Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The views expressed in the following program are those of
the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of
SAGA nine sixty AM or its management.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I'm Nora Murray and listening to news Talk Saga nine sixty.
Great to have you on today. I hope you're enjoying
your very busy day. Probably you know what's coming up
this weekend. I'm really excited about the Mississauga Music Awards
happening Saturday night. And this is a big year for
them too, as they continue every single year. It's happening
Saturday night at seven pm over at the Living Arts Center,
(00:41):
so and you can get tickets at Ticketmaster dot c A.
We're going to find out what they're all about. Those
of you who are not familiar with the Mississauga Music Awards.
They're going to be at the Studio Theater inside Living
Arts Center seven pm Saturday night. And look who's joining
us online right now on the phone, which we really appreciate.
It's Demetrius nath Now. Demetrius, you probably know, is a
(01:03):
seasoned music industry professional with a diverse portfolio. He's been
around the music industry in artist management, marketing, education, live
event programming, He's even worked with Grammy and Junior Award
winning artists through his company, Anti Skeptic Entertainment. He's the
executive director of Mississauga Music, which is a leading not
(01:24):
for profit organization supporting local talents. So we're really thrilled
to have him here with us. Demetrius, thanks very much
for joining us today. How are you, I'm well.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Thank you so much, Norm for that introduction and for
having me.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Oh pleasure, it's my pleasure, our honor here. And congratulations
on the Mississauga Music Awards twenty twenty five. You guys
have done such a great job. I want to ask
you how you became involved with the Mississauga Music Awards though,
if you can go back a little bit. I know
it's been a few years, but how did you get
all wrapped up in this well, I.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Mean it's a long story. I'll make it as as possible.
Ten years ago, I with my band was trying to
figure out where we could play in Mississauga. That led
to me doing a bunch of research local venues, promoters,
other artists that were like us, and who the agents
(02:16):
were and who really called the shots in Mississauga. And
so at the end of it. At the end of
this week long Google research, I came up with a
bunch of names and venues and artists and I was like,
there's all of this stuff that I really didn't know existed.
And what would be cool is if I put all
(02:36):
of this information online and let other people discover all
that happens in around Mississaga because prior to that, I, personally,
having lived in Mississauga about five years, I had no
idea myself. So that was ten years ago. Since then,
we have evolved into you know, doing live programming and
(03:01):
doing a festival, Mississauga Music Week, Missoga Music Awards. All
of these things came as a result of what the
community was asking for and what was missing in Mississauga
really and so you know, again, long story short, we
incorporated and we have a board of directors and you know,
we sort of changed our direction based on what the
(03:26):
local artists community was really looking for. And so, yeah,
so nine and a half years later, one of our
main I guess one of our main events is Mississauga
Music Awards and we've been doing this for nine years
and yeah, well it's our ninth year this year, so
we're very excited I'm.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Excited for you. Congratulations. I'm sure you've grown quite a
bit from those early days.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Right absolutely. I mean in the first couple of years,
it was just a lot of ideas and my credit card.
And then fortunately nine years later, we do get a
lot of funding and grants that enables us to do
things bigger and better, and my credit cards are no
(04:15):
longer in the red.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
That's right. So as I guess, we are the sixth
largest city in Canada. Mississauga itself both say growing music scene.
It's getting bigger and bigger, with the immense potential even
still to come, having been the launching pad of several
international success stories that I know you guys talk about
all the time and refer to in the awards and
(04:40):
the ceremony that's coming up. Get your tickets at ticketmaster
dot Ca. Go to Mississauga Music dot com and get
even more information there too Mississauga Music dot com. Now,
what can we expect on Saturday night over at the
Living Arts Center? Who are the awards? Meaning? What kind
of awards do you give out? Many are there?
Speaker 1 (05:01):
So? There are thirteen right now and we do have
the categories that you might see at other award shows.
We have Album of the Year, Artist of the Year,
but then we also have things like Emerging Talent of
the Year, Best Local Promoter, which are more focused on
the local community and what the young kids are doing
(05:24):
or what the independent event organizers are trying to do locally.
So you know, we'll also have something like Industry Person
of the Year, which include people that are doing big
things in the industry but they live or they grew
up in Mississauga. So I think we have a we
have a little bit of everything, and we plan to
(05:46):
expand the categories next year as well.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
For our tenth anniversary, we're speaking with Demetrius Nath. Go
to ticketmaster dot Ca and get your tickets for Saturday
Nights Mississauga Music Awards twenty twenty five. Besides the thirteen
wards you get coming out, can we expect some entertainment
going on too? What's going on?
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Of course, there's going to be a lot of jokes
as a part of the entertainment, and we do have
four nominated artists performing over the span of the evening
from seven to nine forty five. Slash ten is when
we wrap up, and one of them is you know,
nominated a rapper rich Kid, who was very exciting. Yeah,
(06:28):
and then a few others as well. So yeah, come
on down. It should be a good time, and not
only the entertainment of the wards. You will be in
the middle of the local music community. You get to
meet and network. There's going to be city councilors, there's
going to be the Arts Council. There's going to be
people from metalworks, from Departure Festival and conference. There's a
(06:51):
lot of industry people that will be in the room
as well.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
I wish I was going to be there. I truly
wish I could have gone. I've got something else going
on on Saturday, unfortunately, but I wish I could be there,
and I'll be there next year for sure. I mean,
you do get the support of the city with this, too, right, Demetrius.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Yes, the city has been a strong supporter from us
from the very beginning, so I'm very grateful for them.
I mean, it is Mississauga talent, It is in Mississauga.
I personally live in Mississaga, have been here for sixteen years,
so yeah, the city has supported us from the very beginning.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Thanks for pointing out that you are local also, I
think that's really important for people to know and I
think it brings more even more respect to you. Tell
us about your association with metal Works. You mentioned it
just a moment ago. It's more than just a name, right, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Well, metal Works is of course the world renowned studio
metal Works Studios, but they also have metal Works Institute,
which is the school that's connected to the studio. So
Metalworks is one of the prize sponsors for the awards.
They sponsored two categories and then so that's Songwriter of
(08:07):
the Year and Song of the Year. But in addition,
Metalworks students are volunteering and helping run a lot of
the lot of the awards that evening, so you will
see some students running around checking you in, doing their
thing and stage managing and stuff like that. So they're
(08:27):
very involved and again very thankful for them as well.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Are you instructing there, I am.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
I do teach a few classes at Metalworks that've been
there for I believe the last four years, but Metalworks
has been a supporter of the awards long before that.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Yeah, yeah, for sure. Go to ticketmaster dot c A
for your tickets for the twenty twenty five Mississauga Music Awards,
And we are speaking with Demetrius Nath, what is your
title with the awards show? What do you prefer to
be referred to as. I mean, are you like the organizer,
are you the you know your worship.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
You know what I have? I don't know, it really
doesn't matter. I when it comes time for the awards,
I am really behind the scenes backstage, just making sure
everything is going smoothly. I don't even get on stage
at any point during the night, just because I'm so
I don't know if stress is the right word, but
I'm just making sure everything is going along smoothly because
(09:33):
if something isn't, I know, everybody knows that Demetrius messed up.
So for Mississauga Music the Organization, my official title would
be executive director. But for the Awards, I'm I'm just
you know, I'm the guy that puts it together.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Basically, Demetrious Nath is our guest. We're speaking with him
about Saturday nights Mississauga Music Awards, and it's Mississauga Music
Week too. I mean, there was a lot going on
obviously with the South Side Shuffle just the other night
there featuring the Sheep Dogs and everything else, through the
weekend and then on into this upcoming weekend. What do
(10:11):
you do? I mean, what else is going on for
you on your schedule for Mississauga Music Week. It must
be insane.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Yeah, Well, what we actually do is we try and
compile a bunch of music events that happen locally for
the whole week leading up to culminating with the awards.
And so some of these events, like the South Side Shuffle,
it's their own thing, but we include them under the
(10:38):
banner of THESSAGA Music Week. They promote us, we promote them.
And there are other events like open mics and performances
sometimes panels online and in person that we produce just
to fill up the week. So there's a lot of
things that happened during the week and we're almost coming
(10:59):
to the end of it, but there are still few
more events that are coming up. And if you go
to the website it's Mississaga Music Flash Week, that's where
you can find the listings for all the events that
are happening during the week.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
And Alexis Martinez, I know is nominated. I only mentioned
him as Songwriter of the Year song of the Year
as well. He was a guest on our program and
a couple of the other nominees too that I'm noticing here,
like Patty Jeannetta Baker of course a legend in Mississauga,
as well as well as Jody Decker. I don't know
if you know this. She is a former on air
(11:32):
announcer here at News Talk Saga nine sixty. Maybe she'll
mention that on stage if she happens to pick up
the award. I don't know, maybe you know what.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Jody isn't going to make it. Unfortunately, she's at the
CCMAs in Kelowna.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Okay, right, yeah, but.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
I think I believe her son will be there.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Soccer player. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, awesome. The Mississauga Music
Awards twenty twenty five this Saturday night at seven pm
at the Living Arts Center of course in Mississauga. It's
gonna be a great night at the Studio Theater. It
starts at seven pm. Go to Ticketmaster dot C a
nice affordable tickets. But music, entertainment and the tomorrow, I mean,
(12:17):
the future is happening now for Mississauga music and music
of the world. I mean some of these artists, as
you know, more than anybody. Demetrius will be going on
and have already gone on to great things on the
international stage.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Right, absolutely, there's so many. I mean, we just last
Sunday inducted Triumph into the Mississauga Music Walk of Fame
down in Memorial Park report credit. And then you know
more recently named like Party next Door that has taken
over the world is from Mississauga. I mean his album
(12:54):
with Drake last year featured the Monroe Towers on the
album cover. So yeah, there's a lot of names out there.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
I know Drake recorded at Metalworks if I'm not mistaken
at one point too, So yeah, you're right. I mean
the studio is legendary in Canada and recognized internationally. It
is just a great success story. The Mississauga Music Awards
twenty twenty five go to ticketmaster dot Ca. Make sure
you check out this website mississaugamusic dot com and remember
(13:25):
the hashtag hashtag mm Awards when you are following the
Mississauga Music Awards online on all social media platforms as
well anything else you want to push out there to
the public. What would you have to say, you know,
if we just opened the mic up for you here, Demetrius,
what are your thoughts on the awards themselves?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Well, I mean what I would say is just follow
us on socials. We do definitely the Awards is one
of our main events, but we do a festival at
Celebration Square in the summer called Rock the Coliseum. There's
other programming that we do throughout the year. So it
would be really cool if people just stayed connected. And
you know, we are not genre specific, so there's going
(14:09):
to be something rock, something country, something hip hop, something Bollywood.
There's a mix of everything. So if you are wanting
to be connected to the local music scene, then we
are the guys that will help you do that. So
just follow us on socials and stay plugged in. You
can sign up for our newsletter on the website Instaga
(14:31):
music dot com. And yeah, we'd just love to see
you out at whatever event that you're most excited about.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Demitrius nath And what a pleasure to speak with you,
and congratulations again. I know it's going to be a
great night. I look forward to hearing all the great
things afterwards, of course, and speaking with the winners, but
even nominated, they're all winners, they're all talented and it's
a very exciting event. I'm thrilled to speak with you
about this. The Mississauga Music Awards twenty twenty five at
(14:58):
the Studio Theater in the Living Arts Center this Saturday
night at seven pm. Go to Mississauga Music dot com
and Ticketmaster dot ca A Demitrius, we'll see you after Saturday, then,
I guess on this and best of luck to you
going forward.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Thank you so much Dorm for having.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Me pleasure absolutely. I'm Norm Murray. This is News Talk
SAGA nine sixty
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Stream us live at SAGA nine sixty am dot C