Can a winding river be hopeful? By its very nature, it doesn’t know where it might encounter calm, rapids, or an abrupt tumble into the abyss of a waterfall. Yet, as I pressed play on Jacre's latest offering, "Just Hold On", I’m reminded of rivers with their relentless journey—steady but vibrant, deliberate yet turbulent, all flowing toward eventual peace. This single pulses with that...

Heïka, the rising star of the indie-pop genre, has sent a ray of sunshine into the Canadian province of Quebec's music landscape. The mesmerising soprano Andrée-Anne Bélisle and the evocative pianist Jo-Annie Bourdeau are at the centre of this project. Their unexpected encounter at the University of Montréal as jazz enthusiasts developed into a symphony of shared musical aspirations once they got to know one...