CONTACT 2018 Spotlight: Local talent

December 10^th, 2018

Returning to BC Place for the seventh consecutive year, CONTACT Winter Music Festival showcases some of the biggest names in electronic music. The 2018 lineup includes Grammy-Award winning artist Skrillex and chart-topping duo The Chainsmokers, among many other talented acts. While the festival is a draw for international superstars, it is also an opportunity for rising stars and local artists to shine on the same stage.

Check out some of the artists with a local connection:

CRAY

CRAY, short for Cheney Ray, is a Vancouver-born, LA-based DJ, singer and producer. Her genre-defiant and energetic sets have made her a rising international star, most recently having toured Japan, alongside Skrillex, and Australia. CRAY hits the stage for Day 2 of CONTACT on December 29th.

Listen to CRAY here.

Juelz

Julian Ching, who goes by the pseudonym Juelz, is a hip hop and electronic music producer from Vancouver. Classically trained at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Juelz played violin and guitar before experimenting with contemporary music. Juelz performs at CONTACT on December 28th.

Listen to Juelz's music here.

MYNXY

Morgan Lily, known as MYNXY, is a Vancouver-based DJ, singer, songwriter and producer. Her sound is described as ranging from vibey and sultry to room-shaking bass tracks. MYNXY plays the festival stage on December 29th.

Listen to MYNXY here.

TAILS

Known by his stage name of TAILS, Vancouver Island-native Spencer Reid is an electronic producer and songwriter. His music is described as forward-thinking and empyreal, and has caught the attention of international artists like Diplo, Louis the Child and RL Grime. TAILS performs on Day 2 of CONTACT on December 29th.

Listen to TAILS here.

WE ARE FURY

Vancouver-based production duo, WE ARE FURY, is made up of Joachim Speidel and Stuart Brooks. Since forming in 2016, the group has amassed over 20 millions streams on various platforms. WE ARE FURY play CONTACT on December 28th.

Listen to WE ARE FURY's music here.

CONTACT, Canada's largest winter music festival, takes place on Friday, December 28th and Saturday, December 29th at BC Place. Tickets can be purchased here.

CONTACT 2018 Spotlight: The Chainsmokers

December 7^th, 2018

Grammy-nominated DJ duo The Chainsmokers bring their genre-blurring music to BC Place for Canada's largest winter music festival on Saturday, December 29th.

Made up of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart, The Chainsmokers are known for mixing indie, dance, and pop sounds into hits like "Closer," "Don't Let Me Down" and "Something Just Like This." With their music continuing to top the charts and garnering hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, The Chainsmokers skyrocketing success shows no signs of slowing down.

Here are some facts you may not know about the duo:

1. Alex and Drew met on a business blind date arranged by Alex's manager in 2012. Alex was moonlighting as a DJ and Drew was making beats in his bedroom at his parents' house.
2. Their breakthrough hit "#Selfie," which mocks Instagram culture, was released as a free track to promote an upcoming show, but ended up going viral and leading to a record deal in 2014.
3. The Chainsmokers produced two songs, "Erase" and "Rookie," with Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra.
4. Their 2016 hit single "Closer" featuring Halsey spent a record-tying 32 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, matched only by LeAnn Rimes' "How Do I Live" in 1997-98.
5. The Chainsmokers made an estimated $45.5 million this year, making the duo the second highest-paid DJs in the world.

The Chainsmokers headline Day 2 of CONTACT Winter Music Festival 2018 on December 29th. Tickets can be purchased here.

CONTACT 2018 Spotlight: Skrillex

December 6^th, 2018

Grammy Award-winning artist Skrillex returns to BC Place for Canada's largest winter music festival on Friday, December 28th.

Known as the undisputed king of Dubstep, Skrillex is credited with transforming the EDM scene. Since earning his first three Grammy wins in 2011, Skrillex has continued to dominate the charts. His bass-heavy remix of Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode" currently sits at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

Here are some facts you may not know about the hit producer:

1. His real name is Sonny Moore, and his original moniker was Twipz.
2. He used to be the lead singer for popular Emo band, From First to Last. He actually released a new song with them earlier this year - take a listen.
3. Skrillex made an estimated $30 million in 2017, making him the fourth highest-paid DJ in the world last year.
4. He is a big fan of classical music and instruments, particularly the harp.
5. This year marks Skrillex's second time performing at CONTACT - the king of Dubstep first headlined the festival in 2013 to rave reviews.

Skrillex headlines Day 1 of CONTACT Winter Music Festival 2018 on December 28th. Tickets can be purchased here.