Midwest Music Exchange: Exploring the Sounds of Manitoba & Minnesota

Doors 6pm | Show 6:30pm | 18+

This event is FREE and open to anyone 18 years or older.

Join The Current, Manitoba Music, and UMFM for the annual Midwest Music Exchange showcase.

This year’s event will take place at Green Room and will feature performances from:

Kelly Bado

Weaving in influences from her African heritage, la chanson française, and American gospel, Kelly Bado’s music crosses cultural barriers to bring people together in joy and hope. Her striking vocals and uplifting melodies were recognized with two awards at the WCMA in 2021: Francophone Artist of the Year and Global Artist of the year. Kelly’s songwriting reflects the beauty of the languages and rhythms encountered in her personal journey from Abidjan to Winnipeg. Through her lyrics inspired by love and people, Kelly is committed to promoting a world where we come together as citizens of our planet Earth, each bringing our unique strengths to life's common experience. She was a favourite in La Voix Quebec, winning the People’s Choice award. Sir Paul McCartney, after hearing Kelly’s performance on the show, exclaimed “WOW! What a fabulous, emotional and inspiring performance!”

Kelly Bado est une chanteuse, auteure-compositrice et musicienne originaire de Côte d'Ivoire (Afrique). Sa musique unique mélange des influences de ses racines africaines, de la chanson française et du gospel américain. Sa voix saisissante et ses mélodies entraînantes lui ont valu de remporter deux Prix de la musique de l'Ouest Canadien en 2021 : artiste francophone et artiste mondiale de l'année. À travers sa musique inspirée par l'amour et l'expérience humaine, Kelly s'engage à promouvoir un monde où nous nous rassemblons en tant que citoyens de cette planète. Chacun apporte ses forces uniques à l'expérience commune. Sir Paul McCartney a dit d'elle : "SENSATIONNEL! Quelle performance fabuleuse, émouvante et inspirante" après avoir entendu la performance de Kelly dans La Voix 6.

Colin Bracewell

Colin Bracewell's true lyrics, combined with love and loss, create a unique and gravitating artistry. At only 21 years old, Colin Bracewell has established himself as a strong Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter, whose raw vocals and production reflect the sound of Bon Iver, James Blake, and more recently Hippo Campus.

Colin has been featured on The Current, Cities 97.1, Radio K, and other Midwest Radio stations. He was born in Ontario, Canada, and is currently living in the Twin Cities as a student at the University of Minnesota. In 2020, his folk-influenced single, "You're Fine", inspired by the intensity of the year's events, was featured on The Current - as "Song of the Day".

Bracewell's latest single, "Slopes", will draw you in from the first note and have you singing along. The indie-pop sound pushed him to visit other realms of creativity while still maintaining his authentic storytelling and heartfelt melodies.

Anna Graves

Minnesota-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Anna Graves pens songs with the candor of a late-night conversation where nothing is off the table. As she navigates the vast landscapes of human emotions, Graves stands out as an artist who fearlessly explores the raw depths of the human experience. On her forthcoming project, she says goodbye to past selves and regrets, confidently connecting to the now.

Leonard Sumner

"He has been called one of the most important, vital new voices of the First Nations roots music scene in Canada. In truth, Sumner could be categorized as one of the most important, vital new voices in the entire Canadian roots music scene." - Island Music Fest

"In First Nations cultures, traditional songs and stories communicate histories, life lessons and philosophy from one generation to the next. Anishinaabe poet, singer/songwriter and MC Leonard Sumner has woven an enticing roots-blues-rap-country fusion around that traditional content. Unblinkingly honest, Sumner’s lyrics are defiant yet vulnerable, and deliver the message: We are still here and our voices must be heard." - Calgary Folk Fest

Anishinaabe MC/Singer/Songwriter Leonard Sumner's storytelling flows directly from the shores of Little Saskatchewan First Nation, located in the heart of the Interlake of Manitoba.  

Sumner's self-determined sound is evidence of his ability to simultaneously occupy landscapes of multiple musical genres including; Hip-Hop, Spoken Word, Country, and Rhythm and Blues. 

With every vibration of the strings on his guitar, Leonard rattles the dust off truths that have been buried for far too long. On stage he poetically sings awake the consciousness of audiences may have been unaware of their slumber.

In this era of unsettling history and healing wounds of the past, Sumner's music is an expression of medicine that walks the line between fortitude and fragility.