The 2018 CBC Music Festival is happening this Saturday, May 26, and there is a long list of amazing artists to check out. Not sure who to see, though? We've got you covered.
Below, we'll take a closer look at one of this year's newest stages: the River Bar stage.
The River Bar stage will showcase emerging acts from around the Greater Toronto Area, shining a spotlight on artists you need to keep an eye on. This year, they're rocking our small stage, but soon they could be headliners. From a young indie-rock duo to R&B superstars in the making, make sure you stop by this stage between the bigger acts of the day.
Tickets for the CBC Music Festival are available at Ticketmaster.
3 p.m.: Moscow Apartment
Girls Rock Camp Toronto has produced some exciting up-and-coming acts over the years, from Pins and Needles to Hex. Musical duo Moscow Apartment is yet another wonderful product of that camp. Members Brighid Fry and Pascale Padilla, both 15 years old, merge their beautiful harmonies with everything from folk melodies to rock anthems. With a full-length album in the works, we can't wait to see what else these two can do.
4:05 p.m.: Alcordo
Kristina Alcordo didn't think she could make a career out of music until one of her covers was shared by Joe Kay of the music label Soulection. Since then, the 22-year-old singer has focused full time on performing soulful R&B ballads such as her single "No Good," a slinky number about infidelity. It's a track that we can easily leave on repeat all day, so hit play below and prepare for her upcoming performance.
5:10 p.m.: Jxck Kxlly
Jxck Kxlly likes to mix the old with the new: her list of musical influences ranges from Daft Punk and Blondie to Serge Gainsbourg and Dolly Parton. On her latest single, "Nothing," you can hear some of those influences coalescing: vintage-sounding guitars paint a cinematic picture in which Kxlly confidently tells listeners, "I'd rather be a bitch than just a dame."
6:20 p.m.: Tobi
Over the past two years, Tobi has been getting a lot of attention locally for his compelling style of rapping. His songs lean heavily on R&B, often slow and grooving, allowing for Tobi's more melodic delivery to shine through on tracks like "FYi" and "All Day." Given a bigger platform, those songs could be bona fide hits. Tobi was most recently featured on CBC Music's songs you need to hear this week for his newest collaboration with pop star Ralph. "Together, Ralph and Tobi have struck a perfect balance of down-to-earthness and low-key danceability," we wrote of "Girl Next Door."
Visit CBCmusic.ca/festival on Saturday, May 26 to stream the 2018 CBC Music Festival performances.
More to explore:
Everything you need to know about the 2018 CBC Music Festival
Your guide to the CBC Festival Stage lineup at the 2018 CBC Music Festival
Your guide to the CBC q stage lineup at the 2018 CBC Music Festival
Your guide to the CBC Main Stage lineup at the 2018 CBC Music Festival