Prince Edward Island’s SOMMO Festival brought a brilliantly mixed lineup to Cavendish Beach Events Centre this September, with huge international names sharing stages with some of Canada’s most exciting artists.
LOUD WOMEN photographer Hailey Forbes was there for the weekend, and sent us back this gorgeous selection of five artists very much worth your attention: Altered by Mom, Jade LeMac, Loviet, MARIS and Natasha Bedingfield.
Altered by Mom
Toronto trio Altered by Mom are already firm LOUD WOMEN favourites. Gina Kennedy, Devon Lougheed and Max Trefler make huge, hooky alternative rock with plenty of humour and absolutely no interest in taking themselves too seriously.
They’re heading our way again very soon too, joining us at LOUD WOMEN Fest Halifax at The Seahorse Tavern on 24 October.
Jade LeMac
Vancouver singer-songwriter Jade LeMac brought dark-edged, emotionally direct pop to SOMMO, backed up by the sort of stage presence that makes festival passers-by stop walking and pay attention.
Loviet
We’ve been banging the drum for Loviet for a while now, and with very good reason.
The Toronto/Nova Scotia artist makes gritty, guitar-heavy alternative rock with massive hooks, and was one of the standouts at the very first LOUD WOMEN Fest Halifax last year. Her DEBUTANTE EP has only given us more reason to keep shouting about her.
MARIS
LA singer-songwriter MARIS brought colour, movement and big pop-rock energy to SOMMO.
There’s sweetness in the hooks but plenty of bite underneath, and her recent MOSH★PIT era feels very aptly named. This is exactly the sort of artist festivals are good for: turn up curious, leave with someone new on your radar.
Natasha Bedingfield
And from new discoveries to a woman whose songs have been lodged in our collective heads for more than two decades: Natasha Bedingfield.
There are very few festival crowds that need persuading to join in when ‘Unwritten’ or ‘Pocketful of Sunshine’ turns up. The joy in Hailey’s photos says pretty much everything that needs saying.
