New Brunswick well represented in this year’s CBC Searchlight Competition

Category: music 453

The Hypochondriacs and Icarus have both made it to the top 100. Voting ends June 8.

CBC Music’s annual Searchlight Competition is well underway. With the initial round of voting now passed, the top 100 artists from across Canada have been announced and a new round of voting is now ongoing to determine which artists/groups will make it into the top 10. From this group, a grand prize winner and four runners up will be announced, each talking home a number of prizes aimed at strengthen an artist’s career and getting their music out to a national audience.

The Hypochondriacs from Fredericton and Icarus from Richibucto are both included in this year’s top 100 finalists and voting is now open. Voting is free and encouraged!

Learn more at www.cbc.ca/music/searchlight/

Artists Bios

The Hypochondriacs

Hailing from Fredericton, NB, this six-piece powerhouse is taking Eastern Canada by storm with their high octane live show; prolific heartfelt ballads, and superb musicianship. The Hypochondriacs are: Josh Bravener (lead vocals/guitar), Connor Fox (lead guitar), Aaron Bravener (drums), Kelly Waterhouse (vocals/sax), Jeannine Gallant (vocals/trombone) and seasoned bass player Jamie Guitar, the Hypochondriacs have resurrected from the traditional country crypt a fresh and raw take to the standard genre. Though profoundly influenced by the likes of George Jones, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash through further inspection one will hear early Memphis rockabilly, a taste of New Orleans, 60’s doo-wop, 70’s folk-rock and all the way up to the ’80s cowpunk movement. Brace for impact: it’s a time of Reckoning. Welcome to HYPO NATION.

Icarus

ICARUS is a 29-year-old multi-instrumentalist, music teacher, singer and songwriter from NB, Canada. Have you ever flown too close to the sun? At age 25 I was lost. I had traveled to Peru, graduated from UNB in psychology, been in multiple bands and written countless songs…but I was directionless. I began diving deep into meditation and new age philosophy. I became convinced that transcending Earthly attachment was the only way to happiness and freedom. What began as a fulfilling path quickly devolved into desperation and mental illness. I began talking to spirits and through past psychedelic experience found I had opened doors I was unable to close. I was paralyzed, unable to make decisions and trapped in my own mind.

One day in the throws of true hopelessness I had what I believed to be an epiphany. I realized the truth of existence and “knew” my purpose was to wander the earth in search of God. I became convinced my time to play music professionally – my passion and dream for years – had passed. I was convinced my ego was what drove me to play music. I retreated into seclusion and although I had moments of clarity and normalcy social interaction was painful for me. Life had no colour. At other times, the spectacle of a green field spotted with roses became so bright I was awe-struck. I saw omens everywhere and spoke to the birds. The trees were my friends. Life was surreal and dreamlike. As beautiful, harmonious and connected as my experiences in what I came to dub No-Man’s-Land could be, I was seriously isolated from other people, depressed and disassociated. I was unhealthily obsessed with ”Ascension”, planetary awakening and the human condition. No matter where I went or what I did, there I was. When you’re in madness it’s real. I was convinced there was no escape. Eventually, I met an Angel and she helped to restore me to mental health. She was there for me and was willing to get close to me when I was unable to be close to other people. Meeting her changed my life. As time worked its magic I began to believe in myself again. I met my producer Mike Oz and found my dream alive and well.

Although many of my days are still spent in No-Mans-Land I manage it better now. They say Love is the answer and they are right. Still, I don’t feel love all the time. I’m grateful for the experience of losing my mind if only to appreciate now what it feels like to be sane (mostly). The desire to fly too high is still in me. Some days it’s a real struggle to remain grounded. In time I hope to be able to soar smoothly between the sun and the earth and balance even myself. “I want to ride myself up to the sun and burn away like Icarus” With love and gratitude, ICARUS

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