Jadea Kelly announces July residency at Cameron House

By Will McGuirk

2022 OMA award winner Jadea Kelly will return to her beginnings for a residency at the Cameron House in Toronto July 11, 18, & 25, 2023. Kelly has been living in Los Angeles so this gives her closer to home fans a chance to catch up.

"The Cameron House was home to me for all of 2010. Every Tuesday from 6-8 pm. It provided an opportunity to build my Toronto audience, hone my sound and find my voice. I have nothing but fond memories in this space. The Cameron House represents my 20s and a family of Canadian artists dedicated to their craft. I look forward to returning this July 2023 during the same Tuesday 6-8PM time slot, to showcase my new unreleased album produced by Jim Bryson this past year.” says Kelly.

Each evening will have a surprise guest sit in with Kelly. And of course as someone who has co-written and/or toured with such lights as Justin Rutledge, Whitehorse, Judy Collins, Catherine MacLellan, Royal Wood, Kelly Prescott, Sweet Alibi, Peter Katz, The Digging Roots, Leela Gilday and Joey Landreth, as well as singing with Protest The Hero, its anyone’s guess as to who may show up.

Jadea's fourth studio album, Roses, was released in March 2022 and garnered Kelly the OMA Single of the Year award for ‘Happy’.

Gigs This Week: Jadea Kelly at the Biltmore Theatre

By Will McGuirk

Jadea Kelly at the Biltmore Theatre Sunday Oct 2 2022. Tickets here.

Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Jadea Kelly, Dan Mangan, Bells Larsen, Sampa The Great, Reuben and the Dark, Elle Celeste, Mimi O'Bonsawin, and Kodaline

By Will McGuirk

“It was important for our new music to be positive and to show our fans that we needed Life After to talk about our experiences in 2020/2021, but that we're back touring, traveling the world, making new music, and ultimately, we're good!" - Young D, Snotty Nose Rez Kids

“The music is steeped in queer love, young love, and lost love. I knew I wanted the aesthetic of the ‘Teenage Love’ music video to reflect all of these things.” - Bells Larsen

“This is a song about shooting yourself in the foot, told from the foot’s perspective. There’s barely any gray area left in the middle ground. We are so averse to seeing the other side achieve a win, we would rather that all sides lose.” - Dan Mangan

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Local Edition with The Standstills, Sonny Hendrixx, Rory Taillon, Jadea Kelly, Jacob Henley, and Lennon Stella

By Will McGuirk

New tunes from the locals, locals spread out all over, getting back at and we wish them all well. Listen in.

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Lindsay Schoolcraft, Jadea Kelly, Begonia, Ellen Froese, Ava Kay, Sister Ray, Les Cooper

By Will McGuirk

"If you know about the Twin Flame phenomenon it is because you've experienced it yourself. You meet someone that you feel you've known forever. Everything changes around you: your life, your thoughts, your path and purpose. Intensely romantic or intensely painful, they are the mirror of your soul and ignite you to "wake up" to who you truly are.” - Lindsay Schoolcraft

“Feeding money and time into artistic pursuits can often feel like feeding coins into a broken parking metre.” - Jadea Kelly

”I wrote "Go" about moving on and moving forward: leaving home for the first time, chasing your dreams, leaving a town, leaving a relationship or a life behind.” - Ava Kay

“When you just want to be around someone all the time but aren't sure how they feel about you, so you second guess every text and every phone call before finally just being vulnerable (AH!) and letting the other person know how you feel. I feel like this phase of a relationship is all at once exhilarating and torturous.” - Begonia

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New tunes from Durham Region acts Jadea Kelly, Skye Wallace, Sonny Hendrixx, Devontee Woe, Jacob Henley, Rody Walker, and Shawn Mendes

By Will McGuirk

“Happy was written about the traditional narrative of motherhood and marriage. What is a woman’s societal worth and identity outside of her basic anatomy? Despite what society and history unconsciously imprints on a woman, the independent solitary and childless woman is equally whole. This song celebrates the choice and freedom to joyfully do whatever makes you happy in this one beautiful life. Our generation has the choice to reinvent what has been unconsciously expected of us. ‘Do whatever makes you happy’. - Jadea Kelly

Now y’all know I have been a fan of Darth Jadea for quite the time and not just because of her clear as crystal vocals, and her deep love of the folk tradition and her canny sense of song but also and mostly for her bravery and her honesty in her creativity. She looks inwards and calls it out and in her callings we find moments of ourselves. Jadea has a new album due in a couple of months, so put away your $$ now.

Many other kats and kits and all in-between from the D-Rawk have been laying out their own hearts and minds in new tunes, including Kelly compatriot from Protest The Hero Rody Walker working under the covers in a new project. Both Sonny Hendrix and Devontee Woe bring the Rap spirituals and big time dude Shawn Mendes also goes for the heart on his new track, although maybe more heart break for the Pickering dude truth be told.

And “Truth Be Told” is the latest the from the enigmatic rocker Skye Wallace. We anxiously waiting for new tunes from Skye after seeing her open for Crown Lands recently at the Biltmore Theatre. So good.

And speaking of the Biltmore, the Newcastle On. via Dublin Ire. via Newcastle On. singer/songwriter Jacob Henley has an album release at the downtown Oshawa venue skedded for Feb 4. Our Cobourg pal Cale Crowe opens. Pray to the Corona Gods for that to happen.

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic with Jadea Kelly, Ruby Singh, Simon and the Island, Jordan Klassen, Edwin Raphael, Mauvey, and Neil Young

By Will McGuirk

“Maybe this is the heart of wisdom; knowing when to indulge and knowing when to abstain." - Jordan Klassen

“However you realize maybe love isn’t about being realistic and the past isn't foreshadowing the present either. You got to dive in or you’re lying to yourself.” - Edwin Raphael

“Love, at the end of the day, is real and unpredictable.” - Mauvey

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Jadea Kelly, Geoffroy, Frazey Ford, Favours, Lumineers, Scott Hardware, Ellyn Woods and Baile, Riches, and Sloan,

By Will McGuirk

"Escaping" is a song about the secrets that you keep inside. Forget the past and leap forward. Don't look back, it's not worth your time.” - Favours

“This idea of coming home to yourself after losing yourself in a world of disillusionment. The point when you realize everything you need is already within yourself. Letting go of all that isn't you, to rediscover who you are.”   - Ellyn Woods, Baile

“This song marks a deep dive into my changing thoughts about nostalgia, seeing it change from cozy romanticism to toxic waste." - Scott Hardware

Live Slow Die Wise - Geoffroy

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic Spotlight: Jadea Kelly

By Will McGuirk

Jadea Kelly is always a fave ‘round here so happy to hear a new track from the Whitby singer/songwriter, who has been based in L.A. Yah the good ones always leave, but the distance is felt and her latest single, ‘Driveway’ is about that feeling, that longing for friends, family, familiarity. Its a longing once felt by folks continents apart but such were the guidelines for the Covid, it is one now shared between folks who were sometimes only a driveway apart.

“Driveway was written during one of my first trips to LA and sat on a hard drive for years amidst my touring schedule. When the pandemic rolled around, and I was physically unable to see my family in Canada, the song returned with a deeper meaning. Like many, I longed for the simplicity of home, a quiet street, the seasons and the ones I love. More than ever,” says Kelly

So yes a song which was written some time back takes on a deeper resonance and with a voice that resonates like only Jadea Kelly’s can.

Slowcity.ca Open Mic - Show and Tell edition with Jitensha, Jadea Kelly, Pup, Haviah Mighty, Operators,

By Will McGuirk

The nice weather brings out the neighbours, gets folks on the street, chatting about winter issues and Spring plans. Those who have been woodshedding projects bring them out and its time now to see what the artists have been making. My child and his pals are among those airing out songs in public. They have a band, Mary & Adelaide. They have a show at the Diezel Room, DT Oshawa on Friday, April 12. They are on a bill with Montrealers, Jitensha, an indie folk duo, also airing out songs and taking them on the road. Jitensha will kick off this open mic and the brilliance of Jadea Kelly will dispel any winter hangovers with her Old Weird America cover of “Amazing Grace”. Pup, Haviah Mighty, and my one of my fave acts Operators also drop by,

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Shows

Jitensha - Friday April 12, The Diezel Room, Oshawa
Haviah Mighty - Friday, May 3 @ the Drake Underground, Toronto
Jadea Kelly - Thursday, May 9 @ The Burdock, Toronto
Pup - Sunday, July 7 @ RBC Echo Beach, Toronto

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Slowcity.ca Open Mic: Still Winter Edition featuring Jadea Kelly, Micah Erenberg, Geneviève Racette, Lydia Persaud, Living Hour, Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams, Bad Animal and Ben Rogers

By Will McGuirk

Its like its Groundhog Day, you know where the beast sees his shadow and the sun is to shine in six weeks but you think it would be gradually warmer but not that Groundhog Day, Groundhog Day the movie and you wake up and EVERYDAY IS THE SAME; more snow, more cold, more snow, stop with the cold!!! The beast has a cold, cold heart or maybe its not Groundhog Day its Russian Doll, either way these tunes will warm you up and keep you sane. Lets kick it with our pal, the clean as crystal voice of Jadea Kelly, two-fer-one special from Darth Jadea. The rest of the line-up is Micah Erenberg, Geneviève Racette, Lydia Persaud, Living Hour, Gesaffelstein & Pharrell Williams, Bad Animal and Ben Rogers. Stay warm, stay positive, the sun will shine eventually.

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Shows:

Ben Rogers Mar 23, New Vision United Church, Hamilton, ON; Mar 25 Showplace Performance Theatre, Peterborough, ON

Jadea Kelly May 9 Burdock, Toronto, ON. (Early Show: 6pm & Late Show: 9pm)

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