Episode 163: Keonté Beals - CEO KBeals Entertainment
Keonté Beals is an accomplished singer/songwriter, musician (piano), producer, author and entrepreneur. Keonté triumphs among the East Coast music scene as a multi-talented, award-winning R&B/Pop artist.
Born and raised in North Preston, Keonté started singing at the age of six. In 2016, Keonté released “Man Down” from his self-titled EP ‘Keonté,’ followed by a second single “4 Ever” in 2017. Keonté, is a natural-born entertainer who has collected accolades from Music Nova Scotia, African Nova Scotian Music Association (including Artist of the Year 2020), Coast Halifax, East Coast Music Association; Challenge AIDS and Malaria in Africa and recognised with an MLA Rising Star award.
In 2020, CBC radio produced a special “Keonte Beals: Christmas in North Preston” which was rated the number one story in Canada and earned a feature in “Being Black in Canada”. Keonté released a Christmas EP stemming from the special, entitled “December”, which was very well received. 2020 also saw the birth of KBeals Entertainment (kebe.ca) where Keonte launched his first full-length album under his company.
Keonte is the co-author and illustrator of his first children’s book with his younger brother Antonio, “I am Perfectly Me”. This book expresses historical pride within the African Nova Scotian community and celebrates diversity. Keonte provides rich and inclusive book presentations within schools all across Nova Scotia - even adding in a few song performances throughout the hour-long sessions with the kids.
Keonte propelled the project ‘KING’ in 2020 under his own company name, which received the ANSMA song of the year for 2021. Keonte received acclaimed ECMA status in 2021 for R&B album of the year for ‘KING’, and also collected three Music Nova Scotia awards: R&B Solo recording, African Nova Scotian Artist of the Year & Inspirational recording of the year.
Keonté is set to relea
Episode 159: Tobi Martin Flemming - Director
Tobi has been in the arts for most of her life. She began as a competitive dancer in jazz, acrobatic arts and ballet and during this time fell in love with performance and choreography and the art of moving bodies around a stage in a way that created a visual story.
When her sister Nikki began crafting novels and later screenplays, she’d indulge in planning out how they’d come to life on the screen. She attended York University as a Dance major and then finished her Fine Arts degree at Dalhousie as a Theatre major and found her way to stage management on a number of productions in the HRM.
She enjoys photography as a hobby and as a sometimes career and crafting stories in a single frame or capturing people in candid moments.
Tobi is the Director of A Walk In The Sun, a short film created through AFCOOP’s Film5 program. She brings a lifetime of love and passion for the arts to all her projects.
Find out more @tobilaurenphotography
https://www.myblackoutpodcast.com/episode-159-tobi-martin-flemming-director/
https://youtu.be/OA19E89aCME
Episode 158: Nikki Martin - Writer/Yoga Teacher
Nikki Martin is a Novelist and full-time Yoga Teacher. She has released the first two novels in her Sci-fi/fantasy series Awake While Dreaming and loves crafting character-driven narratives that transport her readers to far off worlds and places.
While being firmly rooted in the modern-day conflicts and struggles that face humanity, her stories always have an element of hope and magic.
She has long dreamed of bringing her stories and voice to the screen.
Find out more @nikki_possibilities
https://www.myblackoutpodcast.com/episode-158-nikki-martin-writer-yoga-teacher/
https://youtu.be/pvne9qTtib8
Episode 157: Sehmat Suri - Media Strategist / Content Creator
Sehmat Suri is a media strategist, model, actor, and content creator in Halifax, who started her social media journey in 2017.
Her move into the creative community has brought her a bunch of cool connections and tons of interesting work with Canadian and international brands like Sport Chek and TRESemmé, and she’s currently one of the hosts on Eastlink’s Ocean Playground.
She dabbles in lifestyle, comedy, and social justice content, and loves to hop on a plane any time her marketing agency 9-5 job allows.
https://www.myblackoutpodcast.com/episode-157-sehmat-suri-media-strategist-content-creator/
https://youtu.be/mTBQvury7YM
Find out more @itssemiprecious
Episode 138: Julia Everhair - Hairdresser
Julia always wanted to be a hairdresser but was always told that there are better jobs. But she felt that she had to prove that it is really great job.
She has faced a lot of obstacles in her journey. But the love for the work allows her to grow in every way.
After getting a Master's in Sociology she went back to pursue hairdressing. This has led her to fashion and art shows locally and in New York and London. She has competed and won many hair competitions and has been a competition judge.
Julia's work has been published in magazines and on social media.
Julia believes in the mantra: "Follow your dreams and don't let anyone dim your fire!"
Find out more Julia Everhair
Episode 137: Dylan Kennedy - Environmental Advocate
After running for Councillor of District 8 on a platform to combat Housing, Police Reform, The Environment, Racism, Infrastructure, Human Trafficking, Partnerships, and Contracts, Dylan Kennedy (he/him) decided to do positive work with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB).
Dylan is also the drag queen Megan Scenes and works at Menz and Mollyz.
Check him out @kingoftheeverything
Episode 136: Joyce Liu - Founder, Lumi Studios
Lumi Studios is founded by Joyce Liu, a Chinese immigrant, woman entrepreneur.
Joyce grew up in Shenyang, China, and moved to Halifax in 2012. In 2016, Joyce graduated from the Urban Planning program at Dalhousie University. In 2017, Her interests in Photography, Video Production, and Communications Strategy grew when she found herself part of the PLANifax team.
She founded Lumi Studios and decided to serve her community in Halifax and Nova Scotia by creating engaging and inclusive content to help serve businesses and beyond. Through the lens of her camera, Joyce spent the last three years creating content that tells the stories of people and events that engage humans, arts, and culture in Halifax.
Her firm today offers Intersectionality Consulting services that target inclusion in media content and communications. In addition to Lumi’s work, Joyce is active in the Chinese Community and across Nova Scotia, contributing to the livelihood of immigrants and refugees calling Nova Scotia home.
Learn more @lumistudioshfx
Episode 135: Quentrel Provo - Mr Stop The Violence
Quentrel Provo is a singer, songwriter and a known activist as the Founder/ CEO of Stop the Violence Brand and Movement which he started after the tragic killing death of his close cousin Kaylin Diggs in August 2012. He took his hurt, pain, anger and frustration and turned it into something positive to create change and make a difference.
He continues to make a positive impact in the community by speaking and singing at schools, conferences and other events across Nova Scotia and Canada, and hosting Stop the Violence initiatives such as the STV Christmas Toy Drive, Stop the Violence Dance Party for School Supplies to name a few, as he continues to spread the message of love against violence and raise violence awareness throughout Nova Scotia, Canada and the world.
Check him out @mr_stop_the_violence
Episode 134: Danielle Bird - Intuitive & Mental Health Advocate
Danielle Bird is an Intuitive and Mental Health Advocate.
After overcoming decades worth of morphing diagnoses & mental challenges (anxiety, depression, eating disorders, social anxiety, complex PTSD, self-harm, etc.), she now teaches & inspires others to remember how powerful they truly are when it comes to healing and transformation.
She recently graduated from MSVU with a Bachelor of Honours in Psychology & Neuroscience.
She is a FUTURE licensed therapist and practicing astrologist/intuitive. Y
You can find more about her on her Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Podcast ~ all linked below:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birddaniellee/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI0diwHvWVOIb_HRwPLPkBw
Podcast: https://birddaniellee.podbean.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@birddaniellee
Episode 131: Mariah Pelley Smith - Director, Mariah International Business & Vitality
Mariah Pelley Smith is the director of Mariah International Business & Vitality.
A multi-passionate entrepreneur that has merged her love for health and business. She believes the capacity of one's nervous system has a direct relationship to your success.
She provides a spectrum of services that range from Business Consulting/Coaching, Graphic Design, Videography, Event Planning, Kundalini Yoga Classes, Reiki Sessions & Intuitive Programs.
Learn more Mariah Pelley-Smith
Episode 130: Amie Cunningham & Johnston Foster - Thief&Bandit
Episode 130: Amie Cunningham & Johnston Foster - Thief&Bandit
Johnston Foster and Amie Cunningham are a husband and wife team that run Thief&Bandit, a sustainably made slow fashion brand of hand printed garments and accessories located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Amie is the founder and creative director of Thief&Bandit and Johnston heads the screen printing department of the business. Johnston also works as an artist that creates sculpture out of found material that can be viewed at the Thief&Bandit showroom as well as various private and public collections throughout North America and Europe.
They met in NYC in 2002 while in grad school and married in 2007. They live in Bedford, Nova Scotia with their three boys, Wolfgang, Dutch, and Viggo.
Learn more Thief&Bandit
Episode 129: Amie Cunningham - Owner/Creative Director, Thief&Bandit
Episode 129: Amie Cunningham - Owner/Creative Director, Thief&Bandit
Amie Cunningham is the owner/creative director of Thief&Bandit (est. 2009) a sustainably made slow fashion brand of hand printed garments and accessories located in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.
She received an MFA from Parsons School of Design in Painting and Sculpture in 2004 and began Thief&Bandit in 2009.
She resides in Bedford, Nova Scotia with her husband Johnston Foster and her three children, Wolfgang, Dutch and Viggo.
Learn more @thiefandbandit
Episode 128: Johnston Foster - Artist
Episode 128: Johnston Foster - Artist
Originally from Virginia, Foster has been exploring the medium of sculpture and showing his work internationally for nearly twenty-five years.
An avid collector and scavenger, his sculpture is dominated by the use of found object assemblage.
He studied sculpture at Virginia Commonwealth University (BFA), Hunter College (MFA), and the Skowhegan School Art. Johnston is also the head screen printer for Thief&Bandit, a sustainably made clothing line his wife Amie Cunningham founded in 2009.
He resides in Halifax, Nova Scotia with Amie and their three sons Wolfgang, Dutch, and Viggo.
Check his work out @johnstonfosterart
https://www.myblackoutpodcast.com/episode-128-johnston-foster-artist/
Johnston Foster Sunday, October 4, 2020, 12:30 pm (art, life, family, Thief&Bandit)
Published June 7, 2021
Episode 127: Megan Reed - Artist
Megan Reed is a multifaceted artist living in Halifax. She thrives on seeking new creative ventures in music and film, building a career in the digital media industry. You can find her on either side of the camera — producing social media content and artistic content for creative clients or modeling with Halifax agency Soli Productions Models.
Her music ranges from her solo RnB creations like her single Promiseland, to a new hush heavy metal project, with the odd upbeat pop track and features like her collaboration on Butterfly Music’s 2019 single Against the Grain.
In the spirit of transformation and new ventures, you can find Megan’s music under her stage name Megan St. Rose.
@mgn.svg
Episode 126: Ann Helga - Musician + Author (Happy Life Depot)
Ann Helga Denny is a Haligonian of Icelandic Canadian descent. She is a singer/songwriter and classically trained vocalist known locally for her interpretations of French 20th century songs. She also loves to sing songs in Icelandic, either traditional folk tunes, or melodies of her own devising. At Halifax’s new Mosaic and Evergreen festivals last fall, Ann Helga offered a hybrid of original music in Icelandic, French, and English, improvised to beats made by local hip hop producers. The development of Ann’s extremely powerful and expressive vocal style comes from hybrid training in a variety of Western music genres. Her operatic studies since the age of 12 and includes private coaching from numerous teachers across Canada.
Ann’s original musical output is a hybrid of adult contemporary jazz, soul, funk, pop, and indie. Growing up in London Ontario, in the orbit of influential Canadian artist and musician Greg Curnoe, Ann then became part of the Toronto indie rock world of the 2000s, collaborating with then-emerging musicians such as Owen Pallett and playing in shoegazer band The Airfields. Ann spent a season singing for the Icelandic National Opera. Moving to Halifax in 2007, she started her own band Mother of Girl in 2010. It quickly gained attention at the premiere performance (Open Waters) and was booked at the Guelph Jazz Festival and Montreal’s Casa del Popolo.
Ann is currently an improvisational psalmist at St Paul’s Anglican church, singing in the beautiful acoustics of that church. Ann is also the co-creator and co-founder of Youth Art Connection a Halifax NS-based charity that supports priority youth through the power of the arts. She spearheaded the now ongoing EMERGE festival to support youth of diverse backgrounds to have a performance platform and pursue their artistic dreams.
During the pandemic, Ann Helga recently became an Audible author, with a book about financial indepe
Templeton Sawyer is a Youth Advocate who believes in helping people and empowering people for success. His passion for volunteering in the community is defined as a person of willingness.
He has 11yrs of volunteer experience in leading different organizations such as MSVUSU Students Union, Youth Empowerment Program, Junior Achievements, Heartwood Youth Development Centre, etc.
Mr. Sawyer is currently completing his Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing, minoring in Non-profit leadership at Mount Saint Vincent University.
Passionate is one word to describe Mr. Sawyer as a man of excellence.
Check him out @tylersawyer2425
Episode 123: April Baird - Artist
April is an artist and graphic designer living in Halifax. She went to college for Animation and Graphic Design. After graduating, she started to work as a graphic designer by day and an artist by night.
She started selling her illustration work at local conventions and craft fairs and has been doing so for 10 years. Her illustration work is a mix of cute and fun images, fantasy drawings, and fanart. She uses all sorts of mediums for her work, but mainly focuses on using her XP-pen tablet and watercolors.
You can find her work online at @aprilmdesigns
You can also find her online store at www.aprilmdesigns.com
Or at the local comic shop Cape and Cowls Collectibles in Sackville.
Episode 122: Alexa Cude - Photographer
Alexa Cude started photographing at the age of 9 and hasn’t stopped since.
To make it official, Alexa completed a BFA at NSCAD University in 2013 with a major in photography and a minor in fine art.
Since graduating, Alexa has been working as a freelance photographer on projects across Canada.
When she’s not working on client projects, you’ll still find Alexa working with her camera, chasing landscapes from coast to coast, and sharing those adventures on Instagram.
Learn more about Alexa Alexa Cude Photography
Episode 121: Julie Arab - Actress/Foodie
Julie Arab is an actress, comedian, rapper, foodie, and YouTuber that loves making funny content for the world to be entertained by.
Even though she seems like she has it all figured out, she used to struggle with her own demons and has masked her eating disorder with comedy.
She talks about how she survived addiction, and how to help others that may be struggling with mental health.
She is also known as Slim Julie Shady when she raps on stage because of her love for the artist Eminem. If you're a real Slim Shady fan, you'll want to have a listen to this interview.
Check her out @juliehfx
Episode 120: Olivia Doughart aka Liv Kate - Model/Acupuncturis
Olivia Doughart aka Liv Kate is a multi-time internationally published model and a registered acupuncturist based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
During the week, she works in a collaborative clinic with other healthcare professionals. Treating various conditions from physical body pain to anxiety and depression.
Outside of the clinic, she works as a freelance model, doing a variety of styles. She's best known as being Halifax's Spiderwoman.
With a passion for art and creative expression along with helping others, she finds having these two careers extremely fulfilling.
Check her out at:
@livkatemodels
@oliviadoughartacupuncture
Photo: Mosy Photography @mosy.ca
