Fifth annual TdotFest provides stage for rising talent

BY SELINA McCALLUM

TDOTFest represents more than just new music, it represents a chance for budding Canadian artists to be heard.

TDOTFest took place on August 17th and 18th at Ontario Place. It is Canada’s first annual all ages urban block party filled with live performances, vendors, food trucks, 19+ bar, and inflatable and interactive games.

Several artists from Toronto and the GTA performed for audience members. This was also an opportunity for young artists to share the space with bigger Canadian artists like JRDN, Karl Wolf, and Yung Tory.

Jahlilove Jones, known as DJ Love Jones, has been a DJ for three years, but she’s currently nine years old. She is the youngest artist to have a single play on Flow 93.5FM.

Unlike other kids that just want to relax and play on summer vacation, Jones decided to master DJing.

“When I finished school for the summer, I thought it was just something to do. Now I realize that DJing can actually get me to bigger opportunities,” said Jones.

DJ Love Jones DJ’d on both days of TdotFest, surprising the crowd with her young age and incredible talent.

Jones describes the first time she heard her song on the radio.

“They sent us a message saying that they are going to put it on the radio. Me and my dad got in the car straight away and waited until it came on,” said Jones. “What I imagined for myself then was how big I was going to be. But It’s not about that, it’s mostly about showing kids what you can do with your dreams if you believe in yourself.”

Jones also had her twelve-year-old brother, who also DJ’s with her and for her, and her friends who dance on stage with her.

“It feels good because it’s like I’m not just letting myself out, I’m letting my whole squad out,” said Jones.

She hopes to DJ across the world when she gets older. For now, she is balancing school and DJing by practicing after school and booking gigs.

Upcoming Reggae and Dancehall artist, Teepolo, performed a few of her songs. Although she has a full-time job working twelve-hour shifts, she also manages herself.

“I do mostly everything for myself when it comes to music. I have a few people who help me, but I am my own manager. It’s not easy, but at the end of the day when you love it, it doesn’t matter,” said Teepolo.

She had stopped doing music for a long time to pursue other endeavours, but nothing felt right.

“I have been an artist for most of my life, but you know things happen. I have been doing music since I was about twelve-years-old, but I stopped for ten years. It was only last December that I started getting back into music again,” said Teepolo. “Something was missing, and now I’m back in my happy place.”

Teepolo says she wants people to feel nothing but happiness when they listen to her songs.

“My music is entirely conscious positivity. It aims to uplift and empower the people, to relate to them. I have a job to do, and that’s what I’m going to do with my music,” said the Reggae and Dancehall artist.

Teepolo’s five-year plan includes her music and her name being known worldwide.

“In five years the world should already know about Teepolo and I’m expecting to be a lot further than I am right now. I want my music and message to resonate with people, and I’m on that journey right now,” said Teepolo

New artists weren’t the only ones making their debut. Wisebird and Evoke Creatives are two organizations made of young people hoping to reduce plastic and garbage waste in Toronto.

Wisebird is a social enterprise start-up which aims to reduce single-use plastic and waste through behavioural change in the community. Evoke Creatives brings diversity to the frontline of the environmental movement while delivering solutions for live music events in Toronto.

“We collaborated with TDOTFest this year in its fifth year, to bring more green initiatives to their festival and to educate festival goers on reducing plastic water bottles,” said Rachel Wang, founder of Evoke Creatives.

TdotFest was the place to network, not only with new and huge artists in Toronto, but also spark conversations around making a difference within the music industry, the environment and racialized youth in the city.

“We’re more so using music as a medium or as a vehicle for forwarding the environmental movement. Specifically, to rap/hip-hop music and specifically through racialized youth to bring their voices a little bit more to the front lines,” said Wang.