Krystal Samuels

Krystal Samuels

Growing up in Malvern, one of Toronto’s toughest communities, it’s hard to stay out of trouble but you could always find Krystal training for a track meet. And when she wasn’t training, she was probably in her room penciling her thoughts into poems or songs. Music had always been a part of her life, from waking up to the sound of CeCe Winans on a Sunday morning to singing karaoke at the Wild Water Kingdom amusement park in Toronto at age 8. Growing up in a house of six girls and one television, Krystal spent most of her time listening to music. Songs by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Fred Hammond and Alicia Keys became part of her daily life. When no one was home, she would pop in a CD and plant herself firmly in front of her mirror, pretending she was singing to a crowd of thousands. And that’s how it was: music was therapeutic for a young girl living in a single-parent household; yet Krystal had never set foot in a recording studio until she met the founder of ReflecLife Entertainment, Wil Orellana. Familiar with the music business, Orellana took her under his wing and helped develop Krystal’s distinctive sound. Already creating a buzz within the city and making special performance appearances this summer. With no offical single yet her popularity continues to grow you will definitely be hearing from this remarkable talent in the near future.

Ariestarrr

Ariestarrr

As an emotional writer and fierce lyricist, Ariestarrr is nothing short of direct, ardent, charismatic and aggressive when it comes to her music. She came from a musical family, whereby nearly every member has natural musical ability. Ariestarrr preferred rap music over singing as there was something about the aggression and passion involved in the expression of rap music that held her soul captive till this day.
Ariestarrr was always surrounded by music involuntarily or just to escape the mess of life. This 22 year old rapper was born as Patricia La Khan in Toronto, where she lived with her mother and two sisters in stigmatized neighbourhoods. Her eldest sister often visited Queens, NY during the holidays to spend time with relatives. Upon her return to Toronto she always brought back rap cassettes of the illest rappers at the time such as Mc Lyte, Eric B & Rakim, Ice T, Big Daddy Kane , Kool Moe Dee, Rob Base and Ez-Rock. This is how Ariestarrr fell in love with rap music and realized that she had the skill to rap and write as well, she wrote her first song at age 11.
Ariestarrr gives much respect and thanks to the forefathers of rap such as RUN DMC, PUBLIC ENEMY and MC LYTE just to name a few. Her favorite artists and primary influences are DMX, 2Pac and Eminem. She quotes "I can relate to them, I feel their words and their passion and most of all I love their flow, they are my mentors". Most of her music is emotional, aggressive and intense- audio discretion is advised.
Before going solo as a rap artist, Ariestarrr was the lead MC for the rap metal band Forenzik for 6months and after the split joined Project X another rap metal band where she performed live at the 360, Sneaky Dee's and Fox Fiddle every month. Both bands were experimenting with the merging of rap and heavy metal genres. After 6 months the band split up due to irreconcilable differences.
Ariestarrr having gone solo has recently completed her "killer" demo and is working on an independent debut album while seeking record label interest. She also continues to develop herself as an artist through vocal training, live performance detailing, writing and networking. Ariestarrr has done collaborations with singer and songwriter CandyMarie www.candymarie.com, and has been invited to do the remix for Jhevon Paris' Neva Eva ft. August track which is currently number 64 on the billboard charts. Ariestarrr has performed in small venues across Toronto and is planning on doing many shows in the near future. Look out for the "Ambitionz A Burden" Track on the mixtape "Take One For the Team" produced by Artifaktz aka Bruce Lee which will be released in June 2007.
Internationally, fans are beginning to praise her lyrical ability and flow versatility. Her music stays real while being fit enough for the clubs. Its focus is on motivating the audience to stand up for what they believe, to persevere through struggles come what may and to simply enjoy the music.

Chimere Appleton

Chimere Appleton

Bio coming soon

Jamesking

Jamesking

Fusion began as a tribute to our shrinking borders, heralding a new era where traditions were enhanced by the mix-and-match ingenuity of innovative minds, ears and eyes. By the late 90s, every corner of every major city featured a meeting of cultures: restaurants, fashion and music reflected globalization’s diversified palate. But to compare Toronto-based R&B group Jamesking to an exotic sushi roll is to miss the point altogether. The soulful five-piece band, fronted by gifted vocalist Lyrical Gyles, may stem from all four corners of the globe, but their sound is rooted in the highest tradition of soul, funk, rhythm and blues.
After honing his writing skills in all styles of music, musician and composer Damir “Duff” Demirovic moved to Toronto and began to concoct his own fusion. But this was a melodic fusion of the finest lyrical blues, seasoned with the delicate strains of contemporary pop and R&B, and topped off with a delicious, soulful burst of funk. A new sound was ready to be heard.
When the time came to find the band to give his songs life, Duff was amazed to discover three immensely talented, driven and accomplished R&B musicians, all of whom had come from backgrounds just as diverse and international as his own. With Ran Caspi on bass, Ilian Iliev on keys, and David Yoon on percussion, the fusion continued to bubble and brew. Inspired by their love of R&B, the three experienced players crossed the same waters in search of the perfect alchemical style. That style became the Jamesking band.
Rounding out the lineup is silky, seductive songstress, Gyles. Her smooth, penetrating vocals add the right blend of harmony to Jamesking’s signature sound. A fixture on the local R&B scene, Gyles has performed with Juno-award nominees Jully Black, Camille Douglas, and Glenn Lewis, and graced Carlos Morgan’s first single, “Baby C’mon,” which appeared on Groove Essentials, Vol. I. Bringing her considerable performing experience to the mixture, Gyles adds the right dash of breathy soul and natural professionalism.
Now, as the band prepares to launch its sound to the world, these five musicians are busy blending their individual style, influence and background into a symphony of sound. During their very first gig, without any radio play, the band sold 15 CDs and 12 T-shirts – clearly indicating that their sound resonates with audiences. So the next time your ears brush the gentle strains of a mellow melody, invoking so much tradition, yet somehow remaining fresh and new, know that this is fusion at work; the meaning of international soul; the meeting of five unique souls; the music of Jamesking.

Lisa Banton

Lisa Banton

Born and raised in Toronto Canada, Lisa Banton has been singing for as long as she can remember. Growing up, her father George Banton was her first musical influence. Known as the Soul of Toronto, her father is greatly recognized among the Caribbean population of the city for singing Reggae Gospel.
In the world of RNB, Lisa Banton is slowly making a name for herself. With a voice said to be soulful and from the heart, Lisa is ready to take the world by storm. Her musical influences range from Janet Jackson to Erykah Badu. The female of which is Lisa's biggest inspiration is none other then the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige. Though it is evident how much of an influence Mary is through Lisa's voice, she is determined to develop and display a style all her own. Currently, Lisa is in the process of working on new material in hopes of becoming the next R&B sensation to come out of Toronto. Lisa will be doing performances and working with other artists across the city, which will in turn create an early fan base and provide her with experience that will help ensure longevity.