Meet the Canadian Artists in YouTube’s Foundry Class of 2022
Today, we welcome 30 new artists to the Foundry Class of 2022, YouTube’s global artist development program. Created in 2015, Foundry is YouTube’s incubator for independent music, supporting indie artists at all stages of their careers through annual artist development classes and ongoing release support campaigns.
The Class of 2022 is Foundry’s biggest class to date, featuring indie talent spanning genres and continents. Meet the three Canadian artists joining the program this year:
- Roxane Bruneau: Roxane is a pop singer and songwriter from Delson, Quebec. She’s breaking through and bringing her Quebecoise music to a global audience. In 2021, she was awarded Female Artist of the Year at the 2021 Félix Awards. In her words, “success for me is seeing all the venues booked and that people know the lyrics to my songs.”
- Nemahsis: Originally from Palestine, Nemahsis is a Toronto-based pop and R&B artist passionate about sharing more about the lives of Muslim women with her audience. She looks to inspire and educate with her music, powerfully sharing her experiences and the discrimination she faces as a Muslim woman. She says, “as an artist, I take my process seriously. It is very hard as an independent artist to realize and execute ideas you have without having to compromise based on resources. Foundry will allow me to dream with an added level of freedom and support.”
- Skiifall: Skiifall is a Montreal-based hip hop artist that is quickly rising to global stardom. His unique sound combines his St. Vincent patois flow with Montreal-style beats. When describing the opportunity of being an independent artist, he says “[It] allows me to have my own creative freedom and manage my work at my own time.”
Foundry artists are next generation entertainers, recognized for their innovative approach to music and storytelling. To date, Foundry programs have supported 250 independent artists, with alumni including Arlo Parks, beabadoobee, Dave, Dua Lipa, Clairo, ENNY, Eladio Carrion, girl in red, Gunna, Japanese Breakfast, Kenny Beats, Natanael Cano, Omar Apollo, Rema, Rina Sawayama, ROSALÍA, Saba, Snail Mail, Tems, Tenille Arts and many more talented musicians.
When asked about the value of the Foundry Program, Canadian Foundry Alum Ebhoni said, “Growing and building my fan base is pivotal to me especially at this point in my career and Foundry provided me the tools, knowledge and platform to do that. I am forever grateful to have been a part of class 2021!”
“It’s no small task to be an artist in 2022, working to find stability, fulfillment, and fans who get it,” shared Naomi Zeichner, YouTube Artist Partnerships Lead. “Foundry celebrates the courage of independent artists and the communities that surround them. Our global team is lucky to be their champion and reduce barriers on their journey, every step of the way.”
Congratulations to all the artists in the cohort this year. We look forward to working together to help build a foundation for growth, engagement and global success.
