The second edition of the Reverie Indigenous Music Residency launches today, following the first edition last fall. The four-week-long residency, co-sponsored by CBC and the SOCAN Foundation, brings First Nations, Métis and Inuit musicians to Toronto to make music, gain industry insights and take the next step in their careers. 

The four participants will be offered mentorship and access to state-of-the-art resources at CBC Toronto and Massey Hall. This year's residency includes Sara Kae (Red Rock Indian Band/Lake Helen First Nation), Raymond Sewell (Pabineau First Nation), Jessa Sky (Métis Cree from Treaty 8 Territory) and Big Tones (based in Saskatoon, with ties to Treaty 4 Territory/Pasqua First Nation/George Gordon First Nation). Their musical styles range from pop to alternative to hip-hop. 

The residency kicked off on July 2 with a smudging ceremony, and over the course of the next four weeks there will be mentorship round tables, songwriting and studio workshops and studio time for each musician to create a new song. On July 30, they will perform the new music at a show at Massey Hall. 

Read on below to discover a bit more about this year's cohort of artists. 

Sara Kae blends pop and country stylings to make intimate, vulnerable songs. She got her musical start at the age of 12, when she would accompany her father on tours throughout northern Ontario. In recent years, she has graduated and received the Founder Award from Metalworks Institute in Mississauga, sung in a concert series with the Thunder Bay Orchestra, partnered with Susan Aglukark's Arctic Rose Foundation and opened for Juno winner Aysanabee. Kae released her debut EP, Maadaadizi, in 2024, and has continued releasing singles throughout 2025.

Raymond Sewell wears many hats. He is an L'nu poet and English professor at Saint Mary's University, on top of being a recording artist. Prior to Reverie, Sewell was part of a one-week residency at the National Music Centre in Calgary, where he recorded and produced his recently released album, The Lone Soul Doctor. His sound is a blend of pop, rock and contemporary music. Sewell used to release music under the stage name Red Suga, releasing his debut album in 2003. He was nominated for an East Coast Music Award and toured extensively across the country. 

Jessa Sky is a pop artist who refers to her music as "a journey of healing, resilience and connection." Sky is a mental health and addiction awareness advocate who brings her real-life experiences overcoming trauma into her music. In 2024, her song Anxiety received the CBC Searchlight competition honorary Indigenous Artist Award. 2024 was a busy year for her: she headlined the Indigenous Tattoo and Music Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and released her debut album, Sky's the Limit, in March, followed by the EP Look at Me Now, Vol.1 in October. The followup, Look at Me Now, Vol. 2, arrives this summer.

Big Tones (a.k.a. Anthony Pasqua) is a hip-hop artist with an old-school flair. He released his debut album, Existence, in 2024 and has been releasing music for the past five years. For Pasqua, music provides therapeutic relief, as the storytelling in his songwriting allows him to work through and grapple with generational trauma. He's had his music played on CBC Radio in the past and frequently performs live sets around Saskatoon. In June, he performed at a showcase during the International Indigenous Music Summit in Toronto. On top of his work as a performer, Pasqua is an artist mentor and works with the Community Arts Mentorship Program, Paved Arts, Creative City Centre Regina and Kilburn Hall.