An ever-evolving immigrant culture has always shaped Canada’s musical landscape. From the music of Jackie Shane to the Weeknd to Drake, chart-topping Canadian R&B/soul hits became humble but proud exports of the Canadian arts and entertainment industry.
When a wave of immigrants arrived in Toronto from the Caribbean in the 1960s, the rhythms of ska, rocksteady, and reggae were injected into funk and the emerging sounds of R&B. Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal saw acts such as Eddie Spencer, Willie McGhie, the Cougars, and Johnnie Osborne catch the ears of tastemakers and fans alike.
In the 1950s, Jackie Shane escaped the Jim Crowe South, arriving in Cornwall Ontario, then Montreal where she became the lead singer for Motley Crew. She moved to Toronto shortly after. After reaching No. 2 on Toronto's CHUM Chart and No. 124 on Billboard's Heatseeker chart, Shane’s cover of William Bell's "Any Other Way" in 1963 put Canada’s R&B/soul scene on the global map and pioneered a new movement.
Shane paved the way for R&B acts to emerge in the 1970s, such as "Canada's first lady of the blues,” Salome Bey, and funk-soul group Chairmen of the Board. According to CBC.ca, “Toronto-based funk-R&B ensemble Crack of Dawn, loosely modeled after Earth, Wind & Fire, would make history by becoming the first Black Canadian group to sign a contract with a major record label — a critical moment for the industry at large. After being discovered by American producer Bob Gallo in Toronto's Little Jamaica neighborhood, the group would land a deal with Columbia Records in 1975 and release its debut self-titled album the following year, which included the pop-oriented single "It's Alright (This Feeling)”.”
In 1985, the famed Juno Awards introduced a dedicated category for best R&B/soul recording. Liberty Silver, a Detroit-born, Toronto-based singer, became the first Black recipient of the award and would also become the first Black woman to win a Juno Award for her album, Lost Somewhere Inside Your Love. The soft, piano-driven single of the same name brought forth a future of Canadian R&B/soul powerhouse ballads.
In 1986, Toronto-based singer Billy Newton-Davis won the 1986 Juno Award for best R&B/soul recording for his album Love is a Contact Sport. In 1989, he released his second album, Spellbound, which resulted in his biggest Canadian hit to date, "Can't Live With You," featuring Celine Dion.
The 1990s continued to see the genre evolve. The Toronto group Bass is Base released its debut album, First Impressions for the Bottom Jigglers on its own label, SoulShack.
After signing with then Arista Records in 1992, Deborah Cox released her debut self-titled album in 1995, quickly becoming a Top 40 success in Canada. Her single, "Sentimental” peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album also earned two Juno Awards in 1995 and 1996 and she was nominated for best new artist at the American Music Awards in 1997. However, it was her 1998 single "Nobody's Supposed to be Here" that cemented her place in R&B/soul music history when it became certified Platinum, placing her among the ranks with Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.
After 10 years of fighting to create an on-air home for R&B/soul in Canada, Denham Jolly was awarded a radio show license from the CRTC in 2001 and formed Flow 93.5 FM, the nation's first (what was then called) "urban" radio station. The station reinvigorated Canada's Black music infrastructure, giving a home to R&B and Black pop acts.
As R&B continued to grow within Canada, a new generation of artists including Kreesha Turner, Keshia Chante, Divine Brown, and Melanie Fiona, gained popularity. However, after Drake released his So Far Gone mixtape in 2009, the direction of R&B music in Canada would change forever.
Canada already knew Drake from his acting career, but by the mid-2000s, he re-emerged as a rapper on the Toronto music scene. With "Best I Ever Had' permeating the airwaves, Drake followed up with "Successful," featuring R&B singer Trey Songz. CBC.ca reflected, “The reverb-driven harmony from Drake allowed him to enter the R&B space while alternating between worlds — it was something the hip hop community had seen before (Kanye West, for example), but it would be a revolutionary moment not only for Drake but also the decade in R&B music ahead.”
The 2010s saw Drake and the Weeknd become global superstars while other Canadian artists such as PartyNextDoor began to shape their own space in the genre. Even pop sensation Justin Bieber released his own R&B album, Journals, in 2013. The dark, moody production that became known as the Toronto sound influenced artists around the world. CBC.ca says, “While melancholy sonics were trendy, artists like Tanika Charles, Daniel Caesar, Shay Lia, Charlotte Day Wilson, and dvsn would rise and continue to hold on to soul music's deep roots by adding their unique spins. Meanwhile, Jessie Reyez, Terrell Morris, Kallitechnis, Sara Diamond and others would modify R&B by adding distinctive sounds pulled from other genres.”
The 2020s have seen sampling methods, production approaches, and delivery styles cause Canada’s alternative R&B artists to skyrocket into the global mainstream dialogue. CBC.ca said, “For the first time since the 1960s, no longer were Canadian artists relying on the American market to support them — they were finally getting recognition and deciding where they wanted to create, live and exist without the constant pressure of needing to leave for financial freedom.”
