Toronto's ‘Departure Festival’ Redefines Music, Film, and Storytelling in Canada
- Saba Choudhary
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Toronto has long embraced its identity as a melting pot, where a range of cultures, perspectives, and artistic influences constantly intersect. From May 4-10th, ‘Departure Festival + Conference’ was held throughout the downtown core, transforming the city into a hub for media and emerging creative industries.
Describing itself as turning “Toronto into a creative epicenter,” Departure brings together TV and film industry professionals, musicians, and groundbreaking voices for a week of panel discussions, live music, podcast recordings, and much more. Departure reflected the evolving cultural landscape of Toronto itself, one shaped by diverse voices, new sounds, and conversations about where Canada’s creative industries are headed next.
Cr: Saba Choudhary
Our first event of the festival set the tone for the week at the Rivoli, bringing together a lineup of Canadian artists. Performances from ridgeclub, mage tears, and Ebril showcased how Toronto’s music scene continues to evolve through genre-bending. ridgeclub opened the night with an atmospheric set, blending live saxophone layered with electronic production to create ethereal sounds as he played one of his viral TikTok songs, “where am i supposed to go?.” Next was mage tears, whose soft spoken vocals and acoustic guitar transformed the room into a deep feeling of warmth and understanding. Songs like “i like to think you’re the leaves” were accompanied by the ambience of nature and birds chirping, adding a dreamlike trance to her set. Closing the night, Ebril captivated the audience before even beginning her performance as the reverb from her guitar tuning already pulling in everyone’s attention. Her emotionally charged set featured fan favorites like “Stranger In You” and "Anticipate Heartbreak,” along with an unreleased single she was excited to play live for the first time. All together, the performances reflected a defining aspect of Toronto’s music culture, bringing in artists of different backgrounds and styles, creating personal music that resonates far beyond the city itself.
The following day, brothers Jermaine Richards and Trevaunn Richards held a panel alongside Complex Canada’s Imani Walker, discussing their Office Movers series on Crave and their journey from internet creators to media moguls in Canadian entertainment. Making waves from Brampton, the duo first built an audience through comedy skits on YouTube, becoming part of a generation of creators who helped shape Canada’s online media landscape outside of the entertainment industries. Throughout the panel, the brothers reflected on setbacks they faced early on, including rejections from major internet blogs that overlooked their work, and what it took to be where they are now.
A memorable moment of the panel came when Trevaunn shared, “If you love what you do, you’re not [always] looking for a cheque,” and further explained, “... the work is stressful, but the main thing is just having fun,” emphasizing the importance of passion and long-term belief in creative work, especially in industries where success rarely happens overnight. Jermaine and Trevaunn Richards are proof that breaking out in the scene can happen from your own community and online platforms, where authenticity and persistence matter more than industry approval.
Cr: Saba Choudhary
Departure led the evening with more live music performances, this time at the Burdock Music Hall with Mighloe, Sofinari, and LOV. Mighloe performed alongside a live band, delivering soulful vocals with rich instruments and a cover of “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None The Richer. Sofinari, who was also accompanied by a live band, followed with vibrancy, evoking the crowd to sway throughout the set. LOV, an Indigenous artist from Treaty 6, delivered a stripped-back performance with a single guitarist, creating a warm atmosphere.
Cr: Saba Choudhary
On May 7th, we were in for a treat with back-to-back panels, beginning with a conversation with Maggie Kang, creator of the two-time Oscar-winning animated film, KPop Demon Hunters. Speaking with Penske Media’s Tim Chan, Kang reflected on returning to Toronto and witnessing how much the city has evolved while still maintaining the culture that has long defined it. The discussion naturally connected to the themes at the heart of her work: identity, representation, and the importance of seeing diverse stories in mainstream media. Kang also shared how the idea for KPop Demon Hunters came to her while working at DreamWorks in the early 2000s, inspired by the desire to create animation that represented her Korean culture and allowed her to finally see herself, a Korean woman, on screen. The panel concluded with Mayor Olivia Chow presenting Kang with a key to the city of Toronto, recognizing both her contributions to animation and the cultural impact of her work.
The next panel featured internet icon Jasmeet Raina, who went on to share the storytelling and music that went into his Crave TV show, Late Bloomer. Moderated by Canadian TV personality Sangitha Patel, the conversation balanced heartfelt discussion reminiscent of the same humor that first made Raina widely known online in his YouTube and Vine skits under the moniker Jus Reign. Raina spoke of queerness in Punjabi communities and why including those perspectives in the third season of Late Bloomer deeply mattered to him. He also emphasized the role music played in shaping each episode’s emotional tone, explaining how songs can completely change the way audiences experience a scene. Discussing the challenges of licensing music, Raina invited the show’s composers Adrian Bellaire and Ace G, to speak on how they helped bring his creative vision to life despite the limitations.
Later in the day, the session “Black Music Songwriters Circle” featuring Lu Kala, jev., Adria Kain, and Kyle Wildfern took place at Jane Mallett Theatre. During this intimate setting, Black Canadian musicians from a range of genres shared live performances of their songs, creating a reflective and collaborative atmosphere. Moderated by the Grammy-nominated producer LordQuest, the conversation took turns with each artist, eventually landing on jev., who spoke about coming from Ottawa, a city whose music scene is often less visible than Toronto’s. He spoke on how Ottawa’s rich immigrant communities have shaped the city and his sound, with different cultural influences blending together and contributing to a layered identity.
On our final day of Departure, songwriters Sofia Kay, August Rigo, and Sophie Simmons came together to discuss their journeys into music and the transition to writing and composing for K-pop artists such as NewJeans, BTS, SEVENTEEN, and more. Each of them shared their different paths into the industry. Kay recalled being discovered from an online songwriting contest at just 13 years old, which eventually led to opportunities writing for K-pop groups. Simmons spoke about receiving a DM from Rick Ross early in her career, opening unexpected doors into the industry. Meanwhile, Rigo reflected on his grind in New York City, where he handed out CDs outside of recording studios. Rigo also shared stories from working with TAEYANG and a memorable moment when BTS’ Jimin visited the studio to simply observe Rigo and his team’s work. Despite their different beginnings, the panel highlighted how persistence, networking, and passion for creativity can lead artists from different backgrounds to a global level.
Departure Festival showcased how Canada’s creative scene continues to evolve through diverse voices and cultures. From intimate live performances to conversations about personal storytelling, representation, and the global reach of Canadian creators, Departure highlighted a music and media landscape that could never be defined by a single sound or identity. Toronto, and Canada as a whole, emerges as a place where creatives are reshaping what music and culture can look like on a global stage.
Is there a Canadian artist, creative, or storyteller who’s recently caught your attention? How have they impacted the Canadian or global creative scene? Let us know in the comments below or by reaching out to us on Instagram or X.
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Edited by: Martina Yee
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