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 (he/him) Co-founder, Executive Producer Podcasts/Social Media
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.
Toronto ON
JIM DI GIOIA (he/him)Co-founder, Operations Manager, Contributing Editor
Jim started the music blog Quick Before It Melts in 2006. In 2016, he ended it and co-founded DOMINIONATED, its spiritual successor. He's 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.
Niagara Falls ON
TIA JULIEN (she/her)
Senior Editor
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.
St. Catharines ON
GEOFF PARENT (he/him)
Managing Editor
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.
Toronto ON
Co-founder, Executive Producer Podcasts/Social Media
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.
Toronto ON
Co-founder, Operations Manager, Contributing Editor
Jim started the music blog Quick Before It Melts in 2006. In 2016, he ended it and co-founded DOMINIONATED, its spiritual successor. He serves on the Polaris Music Prize and Prism Prize juries and he never says no to poutine. Like ever.
Niagara Falls ON
TIA JULIEN (she/her)
Senior Editor
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.
St. Catharines ON
Managing Editor
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.
Toronto ON
Editorial Team
ALYSSA GELATA (she/her)
Contributor, Editor
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.
Waterloo ON
MACKENZIE SMEDMOR (she/her)
Contributor, Editor
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.
Montréal QC
LAURA STANLEY (she/her)
Contributor, Editor
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.
Toronto ON
MICHAEL THOMAS (he/his)
Contributor, Editor
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.
Vancouver BC
Contributor, Editor
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.
Waterloo ON
Contributor, Editor
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.
Montréal QC
Contributor, Editor
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.
Toronto ON
Contributor, Editor
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.
Vancouver BC
Contributors
ANTON ASTUDILLO (he/him)
Contributor
Anton is a writer born and raised in Manila, Philippines. He moved to Vancouver as a teenager committed to playing drums with anyone he could find. You can find him reading a novel or struggling to learn to kickflip.
Vancouver BC
BORNA ATRCHIAN (he/him)
Contributor
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.
Vancouver BC
MICHAEL BEDA (he/him)
Contributor
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.
Toronto ON
SAM BOER (he/him)
Contributor
Sam is a twice-concussed, vegetarian son of librarians who has toured Canada but loves the comforts of home. He writes music (Samson Wrote, The Lifers), writes about music (Exclaim!), and talks about music (Lyrically Speaking podcast). He hopes you’re having a great day.
Guelph ON
MAUREEN CHOW (she/her)
Contributor
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.
Vancouver BC / London ON
SCOTT GUBB (he/him)
Contributor
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.
Timmins ON
JON NEHER (he/him)
Contributor
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.
Regina SK
MYLES TIESSEN (he/him)
Contributor
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.
Winnipeg MB
THOMAS WILLIAMS (he/him)
Contributor
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.
Toronto ON
HILLARY JEAN YOUNG (they/them)
Contributor
Hillary has their doctorate in contemporary music performance, which is about as useful as it sounds. Hillary works for a record label during the day and spends the rest of their time either making, listening to or talking about music. Hillary is from Victoria but is currently living in Toronto. They really miss the ocean.
Toronto ON
Contributor
Anton is a writer born and raised in Manila, Philippines. He moved to Vancouver as a teenager committed to playing drums with anyone he could find. You can find him reading a novel or struggling to learn to kickflip.
Vancouver BC
Contributor
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.
Vancouver BC
MICHAEL BEDA (he/him)
Contributor
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.
Toronto ON
Contributor
Sam is a twice-concussed, vegetarian son of librarians who has toured Canada but loves the comforts of home. He writes music (Samson Wrote, The Lifers), writes about music (Exclaim!), and talks about music (Lyrically Speaking podcast). He hopes you’re having a great day.
Guelph ON
Contributor
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.
Vancouver BC / London ON
Contributor
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..
Timmins ON
Contributor
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.
Regina SK
Contributor
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.
Winnipeg MB
Contributor
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.
Toronto ON
Contributor
Hillary has their doctorate in contemporary music performance, which is about as useful as it sounds. Hillary works for a record label during the day and spends the rest of their time either making, listening to or talking about music. Hillary is from Victoria but is currently living in Toronto. They really miss the ocean.
Toronto ON
ALUMNI
BRYCE CHARLIE (Edmonton AB)
ROB DICKSON (Whitehorse YT)
JAMES JACKINS (Edmonton AB)
SHANNON LINTON (Cobourg ON)
DAVID PARKER (Halifax NS)
OLIVIA PASQUARELLI (Toronto ON)
JOHN PATTEE (Oakville ON)
SORAYA MAMICHE (Montréal QC)
NATASHA RAMOUTAR (Toronto ON)
JOSH WEINBERG (Richmond Hill ON)
JASPER WRINCH (Vancouver BC)
ALUMNI
BRYCE CHARLIE (Edmonton AB)
ROB DICKSON (Whitehorse YT)
JAMES JACKINS (Edmonton AB)
SHANNON LINTON (Cobourg ON)
DAVID PARKER (Halifax NS)
OLIVIA PASQUARELLI (Toronto ON)
JOHN PATTEE (Oakville ON)
SORAYA MAMICHE (Montréal QC)
NATASHA RAMOUTAR (Toronto ON)
JOSH WEINBERG (Richmond Hill ON)
JASPER WRINCH (Vancouver BC)
