Discover some bonafide local talent!
The city’s first ever official playlist dubbed ‘Daydream and Bloom,’ has been created and it is a true work of art, rife with local talent.
It was created in collaboration between the City of Victoria, local promoter and host of CFUV’s Hot Local Singles in Your Playlist, Koby Andrews as well as visual artist Lajah Warren.
Andrews was approached by the city to put his talents and love for local music to work as part of Victoria’s Music Strategy, which aims to bolster and grow the music scene.
Daydream and Bloom features 30 local acts of all genres and backgrounds which can be frequently heard on CFUV and seen playing shows around town — be it a sold out show at Lucky Bar or an all-ages show at the ‘Big Fernwood’.
“Daydream and Bloom, was curated for idyllic summer nights, lounging in lush parks and finding a spontaneous friend in an unexpected place,” said Andrews. “This playlist of 30 local artists will inspire you to slow down and soak in summer’s finest gifts.”
When it came to selection for which of Victoria’s plethora of musical acts would be included, the city had some criteria for Andrews to use when selecting the music.
The musical acts had to be appropriate for all-ages, fit the summer theme, be based in the Capital Regional District, be active in the scene currently and Andrews was encouraged to choose acts from a pre-approved roster of Victoria bands the city has.
When it came to him actually choosing which bands, artists and songs to include, he tried to pick some bands he was familiar with through hosting his CFUV show and booking concerts as well as some well known beloved Victoria acts.
“Given my personal perspectives on equity and inclusion, plus the city’s espoused values on equitable approaches, I first prioritized artists that are Queer and/or BIPOC, and women/femme and non-binary people,” Andrews told Victoria Buzz.
The City of Victoria also enlisted the talents of local Indigenous artist Lajah Warren to create a cover image for the playlist which could properly encapsulate the mood and feeling of the playlist created by Andrews.
“This piece honours the lək’ʷəniʔən lands that I belong to,” said Warren. “Like this playlist, these lands offer a sense of safety, dreaming, reflection and creativity.”
“Here, a woman looks up to the sky during the sunset, engulfed by the natural landscape around her. As she listens to music, her world gets lifted up, both being as close as can be to the Skyworld and to the land that surrounds her.”
“Behind her are cherry blossoms to represent one of the many beautiful things that people associate with the lək’ʷəniʔən lands,” she added.
She says her piece created for the playlist is meant to remind Victorians to slow down, rest and allow Daydream and Bloom to whisk them away with its soundscape.
Daydream and Bloom is available for free on Spotify.
