Alanis Morissette, one of the most iconic artists of the past three decades, is coming to Toronto to celebrate as guest of honor at Billboard Canada Women in Music. The singer-songwriter will receive the Icon Award at the inaugural Billboard Canada Women in Music event, which will take place on September 7 at DPRTMNT.
The Icon Award is presented to a female artist of outstanding achievement who has made historic contributions to the industry and the arts. It's been given to some absolute legends, including Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Lopez, Shania Twain – and Alanis herself, who first won the honor in 2019.
Although in the '90s she was often pigeonholed as an angry songwriter, she is now fully celebrated as a multi-dimensional artist who has shown the limitless nature of representing femininity in music, opening the doors to many generations of musicians who continue to rediscover it.
“I've been loved and ignored, loved and hated,” she told Billboard Women in Music 2019, joking that it's hard for a suave Canadian to accept such an honor. “That's when I was considered really hip and then totally irrelevant and then totally relevant again… Those roles and archetypes are in all of us, all the women in the room and all the women I've worked with.”
Her 1995 album, Jagged little pill, was a jigger – vulnerable, confrontational, funny and poetic in equal measure. With this album (now also a hit Broadway musical), she became the first artist to sell over 2 million copies in Canada. She hasn't slowed down since, with her 10 studio albums and three live albums selling more than 75 million worldwide.
Alanis joins The Beaches, LU KALA and Allison Russell as already announced recipients of the Billboard Canada Women in Music honors, with more to be announced soon.
For more on Billboard Canada Women in Music and to purchase tickets to the September 7 event, visit here. – Richard Trapunsky
The Vancouver Jazz Festival is calling for donations as arts events struggle to survive
In a recent newsletter, Coastal Jazz, the organization that presents the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, put out a disturbing appeal for donations.
“I have to be honest with you – I'm worried about the future,” writes the business manager Eduardo Ottoni in the newsletter. The festival has cut its programming by more than half since the start of the pandemic – from 487 shows in 2019 to 171 in 2024.
“It breaks my heart,” Ottoni says of the reductions.
As it looks to its 40th edition in 2025, organizers are trying to prevent further cuts.
The announcement makes the festival the latest of arts organizations in Canada to reveal serious financial struggles. From high-profile festivals like Just for Laughs, which canceled its 2024 edition, to the Hot Docs documentary festival, which closed its flagship event indefinitely, to local venues like Toronto's Tranzac Club, arts organizations across the country faces enormous challenges. Other festivals have also dropped corporate sponsors – Bell pulled out of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last year after a three-decade partnership.
Nina Horvathsays the executive director of Coastal Jazz Billboard Canada that their funding issues stem from the loss of their title sponsor, TD, in 2022, combined with rising infrastructure costs. The festival's budget has shrunk by 41% since 2019. “Combine that with a general global economic downturn and it's a recipe for tough times,” says Horvath. Inflation and the cost of living crisis mean it is difficult to pass these problems on to consumers, who are resisting rising ticket prices.
The federal government announced a $31 million increase to the Canada Performances Fund in Budget 2024, providing some assistance to performing arts events. Horvath says state funding has become increasingly competitive to achieve, but that policies that support local destination events could make a big difference.
Amid these challenges, the Vancouver Jazz Festival hosted a successful 39th edition, welcoming international stars like Killer Mike and showcasing local artists like R&B singer Janette King and indie band Parlor Panther.
The festival welcomes 100,000 attendees each year, generating an estimated $20 million economic impact for the city. – Rosie Long Decter
Bruce Springsteen, Pharrell Williams, Elton John Going To Toronto International Film Festival 2024
There are always some big music superstars heading to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) along with other A-list celebrities this year.
Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Pharrell Williams, Andrea Bocelli and Robbie Williams will be in town this September, likely on a red carpet.
The announcements come as part of this week's unveiling of the 63-film line-up in the Gala and Special Presentations programs for the festival's 49th edition. Other Hollywood celebrities coming to Toronto include Amy Adams, Riz Ahmed, Cate Blanchett, Will Ferrell and Alicia Vikander.
The Boss is expected at the World Premiere Gala Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, a documentary look at the behind-the-scenes preparation for the rocker's latest tour. Springsteen narrates the film.
It also hosted a prestigious Gala Reception for its World Premiere at TIFF, Elton John: Never too late is a documentary co-directed by RJ Cutler and David Furnish, Sir Elton John's Canadian husband.
Another TIFF world premiere is Morgan Neville's Pharrell Williams biopic, Piece by piece, one that uses Lego animations to tell the story of the “Happy” star's life. Williams' peers and friends featured in the documentary include Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg. Neville previously won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2014 as well as a Grammy Award for Best Music Film for his documentary of the critical and commercial success 20 feet from Stardom.
The life and work of Italian classical music superstar Andrea Bocelli is explored within Andrea Bocelli: Because I believea British documentary directed by Cosima Spender and its World Premiere as a Gala at TIFF.
Veteran English pop star Robbie Williams booked his ticket to TIFF to attend the premiere Better mana biographical musical centered on him and directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman). Williams stars as himself, with Jonno Davies playing the younger version.
It will also premiere on TIF K-Pops!, a comedy/drama written and directed by Anderson .Paak. – Kerry Dull
