31 Canadian albums we can't wait to hear in 2023
Including exciting new releases from Shania Twain, July Talk, DijahSB and more
The start of a new year presents a blank slate and endless possibilities. For music fans, that means a blank playlist waiting for new songs and albums to be added.
As we look at the months ahead, many will want to know what music will soundtrack 2023. CBC Music is here to help, as we break down the 31 Canadian albums we're looking forward to hearing this year.
Scroll down to see what exciting new releases are coming out soon. Share your most anticipated releases with us at @CBCMusic.
Artist: Sylo
Album: blanket
Release date: Jan. 11
Over the past three years, Toronto R&B artist Sylo (formerly Sylo Nozra) has steadily released a string of impressive songs, including his hit "Ginny" (with more than 10 million streams on Spotify alone) and last year's one-off singles, "Millions" and "Bento Box." Blanket, a new five-song EP, is Sylo's first official project since before the pandemic, and he wants us to kick off the new year with some cozy tunes: as a press release notes, the title "symbolizes a sense of comfort and intimacy that Sylo felt when writing this body of work." As such, Sylo is continuing with his recent trend of leaning toward acoustic arrangements and a more stripped-back approach than his earlier works, allowing for his velvet voice to take centre stage, especially when he reaches for a soft falsetto on tracks like "October" and "Drop a Pin." January's a cold month, and nothing will go better with it than a warm beverage and the saccharine sounds of Sylo. — Melody Lau
Artist: Poolblood
Album: mole
Release date: Jan. 13
What if a work in progress is its own whole? That's the magic eye of Poolblood's endlessly inquisitive and gently chaotic debut album, mole. According to the album's press release, Poolblood's Maryam Said had to tunnel through grieving, leaving and healing in order to make mole. The result is a dreamy, DIY, singer-songwriter, art-rock collision of feelings, revelations and aural textures. Smokey horns and tender keys, droning distortion and raw strings, lilting brass and vocals that hush and soar. The way that Said deliberately plays with their vocal performance is marvellously assured, especially when she curves away from the expected notes and dives into the atonal. "Oops, there we go," Said says in mole's opening seconds. Those four words feel casual at first, like the listener is in on the recording process, but after repeated rotations through mole's nine tracks, "Oops, there we go" is much more intentional. It's a vibe, an esthetic, and a creatively inspired mantra for 2023. Poolblood is the hero we've been waiting for. — Andrea Warner
Artist: July Talk
Album: Remember Never Before
Release date: Jan. 20
On July Talk's last album, 2020's Pray for It, the Toronto rock band traded in its big, anthemic rock songs for gorgeous, mid-tempo numbers. But on its upcoming fourth studio album, Remember Never Before, the band comes roaring out of the gates with thunderous guitars as if announcing that it's ready to rock once again. Produced by the band's guitarist, Ian Docherty, Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew and Graham Walsh (Metz, Alvvays), July Talk channels its past and present to create an exciting path forward, driven by a mantra to "hurl yourself into the moment," which many of the songs on Remember Never Before do both sonically and lyrically. Fans new and old will find lots to love in this new collection of songs. — ML
Artist: Jonah Yano
Album: portrait of a dog
Release date: Jan. 27
Jonah Yano's second album, portrait of a dog, is a return to well-trodden themes for the artist. The Montreal-based singer travelled to his hometown of Port Coquitlam, B.C., back in 2021 to create a digital archive of his family's histories. That process of collecting, and the subsequent conversations he had with his mother and grandparents, had an influence on his conception of this upcoming album. On it, Yano revisits questions around his diasporic Japanese Canadian identity, his family narratives and the balancing act of interpersonal relationships that surfaced on 2020's Souvenir — but this time the sound is more cohesive, with a sonic throughline that emerges thanks to collaborative production with BadBadNotGood. The resulting experimental jazz arrangements are fertile ground for Yano's folk and R&B-inspired vocals to meander about as he ponders existentially. This is music that demands close listening, revealing itself slowly. — Kelsey Adams
Artist: Shania Twain
Album: Queen of Me
Release date: Feb. 3
When Shania Twain announced a global tour and an upcoming 2023 album a few months ago, demand was so high for tickets that she quickly added a second leg. Now at more than 70 stops, the tour still won't satisfy all fans, but the message was clear: everyone is ready for the queen of country's return. The aptly titled Queen of Me will be the singer's sixth full-length album, following 2017's Now — which was Twain's first release since the success of Up! in 2002. While the most recent single, "Last Day of Summer," was curiously released at the end of October, its breezy nostalgia slows the pace a bit from previous tracks "Waking up Dreaming" and "Not Just a Girl" for a more intimate song about paths not taken. And if you don't feel like waiting until February to check out the new album, Twain's recently released documentary, Not Just a Girl, is a perfect reminder as to why the singer from Timmins, Ont., is still the best-selling woman in country music. — Holly Gordon
Artist: Fontine
Album: Yarrow Lover
Release date: Feb. 8
Yarrow Lover is our formal introduction to Winnipeg singer-songwriter Fontine. A six-song EP, Yarrow Lover brims with gorgeously evocative lyrics and an undeniable warmth that feels simultaneously refreshing and familiar, as felt on lead single "Homemaker." Fontine's music is simple, direct and heartening, similar to songwriters who have come before her, including Kathleen Edwards and Sarah Harmer. Fontine's work is inspired by "her Nehiyaw Iskwew roots, the natural surroundings of her Prairie home, and her musical surroundings in Winnipeg," according to her biography. Yarrow Lover was co-produced by Kris Ulrich (Field Guide, Cassidy Mann) and mixed by Boy Golden, the latter for whom Fontine has performed backing vocals. — ML
Artist: Andy Shauf
Album: Norm
Release date: Feb. 10
Singer-songwriter Andy Shauf is fully in control on his eighth album, Norm, which he self-produced during the pandemic. Playing every instrument on the album, Shauf steps away from the deeply personal songwriting he's favoured in the past to weave together a fictional story around an imaginary person named Norm. "The character of Norm is introduced in a really nice way," Shauf said in a statement. "But the closer you pay attention to the record, the more you're going to realize that it's sinister." The songs play out like the soundtrack to a film, with faint percussion and whispers of guitar creating melodies with ominous undertones. There's always something tantalizing about another concept album from Shauf, and he entertains listeners' curiosities with this record, planting subtext all throughout. It's the type of imaginative album that will beg for a second listen to catch anything you might have missed the first time around. — Natalie Harmsen
Artist: DijahSB
Album: Living Simple
Release date: Feb. 10
Heart, hope and humour are hallmarks of DijahSB's rhymes, and their new EP, Living Simple, is a stacked paradise of ready-made meme quotes and breezy, bouncing beats. The title is a deliberate nod to the rapper's mom's favourite TV show, '90s sitcom Living Single, as is the first single from the forthcoming EP, "Khadijah," which was Queen Latifah's character's name on the show and for whom DijahSB was named. Over twinkling synths and a fitting '90s-era groove, they rap: "Content with the singleness/ but I see a fire shorty I might have to live a bit/ if she not receptive of my feelings I just live with it/ onto the next love/ scoring like it's Wimbledon." The wordplay continues with the second single, "Summertime," on which DijahSB delivers sunny, funny swagger like no other: "Room full of mirrors/ still see no flaws/ walking with the same Stitch Lilo got." DijahSB always feels like an artist working at the top of their game; Living Simple is proof that they're levelling up. — AW
Artist: Sienna Dahlen and Bill Coon
Album: Balladextrous
Release date: Feb. 17
Juno Award-winning vocalist Sienna Dahlen was raised in B.C., but has spent most of her career in Montreal. Guitarist Bill Coon took the reverse path, establishing himself in Montreal before relocating to Vancouver, where he's been a stalwart of the jazz scene for three decades. They find a happy middle ground on this stunning collection of standards, drawing you into an intimate realm that only two like-minded musicians can create. Highlights include a perfectly restrained rendition of Hoagy Carmichael's "I get Along Without you Very Well," the ultimate heartbreak ballad; Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Happy Talk," which begins with a fascinating deconstruction of the song's components before settling into rhythm; and Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight," whose guitar solo is a mini masterclass in timing. You'll want to dim the lights, maybe put on headphones and just let yourself be transported by this inspired tête-à-tête. — Robert Rowat
Artist: Villages
Album: Dark Island
Release date: Feb. 17
Folk quartet Villages breathes modern life into the traditional music of its Celtic and Cape Breton roots, which often means that the best way to experience it is live, where swaying and foot-stomping can happen in community. So it's perfect for us that the band — whose members include Matt and Travis Ellis, Jon Pearo and Archie Rankin — captured its upcoming sophomore album, Dark Island, in that spirit, working with producer Joshua Van Tassel to record live off the floor, and with no more than three takes. "It calls out to me now/ through the fog somehow/ I'm too poor to be buying this round/ there's got to be another way," sings Matt on the album's lead single, "Love Will Live On," a daydream of a simpler life carried by vivid imagery, a laid-back strum and some tambourine. Often compared to Fleet Foxes, Villages no longer needs a "for fans of" comparison — with Dark Island, the band can easily claim its own folk niche. — HG
Artist: Begonia
Album: Powder Blue
Release date: Feb. 24
Is it too early to call Powder Blue a contender as one of the year's best albums? We may only be in the early days of 2023, but Begonia, a.k.a. Alexa Dirks, has an undeniable gem on her hands. Upon each new release, the Winnipeg singer settles deeper into herself — and on Powder Blue her spellbinding voice sounds brighter than ever. Expanding on her mythos from 2019's The Fear, Dirks has lifted the veil once more, letting us into her innermost psyche where she parses over memories about her budding bisexuality, her shifting relationship with religion and her journey to self-love. Vulnerable admissions are set to poppy beats throughout, but it's when Dirks strips everything back that she creates the most gripping moments. Album opener "Chasing Every Sunrise" holds you in a standstill from the very first note, an introduction that signals you're about to be whisked away. In a press release, Dirks said that the album "holds a muted nostalgia, musings on childhood, the complexities of new love, self-love, religion, virginity and sexuality." It's as if the pages of her diary have spilled out into rhyme, and Powder Blue is a world I anticipate spending much more time in as the year rolls along. — KA
Artist: Jacques Kuba Séguin
Album: Parfum I
Release date: Feb. 24
We've heard a lot in recent years about synaesthesia, the neurological condition in which information meant to stimulate one of your senses actually stimulates several. On his new album — the first in a series of three to be released in 2023 — jazz trumpeter and composer Jacques Kuba Séguin explores the connection between music and our sense of smell. "What if the two were more similar than we imagine?" he asks in the album's promotional material. "Both have the power to appeal to our subconscious and awaken deep memories, to provoke emotions." He's joined by Jean-Michel Pilc (piano), Rémi-Jean Leblanc (double bass), Kevin Warren (drums) and Elizabeth Shepherd (voice) to flesh out five original compositions. On this followup to his Juno Award-winning Migrations, expect beautifully sculpted sound and a refreshing (and sometimes surprising) concoction of styles, often within the same tune. — RR
Artist: Gayance
Album: Mascarade
Release date: March 3
Montreal DJ and producer Gayance's last output was titled No Toning Down, and following her own advice, she's upped the ante again with her upcoming debut album, Mascarade. Gayance, a.k.a. Aïsha Vertus, and her whole slew of collaborators have created an album that moves from techno to breakbeat to jazz, incorporating spacey synths, distorted bass and neo-soul vocals — it's a true sonic smorgasbord that comes together to make you move and feel. A deeply personal record, Mascarade's writing process was a release for Vertus: "It's the story of my 20s," she said via press release. "I pay homage to this kid everybody knew, but not deeply. It's about retrieving a power that has always been mine, making peace with the past and moving forward." The sounds are truly global, with influences from the many places she's called home (Haiti, the Netherlands and Brazil), but Vertus mainly kept things local when choosing collaborators, joined throughout by Montrealers Janette King, Hua Li, Judith Little D, Raveen and more. Highlights "Clout Chaser Anthem," "Shore Apart," "Nunca Mais" and "Moon Rising" are a testament to the power of those collaborations. — KA
Artist: Chiiild
Album: Better Luck in the Next Life
Release date: March 3
Chiiild, the project of Montreal's Yonatan Ayal, is poised to drop a followup album this year that might surpass 2021's genre-bending, Polaris Prize-longlisted Hope for Sale. While Chiiild's previous release showed off his chameleon-like ability to swerve between groovy R&B and soulful jazz, the lead single from Better Luck in the Next Life, "Bon Voyage,'' has given listeners a new taste of the hypnotizing sound to come, with added twinges of pop to the mix. "Baby, we're just out here levitating," Ayal sings on the track, as swirling synths compliment his flow. The rest of the album consists of some more serene moments, such as the blissful, Charlotte Cardin-assisted "I Hope I Packed a Parachute" and the ambient "Into the Deep End." Overall, Better Luck in the Next Life is more chill than Hope for Sale, as the calmer, slower tracks let listeners dig into each new sound. But that doesn't mean there aren't moments of familiarity for R&B fans, who will appreciate the smooth collaborations with Alina Baraz and Lucky Daye. — NH
Artist: Orchestre Métropolitain, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Album: Sibelius 3 & 4
Release date: March 3
Yannick Nézet-Séguin and l'Orchestre Métropolitain continue their exploration of the symphonies of Jean Sibelius with this new release pairing the third (previously released in a digital-only format) with the recently recorded fourth. Of his seven symphonies, these are Sibelius's darkest ones, the fourth being composed while he was confronting illness and his own mortality; the third marking a stylistic shift toward formal restraint, following the Tchaikovsky-esque first and second symphonies. (Sibelius was also heavily influenced by the Kalevala, an epic collection of 50 Finnish folk poems — the same ones that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to pen The Lord of the Rings.) Nézet-Séguin gets all this, and leads his musicians through a focused reading, full of mystique, with fine playing from each section of the orchestra. — RR
Artist: Louise Burns
Album: Element
Release date: April 21
Near the end of 2022, Louise Burns dropped her first single since the release of her 2019 album, Portraits: a cover of Depeche Mode's "See You." The slowed-down version would have fit comfortably on the Drive soundtrack a decade ago, though that doesn't mean it's dated: the pulsing synths and keys provide a perfect backdrop for Burns's shimmering voice, as she and collaborator Jason Corbett pull one of the English electronic band's earliest hits into the present. The "See You" release was also a heads up for more to come, as the Vancouver pop singer readies for her new, and fifth, full-length album in the spring. We don't know much else about Element, but we trust Burns with our pop-loving hearts and can't wait for what's to come. — HG
Artist: Cam Kahin
Album: When it's all Over
Release date: April 2023
In October, Toronto's Cam Kahin signed to one of the city's most notable rock labels, Dine Alone Records. While Kahin has been making music since he was 12, this signing signals a big step up, which will be reflected on his upcoming EP, When it's all Over. Over six barrelling tracks, Kahin shows off an innate ability to combine heavy rock riffs with compelling and catchy melodies. Lead single "Compass" is an ideal gateway into Kahin's sonic world, giving listeners a glimpse into the messy, unsettled reality of being 20-something, while presenting it with a sense of confidence that only comes from years of grinding away as a musician. The year has just started, but Kahin might be one of our favourite new discoveries of 2023. — ML
Artist: Jenn Grant
Album: Champagne Problems
Release date: June 2023
When Jenn Grant dropped the first single to announce her 2023 album, we were smitten. A collaboration with fellow Haligonian Kim Harris, "Judy" is buoyed by horns and drenched in the richness of its co-writers' voices — a song that dropped in November but has the sass of a late summer night. It's the first of many co-writes to come on Champagne Problems, Grant's eighth album, with a list of collaborators that includes Aquakultre, Basia Bulat, Dan Mangan, Bahamas, Hannah Georgas, Amy Millan and more. This album will be Grant's first as a producer, alongside her husband, Daniel Ledwell, and the threads of the singer-songwriter's community shimmer in each track's spotlight. It would be a dream to see all these artists onstage together, with Grant the beating heart of it all, but come June we'll at least have Champagne Problems (Jenn's Version) to sway to. — HG
Artist: Dominique Fils-Aimé
Album: Our Roots Run Deep
Release date: September 2023
Juno winner Dominique Fils-Aimé makes a bold and soulful return with Our Roots Run Deep, a mesmerizing album that soars with brassy horns and layered vocals. From musings on fresh starts and the grounding power of nature, Fils-Aimé leans into simple storytelling with straightforward lyricism and echoing, lush repetition that allows every word she sings to make an impact. It's her first LP since completing her trilogy of albums honouring the rich history of African American music, and it continues her track record of strong songwriting by beautifully blending together influences from R&B, jazz, neo-soul and more. Opener "Our Roots Run Deep" immediately grabs attention with a soft hum of her low vocals, and only grows from there into a colourful and expansive offering of 14 tracks. — NH
Rumoured releases
Artist: Tasha Angela
Album: Who I Am
Release date: Early 2023
Tasha Angela is a name you'll want to remember in 2023, thanks to her dreamy blend of jazz, pop and R&B. On her debut album, Who I Am, Angela's vocals glide over transcendent melodies with ease for a collection of nostalgic songs that feel harmonious and effortless. — NH
Artist: Benja
Album: TBA
Release date: March 2023
On his debut EP, Benja has crafted a fitting soundtrack to a lazy Sunday, the kind where time is suspended and a subtle warmth washes over everything. The Toronto singer and guitarist's debut is rife with jazz and blues arrangements, coy and irreverent lyricism and a Lo-Fi edge that sounds in tune with some of the acts he has played guitar for on tour, like BadBadNotGood, Jonah Yano and Joseph of Mercury. — KA
Artist: K-Riz
Album: One Way Ticket
Release date: Spring 2023
On Edmonton rapper K-Riz's upcoming album, One Way Ticket, he declares, "There's no ceiling, only space above me to occupy." A Beyond the 6 alum, K-Riz confidently describes his upcoming album as his "Off the Wall era." One Way Ticket expands his sound and range as a hip hop and R&B artist, varying from funk-sampled grooves ("Something About U") to dance floor anthems ("Whatever you Want"), proving that his skills can adapt to almost any environment. — ML
Artist: Nico Paulo
Album: self-titled
Release date: Spring 2023
Back in November, singer-songwriter Nico Paulo dazzled us with "Now or Never," the lead single of her upcoming album, her voice both assured and vulnerable, whispering and soaring over a gentle, lapping guitar. We'll be able to hear the rest of her self-titled project soon, which the Newfoundland-based Portuguese artist recorded with producers Joshua Van Tassel and Tim Baker (on whose most recent album, The Festival, Paulo also sang). — HG
Artist: Exmiranda
Album: Ex Marks the Spot
Release date: Summer 2023
After releasing only two songs in 2022, hip hop artist Exmiranda is dropping Ex Marks the Spot, the followup to her debut album, Funk Break, in 2023. The Toronto-based rapper's next release will expand on her unique blend of rap, funk and soul by incorporating jazz, disco, electro-funk and more. — NH
Artist: G. R. Gritt
Album: Queer Love Song
Release Date: Fall 2023
According to a press release, G. R. Gritt has big plans (and intentions) for Queer Love Song, the followup album to their solo debut, 2021's Ancestors: "I want to provide a mirror for my communities so they can see themselves reflected and represented in the music and in the music industry." Gritt's powerhouse list of collaborators also features some of the most exciting artists working in this country: Sydanie, Rae Spoon, Rosina Kazi of LAL, Melody McKiver, Cris Derkson, TESSA and more. — AW
Artist: Tobi
Album: TBA
Release date: TBA
With thoughtful, empathetic storytelling at the heart of his new music, Tobi gets unfiltered on his upcoming album, unpacking personal struggles with a sense of urgency. From reflecting on therapy and male privilege on "Flowers," to exploring familial trauma through the eyes of a child on his impassioned banger "Hoodwinked," Tobi's bars are sharper than ever. — NH
Artist: Lxvndr
Album: Chakra Tapes Vol. 1, Found Money and more
Release date: TBA
Lxvndr gave us one of our favourite songs of the summer, and the P.E.I.-born, Halifax-based rapper has a lot planned for 2023: she's dropping a project titled Chakra Tapes Vol. 1 with producer Niimo, and another release titled Found Money with fellow Black Buffalo signee Tachichi. Plus some work with Big Moves, Uncle Fester and MROK, all as of yet untitled. — HG
Artist: General Khan
Album: On God; Afghan Variety
Release date: TBA
Halifax rapper General Khan came out swinging with her 2021 debut album, Wrath of Khan, and she has two releases lined up for 2023: a February EP called On God and a full-length titled Afghan Variety slated for late spring. — HG
Artist: William Prince
Album: TBA
Release date: TBA
We don't know much about this Juno Award winner's upcoming 2023 album, but what we do know is enticing: it was recorded in Savannah, Ga., and produced by Dave Cobb, who's worked with country staples Brandi Carlile, the Highwomen, Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell. We'll know more by the end of January. — HG
Artist: Roy Woods
Album: TBA
Release date: TBA
Roy Woods teased everyone back in the summer when he took to social media acknowledging that despite rumours of an album dropping in August, it was delayed. Months later, with confirmation from OVO that a new album is indeed on the way, it's safe to expect that Woods will finally be dropping new music in 2023. If his recent string of singles including "Bad Bad" and "Insecure" are a preview of what's to come, we can look forward to some more catchy, melodic hip hop from the 26-year-old rapper. — NH
Artist: Daniel Caesar
Album: TBA
Release date: TBA
Daniel Caesar's '90s-tinged collaboration with BadBadNotGood, "Please do not Lean," hinted that a new third album was likely coming this year, since he hadn't released a solo project since 2019's Case Study 01. "The album is just about done, basically," he confirmed to Complex Canada in 2022, meaning that listeners probably won't have to wait much longer for new heartfelt R&B slow jams. — NH