About DOMINIONATED
What is DOMINIONATED
DOMINIONATED is committed to conversations about what it means to create and consume music made within the geopolitical area of Turtle Island referred to as “Canada”. Through an editorial approach that focuses on responding to music versus reporting on it, DOMINIONATED aims to amplify and celebrate music from the mainstream and margins of Canada that may otherwise go unacknowledged, specifically music made by BIPOC and LQBTQ+ artists who have historically been marginalized by the music industry and media. Our website, podcasts, newsletter, and social media streams are spaces where volunteer writers and producers express their appreciation and admiration of (and on occasion consternation with) Canada’s diverse musical past, present, and future.
DOMINIONATED does not generate a profit; our content is our currency. Without the work of our dedicated team of volunteer writers, we would not have content to share, so we endeavour to credit their work across all our spaces, and share revenue from the Google ads that currently help fund the site. All musical creators from across Canada are welcome to share their work through our online submission form. Writers may choose to create content for one or more of our spaces based on these submissions or write about their own musical discoveries. No matter how we find it, the intention in sharing music through DOMINIONATED’s spaces is always the same: to celebrate creativity and diversity, foster communities of mutual respect, and engage in conversations that redefine and re-contextualize the concept of “Canadian music”.
Who is DOMINIONATED
Administrative Team
MAC CAMERON Co-founder, Executive Producer Podcasts/Social Media (Toronto ON)
Mac Cameron is a co-founder of DOMINIONATED, a lover of music, a pusher of buttons, an early riser, an amateur musician and a full-time listener. It’s all gravy.
JIM DI GIOIA Co-founder, Operations Manager, Contributing Editor (Niagara Falls ON)
Jim started the music blog Quick Before It Melts. In 2016, he ended it. DOMINIONATED is its spiritual successor. He has served on the Polaris Music Prize jury since 2009 and on the Prism Prize jury since 2013. He never says no to poutine. Like ever.
GEOFF PARENT Managing Editor, Contributor (Toronto ON)
Geoff Parent is an aspiring writer/musician who lives in Toronto. He hopes to one day complete the gene sequence of dinosaur DNA using that of a frog’s in order to open a prehistoric biological preserve off the coast of Costa Rica. He plays drums in a band called Somersaulter.
Editorial Team
MACKENZIE SMEDMOR Contributor, Editor (Montréal QC)
Mackenzie Smedmor is a musician, broadcaster, and writer based in Montréal. She fell in love with Canadian music when she started volunteering in community radio at age 15. She has served on the Polaris Music Prize jury since 2018, and she's a proud Aries.
LAURA STANLEY Contributor, Editor (Toronto ON)
Laura is a freelance writer from Toronto. Her work has appeared in Exclaim!, NOW, Bandcamp, She Shreds, No Depression and more. She has a lot of feelings.
MICHAEL THOMAS Contributor, Editor (Vancouver BC)
Michael is the founder of the now-defunct Canadian music blog Grayowl Point, and will probably never stop loving Canadian music. He is a court reporter who also does improv in his spare time and enjoys talking about comedy podcasts and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Contributors
BORNA ATRCHIAN Contributor (Vancouver BC)
Born and based in Vancouver but raised in Halifax, Borna has experienced two thirds of Canada’s coasts. With brief contributions to Discorder magazine and Grayowl Point, he now struggles to meet publishing deadlines at DOMINIONATED. He also plays the guitar and keys so please hit him up if you’re a Vancouver band on the verge of becoming famous.
MICHAEL BEDA Contributor (Toronto ON)
Michael Beda was born and bred up in the whimsical northern town of Timmins, Ontario. He is a national champion in Quidditch (seriously, ask him about it yourself), and has taken a seat behind the drums in a variety of groups in different townships.
BRYCE CHARLIE Contributor (Edmonton AB)
One part art. Two parts hooliganism. Bryce is a writer and creative producer from Edmonton, Alberta. You can get in touch through Instagram @b.d.charlie or by sending him a letter: PO Box 20003 Beverly, Edmonton, AB,T5W 5E6 CANADA.
MAUREEN CHOW Contributor (Vancouver, BC/London ON)
Maureen likes to move around the country. Reasons include (but are definitely not limited to) music, jobs, an obsession with change, all things pop culture, and at the moment, grad school.
ROB DICKSON Contributor (Whitehorse YT)
Rob is a genuine Canadian music fan. Rob works as an environmental engineer in environmental site assessment, water treatment, and water supply. When he isn’t working on projects related to water and the environment, he focuses on writing and music.
ALYSSA GELATA Contributor (Waterloo ON)
Alyssa had a tough time deciding between music and writing so now she does both. (Sometimes at the same time!) She’s a bassist to her core and probably drinks too much coffee.
SCOTT GUBB Contributor (Timmins ON)
Scott has been involved with music through promotion, production and management since high-school and hung-up on music as long as he can remember. He does not play any instruments.
JAMES JACKINS Contributor (Edmonton AB)
Former college athlete, current entrepreneur and one of the worst musicians you’ll meet, he’s just glad he found a way into the industry. A sonic explorer- no genre of music is off limits. James took his passion of working with musicians and recording/filming live sessions to start his own business, a project called Healthy Phat.
TIA JULIEN Contributor (St. Catharines ON)
Tia Julien is a writer, musician, and graduate student of ethnomusicology. When she’s not writing sad songs, Tia is studying spoken-word poetry, freelancing as an educator, and getting a little too personal on her blog.
JON NEHER Contributor (Regina SK)
Jon plays in too many bands, but he’s working on that. Jon also wants people to talk about the music they listen to in greater detail and he’s working on that too, whether it’s through his work as an artist, as an educator, or as a writer.
OLIVIA PASQUARELLI Contributor (Toronto ON)
When she’s not talking about music, Olivia is trying to make it in radio.
JOHN PATTEE Contributor (Oakville ON)
John is an aspiring writer from Oakville, Ontario. He’s the creator of the recently launched music podcast, The Preamp. Also loves the Raptors and his miniature schnauzer, Rex.
MYLES TIESSEN Contributor (Winnipeg MB)
Myles was born and raised in southern Manitoba and after finding his way to the big city, quickly snatched a degree in Communications & Media. Since Winnipeg is ice for seven months of the year, Myles spends much of his time at concerts in bars or a friend's house chatting about newly discovered records and shit-talking Kim Mitchell. Based on his fellow contributor's bios, you probably already guessed he listens to pretty much any type of music. Oh, he also has a deep passion for science fiction novels.
THOMAS WILLIAMS Contributor (Toronto ON)
Thomas is all about the sonic exploration. He will listen to anything – anything at all. Exploring the depths of whatever he can get his hands on. He also went to something called jazz school and plays bass.
JASPER WRINCH Contributor (Vancouver BC)
Jasper is a musician and writer from the unceded Coast Salish territories. He is a writer and editor at Discorder magazine and will listen to just about anything.
ALUMNI
SHANNON LINTON Contributor (Cobourg ON)
DAVID PARKER (Halifax NS)
SORAYA MAMICHE (Montréal QC)
NATASHA RAMOUTAR (Toronto ON)
JOSH WEINBERG (Richmond Hill ON)
