Kat Harlton
Photos provided via PR team
The SOCAN Foundation recently held their fourth annual SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Awards, which were created to recognize and celebrate the artistic merit demonstrated by Black Canadian music creators of any genre.
This year’s winners were recently announced as: DVBLM (Toronto, ON), Liza (Toronto, ON), Myles Castello (Toronto, ON), NAIIM (Current: Hamilton, ON, Hometown: Montreal, QC), and Savannah Ré (Toronto, ON). The distinguished winners receive a prize of $10,000 to bolster their career development.
Myles Castello is a soulful R&B singer from Scarborough, Toronto’s thriving easterly area, who feels as comfortable in one genre as he does the next, and showcases his new style with his moody yet catchy cadence.
Myles first got into music midway through high school, starting out producing beats and experimenting with different sonic palettes only to find out he wanted to expand on his musical knowledge and learn an instrument. Once he picked up the guitar, the natural flow of songwriting was quickly tapped into.
His debut single “What A Mess” produced by Mike Wise was released in 2018, followed closely by “Bad Company” which many fans and critics view as a distinct artwork that the Myles was built into his catalogue in collaboration with the Canadian production duo, The Uccis. His song “Make You Famous ” dropped in August and highlights the alt-R&B singer’s vocal prowess, next to modern, rock sensibilities. An infectious self-assuredness permeates the track with a glint towards his lifestyle and relationship.
I had the opportunity to chat with Myles about winning a SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Award, career highlights and what’s next.
Kat: How do you feel about being recognized with the SOCAN Foundation’s SiriusXM Black Canadian Music Award?
Myles: It is an honour to be recognized with the Black Canadian Music Award. As a musician who grew up in Toronto, I have always been involved in events and organizations that were supported by SOCAN (and its Foundation) and SiriusXM. Receiving this type of recognition from these industry leaders has given me an even greater confidence to continue to grow as an artist, knowing I have their support. I can’t wait to hopefully partner with them in the future as my artistry develops and my new projects are shared with the world.
Kat: Can you talk about the inspiration behind your latest release?
Myles: The inspiration behind my latest release “Make You Famous” was about being completely captivated by someone. It’s the moment where you and your partner are fully engaged in one another while blocking out all the noise. My favourite line in the song is in the chorus where I say ‘All of my attention will make you famous’. Fame is usually associated with being known by the masses or a multitude of people, but in this case you can give someone so much attention that they feel like they don’t need any other eyes on them except yours.
Kat: What do you hope fans connect with from it?
Myles: I hope fans can get an experience that makes them fired up to be in the relationship they’re in, and inspires them to go all-in on the person that they’re with.
Kat: What do you find is the most challenging part of your creative process?
Myles: The most challenging part of the creative process is following through with an idea. Oftentimes, as an artist you have so many ideas that never see the light of day. I have 10 albums worth of demos that have only a verse written, a bridge, or chorus and don’t have all the pieces that are necessary to release the song.
Kat: What has been a career highlight for you so far? What have you learned along the way?
Myles: A career highlight has been going on my first tour across Canada where I got to share my songs with fans along the way. Going from city to city and seeing the faces of people that listen to the music is the best feeling. Along the way I have learned what styles work best when it comes to my live performances and what is demanded from the audience when it comes to showcasing my music.
Kat: What’s next?
Myles: Next is my upcoming project which is still in the works. I will be releasing a new single in the spring of 2024 and start to unveil the songs from the project. I’m looking forward to upcoming shows in the summer and can’t wait to play new songs live.
Artist Links:
Website: https://www.mylescastello.com
https://www.instagram.com/mylescastello
https://www.facebook.com/MylesCastelloMusic
https://www.tiktok.com/@mylescastello
https://twitter.com/mylescastello