Writer Candidates

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

We must always look to the future and consider the current technological upheaval! However, we must also think about the pandemic crisis we have been going through since March 2020, and continue to adapt to our environment. SOCAN is already fighting hard for the rights of music creators and publishers, and has established several programs to help our creative artists. In my opinion, continuing to better adapt and advance the issue of Canadian law to regulate the Internet compared to other means of distribution and dissemination is a very important issue that we must continue to champion for the next three years.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

Using my reality as a Québec artist, my training as a lawyer, and my network of business and artistic contacts. My artistic passion would make me a committed and involved member in the advancement of SOCAN’s various priority issues. As an immigrant woman, I also bring an experience and reality of integration and inclusion in Canada, as well as an international view of the music market.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Probably one of the biggest challenges we face is the devaluation of our rights in a fast-paced and flourishing digital environment. 

SOCAN must ensure that the tariff rates set for new music services provide fair compensation to rightsholders to allow for a sustainable future for our industry’s creators in an increasingly global marketplace. 

With all the recent technological advances, we need to develop innovative solutions to ensure that our members can track, in real time, the use of their music online. 

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

My experience as a musician, songwriter, and in the corporate music world over the past 12 years at Stingray Music, will allow me to bring a wide range of knowledge and skills in management and leadership that could benefit the SOCAN Board. I want to defend the interests of songwriters in a market that is constantly evolving, and changing faster than the legislation our governments put in place. 

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

As we continue in this new age of COVID-19, the lack of ability to tour has truly pushed songwriters to focus more on their royalty collection. SOCAN members will be looking for more ways that SOCAN can advocate for them, to gain more opportunities to get royalties for their music used in podcasts, on radio, television and beyond. 

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I’ve noticed that the SOCAN board currently has low representation from the East Coast, and I think my extensive knowledge of the East Coast music scene would bring a welcomed perspective about the area. I have a wide network of new and emerging artists from across Canada who have not yet heard of SOCAN, and I love talking to them about the opportunities that SOCAN can offer in the form of royalties, funding (SOCAN Foundation), and more! 

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Often, when negotiations are held between users and rightsholders, songwriters and publishers are not invited to participate. SOCAN has an obligation to be the voice for this missing contingent, and should continue to advocate and deliver fair solutions for compensation for music use, in a growing array of venues, both physical and digital.

In an expanding, complex and competitive music-delivery industry, opportunities for indie artists are still minimal. A mere 13 percent of indie music is discoverable on Spotify. YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, and Apple Music are all swayed by the immense power the major labels wield, due to their ability to contribute to the bottom line through advertising dollars. Also, at the moment, the majors own significant shares in the most influential DSP, Spotify. SOCAN must anticipate the growing popularity of non-traditional music delivery platforms and ensure access to all, along with fair tariff rates for the creators who traditionally do not have the time or money to defend their rights.

SOCAN also has an obligation to champion the unique and diverse Canadian music community. Its role in nurturing, promoting, and celebrating Canada’s talent is essential to the development and future of all Canadian creators.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

As a woman with experience in the financial sector, both public and private, I can bring to the table my expertise in financial analysis, and contribute to ensuring operational excellence. As a relative newcomer to the Board experience, I can bring a fresh perspective to the SOCAN Board of Directors. As an indie artist and advocate for the discoverability of the indie artist, I can bring a voice to the table where the majors reside. I am dedicated to recognizing, nurturing, and engaging new talent from all backgrounds and genders, and would continue to champion the indie agenda as a SOCAN Board member.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

The fastest-growing sector of the music industry is the independent one. Beat-selling platforms and online marketplaces provide more opportunities to collaborate and release music. While these are valid solutions, creators are licensing their material without proper information on how protect their interests. There are many challenges with digital ID, data, and rights management, especially with all the different companies and affiliates subject to ongoing changes in legislation and delegation of responsibility. It’s increasingly more difficult to track overseas music use in markets such as Korea and China. SOCAN members will need assistance with proper registration, and ensuring licenses are issued with labels, artists, independent distributors, and DSPs.

The pandemic has crippled the live segment and with decreased revenues across the board, writers will need other ways to generate revenue. Members will have to maximize networks and collaborations outside of traditional outlets. They will also need to equip themselves for a more permanent remote working environment. Retention of writers sustaining a career in music will be challenged.

Another issue is need for fair compensation to songwriters. SOCAN has been a strong voice, and the member community will have to continue being active in advocating for these rights.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

My ability to maintain vision, develop brands, and access resources and funding, has given me the opportunity to build successful careers and companies. I believe this multi-faceted experience can provide insights on what writers need to thrive, and how SOCAN can remain competitive internationally. I see myself bridging the gap between domestic writers and foreign territories where publishing and songwriter royalties are healthy, such as Korea , and addressing inefficiencies in regard to licensing and reporting in these emerging influential markets. I have many ideas on how to continue building the collaborative community with special regard to R&B and hip-hop genres that are driving culture abroad, with strong roadmaps for repatriation of writers abroad. I’ve invested in new AI-powered music tech companies, and consult for a music fund that provides financing for creators against future revenue. Additionally, my experience using online tools and marketplaces gives me a wide range of knowledge on how members can utilize these new platforms. I’ve accessed many of SOCAN’s wonderful benefits and know how to leverage them with other resources and programs. Oversight and strategic direction in these areas is where I can contribute meaningfully.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

The key issue facing songwriters today, and over the next three years,is the challenge of receiving equitable compensation from new media and music distribution platforms. Technology is changing at a rapid pace and the existing compensation structures for songwriters are struggling to keep up in the current climate. Songwriters have to fight hard to achieve appropriate royalties for their material, which is utilized for profit by new media platforms. While some great work has certainly been done, there is still a long way to go to ensure fair compensation. The current COVID 19 crisis has highlighted just how inadequate these compensation structures are. Many sources of revenue, such as live performance, are currently unavailable, shifting a significant weight of financial stability for artists and songwriters on to their royalty payments for survival. These payments often do not reflect fair compensation, and the community at large is struggling because of it. It is not only about catching up, but also about anticipating developments in new media platforms, and positioning the songwriter community in a way that guarantees equitable compensation formulas going forward so songwriters can make a living doing what they love to do in a sustainable and fair way.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

With my years in the music industry, coupled with my experience as a historian, teacher, and author, I will bring to the Board a wide variety of skill sets, which will be harnessed towards improving the lives of songwriters. My knowledge of Canadian government operations, copyright laws in both Canada and the U.S., as well as the history of the struggle for compensation equity, give me a strong understanding of the challenges we have faced – and thus, better positions me to contribute to the positive steps we need to take moving forward. As a practiced public speaker with strong inter-personal skills, and an effective team player with an extensive understanding of the music industry, I am able to discuss and advocate for songwriter rights in multiple arenas. From government halls, to business boardrooms, to classrooms and music conferences, I will be a dedicated and enthusiastic representative for songwriters across the country, and continue to learn as much as possible about the constantly evolving nature of our industry in order to better represent songwriters, and more importantly, to help anticipate future challenges. Advocacy is key, and the fight for compensation equity needs strong and dedicated advocates. As a SOCAN board member I will be that advocate.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

We are at a pivotal moment in the music world where songwriting, composing, publishing, and synch have never been more important for artists and the industry. Our Canadian music community has been affected by COVID-19, and so I believe the next three years will be about helping SOCAN members learn, strategize, adapt, and evolve into dynamic creators who use remote writing, recording, and communication to create a new wave of music and income streams. In 2019 there was an estimated $87 million collected from digital sources alone. We will continue expanding licensing of music, depth, accuracy, and speed of royalty distributions and truly helping the songwriters and publishers who make SOCAN the organization that it is. We are all pivoting, and I know members like me want a leading organization like SOCAN to continue demonstrating the ability to be a rock for songwriters, publishers, and artists.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

As a dynamic and creative thinker, I am always seeing the bird’s-eye view, the bigger picture, and positive vision for everything to which I lend my heart. As a songwriter myself, I have the interest of SOCAN members as my number-one priority. I know the passion, the struggle, and the need for writers to be supported as much as possible, and how important each royalty penny and opportunity can be. I come to the table with a unique voice as a female songwriter/producer in the industry, a mixed-race and queer artist, and someone who has always happily existed on the fringes; I can identify with the thousands of SOCAN members who are independent and self-represented. Having run my own independent music label for years, I am familiar with making informed business decisions. I can also relate to the mechanics of larger labels and publishers, as I have engaged with that aspect of the industry, and the folks who put their passion into helping music be heard. I come with a balanced perspective, a passion for innovation, and a desire to build bridges where space is perceived. My many years touring managing my band, facilitating workshops for youth, and working with various organizations, have taught me how to communicate with clarity and care. I am who I am because of my many experiences, and I would love to bring that breadth to the SOCAN board.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

The issue of fair compensation will likely top many lists this election, as in elections past. In a pandemic context of increased online presence, advocacy around the monetization of newer revenue streams (digital tariffs, partnerships, legislation) is undoubtedly a growing concern for many members. But there are also ongoing challenges with existing licensing, reporting, and royalty distribution mechanisms that must continue to be addressed to positively impact SOCAN members’ livelihoods. Forward-thinking leadership, equitable policies and rates in an ever-shifting landscape, increased transparency, streamlined internal processes, members empowered in the collection of their hard-won earnings: I think these are key areas for SOCAN members over the next three years.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I am someone who asks a lot of questions, and I consider this an asset because it leads to nuanced understanding and broader grasp of the issues at hand. My analytical nature and collaborative leadership style are strengths that have served me well in past Board experiences. While I have been called a natural mediator, I do not shy away from decision-making, or debates that can lead to better outcomes for those we represent. I am a fierce advocate who believes in respect and fair play. As a composer of concert music for more than two decades, I can contribute first-hand knowledge of the specifics of this corner of the music industry, and can speak to many of the compensation and rights challenges that composers face. To the Board of SOCAN, I will bring strong communication skills in both official languages, a demonstrated willingness to take an active role in Board activities and initiatives, and a deep commitment to listening to the concerns of the members, who count on SOCAN to make their best interests a priority.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

I believe lengthy payment and distribution intervals to be a major issue. In order to offer a viable and durable way of life to songwriters, we must absolutely make sure that their work conditions are more stable, and free of stress regarding their sources of revenue. The way I see it, the collecting and distribution technologies should allow for predictable monthly payments. I also believe that the IT systems, the web portal, and member access should be modernized, and offer more tools to songwriters to help them analyze and optimize the broadcasting of their works.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I believe that my experience as a board member with ARTISTI, the UDA, and Métamusique, as well as my involvement with the RAM, gives me an accurate picture of today’s challenges and their effect on songwriters within the music industry. These activities have also helped me to assimilate the finer points of collective management, as well as the governing principles of an Executive Board. As such, my skill set gives me a head-start to begin addressing pressing issues without delay, and help me contribute my point of view as a songwriter who is both active on the scene, and involved in our industry’s current debates.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

I think the biggest issue facing all SOCAN members is how we can work together to recover from the crippling effects the pandemic has had on the entertainment industry as a whole. The light is at the end of the tunnel, but we need to band together to figure out an action plan to get the industry back to where it was and – hopefully – even better than where it was.

Besides the effects of COVID-19, another issue facing SOCAN members is the fact that songwriters are not making a fair wage from the new world of streaming. This is an issue that needed to be improved upon even before the pandemic, and if I was elected as a Director, I would like to make this issue a priority. A huge requirement for the success of musicians in these times is the demand to be a “jack of all trades” – besides honing one’s craft and writing good music, songwriters now need tech, recording, production, and arranging skills in order to succeed, and it would be nice to see more training on these outside areas be available for songwriters to help get their songs out there.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

One of the reasons I am putting my name forward to join the SOCAN Board of Directors is that I want to give back to an organization of which I have always been proud to be a member. I would bring knowledge, skills, experience and a passion to help Canadian songwriters and publishers to the SOCAN Board of Directors. As someone who is a strong believer in diversity and inclusion, I believe I have a high level of personal integrity, and the courage to broach difficult topics. I have always been open to change and new ideas, and am committed to learning; I am willing to put in the time to fully learn about my role, and how I can best serve the Board, and ultimately, all members of SOCAN. Being a self-employed musician for nearly 20 years, I have gained the business and financial skills which will give me a good foundation for this role. I will always be here to listen to members’ concerns and will put in the time to serve SOCAN to the best of my abilities.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

I have discovered so much these past three years being on the SOCAN Board. It has given me a much broader sense of the incredible amount of work that the SOCAN team provides. Many challenges were faced and problems solved. Lessons definitely learned. A stronger team is in place and now our work begins.

I would love to get more feedback and input from the membership. It’s their future, and our job to make sure they can keep doing what they do and be properly compensated. There are many creative minds in which to tap!

Is there life after streaming for the songwriter? Is this the perfect time to appeal to everyone’s sense of fairness? We will continue to look for solutions as well as celebrate the members’ victories, big and small, in these changing times. Encourage one another and let the membership know that we are all a team.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

It is time to move forward and shift our focus back to our membership. That is where I feel most compelled to stand up and fight for fairness.

As a songwriter/performer I can certainly relate to the changing face of royalties (streaming, live performance, etc.). The lack of live performances has hit hard. But we need to continue to be innovative, knock on doors, and show that we can make positive change. I feel that I am a voice for the songwriter, I hear them. They need to know that we are here for them. I would be honoured to continue to do that.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

New sources of revenue and new music platforms in our constantly and rapidly changing industry.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

More than 35 years of experience in the different facets of our industry as a songwriter, producer, musician, publisher, and educator.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

1) SOCAN needs to lobby government for copyright law changes so members get a larger share of revenues from uses such as user-generated content on YouTube, Facebook, and many other new uses on services where creators’ music is undervalued.

2) SOCAN must spend more time in the field with members to get a clearer grasp of the daily challenges members face. The levels of skill at SOCAN is amazing, but sometimes staff are insulated in their silos, and don’t really understand problems faced by members in their daily work lives. An example of this would be the members’ portal, where they need to be able to see their catalogues online. Also, when a work is registered, information should display immediately, or within a defined short period of time (such as a day). Members should see accurate information as immediately as possible on titles, splits, authorship, duration, etc. on the portal to have certainty regarding registration of a work and its components. This also applies to cue sheets.

3) SOCAN must empower diverse and emerging creators to ensure they are able to reach their full potential, thus establishing loyalty to SOCAN, and in turn building a strong home-grown industry.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

1) I will work to ensure a strategy of recovery and growth is established for SOCAN, while supporting management as they focus on remaking SOCAN into a more responsive organization for members.

2) Running as a new classical music representative, Board members should be made aware of the need for a representative for new classical music in the Membership Department. Because our music is international, this individual should know about performing and reproduction rights wherever our music is being performed (Canada, U.S., Australia, and Europe). This rep should also cultivate new classical contacts at societies in these territories to facilitate performance opportunities and collection.

3) As a long serving Board member, I am aware of the challenges SOCAN has faced internally and externally, historically. It is essential to record the corporate memory of the Board, and that it be accessible to Board members, established and new, so they can understand how SOCAN evolved, and can use this history to inform new initiatives. This is not to say history must control the future, only that it could inform of past solutions to challenges, and why SOCAN was created initially. I will advocate to ensure this process and structure is put in place.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

I believe SOCAN’s transparency will be its biggest issue, as it is a selling point of almost every other organization in our industry. My belief is that customer service and an improved customer service mandate, with visible and active supervisors, will be vital. Royalty rates on streaming will be a focus, combined with SOCAN’s own message of how they intend to improve those figures for their membership. I also believe that SOCAN has to somehow put someone in the Alberta region full time, to understand that Edmonton is one of the great artist and songwriter markets. A framework that creates a “SOCAN 102,” teaching our members to take the next career step, is a personal goal. Having progressive voices coach our future is vital.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I have tremendous Board experience, knowledge of my fellow writers, intricate knowledge of the International music business and how it affects and assists writers. My knowledge of networking is unprecedented, from hosting one of the first internal writing camps and producing more than 100 of them with a vast global network. I am thoughtful, a great team player, and willing to invest my time and energy for the greater good of SOCAN’s mission as one of the world’s great performing rights organizations.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

We need to figure out a path to introduce and enforce our CanCon laws in the world of streaming.  Digital music platforms have enormous influence, influence once reserved for radio. Canadian artists need to benefit from the laws we put in place to preserve our Canadian culture. Then we need to get people paid properly for their work.

The fact of the matter is that middle-class musicians don’t exist anymore. The best songwriters in our country simply cannot afford to create music. It seems to be that when people choose to create music, they choose a life of financial insecurity, without any of the benefits anyone else working in the music industry has. No health care, no savings for retirement. In today’s climate, we take this as a given. But our work has value, we have value.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

If elected I will continue to speak up for the best interests of my peers, you, the people who elected me. I know first-hand the hardships our creative community is enduring, and will continue to help in any way, shape, or form that I humanly can.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Streaming and digital consumption of music has completely disrupted the business landscape in which music creators find themselves. As our community is still figuring it out, we realize that the only thing we can count on is constant change. SOCAN needs to be adaptable as they continue in their leadership role of advocating and protecting music stakeholders’ rights. 

I think the most important priorities facing SOCAN are: 

Evaluating the tariffs that are levied on streaming services, and to further investigate and implement changes, if required, that ensure more equitable distribution of those revenues;

Advocating for music creator and publisher interests in light of recent efforts by major corporations to bypass the collective nature of SOCAN’s licensing regime; 

Promoting the importance of original Canadian music and its economic impact to the general public, policy-makers and politicians; 

Continually evaluating SOCAN’s ambitious business expansion plans, balancing stability, sustainability, and growth;

Building on a culture where members are paid more accurately and more expeditiously, and promoting a culture of innovation that encourages the best possible service appropriate to a member’s career trajectory; and

Ensuring a solid governance succession plan is in place as current board members step down. 

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

As a working composer active in both the concert and screen worlds, the most important attribute I can bring to the SOCAN Board is my perspective as relatively young but established composer. I am proud of my history as a community facilitator and advocate for composers, and bring the experience of being on two national governance Boards (Screen Composers Guild of Canada (SCGC) and Action Canada). Those who have worked with me can attest to my commitment, my perseverance, my insight, and my horrible sense of humour.

Within my advocacy work with the SCGC, I’ve been afforded the opportunity to work with the SOCAN team on a number of dossiers. Two such projects stand out in my mind. First, consulting with the emerging screen composer community with regard to member services. Second, promoting innovation to better serve screen members through a hackathon. These opportunities have not only allowed me to develop relationships with key members of SOCAN’s leadership team, but have also lent insight into its inner workings. That said, I feel like I bring enough of an outsider’s perspective, which is so important to any governance board.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Being able to get the rights of our shareholders where they are. Micro-payments from streaming, mostly, but also being able to have a better reach for Canadian music in this new GAFA economy. I think that goes hand-in-hand with reaching out to all those ‘’minority’’ scenes that are more international than most of the mainstream Canadian pop scene. Being able to orchestrate writing seminars that also include less known acts / artists / genres, not just the mainstream pop ones. Also: helping members in this transition of the new performing reality that is more and more online. Make Canadian music greater and richer than it already is.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I have always been an outsider (I lived as a Latino in Francophone Quebec for most of my life, within this Anglophone Canada; I make music in Spanish in an Anglo-Franco reality) plus I’ve always been active in scenes that don’t have the upper hand, but still do great and exciting stuff. I think outside the box most of the time, and I can bring a different vision of things to the table. I never had it easy. I’ve seen the industry die three times already, and It never affected me in a negative way because I’ve always been on the edgy side of innovation, finding new ways to do things because doors are shut. Doing Latin music obliged me to travel a lot abroad, developing musical relations with people all across the globe.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

-Bill C 10 – The Broadcast Act review is going to be very important to SOCAN members, reviewing all aspects of the act, how CanCon is classified, how MAPL is considered, and regulation of online services, how the act can be revised to impact Internet activities, among many other issues.

-The amendment of the Copyright Act, to include private use such as cellphones, tablets, computers, etc., implementing a levy on these (such as they have in Europe) at the manufacturing level to make sure music creators are properly compensated for these uses.

-Continued development and advancement of technology to improve rights management across the board.

-I think members would like to see SOCAN as an advocate for social justice, recognizing the contributions of BIPOC creators in the industry, and making sure BIPOC creators are fairly compensated in all ways.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

As a member of the Indigenous music community for the last 25 years, I have particular insight into our strengths, challenges, and unique voices in the broader Canadian and international music community. I believe prioritizing Indigenous voices at any Canadian artistic table serves to enrich and move our collective identity forward in a good way. As a self-employed, full-time artist, I offer my perspective on the importance of royalties and compensation for creators and rightsholders. I see this as an opportunity to learn more, with an eye towards creating a more equitable, diverse, and just music industry.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

As songwriters move to streaming and performing online, we need to ensure that their work is being valued and respected. Solving the important issue of streaming platforms underpaying artists is paramount. If we want our artists to survive and thrive in the current and post-COVID-19 industry, we need to advocate for fair compensation for streaming live music, and live-streamed and pre-recorded performances in lieu of in-person public performance.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I can best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors by sharing my perspective and experience in the music industry as an 2SLGBTQ+ and Indigenous artist. Transgender, Queer, Non-Binary and Indigenous artists are severely under-represented in all levels of the music industry, and it’s incredibly important that they be supported and encouraged to continue as songwriters and performers.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

At this particular time of global pandemic, the activities and revenues of SOCAN’s members are being severely impacted. It would be essential to raise awareness with government authorities, and to expose the reality of our members and the precarious situation experienced by many. The time has come to review the model for sharing revenues from music marketing. To give a voice to creators who are adapting to the new realities of music consumption without benefiting from new parameters to protect their rights and royalties.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

By serving on SOCAN’s Board of Directors, I hope to bring a fresh perspective on the industry in which I have worked for the past 20 years. By working in the field and being in regular contact with SOCAN members, I am able to adequately represent my peers in order to look after their interests. I am also a proud representative of cultural minorities, who are too often under-represented in governmental bodies.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

I think that thinking outside the box is the new normal for musicians: How to continue to be creative in the time of the pandemic, creating music, virtual shows, getting songs on the radio and Siriux XM Radio. As artists, we had to think of new ways of getting music out to the public, and we are now doing shows virtually. I think that going with different programs to stream shows live, or pre-record shows for future streaming. I believe the way the music industry is going is that artists are now releasing singles more than EPs or albums. Radio, TV, video, live- streamed shows, and virtual concerts where the audience can interact more with the artists are becoming popular as well. Collaborations with other art mediums has been an a very interesting fusion of music with those art forms, such as painting, dance and drawings.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I am Indigenous from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation.  I am aware of the challenges that Indigenous people face, especially from remote areas of Canada. I also sit on the Aboriginal Music Board, Manitoba Music Indigenous Committee, I am a member of the Recording Academy (NARAS), I jury FACTOR applications, jury the Indian Summer Music Awards, Indigenous Music Awards, have juried applications for Manitoba Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Network. I have ongoing contracts with Manitoba Arts Network to co-ordinate the Indigenous Emerging Arts Program that has run successfully the past three years. I have years of experience in the music industry, and feel like I can contribute to all artists in Canada.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Maintaining your rights and being compensated well for your work are major concerns for creators and publishers in Canada. For many of our members, making a decent living is becoming more of a challenge. While SOCAN members enjoy greater access to international markets now than ever before, to be compensated fairly they need excellent data on all their performances in all territories. It is imperative that SOCAN collect royalties and this data, distribute member earnings accurately and quickly, and report in real time where SOCAN members’ music is being performed. To do this and to protect our member’s future livelihoods, SOCAN must constantly stay on top of the ever-changing technological, political, and business environments.

Many creators and publishers have faced demands to surrender all, or portions of, their copyrights in order to have their music performed. These demands are being made more frequently. Giving in to these demands strikes at the heart of ‘droits d’auteur’ and, ultimately, weakens the meaning and purpose of Copyright Law. A strong defence of Author rights, Creator rights, and Publisher rights is essential to the future well-being of SOCAN members.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

For my entire adult life, I’ve made my living as an independent freelance music-maker, composer, arranger, producer, music director, and self-publisher. My career has mostly been conducted all across Canada, in a wide variety of venues (theatres, studios, concert halls, clubs, special events) and in a wide variety of genres (orchestral, rock, tango, world, theatrical, choral). These experiences in Canada’s music scene have given me a strong affinity for creators and publishers.

As a board member of several organizations over the last 20 years, I have freely given a great deal of my time and energy standing up for the rights of creators and publishers. I currently serve as a director of several boards (SOCAN and the SOCAN Foundation, Screen Composers Guild of Canada, and on the BC Advisory Council to the Canadian Music Centre).

The last three years with SOCAN have been demanding, and the challenges have required great commitment from every director. It is clear to me that we need every SOCAN director in the next term to serve with the passion and heart shown by the directors during the last term. I would be honoured to serve again on the SOCAN and SOCAN Foundation boards.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

The events of the past year have fundamentally changed the way we see the world, our industry, and our roles within each. As a global community we battle a deadly pandemic whilst a racial reckoning brings the voices of the marginalized to the forefront at last. I believe that the implementation of anti-racist policies across the music industry in Canada, and the championing of equity and representation that accurately reflects our industry’s diversity, will remain of central importance to SOCAN members over the next three years.

As the live music sector works to rebuild from its losses in the 2020 and 2021 concert seasons, songwriters are increasingly looking to the world of synch as a primary lifeline. SOCAN members will continue to seek placements in film, television, and advertising, working with a mind for visuals. As well, songwriters, publishers, and visual artists will continue to increase their literacy with web-based platforms for distanced collaboration and dissemination of their work. Ensuring that rights management policy anticipates the rapid advancements in streaming music and digital media will surely be of significance to SOCAN members in the coming years.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

My unique position in the music industry as songwriter and touring artist, content producer, as well as conference director for an international showcase festival means I am in daily contact with key personnel across every facet of the independent music ecosystem. As such, I believe that I will be a compelling advocate for the needs of a diverse profile of SOCAN members. My work at POP Symposium demands that I have my finger on the pulse of issues pertinent to our industry, especially as they pertain to early-to-mid-career artists, and I believe this will make me an informed and responsive addition to SOCAN’s Board of Directors.

The central tenets for my work in the music industry are advocacy around representation and music as a space for cross-cultural solidarity. I will bring to SOCAN’s Board a wealth of knowledge around the implementation of cultural policy that reflects an anti-racist ethic and strong advocacy for the range of SOCAN’s marginalized membership.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

It is more important than ever that the public understand, when they hear music, that they are consuming the time and creative efforts of people much like them – not data or bandwidth – and that the people behind these songs need to be fairly compensated. Additionally, SOCAN needs to reach out to the young, diverse group of future creators to let them know that every time they generate new music, SOCAN is devoted to protecting the rights of them – its members – and their works. 

SOCAN must continue to advocate for fair compensation from streaming services, as well as work to develop new blockchain-based methods in order to navigate through the prevalence of countless intermediaries, finding otherwise hidden royalties. I feel that this ongoing development is essential to keeping a just relationship between consumers, creators, and distributors as technology progresses, and am excited to know that SOCAN is an industry leader in this regard, already working in alliance with Core Rights.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I can best contribute to the SOCAN board by drawing upon varied and extensive experiences as a composer, producer, and performer. I’ve worked with international major labels and indie imprints, signed to publishers large (Warner/Chappell) and small, and know what it’s like to tour extensively, bringing my musical expression to a new audience each night. I’ve hosted songwriter’s retreats and panels, and taught record production in post-secondary school. I’ve been with SOCAN since I was 15(!) and will never forget how thrilling it was the day I officially became a songwriter, completing my very first registration. In a time where music is so integral to our daily lifestyle, I passionately feel that artists and creators must be properly valued, monetarily and through fostering awareness, and appreciation within our society for just how much our lives are improved and enriched by the songs we love.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Over the next three years, I think providing support for our writers who are adversely under-served by the Canadian music industry infrastructure will be key. Music such as Rap, Soul, R&B, Afrobeat, and Reggae are not adequately represented in many facets of our industry, and we need to innovate and advocate for ways to bring some balance and promote/amplify those writers.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

With a very celebrated, informed, and unique career in music, I believe I will be able to provide a perspective that is much needed on the Board. Also participating in music as a creative and an executive, I’m very often at the forefront of change and advancements, and can be a great member who truly understands the needs and wants of those whom we serve.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Prior to the pandemic, there have always been underlying issues with regards to the mental health and emotional well-being of artists. These issues have been further magnified due to the current conditions of the industry, leaving many artists uncertain of their future. A focus needs to be placed on providing additional physiological support, in addition to programs that assist artists with training in various fields in the industry, in order to better help them in creating multiple streams of income. The creation of “co-op” type programs with record labels, publishers, studios, etc. could be a viable option. This would allow artists to gain invaluable real-life experience, which could be used to either further their own career as an artist or perhaps open them to the possibility of other roles in the industry that they may not have otherwise considered.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

As an independent musical artist, I can bring a first-hand account of issues that artists are currently facing in the industry, as well as their potential solutions. As the fairness over royalties from streaming appears to be one of the main current issues, I am working on ideas for creating a new streaming platform (initially aimed at indie artists) whereby there is transparency in the royalties an artist receives, in direct relation to the times their music is streamed.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

With the pandemic there are many to mention. Technological supports are limited, and many artists have not been able to move forward with their industry work due to lack of ability to present themselves virtually, both technically and marketing-wise (for example, how to accumulate audience engagement). There will have to be a greater shift towards accommodating performance in this virtual way.

Also, Indigenous musicians continue to expand their repertoires and will be much more visible in the coming years. Our ways of presenting and performing are based on complex community belief and value systems, and therefore our goals as musicians and industry professionals may vary from those of mainstream artists. Also, there are a growing number of Indigenous people taking on industry aspects, starting management and publishing companies, running festivals and sound companies, etc. It is worth discussion around expanding ideas on as to how performance royalties could be paid beyond the current options.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I have more than 20 years of experience as a professional Indigenous performing artist who identifies as a woman. I have expanded my work into the academic realm as a way of advocating for Indigenous music and musicians. I see the Canadian music industry as one that could be more inclusive of femme and Indigenous musicians – we see companies engaging in inclusivity and diversity, yet much of the time these actions don’t reflect earnings overall. I am also a hip-hop artist and rapper, so I am familiar with trends in pop culture and how they play into music-making. I feel that knowledge of virtual technology is key in being successful as a musician today, regardless of background and genre. I have taken these last few years to teach myself how to best engage through social media, and how to run software that reflects online engagement. Lastly, I am cognizant of the next generations and make it my life’s work to ensure safe and successful spaces for them to create and perform in this ever-changing industry landscape.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Writers whose careers have also relied on live performance need support during the ongoing shutdown of the live industry, as well as opportunities to develop other parts of their musical career in the interim. Now more than ever, the inequitable share of streaming revenue paid to writers and composers needs to be addressed. SOCAN’s continued advocacy in this area is likely the most potent voice that Canadian writers have in this dialogue. 

Companies like Hipgnosis are buying iconic writers’ catalogues; many Canadian writers will be looking for similar opportunities (credit/loans backed by their works, or sale thereof). I believe SOCAN could lead the way in developing policy and partnerships in Canada for this type of emerging asset, which, regardless of how some/many may feel about it, is here to stay.  

Young and professionalizing songwriters and artists are often unaware of their rights as writers and (self-)publishers, much less know how to secure and monetize those rights. Perhaps the most significant first step they can take is to join SOCAN, but there is still so much future learning after that. I’d advocate for SOCAN becoming a leader in educating young members about neighbouring rights and other rights-collection organizations that all contribute to a sustainable, self-managed professional music career.    

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I bring 20+ years of varied and international experience as a writer, producer, performer, and manager. My strong understanding of these parts of our business supports many points of view.

I am a motivator and consensus builder. Having led two bands around the world (several times) and overseen hundreds of writing and recording sessions, I am at ease working with a team and am a natural collaborator. The four years I have spent running theAsylumTO have allowed me to mentor many young writers and producers from diverse backgrounds. I believe the perspective I bring from these experiences will contribute to the Board’s ability to represent and advocate for this next generation of Canadian writers. 

Due to my involvement in the beat marketplace and music capital fund, I understand how entities like these create both new opportunities and challenges to the traditional administration of music rights. I believe my ongoing experience in these new business models will contribute to SOCAN’s adaptation and response to these changes, especially around the commodification of writers’ catalogues.  

I have worked globally in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French, languages that represent a significant number of Canadian writers and composers.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Over the next three years, it will be necessary to reflect and, above all, act to defend, regulate, and evaluate copyright in Canada and internationally. It will take a great battle to stop the Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazons of this world from unfairly exploiting the valuable work of Canadian creators. It will be important to demand a better framework and clearly written legislation. We must protect our artists from the current precarity.

We will also need to find ways to support and assist creators after the pandemic.  The crisis has greatly weakened the music industry, and artists will need financial support and opportunities to successfully weather the storm. We must take advantage of this crisis to make more room for creators from diverse backgrounds, who are still greatly under-represented in our industry today.

We will also have to find ways to help our artists get exposure in the Canadian media, to get played on radio, to appear on television. Helping them get exposure will allow them to earn a better living.

We must promote our art and give it back the value it deserves.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

By having a seat on the Board of Directors, I wish to adequately represent the voices of the members and their interests, especially those who are marginalized, or who come from a diverse community. I would like to bring to the Board table my perspective on the reality of women in an industry that is still male-dominated. I could also reflect on SOCAN’s objectives from an eco-responsible perspective, something that seems increasingly urgent in the world we live in.

I would try to bring my understanding of both the Anglophone and Francophone industry, as I am part of both. I believe I’m a very good person to carry the voices of our members.

I would like to find ways for Canadian creators to better compete with today’s international hits on the radio, satellite radio, and streaming providers, as well as help continue the battle for fairer royalties for creators ($67 as an annual average of domestic royalties from the digital sector seems unacceptable to me). 

Finally, I would like to contribute to the reflection on how to invest in 2021, to avoid a scenario like the one we had last year. It would give me great pleasure to meet and exchange ideas with passionate and involved people like me to protect and celebrate our art.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

It’s clear that in a context of health and socio-economic crisis, many artists will face increasing challenges to the economic viability of an industry that is increasingly dependent on the discoverability of music, and a new legislative framework to bring streaming platforms under the broadcasting law. This is about cultural sovereignty. It’s very important that efforts be made to ensure that payments from the platforms reach the producers and artists. Eventually, Internet providers will also need to be given due consideration for active equity.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I believe that my local connections to artistic communities of emerging and established artists allow me to consider the multiple narratives that shape the Canadian experience of music-makers.

I have an extensive experience in reflecting on ethical issues, including the use of intangible assets, recognition of experiential knowledge, solicitation of collaboration with the philanthropic sector, and responses related to good governance and maintaining the strategic thinking of an organization’s leaders.

In addition, my civic engagement allows me to have a broad spectrum of the many forms of engagement around the importance of an inclusive, consistent, and healthy cultural environment.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Over the next three years, SOCAN members can certainly count on SOCAN to produce new agreements for new music revenue streams, including music streaming and the use of music in online videos. The new Encore! program has proven to be successful in 2020 and SOCAN plans to integrate additional platforms to encompass even more digital broadcasts of performances.

The modernization of the Broadcasting Act will provide an opportunity for SOCAN to represent the interests of its members by advocating for better rates for them. SOCAN has also supported a call to modernize the Copyright Act to make the private copying regime technology-neutral.

Finally, SOCAN’s new partnership with the Mechanical Licensing Collective will enable SOCAN to improve the system of royalty distributions to members, who will be able to witness a more transparent and timely distribution.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I believe that the symbiosis between my creative work as a songwriter and my expertise in cultural work will allow me to suggest approaches that are adapted to the reality of independent singer-songwriters of 2021. I also believe that my knowledge of the music publishing industry and how it works will give me a good understanding of SOCAN’s issues with both writer and publisher members.

Also, I would like to contribute to SOCAN’s Board of Directors by representing the independent and emerging Francophone music community, and by being an active and attentive listener to members with less typical SOCAN profiles (women, non-citizens, culturally diverse, independent singer-songwriters, young members).

I believe that my in-depth knowledge of copyright, neighbouring rights, the Act representing the status of artists and the associations that make up the music royalty ecosystem will be extremely beneficial to SOCAN, and will allow me to take on my role as administrator with professionalism and knowledge as soon as I take office.

I hope to be able to use my role as director to make authors and composers aware of good management of music royalties.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

The explosion of digital media has created many new opportunities for music writers and publishers, but it has also presented significant new challenges. There has never been more media produced and consumed, but rightsholders have an understandable anxiety that not all performances are being captured and monetized, or that they are not being sufficiently compensated for these rights to begin with. This feeling has been exacerbated by the ongoing proliferation of new digital service providers that must be monitored and tariffed. SOCAN has been at the forefront of efforts to standardize data and systems in this evolving environment, including a massive, ongoing overhaul of their internal system. With the acquisition of SODRAC (SOCAN RR), SOCAN also took a bold step toward a more unified solution for rightsholders. The number-one concern for all SOCAN members is a continued push into this new frontier to maximize the earning potential of their copyrights as traditional sources continue to decline.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I feel that I am uniquely positioned to contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors, having experienced the music industry from many different angles: songwriter, AV composer, and publisher. While these sectors are somewhat distinct, they also have many overlapping concerns, and I feel that my varied experience will provide a holistic perspective on evolving challenges. I look forward to helping SOCAN navigate our digital future head-on, while also being a sounding board for members who have questions and concerns about the ever-changing performing and mechanical rights landscape.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Probably the biggest issue we face is the erosion of the value of our rights in the marketplace in the evolving digital and online environment. In its relations with Government and the Copyright Board, SOCAN must continue to ensure that tariff rates, or negotiated rates for renewals of existing music services, or for new services, provide fair compensation for creators and rights owners, in order to allow for a sustainable future within our industry.

As well, threats of withdrawal of rights from the Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) create the potential to unravel a very efficient worldwide network that is well-governed by songwriter/composers and music publishers. Moving to a model outside of this governance structure threatens the kind of transparency that PROs can provide. This situation must be carefully managed in order to ensure that this network of societies remains in place and empowered to retain the kind of transparency and efficiency necessary.

Within SOCAN, we must focus on our own internal efficiencies and member services, ensuring fast and efficient collections from traditional media and digital services, and making precise and reliable payments to rights holders.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

These are transformative times for SOCAN and performing rights organizations around the world. Over the last several years, as a Board member, and in my previous capacity as SOCAN Board President, I have worked closely with the Board or Directors, Executive Governance Committee, the CEO, and the management team, to help navigate SOCAN through these changes in the performing rights world as it evolves.

Over the years, in several different roles, I’ve been involved with the many complex financial and operational procedures within SOCAN, which has afforded me a thorough knowledge and a solid insight into the inner workings of the organization.

Further, as an earning songwriter and television composer, I am able to focus on how these operations affect the various member constituency groups by seeing the results as the ”rubber hits the road,” questioning and re-examining SOCAN’s various processes in order to ensure that royalties are maximized.

Looking forward, I feel that I can bring experience and stability to the Board, maintaining a steady hand in the relationship between SOCAN members, Board members, and SOCAN management. This continuity will ensure that SOCAN retains its focus and continues down the path as a truly world-class performing rights society.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

The upheavals and disruptions experienced in recent years, in both the music industry and audio-visual production industry, have put the business models of every rights collective organization, including SOCAN, under extreme pressure to adapt or fade into irrelevance. The increasing dominance of trans-national, multi-layered corporations in the entertainment industry has affected the way rights are valued, licensed, and collected, both in Canada and globally. Every distributor of content, whether national or local, is now racing to become relevant in a digital delivery marketplace dominated by massive International companies such as Netflix or Spotify. The COVID pandemic has accelerated this process exponentially.

This means that changes are needed not only in licensing, but also in royalty distribution rules, to reflect fair, equitable, and efficient distributions to members that appropriately reflect this new and complex worldwide reality.

Historically, rights collectives have not been nimble in reacting to change. If creators’ rights are not to be fractured and diminished in the face of major business disruptions, this needs to change, not only at SOCAN, but every member-driven rights collective. SOCAN needs to react rapidly and skilfully to address these changes.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

The challenges, complexities, and level of commitment needed for members of the SOCAN Board have increased dramatically over the last term, in which SOCAN experienced changes in senior management, global disruption of the rights management industry, and significant ongoing operational challenges due to the pandemic. In order to succeed in this new environment, senior management need an experienced, supportive, and focused Board of Directors.

I have deep experience in working on a variety of different Boards with diverse needs, goals, and circumstances.

I bring to the SOCAN Board not only my expertise in the audio-visual Music Industry, but also the skill set needed to achieve consensus for action.

I am committed to what, in the coming term, is likely to be the increasing time commitment required of SOCAN Board members to help shepherd the organization through the challenges of assessing and managing rapidly evolving business opportunities and risks.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

The crisis we are going through has reminded creators that they can no longer put all their eggs in the performing arts basket.  

With the compounding number of digital models for the exploitation of works, copyright and publishing rights will now, more than ever, represent an essential source of revenue.  

One of the challenges facing SOCAN will be to position itself as an active and leading player in the creation of opportunities for its members and the protection of their rights from the digital giants.  

To achieve better legal support for members, who sometimes see the exploitation of their works blocked by third parties, thus preventing substantial revenues, not to mention the fact that these are all missed opportunities to promote the work of members, here and elsewhere.  

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I think I can bring a fresh perspective to the Board. The unique outlook of a member with four hats: writer, composer, artist, and publisher.  

I will present issues, questions, and solutions rooted in real-world experience.  

I also intend to raise SOCAN’s awareness, if it has not already been raised, in emerging markets, especially in Africa. The economic and geopolitical movements in the aftermath of the pandemic will give an interesting advantage to the continent where I was born. In the next 10 years, I believe Africa will be a necessary market for all music creators.  

A reflection, today, on ways to build bridges between our members and this market seems to me anything but premature.  

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

SOCAN has already been facing major upheavals in music consumption for several years now. Among the important issues that the next Board of Directors will need to tackle is the access to reliable and complete data on members’ works, a functional and efficient members’ portal that allows transparent consultation of this data, better administration of our musical performing and reproduction rights, a change in the conditions favouring some of our members to flee the collective management of copyrights; these are some of the very pressing issues that directly concern the day-to-day administration of the copyrights of SOCAN PR’s members (performing rights) and SOCAN RR’s clients (reproduction rights). Much of SOCAN’s strength lies in the representational strength of its repertoire, its catalogue of works. If it were to melt away substantially, the whole principle of collective management would be jeopardized. We must take the necessary steps to transform SOCAN back into a modern, strong and flexible society in the eyes of its members and all players in the global music industry. 

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

After several years on the Board of Directors, I hope to continue to contribute my opinions and ideas on how the SOCAN of tomorrow should operate. Collectively, this Board and the new Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Brown have collectively begun to make structural changes to the internal operations of our company. Having served on various Board committees over the years, I now have a desire to see SOCAN’s governance renewed and, with my experience and openness, I hope to help bring about these necessary transformations. I have had the honour of serving as Chair of this board since 2018 and despite the pandemic, SOCAN has managed to weather the early stages of this storm. While nothing can be taken for granted, the challenges facing all SOCAN members are very real and our rights must be vigorously defended at all times as business models are still constantly changing in our industry. Through a new partnership with our professional associations, we, the copyright holders, have a responsibility to continue educating new generations of creators and publishers on the value of our rights. The next term of the SOCAN Board of Directors will be devoted to the renewal of our strategic plan as well as operational and governance transformation. 

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

The field of composition is undergoing enormous shifts. As academic jobs have become more scarce and problematic, many younger composers increasingly rely on freelancing. Even before the pandemic, we were seeing both the negative impact, and the opportunity for innovation, created by constantly evolving technology. Concert music no longer exists solely in the concert hall or on traditional audio recordings. Composers and performers are embracing virtual modes of creation and presentation, practices that have become vital in pandemic times. Earning an income from online platforms is becoming a more urgent concern and we need SOCAN to help make the virtual world more equitable and easier to navigate for artists without major industry or institutional backing. We also need SOCAN to more reliably collect performance royalties from live concerts. The current system misses a great deal and seems to lag behind its American equivalents. Finally, we need the SOCAN Board of Directors to be more representative of the diversity of people, practices and geographies that already enrich our field.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

Being a composer, vocalist, and multi-media artist recently out of graduate school, and building a career as a freelancer, I am attuned to the professional and personal realities faced by composers most impacted by the pandemic and the general decline of the academy as the primary employer for our profession. I volunteer as a council member for the Canadian League of Composers, a position that brings me even closer to the varied experiences and concerns of composers of all generations. I am a woman, an immigrant, and a child of non-musicians. This background gives me a unique perspective on the challenges of career-building, and navigating institutions in our field. I am comfortable questioning and speaking up about existing and new practices that are potentially harmful, or not serving SOCAN’s composer members. With a PhD in music, I have strong research and analytical skills, and a clear written and verbal communication style. Finally, my life, studies, and work have taken me to different parts of North America. I am well connected to different musical scenes and eager to represent my permanent home, British Columbia, on the SOCAN Board of Directors.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

We are currently in a pandemic. This statement addresses the situation as temporary. Without a shift in mentality that this pandemic is shaping a new normal, artists will find themselves in an uphill battle to create avenues for viably sharing their art while maintaining the financial and intrinsic benefits.

We have seen live performances essentially become extinct. Live music has now moved to online platforms (yet to be formalized) including Instagram Live, Twitch, Periscope, and the multitude of up-and-coming apps attempting to revolutionize live music. We have yet to see a successful applicant.

SOCAN can now educate its songwriters on improving viewership and listenership. SOCAN can now create effective workshops on how to be an artist in 2021 and into the future.

Music needs to now be seen as a piece of the online puzzle for influencers – this includes artists. It is important that artists utilize music as a vehicle, alongside their other interests, skills, and talents, to improve and solidify our brands.

If artists do not feel that there is a way forward in the music industry to viably sustain a living, then we may see a steep drop in the number of active artists in the industry.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

My experiences in the music industry have given me the tools to navigate the many areas across the industry landscape. However, the most value that I bring to SOCAN would be my perspective on the current industry issues, championed by my diverse professional and cultural backgrounds.

As an operations director, I have experienced a drastic improvement in business acumen due to the necessity to negotiate deals such as venture funding, commercial real estate, university scholarship endowment agreements, and sales to small businesses and enterprises. In the application of these experiences to the music industry, I have been able to navigate, with comfort, launching new artists, negotiating song publishing and label deals, as well as applying overall business best practices to the sector.

Additionally, as an African-Canadian citizen, my views and perspectives on the industry are quite unique. I have been able to grow as a professional in my own right, not conforming to the standard of what it means to be a successful Afro-Citizen in today’s social climate.

As proven by my career path, I have always created out-of-the-box solutions to problems that may seem impenetrable. I am quite excited to bring this skill set to SOCAN.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Where in the world is SOCAN? How can SOCAN encourage success for its members on the world stage? With the silo effect of the pandemic, tethering everyone close to home, it’s even more important that the cultural industries in Canada pursue a full court press on international initiatives. How do we bring more royalties, more efficiently, back to the writer via shorter timelines for pipeline royalties from international territories, and work with groups such as the Mechanical Licensing Collective for healthier monetization of music on digital platforms? SOCAN is about engagement in the important conversations that include omitted compensation such as the private copying levy for personal devices like smartphones and tablets, and educating the industry about new modes of music delivery like livestreams, and the importance of compensation for songwriters. Let’s improve representation in key markets including L.A., New York, Nashville, London, and Berlin, to build relationships for Canadian companies and artists, and nurture relations that can lead to stronger international deals and opportunities in the world of synchs. SOCAN will continue to strive to support its members along a thriving path of encouragement, respect, and fair compensation.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

Representing the songwriter in the music business equation is my forté. In my day job as an artist manager, I come across all forms of compensation due to the artist as a songwriter. I understand the strength of the publisher / songwriter interconnection. Both of the companies that I founded – Indoor Recess Management and Indoor Recess Public Relations – are active artist supporters. Consistent interaction with business managers, labels, promoters, agents, and media has strengthened my skill for initiating fruitful discussion with valuable industry partners. A clear communicator on behalf of Indoor Recess and its clients, I would, as a Board member, be able to serve SOCAN members’ interests with equal clarity. Extensive international experience has broadened my vision for the role Canadian artists play on the world stage, and how SOCAN can support its members internationally. As co-founder of Across The Board, I had the opportunity to sit at the table of many industry organizations and engaged in purposeful dialogue creating viable solutions regarding gender parity. I believe I can bring that skill to the SOCAN Board in situations that involve working with other industry organizations on joint initiatives.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

I think some of the biggest challenges have been, and will continue to be, collecting digital royalties, and having a service via SOCAN that can accurately grab sound bites and attribute them automatically to their respective rights owners. Finding revenue for Canada’s independent music scene, which is largely ignored beyond the big players, most specifically in the Toronto area. SOCAN represents a myriad of musicians, not just the so-called professionals, but also musicians just starting out that are just learning the ins and outs of the Canadian music scene.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I feel that my experience in music experience is broad. I have a vast knowledge of various forms of music, but I specialize in Canadian music. I have a radio show on CFUV here in Victoria. I run an arts collective, and ran a very successful live music venue in Victoria for seven years, that closed down in 2020. I’ve also booked and played so many shows over my lifetime. I know the ins and outs of the industry and I know a lot of people as well. I feel that I’m a ground-level, well-rounded musician who is approachable. I often find myself coaching other musicians and encouraging them to work with SOCAN. Many believe it’s a lost cause, based on the amount of work that it takes just to collect even the smallest royalties from SOCAN. I’d like to help all musicians access what’s theirs by helping beef up the SOCAN spectrum to include all levels of musical experience.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

I think the most crucial issue facing SOCAN members is the protection and modernization of copyright legislation to meet the demands/threats of our current technological landscape. As a recording artist who started a career in the late ’90s, I have witnessed, in real time, the staggering impact of the digital revolution – how it opened up new opportunities, but also massively eroded intellectual property rights, and the traceability of royalty streams generated by those rights. As a screen composer, I see the same issues playing out in that environment. Composers are often asked to give away their writer’s share to production companies in what amounts to a “race to the bottom” for creators. In an increasingly complex digital space, metadata and traceable registration systems will become even more crucial than ever before. As an artist who was able to build a sustainable living from my own intellectual property, I am passionate about ensuring that future generations of Canadian artists can do the same.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I bring the perspective of a songwriter, screen composer, and multi-faceted independent artist, who has also experienced a decade of navigating the business as a self-managed, self-published, master-rights owner. I work and enjoy fruitful connections across genres and disciplines – the works I have registered with SOCAN include songs, co-writes, screen cues, classical compositions, dance commissions, TV synchs, and music for the stage. Aside from my lifelong experience as a creative artist, I have served as a Board member, mentor, teacher to many younger artists. These roles have made me eager to give back and contribute to the sustainability of Canadian culture by serving at SOCAN.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Contributing meaningfully to the music industry’s recovery and growth post-COVID, particularly considering the near-total disappearance of live concert revenue, and the general turn towards online dissemination formats that favour high-volume sectors of the industry – and, worse, favour corporations over creators.

Adapting to the shifting cultural and technological landscape as regards music licensing and royalty distribution, both in its government lobbying initiatives and in its internal structure.

Learning from – and becoming an example to – PROs in other global music markets as regards its advocacy of and support for concert music (including New Classical Music) and audio-visual music.

Improving infrastructure over time (as quickly and efficiently as possible), including:

member communications, reporting transparency, website and user interfaces, the live performance notification system, and integration with digital reporting services.

Expanding on its efforts to educate young creators. Issues related to intellectual property and its protection and monetization are already labyrinthine to established professionals; they are downright mysterious and unapproachable to new entrants to this industry, particularly as the evolving technological and cultural landscape perpetually adds to the complexity. Education and outreach need to be ramped up significantly.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

As an artistic and administrative leader in the Canadian concert/classical/contemporary music scene, and as a composer of both classical and popular (metal) musics, I feel confident that I can represent the interests of my new classical music colleagues – and my composer/songwriter colleagues more widely. My working relationships with organizations of varying sizes and regional scope – from one of the nation’s major symphony orchestras and new music festivals to smaller arts groups that serve local communities – affords me multiple perspectives on the professional and financial challenges that music creators face.

My academic acumen, strategic bent, and growing experience in administrative service would also be assets in my prospective role on the SOCAN Board.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

As the music industry faces massive change, I feel that it is important to try and keep up with those changes, and help reflect them in proper royalties for songwriters. The digital world has officially taken over the rest of the world, and the recent pandemic has solidified that. As a writer myself, I would like to try and help find ways to encourage the massive tech companies and streaming platforms to pay proper royalties to creators. At the moment it is highway robbery.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

I have 25 years of experience in the music industry, and have watched and endured many of the changes and the obstacles. I bring a wealth of knowledge from the practical point of view of an independent songwriter, who also once enjoyed the opportunity of being signed to a major label and publisher. I can help bring forth fresh ideas from a BIPOC person’s perspective, and I can assist in the world of online marketing and exposure. I am also the afternoon drive host of ELMNT FM and can help formulate ideas and present them from a radio DJ’s point of view.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

SOCAN’s role is to protect, preserve, enhance and promote the rights of its members. As such, SOCAN will need to commit to the optimization of its member services. The planned launch of a new portal should enable them to manage more efficiently: catalogues, royalties, cue sheets, and concert setlists, among other areas. In terms of revenue collection and distribution, the rapid metamorphosis of the digital marketplace, and the consequent dramatic increase in the amount of data to be processed, has prompted SOCAN to introduce BEST, a powerful new operating system. Already operational, this cutting-edge tool flirts with the level of performance and objectives set by the team in charge, but there are still some challenges to be overcome. With the acquisition of SODRAC, founded in 1985 at the initiative of the Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec (SPACQ), SOCAN undertook to offer its members a reproduction rights management service. We are only at the beginning of capturing a share of the very competitive Canadian reproduction rights market. Another challenge is the re-organization, already in progress, of the management team, shaken by some recent early departures.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

A director has to be able, to know, to want, to be, and, above all, to dare! Those ideas are developed in Stigter & Cooper’s book, Boards That Dare. Since I was elected three years ago, I’ve often consulted the official and unofficial library on governance. This is my first and only role as a director. I have a lot to learn, but I also want to preserve my sharpshooter perspective. I firmly believe in collective management. Possessing collective control over one’s rights and the income they generate multiplies one’s power, consolidates one’s independence, strengthens one’s representation and gives creators a chance for freedom. Collective management is under attack in North America. People whose job isn’t to supervise this fragile environment want to buy everything, and for what purpose? Profits. Master tape owners are one step ahead of authors, composers, and publishers. We need to find the right balance. The responsibility of a director is to represent the interests of our members and ensure the company is properly managed. I can contribute to this; I don’t know how much, but I truly want to help. I’m the one who dares.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Over the next three years, I feel these issues will most impact SOCAN members and redistribution growth:
i) New Income Strategies to counteract reduction in aggregate video revenues
ii) Honorable Re-distribution. We exist in a marketplace ($43b) where the majority (+/- 90%) of artists make no money.
iii) Longterm (record) Deals are dwindling. Bankable PRO streams will get strained. Labels applying Venture Capital mindset to arts IP rather than developmental mindset, i.e. investment mired in the repetitive and undistinguishable.
iv) The Live Show Market post-COVID. Re-emergence for artists. Playing field is now more complex, high ticket prices leave venues under-utilized, streaming and online gaming-platform concerts circumvent synch licensing regulations.
v) Poorly Regulated, Monitored and Tabulated Synch World. Visual incentivizes sync, but collection lagging behind. Also contributes to low attention span and instant gratification paradigm, translating into lower re-distributions. vi) Monopolies, Intermediaries and Paid Promotions. (YouTube, Twitter) Dilute income equality and access. A failure of “democratization” of the internet. FYI, Napster about to debut on the London Stock Market.
vii) Metadata and Synchronization of Databases. Poorly populated input fields, no standard formats, no input verification, no central warehousing of data. These leave billions of dollars on the table.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

SOCAN’s mission is very close to my heart, and a deeply important one for our artist community and its continued health. I would very much welcome the opportunity to serve the board and offer my 30-plus years of work at the intersection of governance, 360º spatial sound technology, arts & culture, intellectual property management, music production and synchronization, and international project oversight, to the benefit of SOCAN’s membership and goals. I am confident my experience aligns in substance and skillset very well with the Board’s needs. I enjoy collaborative forward-thinking environments, and welcome contributing to committee initiatives by promoting meaningful benchmarks and intuitive frameworks to engage those with whom I share an objective.

I would also offer that I am multi-lingual (English, French, Spanish, Hebrew), culturally competent, diplomatic, adept at managing complex professional situations, and highly organized. I am committed to empowerment and social justice, market-participant inclusiveness, climate action & renewables, humanization of IoT, co-operative values, arts & culture education, and pathways of opportunity for under-served communities. I embrace the importance of sharing ideas with colleagues and regularly seek out professional development opportunities at which to share thoughts and challenges, as well as build relationships and seek input and advice.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

These issues in no particular order – i) representation which reflects the diversity of musical stakeholders ii) transparency around business decisions iii) exploration of streaming services and the position it currently occupies in delivering music iv) online musical identities.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

As a member of previous boards, Bob had worked in the capacity of creative thinking, renovations, establishing programs, guiding financial management, and promotion. He is also interested in SOCAN’s community presence, and whether it might promote more musical engagement in the education system, and mentor more youth in music.

What issues, do you think, will be important to SOCAN members over the next three years?

Even before COVID-19, digital spaces and digital uses of music were taking up a larger share of the music industry than ever before. In the wake of the pandemic, online spaces and online uses of music have become even more relevant than their IRL counterparts. I think that in the next three years it will be crucial to SOCAN members that SOCAN create fair and equitable deals with the new and existing tech companies that grow their user bases using the intellectual property of SOCAN artists. Additionally, as more and more concerts go online, it will be important to SOCAN members that they are able to make claims from any streaming service available so that they aren’t limited in their choices. Beyond the age of the pandemic, this will serve to level the playing field for disabled or otherwise marginalized SOCAN members who are not able to play in traditional concert venues.

How can you best contribute to the SOCAN Board of Directors?

As a disabled and non-binary transgender singer-songwriter, I believe I can bring a valuable perspective to the SOCAN Board of Directors. Having worked at the DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada from 2017 to 2020, I have a keen understanding of the challenges faced by many members of the disability community. My recent work as a gender-affirming voice coach for transgender folks, both within and outside of the music community, has also shaped my understanding of what members of this group need to succeed.

Having studied music at three post-secondary institutions (Carleton University in Ottawa, McGill University in Montréal, and the University of Limerick in Ireland), and having spent a dozen years as a singing instructor, I also have a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of emerging artists.

In 2020 and 2021, diversity, inclusion, and equity are on the minds of organizations across all sectors. I believe I bring a nuanced and educated voice to this important conversation, and can help SOCAN be a leader in uplifting marginalized creators.