Canadian Music Week 2025
  6. Participation in a Toronto ArtHaus creative workshop

QUOTES

Jeffrey Latimer, CEO, Canada’s Walk of Fame:
“This year’s Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program winners represent the incredible diversity and talent found across Canada. Gabriel Fredette’s historic win with a French song highlights the importance of our country’s bilingual and multicultural music scene. We’re thrilled to celebrate the achievements of Gabriel, Dallas, Jackie Art, Mint Simon, and Tiger Balme, who each bring their unique voices and perspectives to the Canadian music community. We can’t wait to see how they will shape the future of Canadian music.”

Andrea Barrack, Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Impact, RBC:
“RBC remains committed to equipping the next generation of creatives with skills for a thriving future. The creative community contributes vastly to the Canadian economy – that’s why we are proud to support the Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program which helps amplify new talent and diverse voices in the music industry. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”

Gabriel Fredette, 2024 Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Grand Prize Winner:
“For me, music is a chance to do good for people by making them experience emotions through melody and lyrics. This opportunity given to me today only fuels this passion and desire to continue in this field. Thank you so much! Can’t wait for what’s coming next!”

For more information about the winners and to hear their music, visit emergingmusician.ca.

Canada’s Walk of Fame Socials


Instagram: @CWOFame | Twitter: @CWOFame | YouTube: @canadaswalkoffame | Facebook: @CWOFame

Emerging Musician Program Instagram: @emerging.musician
Hashtags: #CanadaThrives #EMP2024

Partners
Canada’s Walk of Fame gratefully acknowledges the support of its 2024 Partners: Seeing Red, Cineplex Entertainment, The Slaight Family Foundation, RBC, Air Canada, MLSE, Scotiabank, NBCUniversal, VIA Rail Canada, Next Magazine, The Printing House, and Wildeboer Dellelce LLP, and its Emerging Musician Program Partners: RBC Foundation, ArtHaus, Festival du Voyageur, Metalworks, Canadian Music Week and NXNE.

About Canada’s Walk of Fame
Canada’s Walk of Fame is an award-winning national not-for-profit charitable organization that inspires Canadians by proudly shining a light on the journeys of Canada’s most extraordinary achievers. Canada’s Walk of Fame recognizes the significant impact of Canadian accomplishments and provides the foremost national platform to celebrate achievement in the fields of Arts & Entertainment, Sports & Athletics, Entrepreneurship & Philanthropy, Humanitarianism, and Science, Technology & Innovation. Current honours and programs include the Allan Slaight Music Impact Honour, the RBC Emerging Musician Program, NBCUniversal and Seeing Red Media Future Storytellers program, the Community Hero and National Hero Programs, the Hometown Stars initiative, including charitable donations to our Inductees’ causes, and the nationally televised broadcast designated by the CRTC as a program of national interest. Canada’s Walk of Fame has over 230 inductions to date, with stars having a permanent place of tribute on the streets of Toronto’s Entertainment District. For a complete list of Inductees and Honourees along with more information on Canada’s Walk of Fame, visit: www.canadaswalkoffame.com

Canada’s Walk of Fame was established in 1998 by founders Bill Ballard, Dusty Cohl and Peter Soumalias, with Dianne Schwalm and in partnership with Gary Slaight.

Canada’s Walk of Fame is a registered charity. Charitable Registration Number 889896924RR0001.

Media Contact: Adrienne Kakoullis, Rise PR, 416-450-6637 / akakoullis@risepr.ca