Inside the Music with StereoRuss

Hamilton indie pop artists Emma Whale (songwriter and producer), Saad Sheik, and Jesse Adams join me for a conversation about songwriting, production, and finding their own paths in the local music scene. We discuss the art of making pop songs shorter and stickier, the challenges of promoting music in the social media era, and why sustainable creativity matters more than chasing the algorithm. We also talk upcoming releases, music videos, jazz gigs, and the power of local music communities.
 
Connect with Emma Whale
https://www.instagram.com/emmawhale_music/
https://linktr.ee/EmmaWhale
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6QXYJSKKFGJueoq8Xuzita
 
Connect with Saad Sheik
https://www.instagram.com/saadsheikhx/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4crMHT22Iy0Z9zi9Aln9l6
 
Connect with Jesse Adams
https://www.instagram.com/jesse_francesca/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1knZLmZB5hXpLG5mfujbiz
 
Recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario https://www.catherinenorth.com/
https://www.instagram.com/catherinenorthstudios/
 
Produced by StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss
https://www.YouTube.com/@StereoRuss
https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss
https://www.stereoruss.com
 
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Grammy winning Toronto band BadBadNotGood joins Inside the Music with StereoRuss ahead of their August 20 performance at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario.
Chester Hansen and Leland Whitty chat with StereoRuss to discuss how the band's sound has evolved from jazz roots into a genre defying blend of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, electronic, and indie music. They share stories about collaboration, improvisation, touring the world, balancing technical musicianship with emotion, and what audiences can expect when they take the stage at the RBG.
Joining the conversation is Jeremy Freiburger from the Royal Botanical Gardens, who explains the vision behind the summer concert series and why BADBADNOTGOOD was the perfect choice to help introduce new audiences to live music in one of Ontario's most unique outdoor venues.
Whether you're a longtime fan, a musician, or simply curious about one of Canada's most celebrated bands, this conversation offers an inside look at the creativity, curiosity, and collaboration that continue to shape BADBADNOTGOOD's music.
Get tickets and learn more about BADBADNOTGOOD's August 20 performance at RBG:
https://www.rbg.ca/events/concert-badbadnotgood/
 
Listen to BADBADNOTGOOD https://www.youtube.com/user/BADBADNOTGOOD
http://open.spotify.com/artist/65dGLGjkw3UbddUg2GKQoZ
https://www.instagram.com/badbadnotgood/
 
Produced by StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss
https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss
https://www.stereoruss.com
 
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This episode is being presented as part of Hamilton Arts Week (running from July 2-9) which includes more than 200 events and activities. Arts week is presented by Hamilton Arts Council with support from the City of Hamilton, and the Government of Canada. Check out all the event listings at theartycrowd.ca
 
Connect with Hamilton Arts Council & The Arty Crowd
https://www.hamiltonartscouncil.ca/
https://theartycrowd.ca/
 
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Please enjoy this special Hamilton Arts Week conversation with Hamilton singer-songwriter and founder of the Femme Rising Showcase Series, Melissa Dutch, premiering as part of the Hamilton Arts Week launch.
Ahead of Femme Rising at Mills Hardware on Sunday, July 5, Melissa shares the inspiration behind the showcase series and her vision for creating spaces that celebrate women, queer artists, and community. She also discusses her powerful new single, "Skinny," and the importance of self-care in sustaining a creative life.
 
Connect with Melissa Dutch
https://www.instagram.com/melissa.dutch
https://melissadutch.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@melissadutch
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5bDScM4GIAu8diQ6OXFyQy
https://www.instagram.com/femmerisingca
 
Produced and Hosted by StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media
https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss
https://www.youtube.com/@StereoRuss
https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss
 
Recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario
https://www.catherinenorth.com/
https://www.instagram.com/catherinenorthstudios/
 
Production Supported by Emma Whale
https://www.instagram.com/emmawhale_music
 
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Superstar Crush are BACK and they're in their WARTORTLE ERA!
Fresh off opening for Wolf Parade, the Hamilton group joins StereoRuss for a conversation about Rococo-inspired stage aesthetics, finding your people, and the surreal experience of sharing bills with artists they’ve admired for years. It’s funny, thoughtful, and chalked full of Pokémon evolution metaphors.
 
Connect with Superstar Crush
https://www.instagram.com/superstarcrushband/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/29MNW2JE94Rb07rdS5tWFB https://www.youtube.com/@SuperstarCrush/videos
 
Recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario https://www.catherinenorth.com/ https://www.instagram.com/catherinenorthstudios/
 
Produced by StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss https://www.YouTube.com/@StereoRuss
 
Become an Inside the Music Insider https://www.stereoruss.com

A few days before the Junos, Aysanabee joined me at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton to talk about returning to the awards with two new nominations (which he won by the way)! We got into his approach to live performance, scoring a goal on an NHL goalie, learning with covers from Leon Bridges, Sam Roberts, and Justin Bieber, his self-taught guitar style, and why he’s releasing a stripped-back acoustic album. He also shared stories from the road, including a chaotic live reverb moment, and how he thinks about connecting with audiences through storytelling.
Thank you to Aysanabee and his team for taking the time to chat. I hope you all enjoy!
 
Connect with Aysanabee
https://www.instagram.com/_aysanabee_/
https://www.aysanabee.com/tour
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1jbEBKJhX4rRmHD6xW6ve5
https://linktr.ee/Aysanabee
 
Recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario https://www.catherinenorth.com/
https://www.instagram.com/catherinenorthstudios/
 
Produced by StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss
https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss
 
Support Inside the Music with StereoRuss
https://ko-fi.com/stereoruss
 
Become an Inside the Music Insider
https://www.stereoruss.com
 
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I sat down live in-studio with DJ’s Flying Circus, a growing collective of musicians. What started as jam sessions and covers has turned into original music, a rotating lineup, and a full scale live experience they call The Book of Funk.
We talk about where it all started, how they balance life's obligations and creativity, and what it means to commit to something when there’s no clear path forward. There’s a lot in here about community, about figuring it out as you go, and about choosing passion even when it makes life more complicated.
 
Follow DJ's Flying Circus:https://www.instagram.com/djs_flying_circus/
Follow StereoRuss
https://www.instagram.com/stereoruss/

Tiger Balme is a Toronto based indie pop collective reinventing what a band can look (and sound) like. With vibraphone, harp, guitar, drums, and lush three part harmonies, Tiger Balme blends pop, indie, and art rock into something entirely their own.
In this conversation, the band dives into their origins as a songwriting collective, how shared leadership shapes their sound, and why no one person stands at the front of the stage. We talk uniforms, identity, harmony arranging, odd time signatures, and the realities of playing everything from vintage shops to Union Station.
The band also reflects on reimagining their song “Short Fuse (Embers)”, collaboration over competition, and building trust as a creative unit.
Connect with Tiger Balme
https://www.instagram.com/tigerbalme/?hl=en
https://ffm.to/tigerbalme
https://tigerbalme.bandcamp.com/track/short-fuse-embers
https://linktr.ee/tigerbalme
https://www.tiktok.com/@tigerbalme
Tiger Balme Mailing List:
https://tigerbalme.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe
 
Recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario https://www.catherinenorth.com/ https://www.instagram.com/catherinenorthstudios/
 
Edited by Mike Monson and Monco Film + Sound
http://moncofilmandsound.com/
https://www.instagram.com/moncofilmandsound/
 
Produced by StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss
https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss
 
Become an Inside the Music Insider
https://www.stereoruss.com
 
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Jack Stearns-Ley is a Hamilton based singer songwriter exploring the space between lo-fi intimacy and expansive, collaborative sound. Centred around piano but shaped by a rotating cast of musicians, Jack’s music blends singer songwriter roots with jazz, ambient textures, and a sense of organized spontaneity.
His latest project, Dottie’s Sketchbook, is as much about process as it is about the songs themselves. The album was Recorded in just two days using borrowed gear, voice memo room mics, and a trust in the people around him.
In this conversation, Jack dives into building a sound through friendship, moving between punk bands and solo work, and letting go of perfection in favour of honesty. We talk about recording off the floor, embracing imperfection, and why sometimes the best takes happen when you don’t fully know what you’re doing.
We also get into the Hamilton music scene, all ages venues, DIY recording, and what it means to make something that feels human in an increasingly polished world.
Connect with Jack Stearns-Ley https://open.spotify.com/artist/4lphjL8oxr4InlpMRJUIXL https://www.instagram.com/jackiesmusic3008/ https://www.instagram.com/smittheband/
Recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario https://www.catherinenorth.com/ https://www.instagram.com/catherinenorthstudios/
Edited by Mike Monson and Monco Film + Sound http://moncofilmandsound.com/ https://www.instagram.com/moncofilmandsound/
Produced by StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss
Become an Inside the Music Insider
https://www.stereoruss.com
Like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations with artists, producers, and creatives.

Finbar Wall of The Commune is one of the most compelling voices coming out of Hamilton right now.
Fin and I sit down at Catherine North Studios to talk about community, craft, and what it really means to build a band without gatekeeping. From recording their early EP JUMA for the price of pizza, to lugging drywall, to discussing their recent run of shows with Tom Wilson, Daniel Lanois, and Junkhouse this conversation digs into the beauty of making art for the sake of it.
Connect with Fin and The Commune https://open.spotify.com/artist/0KPX0GJ9i29Yvgh8uQFJP5 https://linktr.ee/thecommunemusic https://www.instagram.com/thecommune.mp3/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thecommune.mp3
Recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario https://www.catherinenorth.com/ https://www.instagram.com/catherinenorthstudios/
Edited by Mike Monson and Monco Film + Sound http://moncofilmandsound.com/ https://www.instagram.com/moncofilmandsound/ Produced by
StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss
Become an Inside the Music Insider
https://www.stereoruss.com
Like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations with artists, producers, and creatives.

Olivia Brown is the bandleader and bassist of Junestone, for a fun convo on improvisation, songwriting, live performance, and what it really means to trust your band.
Recorded at Catherine North Studios, the conversation explores how Junestone blends funk, pop, jazz, and free flowing improvisation, why they prioritize live off the floor recording, and how creating a safe creative space leads to better music both on stage and in the studio.
Olivia shares the story behind Junestone’s latest release “Take It or Leave It”, the magic of adapting songs in real time, and how reading Victor Wooten’s "The Music Lesson" helped shape her approach to being a musician. Along the way, they unpack bass tone secrets, the importance of listening, finding the right collaborators, and the strange beauty of making people scream in a library.
Chapters: 0:00 - 9:03 All About Junestone 9:04 - 12:47 Finding Yourself As A Performer 12:48 - 17:14 Playing Music with your Siblings 17:15 - 20:22 Choosing the Bass 20:23 - 23:23 Victor Wooten 23:24 - 28:47 Forming Junestone 28:48 - 30:43 Acoustic Gigs 30:44 - 35:41 Recording "Take It or Leave It" 35:42 - 38:41 Managing Setlists 38:42 - 42:39 Fast Questions
Credits
Recorded at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, Ontario
Produced by StereoRuss and StereoRuss Media
Production Assistant: Michelle Palau
 
Listen to Junestone
https://www.instagram.com/junestoneofficial/
https://linktr.ee/junestone
 
Connect with StereoRuss
https://www.instagram.com/StereoRuss
https://www.TikTok.com/@StereoRuss
Become an Inside the Music Insider
https://www.stereoruss.com
 
#hamiltonmusic #canadianmusic #bassguitar #songwriting #musicproduction #jazzfunk #insidethemusic #stereoruss