What is DOMINIONATED?
DOMINIONATED is an independent collective of music enthusiasts committed to conversations about what it means to create and consume music made within the geopolitical area of Turtle Island referred to as “Canada”. Our editorial approach focuses on responding to music versus reporting on it, aiming to amplify and celebrate music that may otherwise go unacknowledged, specifically music made by BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ artists who have historically been marginalized by the music industry and media.
Since its inception in 2016, DOMINIONATED’s website, podcasts, newsletter, and social media streams have been 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.
Music creators from across Canada are welcome to share their work with our team through our online submission form. Our writers may choose to cover submitted music via one or more of our spaces 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.”
How does DOMINIONATED operate?
DOMINIONATED relies on the collective support of Community Members, Contributors, and Volunteers to keep our conversations about music going.
Community Members
The community of DOMINIONATED supporters are champions of Canadian music and believe DOMINIONATED’s conversations are meaningful and have helped to amplify and celebrate music made by artists who the industry and media have historically marginalized.
Whether you choose a flexible one-time donation as a REWIND supporter or a recurring monthly or annual donation as a PRESS PLAY or FAST FORWARD supporter, your donation ensures our conversations continue and automatically subscribes you to our monthly newsletter.
Contributors
Contributors assume administrative duties and determine our organizational and editorial direction. Contributors support our collective work through either monthly or annual donations that go towards equitably compensating all contributors for their work.
Volunteers
Volunteers have always been integral to keeping DOMINIONATED’s conversations going. Volunteers give their time and energy to create content for which they are credited without monetary compensation while gaining writing experience and mentorship from contributors.
Meet our Admin Team
ALYSSA GELATA (she/her)
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. She lives in Waterloo and hangs out on Twitter and Instagram.
TIA JULIEN (she/her)
Tia Julien is a writer, musician, and ethnomusicologist based in Toronto. She likes going fast on her bike, befriending trees, and leaving paintings half finished. She copes with existence by writing songs about things that have happened. You can find Tia on Twitter @tiaajulien and Instagram @tia.alandra.
EM MOORE (she/her)
Em is a freelance writer and podcaster based somewhere within the vast expanse of the GTA in Ontario. She is an editor at Punknews and you can tell the punk rock bug bit her early because she listens to music way too loud. If you see her with headphones in, she’s probably listening to Single Mothers. Em loves to read and will one day write something that will knock the socks off of both Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. You can find Em in mosh pits around Toronto (when transit works in her favour) as well as on Instagram at @eemmoore and on Twitter at @eeemmoore.
Meet our Contributors
BORNA ATRCHIAN (he/him)
Born and based in Vancouver but raised in Halifax, Borna has experienced two thirds of Canada’s coasts. With brief contributions to Discorder and Grayowl Point, he now struggles to meet publishing deadlines at DOMINIONATED. He also plays the guitar and keys so hit him up if you’re a Vancouver band on the verge of becoming famous. Follow Borna on Instagram @bornaatr.
MACKENZIE CAMERON (he/him)
Mackenzie 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. He lives in Toronto and you can find him @mackenziecmrn on both Twitter and Instagram.
JIM DI GIOIA (he/him)
Jim started the music blog Quick Before It Melts in 2006 and has been engaging in music conversations ever since. In 2016, he ended Quick Before it Melts and co-founded DOMINIONATED, its spiritual successor. He's serves on the Polaris Music Prize and Prism Prize juries, and frequently deletes unfunny tweets and photos of his cats from his home in Niagara Falls.
DANIEL FIELD (he/him)
Daniel spends most of his time as a special education teacher and father of three young children. He spends what little free time he has left creating ambient music as Kilometre Club and completing large puzzles on his kitchen table in Toronto.
MATT HERTENDY (he/him)
Matt is an Ottawa-born/Toronto-based photographer, designer and visual storyteller. His favourite thing about music is album artwork, promo shots and gig photos — and uh, the music is pretty cool too. Other interests include sport mascots, hot dog adjacent miscellany, humour, and finding perfect slow cooker recipes. Matt is on Twitter @matthertendy and Instagram @hertndee.
ALY LAUBE (they/she)
Aly Laube gets so excited when they talk about music it freaks people out a little. She may be a late-bloomer lesbian and late-diagnosed autistic person, but she’ll never be late on a deadline! She has a degree in journalism, a decade of experience in professional writing, and a band called Primp (guitar/writing/vocals). Their work has been published by outlets like Exclaim!, Discorder, SAD Mag, and more, and they produced, promoted, and managed over 50 shows between 2018 and 2021. Aly lives on the stolen traditional territory of the Qayqayt people, commonly known as New Westminster, BC.
WEADEE MOMBO (she/her)
Weadee sits on the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA/ANREC) Board of Directors as the Equity Officer. She is a long jumper, host of the radio show, Absent Sounds on CJAM 99.1 FM and is most often mistaken for her twin sister. Currently based in Toronto/Windsor/wherever Weajue is.
WEAJUE MOMBO (she/her)
Weajue is a full-time hermit hiding away in the nooks of Toronto and Windsor. When she's not obsessively listening and discovering new music, she spends her time drawing, reading and training as a triple jumper. She also happens to have a twin, who shares her Instagram account.
MYLES TIESSEN (he/him)
Myles was born and raised in southern Manitoba and after finding his way to the big city, 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. Follow Myles on Twitter @myles_tiessen.
Meet our Volunteers
JACOB JAMES BEWS (he/him)
Jacob James Bews is a freelance writer from Longview, Alberta currently bouncing between family in Calgary and in Mexico City. He enjoys reading all the time, preferably around cats, and spends idle time listening to cool tunes. Jacob also likes magpies and spruce trees. He reviews horror movies on his Substack, Blood Curds, and you may find him on Instagram and Twitter as @catmilkremedies.
JUSTIN GRIGNON (he/him)
Justin lives in Peterborough, Ontario, and obsesses over primitive video games. He quietly sings to himself in the workplace. He interviewed Baby Labour once for a high school project and has considered himself a journalist ever since. He plays and records a variety of instruments for fun.
SEBASTIAN JOHNSTON-LINDSAY (he/him)
Sebastian is currently the Coordinating Editor of Arthur Newspaper in Peterborough, Ontario. He is also a PhD candidate, radio host, and union steward. In what spare time he has, he can be found listening to Blue Jays or Dodgers games, attending local shows, or walking the many trails of his adopted city. He can be found posting infrequently on Twitter and Instagram, and his past radio exploits can be found on Mixcloud.
LAURA STANLEY (she/her)
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. Follow her on Twitter @LStanley24.
HIROKI TANAKA (he/him)
Hiroki Tanaka has been playing in bands since his teenage years, and went on to study Music and Creative Writing at Concordia University in Montreal. He was the lead guitarist of YAMANTAKA // SONIC TITAN from 2015 to 2019, and released his debut solo record, Kaigo Kioku Kyoku, in 2020. He continues to write and perform music, including an algorithmic composition, “Elegy for Long Term Care Homes 2020 – 2021,” as part of the travelling exhibit, COVID In The House of Old. He currently lives in Toronto's east end with his partner and child, and his musical diet now consists mostly of CocoMelon and Raffi.
MICHAEL THOMAS (he/him)
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 based in Vancouver who also does improv in his spare time and enjoys talking about comedy podcasts and the Toronto Blue Jays. Follow Michael on Twitter @mceethomas.
ETHAN WYMAN (he/him)
Ethan is a queer freelance writer based in Saint John, New Brunswick. For nearly two years he has shared his eclectic, vibrant music taste on various corners of the internet. Alternative rock, metal, punk, and anything strange or slightly intense are among his favourite topics. At 20 years old, he has already written hundreds of articles for various clients throughout his freelance career. He currently works as a concert promoter, and you can fin him on X (@ewylan) or his website, ethanwylan.com.
