The 2024 Wapiti Music Festival line-up has officially been announced.
Headliners K’naan, Dear Rouge, Rare Americans and Jesse Roper will take the stage Aug. 9-10 in Annex Park.
They’ll be joined by a host of grassroots Canadian talent including, Dawn Pemberton, Phonosonics, Brass Camel, Kaeley Jade, Alex Maher, Charles Benjamin and resident DJ Cona.
Somali-Canadian hip-hop artist K’naan hit the charts in the early 2010s with hits like Wavin’ Flag (made in honour of the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake) and Bang Bang (a collab with Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine). He is known for adding reggae and Ethiopian jazz influences to his songs, and for using music as an outlet for political activism.
Juno award winning alt-rock band Dear Rouge made a splash in the music scene through Canadian radio and music festivals like Edgefest in Toronto, Shorefest in Vancouver, X-Fest in Calgary, Sonic Boom in Edmonton and Rifflandia in Victoria. Their latest single Goon was released in March.
Alt-indie band Rare Americans are known for their colourful and vividly animated music videos. They’ve released four albums since their debut in 2018, with songs that address life’s toughest struggles, including crime, unaffordable housing and the struggle to keep pace with technology.
Blues musician Jesse Roper has played up and down the B.C coast alongside big-name artists like Keith Urban, Colin James, Spirit of the West and Beth Hart. He has produced three full albums, including Red Bird, which was nominated for the West Coast Music Award.
Dawn Pemberton is a passionate singer songwriter from Vancouver, whose melodies range from gospel and soul, to jazz and funk. She has one full album and two singles under her belt, including a collab with Sleepy Tom.
Phonosonics has an easy breezy laid back Jamaican reggae vibe that makes you feel like you’re on a tropical vacation. Their 2021 album features hit tracks like Beautiful Things and La Dama La Isla.
Locals may recognize Brass Camel from the Arts Station’s Wednesday Social Series last summer. This groovy group plays a mix of rock n’ roll, R&B, and jazz, and draws inspiration from artists like Led Zeppelin, Rush, Supertramp and Return to Forever. Their second album will be released this year.
READ MORE: Brass Camel brings eclectic rock fusion to Fernie’s stage
Award-winning Métis singer-songwriter Kaeley Jade travels Western Canada, performing at venues like Edmonton Folk Music Festival, BreakOut West and The Canmore Folk Music Festival. Her most recent album explores the complex experience of falling in love through intimate ballads like The Letter and Turpentine, and danceable tracks like Painless, which reached number one on the international charts of the Indigenous Music Countdown.
Funk-soul artist Alex Maher was in the line-up at last year’s festival, but was unable to take the stage due to an unfortunate power outage on opening night. Luckily he’s back for another go, and he’s got a new single to perform called Red Planet. Maher has had a notable presence in the music industry, having played with DNA6 and Flannel Jimmy, and opened for Weezer, Mother Mother, Sam Roberts and Shred Kelly.
Singer songwriter Charles Benjamin is no stranger to the local music scene. He’s based out of Golden and has performed at Fernie Distillers, Fernie Taphouse, Stoke Fest and the Wednesday Night Social. He covers many genres, including folk, country, rock and pop.
And of course, a music gig wouldn’t be right without local turntable wizard DJ Cona, who will spin a magical prelude for the audience.
To volunteer at the festival or apply to be a craft vendor visit www.wapitimusicfestival.com.
To hear more music from the artists, listen to the Wapiti Music Festival playlist on Spotify.