Performers

Eli Gosselin-Rattlesnake is an Anishinaabe Hoop Dancer whose ancestry is from Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty 4 Reserve in Southwestern Manitoba. 
He and his Powwow and Hoop dance family have been traveling to share their medicine anywhere the Spirit calls them. It is with great gratitude that they share their stories and medicine with the people.

The Mexican Dance Ensemble of Vancouver (MDE) was founded in March 2013 by professional Dancer Lourdes Ruiz. Mexico and its beauty are showcased through our dance numbers. Some of them narrate parts of the country’s history and general aspects of life, love, and death. 
History Danza folklórica Mexicana is a choreographed style of dance rooted in regional Mexican folklore, dating back to the post-Revolutionary period (1910). It contains theatrical elements and is considered a stylized art form. Its objective is to showcase the cultural diversity of each of the provinces in Mexico. 

Matt Cook-Contois is a First Nations fiddle player from Northern Manitoba. He has been playing the fiddle most of his life and has performed at festivals, camps, and competitions across the country.

Shawn Bullshields was born and raised in Southern Alberta, a member of the Blackfoot Nation. In 2010, he began pursuing music professionally in Vancouver. Since 2015 Shawn has been performing full time on Granville Island; he is a singer/guitarist and has a natural charisma and professional delivery that combines a repertoire of songs from the genres of pop, blues, country and folk: The point where they intersect is through his masterful singing voice. He commands instant attention because his voicconveys the truth, beauty and deep meaning within each song, expressed with the full weight of his personal life experiences.  

V-love is a local Liberian born, Canadian based Afrobeats artist. Born Vincent Vorkpor, V-love started singing at the age of six, but officially started focusing on music as a career from 2017 till now. Since then he hasn’t stopped singing and performing. V-love have released one album titled (Mr Lover) with couples of music videos. V-love is currently working on his second album, which will be released later this year. 

Our musical spice is exotic and inspiring. We have been together since 2013 and we keep growing, with 25 official members. We consider ourselves a family, a community united in our love for sharing Afrobeat music, African culture and celebrating the vast and diverse human landscape of Canada and Africa. We are multicultural, multiethnic and everyone is welcome. Our purpose for the band and organization is to come together in community, share African culture and spread joy. No doubt our events and shows will get you dancing, connecting and feeling the love! 

Muévete is a marimba ensemble that loves to get people on their feet and moving. The group is composed of ten people, ranging from ages 15-25. The band has been playing together for seven years. In those years, they have played at festivals and concerts around the province. This year the group has been working hard on writing original songs that they can't wait for you to hear. 

Sound Cinema is a pair of brothers who are proud Huron Wendat nation members based in Vancouver. Sound Cinema was raised on the records of rock bands like Tears for Fears, U2, The Killers, The Kings of Leon and Oasis which they blend with their more contemporary influences in the pop-rock & EDM genres like Dayglow and The 1975. Their latest releases 'Planes' and 'Shock Me (Like You Mean It) have been featured on a number of Spotify playlists and will be followed up by their next release in July of 2023.

Pat Calihou is best known for building the biggest Métis monument in British Columbia located at fort Langley national historic site . 

Sino General, a mesmerizing singer and dancer from the Six Nations, brings the spirit of tradition alive through his captivating performances. With his powerful vocals and graceful movements, he embodies the essence of the Pow Wow. As a respected leader in preserving Native heritage, Sino's performances transport audiences to a world where tradition meets contemporary influences. Experience the vibrant energy and timeless traditions of the Six Nations as Chief Rock takes the stage at the upcoming Pow Wow show. Get ready to be enchanted by his extraordinary talent and deep connection to his roots. Don't miss this unforgettable celebration of Native culture.

Hailing from Surrey, BC, Canada, PEAK is a rising alternative Hip Hop/R&B artist that brings lyricism, passion and catchy melodies to each of his recordings that is undeniable. He draws inspiration from the late 90’s early 00’s era from acts such as 50 Cent, The Game, T-Pain, Lil Wayne and even earlier from the likes of Tupac, Biggie and Jay-Z. Infused with some newer inspirations such as The Weeknd, Drake, Nav, 88Glam and Justin Bieber, PEAK’s sound is one that is a unique blend of old school Hip Hop and modern R&B with a fresh twist.

After the success of his recent Project 99 Reasons, that has accumulated over 400,000 streams PEAK is going to continue to represent his city, community and connect with his audience in a meaningful way through the expression of his music.

Rangla Punjab Arts Academy was founded in 2016 by renowned Punjabi folk singer Sarbjit Cheema. Their vision is to provide the upcoming generations with a platform in which they can connect to their cultural roots, and their mother language Punjabi.

Rangla Punjab Arts Academy provides everyone with a fun, safe, and friendly environment in which everyone can express themselves through the various arts taught. Rangla Punjab Arts Academy has always stood by teaching its members values and ethics. Rangla Punjab Arts Academy holds various teams, which can showcase the powerful and graceful dance of Punjab, Bhangra!

We are TMWY (Take Me With You), a fun Vancouver-based band.

We love and are inspired by all kinds of music which reflects deeply in our versatile sound, which still remains uniquely true to us. Listeners who like RnB, hip hop, rap, soul, pop, or just a little bit of everything (like we do) will find their happy place listening to our songs.

We are new and only been around for about year, but we're aiming for the stars and always grateful for the opportunities we get and the love we receive.

Argel Monte de Ramos also known as Argel MDR is a Filipino-Canadian singer/songwriter from Surrey, Canada. He was one of the Top 10 finalists of CBC's Toyota Searchlight 2021 and the Music Category winner of Surrey Board of Trade's 2022 Surrey Art and Business Awards. When he was 15 years old, he moved to Canada from the Philippines with his family to seek a better life and opportunities. With Sam Smith, One Republic, and Original Pinoy Music (OPM) as his music influences, Argel wants to use the power of storytelling to inspire Filipino youth and other immigrants through his music and theatrical performances. In addition, he is an advocate of representation, anti-racism work, and inclusion. Argel's most recent single, 'Sail Away' was featured in Spotify editorial playlists, including Fresh Finds Philippines. Argel recently received a Pop Artist of the Year Nomination and an Excellence Award by a BIPOC artist from Fraser Valley Music Awards 2021 by CIVL radio 101.7 FM. 

Tissa Rahim, the Persian Powerhouse, is a West Coast musician with a 40-city North American tour under her belt. Tissa freely explores her effortless Soul/RnB sound, infusing it with traditional Persian music her family has made for generations. Since 2019, Rahim has built up an enticing catalog as a solo artist, consisting of digital releases, videos and collaborations with artists in Vancouver and beyond. Tissa is back in the studio recording original music, funded by Creative BC, FACTOR and Socan.

Karishma Deo is a Canadian-born singer-songwriter from Vancouver, Canada. She studied songwriting and composition from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, and has trained in Indian classical music, western vocals and music theory since she was 10 years old. She has performed at the 2018 Juno awards and concerts for many Bollywood singers in Canada and America. Karishma has released original songs in English and Hindi languages named "Sansani” and "Jhumo to the Rhythm”!