Music 311 artists

The City’s 3-1-1 customer service agents strive to answer calls as quickly as possible however, during peak times, customers may be required to hold for the next available agent. Callers to Mississauga’s 3-1-1 Citizen Contact Centre can enjoy an enhanced customer experience featuring a selection of music by local Mississauga artists.

Learn more about the artists and songs below:

Shanaya Patel holding a yellow balloon.

About the artist and song:

Rising singer and songwriter Shanaya Patel, from Mississauga, Ontario is on a passionate path of bringing her music to a worldwide audience. Lush, deep vocals with grit and nuance are so important to Shanaya. She takes a combination of her piano and direct pop sensibilities, crafted in her studio oasis, to bring lyrics and melodies together. With over 50k collective streams on Spotify, Shanaya released her song of the summer “Good Company” on July 7. She was also nominated for Best Emerging Talent at the Mississauga Music Awards in September 2023.

Learn more:

https://www.shanayapatel.com/

Vanda Li posing in front of a brick wall.About the artist and song:

Vanda Li is a mother of three who in 2020 wrote, recorded and released her first original song “Long Distance Love Affair.” The song was written during the pandemic and recorded, mixed and mastered by her daughter. It was inspired by all the lovers and other people around the world that were separated from loved ones. In 2021 & 2022 Vanda also released four reggae covers of well-known 80s & 90s r&b songs originally performed by female divas Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, Karen White and Patti Labelle. Her originals and covers have received radio play in Ontario, the USA and Caribbean. #itsnevertoolate

Learn more:

https://www.instagram.com/vandali_music/

Heather Christine holding her hair.About the artist and song:

Heather Christine is an award-winning vocalist, composer, entertainer and new producer from Mississauga. Her dynamic stage presence and soulful voice has led her to stages across Canada singing for audiences as large as 25,000.  As a recording artist, Heather Christine’s original sound is a fusion of Jazz with elements of R&B and Pop. Her recent single “Walking With You” was produced by powerhouse Canadian pianist Bill King and can be heard on Toronto’s Jazz FM91, Easy Jazz FM and SwissGroove Radio in Switzerland. This new composition was nominated for “Song of the Year” by the 2023 Mississauga Music Awards and was placed on over 50 playlists.

Learn more:

https://heatherchristine.ca

Eunjin Kim standing on the waterfront looking sideways.

About the artist and song:

Eunjin Kim is a pianist and composer based in Mississauga, currently finishing her studies as a fourth-year student in Humber College.  She was born and raised in the small South Korean town of Hamyang, where there was no contemporary music teachers available to her. As a self-taught pianist from the age of ten, she played at her local church until she went to university. Her musical influences include Keith Jarrett, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ennio Morricone, Teddy Wilson, Fred Hersch, Arve Henriksen, the RH Factor, Musiq Soulchild and Korean traditional sound. She is the recipient of the Newton Garwood Memorial Long & McQuade Award, Dave Stillwell Arranging Award, and Brian Harris Memorial Award, received as a student at Humber College. She has also composed the music for two short films, “Garden Salad” and “The Year of the Rat”  She is the proud mom of three boys, while finishing her studies in the last semester of her program, exploring opportunities in performing, composing and arranging.

Learn more:

https://www.youtube.com/c/EUNJINKIMPIANO

The Tennyson King album cover.About the artist and song:

Tennyson King is a Chinese Canadian nomadic indie folk musician based in Mississauga, ON. He performs in Canada, Australia, Asia and Europe. His latest album and releases have been featured on CBC Radio, SiriusXM, Stingray Music, OMNI TV Mandarin and Cantonese, The RepresentASIAN Project, Exclaim!, and more. His recent single “Rubber Tramp” is about someone who lives out of their vehicle. Someone who nomadically travels and explores in their car. It’s the ultimate freedom and the song shares exactly that sentiment. The song is based on Tennyson’s time spent on the road touring in countless countries, and having lived out of his van for many of those tours. Recorded with producer Dan Hosh (Wild Rivers, Serena Ryder).

Learn more:

https://tennysonking.com

Adina V wearing a black About the artist and song:

Adina V is a versatile vocalist, guitarist, and the 2022 Emerging Solo Vocalist MARTY winner. Her original music has caught the attention of many, with this song – “Admit It” – being named “song of the summer” by the Mississauga Arts Council in 2021. The full studio version was recorded at Metalworks Studios and released last year. “Admit It” is a song born out of a fever dream; it’s the romanticization of running away with someone you can’t have, where both people have an undeniable but unspoken chemistry. Clever, catchy lyrics float over an acoustic-driven 4-piece rock band, flushed out with lush vocal harmonies, dreamy electric guitars, and banjo (to add that little country touch). Fans of Taylor Swift’s early eras (think Fearless, Red) will love Admit It’s romantic, renegade vibe.

Learn more:

https://adinavmusic.com

The members of Ritmo Flamenco in red and black outfits.

About the artist and song:

Ritmo Flamenco has been performing since 1993. They have toured North America, parts of Europe and the Middle East. They have played for Prime Ministers and celebrities such as Sting and Russell Crowe. They have sold out concerts at Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre and won a MARTY award in 2018.

Learn more:

http://www.ritmoflamenco.net

Sarah Tomlinson holding her forehead in from of beige background.

About the artist and song:

For Sarah Tomlinson, every day is an opportunity to grow and evolve as a songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Guided by musical intuition and a hypnotic voice, the 21-year old artist pens thought-provoking anthems about love and self discovery. Rather than shy away from controversial issues, her studies in journalism have expanded her songwriting to social justice issues like climate change, empowering herself in the process. With a newly received music grant gifted by the Canada Arts Council and mentorship provided through the Canadian Musicians Cooperative and Honey Jam, Sarah plans on taking her music and brand to the next level in 2024 by working on her new EP with Roy Hamilton, a Multi-Platinum Grammy nominated Pop/R&B music producer, songwriter and A&R executive, also the grandson of the legendary singer Roy Hamilton.

Learn more:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahtomlinsonmusic/

Kristen Prince holding a saxophone in a music studio.

About the artist and song:

Kristen is a Port Credit based saxophone player and singer. She has performed with many artists including the Arkells, Canadian legend Andy Kim (Sugar Sugar), Lowest of the Low, Suzie McNeil, My Son the Hurricane, and 4-time Juno nominee Tom Barlow. Kristen keeps busy doing live performances, writing and producing original music/videos, and doing session recordings. Kristen is currently on tour with My Son the Hurricane and working on her latest project, Lion Blue: a duo with Canadian trumpeter Steve McDade (@wearelionblue). The song “Theme for Moonrise” was born when Kristen began using a looping pedal while busking. She came up with some short melodic ideas to loop that she would jam with; then developed the loops into a full track. She wrote, recorded and produced the song, with a final mix done by producer Kevin Dietz.

Learn more:

https://www.kponsax.com

About the artist and song:

Guami is a 22 year-old artist born in Uruguay. When he was three years old, his family immigrated to Mississauga, Canada where he was raised. He started making original music in 2016 and has fallen in love with it ever since.

Learn more:

https://traktrain.com/guami

Jay Boehmer playing the drums in a studio.About the artist and song:

Drummer, composer and bandleader Jay Boehmer has been performing in the GTA since 1990 with his jazz trio as well as many other projects. Jay graduated from Toronto’s Humber College Jazz Program as a performance major where he developed an interest in composition. Boehmer was part of Toronto’s “Queen Street” indie scene, recording and performing with numerous bands. In 1995, Jay founded his quartet Jay Boehmer Jazz as an outlet for his original compositions. He released his debut CD Don’t Look Back in 1999; Autumn Afternoon was released in 2007. Jay currently performs with the Mississauga Big Band Jazz Ensemble and the New Vibes Jazz Quintet. Jay Boehmer Jazz albums are available on iTunes and have been featured on CBC radio and television, Jazz FM91 and City TV.

Learn more:

https://jayboehmerjazz.com

U.N. Jefferson singing in white dress shirt.About the artist and song:

Based in Mississauga, U.N. Jefferson fuses the elements of Soul with the fundamentals of Motown and early R&B to create a sound that is both familiar and fresh. Rooted in the vintage sounds of James Brown, The Temptations, and Wilson Pickett, the band manages to keep one foot in the foundation of traditional Soul while cultivating an authentic take on a classic genre. Fronted by singer-songwriter Ajay Massey, U.N. Jefferson’s dynamic live performance delivers a high degree of energy and showmanship. Their latest album was produced by Jacksoul guitarist Justin Abedin. It offers a collection of soulful tracks that capture the spirit of the band and the intensity of their live show.

Learn more:

https://unjefferson.com

Mikey Bloom holding a CDAbout the artist and song:

Mikey Bloom emerged victorious in the “50th Anniversary of the City of Mississauga Anthem Contest” conceived by Ward 1 Councillor Stephen Dasko and presented by the Mississauga Arts Council (MAC), SoundsUnite, and Metalworks Studios. Mikey Bloom earned unanimous approval from City Councillors, who voted his song “Mississauga Anthem” the official anthem for the City of Mississauga’s 50th anniversary. “Mississauga Anthem” beautifully encapsulates the deserved appreciation and celebration of the City of Mississauga.

Mikey Bloom is an Ethiopian-Canadian musician, born and raised in Mississauga. Known for his memorable melodies, versatile style, clever wordplay, smooth delivery, and love for the music, Mikey Bloom has shown star potential, growing and looking to take over the music industry in the coming years. With a unique blend of musical influences from a variety of genres, including pop, dancehall, R&B, and rap, Mikey Bloom has developed a unique sound of his own that sets him apart from other musicians.

Learn more:

https://www.instagram.com/mikeybloom/

Contact us

For more information on the Music 311 program or the selection process, email corey.poole@mississauga.ca.