Artists
Introducing the first wave of artists for FOTR 2025 in alphabetical order:
Arielle Soucy - Arielle Soucy is a Montreal-based singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter who has quickly emerged as a rising star in Quebec's music scene. Her debut album, Il n’y a rien que je ne suis pas (2023), was celebrated as the Best Album of the Year by Le Devoir, CISM, Bandcamp, Exclaim!, and other influential outlets.
Glam On The Rocks - A burlesque dance show from all your local faves.
GODSON - Aaron “Godson” Hernandez has been a hip-hop artist in the Northwest Territories for over 30 years. He has released 11 albums & has performed in various parts of North America. After recovering from Stage 4 T-Cell Lymphoma Cancer in 2024, he is ready to grace the stage after a long hiatus from performing on stage.
Hendrika - Multi-instrumentalist Hendrika is a folk fusion musician from the Yukon. Her love of many genres has led to a versatile and unique collection of original material that pushes the boundaries of modern music in all the right ways. Intricate melodies with grounding folk roots, classic rock riffs and soaring vocals will leave you absolutely captivated. She released her new EP I Can’t Remember in the fall of 2024 and will be touring the album this summer.
Jeremie Albino - When Jeremie Albino was a teenager, he started busking around Toronto, setting up along the boardwalk or on a street corner downtown, wherever he thought he might find a crowd of passersby. His songs are grounded in the gritty storytelling of classic country music, propelled by the rhythms of old-school R&B, played with the wild abandon of early rock ‘n’ roll, and sung with the deep feeling of southern soul.
Johnnie Melancholy - Johnnie Melancholy is like the foreign exchange student you wish you were friends with in high school. If his charm and accent don't make you fall, the soul he puts into his original material and cover songs will.
Jonathan Antoine - Jonathan Antoine is a musician from the community of Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́/Fort Simpson, located in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Dehcho has been playing music for years as a hobby and started to perform on stage in 2023. He performs folk music rooted in his Dene culture.
Major Funk - High energy bass-led grooves, soaring vocals, and a tight horn section; this isn’t what you’d expect from a band coming from the Yukon in Canada’s North, but it’s exactly what you get with Whitehorse’s Major Funk.
Meridian - Meridian is a band consisting of members from two musical groups from Hay River and Yellowknife, NWT. These young artists met while competing in the 2024 Folk On The Rocks Main Stage Showdown as The Smith Sisters, Rochelle and Corrine Smith, and Refrijerater, Duncan Stewart and Joe Curran.
NADUH - Filling in the industry thigh-gap, 5 piece femme powered Hip Hop/R&B group, NADUH, write, engineer, and produce all of their music - meaning they have crafted a sound that’s truly representative of their collective energy. Spreading unity consciousness through R&B infused beats that hit every chakra, laced with buttery-smooth vocals and HERstorical lyrics. This one-of-a-kind group aims to shatter earthly constructs, and pop pussies worldwide.
Peter Dreams - Peter Dreams is the new solo project of Peter Dreimanis, co-lead of the three-time JUNO Award winning alt rock band July Talk. An artful, instinct-led exploration, the songs of Peter Dreams are sourced in a dizzy mix of anticipation, hesitation and introspection that accompanies the future, as it arrives.
Reverend Doctor Michael Bokor- Hailing from an undisclosed location (but probably Yellowknife, NT), Reverend Doctor Michael Bokor is a visionary artist, sound healer, and part-time alchemist whose work defies categorization, common sense, and, occasionally, the laws of physics. With a background in something vaguely medical-sounding and a deep belief in the transformative power of “vibes”, he crafts sonic landscapes that have been described as “pretty interesting” and “possibly illegal in several jurisdictions.”
The Johnnys - The Johnnys deliver three-minute blasts of jet-fuelled rock’n’roll, with cheeky lyrics and anthemic choruses! Veronica’s Cree heritage is reflected in Indigenous influences on topics of the environment, social justice, and political change. The Johnnys (Dave and Veronica) have been crossing cultural boundaries by blending traditional Indigenous values and language with high voltage chords and thumping melodies.
Tinge - Tinge is the 3 piece indie-rock project helmed by 2-Spirit Anishinaabe multi-hyphenate Veronica Blackhawk. Beginning their songwriting and performance career as early as 14 years old in 2010 - they would release their first EP titled "Big Deep Sigh" through the Winnipeg recording label House of Wonders in March of 2023.
Yellowknives Dene Drummers - The Yellowknives Dene Drummers are from the communities of Ndilo and Dettah, and include all ages. The drummers can be booked for Northern style celebrations, event opening prayer songs and celebration songs, drum dances and hand games demonstrations.