Andrew Bennett was generously supported by the John Linn Memorial Endowment.

Under the artistic alias Factor Eight, Andrew is a multidisciplinary, award-winning experimental artist from Saskatoon who creates cinematic soundscapes using only his voice. His work centres on mental health advocacy, embodied in his philosophy “Fear, My Friend” — accepting and transforming challenging aspects of oneself into sources of creative power rather than suppressing them.

His unique approach toward music has earned significant recognition, including awards, editorial playlist adds, and notable sync placements. With years of experience in commercial landscapes, Factor Eight music has been heard in productions and trailers from major studios such as Paramount, Disney+, A24, MGM, and Apple TV, with credits including Gladiator II and the Oscarwinning Women Talking.

Native Instruments describes his practice as “more than a technical decision […] a personal method built around trust in his own instincts, careful attention to detail, and a long-term vision that ties his music and message together.”

A three-time Saskatchewan Music Award winner and Western Canadian Music Award recipient, Andrew’s work extends beyond music into dance choreography, performance art, and interdisciplinary installation. Through Factor Eight, he connects with audiences across the globe, hoping to inspire connection among those who struggle and a sense of compassion among those who struggle to relate.

Rose Bush is the director of photography of the Oscar Winning film, COLETTE. Originally from Alaska, she has based her career with deep connections to: Los Angeles, Austin Texas, New York City, and Stockholm, Sweden. She holds an MFA in film production from the University of Texas at Austin, and as a filmmaker works in a diversity of forms amongst cinema & television from non-fiction to narrative film, commercials and what might be discovered next. She has a foundational belief that filmmaking must connect us to and expand our humanity pursuing the world with films made in uncharted global and existential territory. 

As a director of photography, with COLETTE, her work received an Academy Award for Best Short Subject Documentary at the 93rd Academy Awards. In her collaboration with Academy Award Nominated director Nicole Newnham, her work with THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SHERE HITE premiered in competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and was listed by The New Yorker as “deserving of an Oscar nomination”. She was the official presenter of the Emerging Cinematographer Award at the 74th Cannes Film Festival and has screened her work as a DoP with distributors including IFC Films, The Guardian, Dogwoof, Netflix, Hulu, and more.

If there’s an ethos driving everything Luca Fogale does, it’s intention. His songs are unpretentious and free of gimmickry — reverberating instead with rich nuance.This rare mix of skill and restraint is why Fogale has a pair of JUNO Adult Contemporary Album of the Year nominations (for 2023’s Run When the Light Calls and 2020’s Nothing Is Lost) and has garnered more than 180 million streams. For every song that’s made the cut for release, there are dozens more that the masses will probably never hear—he’s very adamant about not releasing songs unless they add value to the world. Luca’s beautiful new album Challenger, is out now on Nettwerk Records.

Savannah Harris is a drummer, producer/arranger, and music director widely regarded as one of the foremost drummers of her generation. Equally fluent in the deep traditions of jazz and the genre-blurring language of contemporary Black music, she brings precision, ingenuity, and emotional depth to every project she undertakes. Harris has become a vital presence in today’s creative landscape, touring and recording with Christian McBride’s Ursa Major, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and jazz luminary Kenny Barron.

Her creative reach extends to her award-winning collaborative project ØKSE, whose debut earned a Deutscher Jazzpreis for Album of the Year. Harris’s wide-ranging recording work includes contributions to Helado Negro’s acclaimed albums Far In and Phasor, where her rhythmic sensitivity and textural awareness play a defining role. She is also a longtime member of Or Bareket’s Quartet, appearing on the albums Sahar and Yom, and she joins Angelika Niescier and Tomeka Reid on the adventurous trio release Beyond Dragons.

Harris also serves as music director for MIKE, shaping the rapper’s live sound with her distinct rhythmic identity. Continually expanding her artistic footprint, she stands at the forefront of a transformative new wave in modern music.

Photo Credit Antonio Porcar.

Morikilr is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter from the Indigenous Lijia Tribe in Taitung.
His work explores the space between loss and belonging, weaving personal memories and tribal stories into warm, reflective soundscapes.
His 2024 debut album, inspired by themes of home, nature, and resilience, was nominated for Album of the Year, Best Indigenous Language Album, and Best Indigenous Language Singer at the 36th Golden Melody Awards. He also received First Prize in the Indigenous
Language Category at the 21st Taiwan Original Music Awards, organized by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture.
Through his music, Morikilr seeks to preserve fading voices and to
create new connections between the past and the present.

Louis Bouchier is a composer and performer from Edmonton, Alberta, and an active contributor to Canada’s evolving music landscape. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a Native Studies minor from the University of Alberta, where he studied composition, improvisation, sampling, sequencing, and a range of hardware and software production techniques. His academic training, combined with deep experience in live performance, has shaped a versatile and exploratory musical voice.
Louis has toured nationally and internationally, performing across Canada and in parts of Europe with the alt-country groups The Uncas and Marystown. As a multi-instrumentalist, he is skilled in electric guitar, lap steel guitar, electric bass, vocals, drum programming, and music composition. His dynamic career has included work as a freelancer and session player with a range of Edmonton-based acts, including Brother Octopus and The Devil’s Sons, spanning genres from Americana to punk to experimental music.
In recent years, Louis has expanded his practice into electronic music performance and education through Sampler Café, a sample-based collective focused on improvisational music and public engagement. Performing under the moniker Dichotomos, he uses live sampling, looping, and sequencing to create genre-defying sets while also educating audiences on the creative processes behind the music. His performances emphasize spontaneity, cultural dialogue, and a DIY ethos.
Louis was also a featured performer in the SubArctic Improv and Experimental Arts Series, where he contributed to multidisciplinary explorations that blend sound, movement, and improvisation. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a commitment not only to musicianship but to creating spaces for experimentation, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing across musical and cultural boundaries.
This past June 2025, the concert Here-Hearing was held at Mile Zero Dance in Edmonton. As part of a two-night series celebrating local musicians and sound artists, the event combined classical composition, improvisation, electronics, and multimedia. Red River Resonance (Louis Bouchier and Jen Dunford) showcased their distinctive approach to improvised sound, dance, and visuals.
 

AUNTIE KD is a queer, Cree emerging music producer, composer, songwriter, and drag musician from Treaty 4 Territory (Regina) with lineages from Cowessess First Nation, and Peguis 1B First Nation. Their Alternative Rock style and performance aims to highlight the history of colonialism & intergenerational healing by uplifting underserved voices and exploring a reciprocity with Mother Earth. By storytelling in lyrics, composition and drag performance, “AUNTIE KD” is an homage to their duty to future generations—using fluidity and joy as methods for Indigenous resiliency.

KOYOT is a psychedelic rock, folk and indie/alternative band from Regina, Saskatchewan, blending atmospheric soundscapes with emotionally charged songwriting. Rooted in the creative visions of two Indigenous members, Wade Lavallee (Calling Rivers) and Donavin Logan. KOYOT’s music carries honest storytelling while pushing into expansive, genre-bending territory.

Drawing inspiration from modern indie, classic psychedelia, and the diverse musical histories of the Prairies, KOYOT crafts a sound that is both immersive and familiar. Their energetic live performances and dynamic arrangements have helped the band gain a growing following, surpassing 160,000 streams across major platforms since beginning in February 2025.

KOYOT was nominated for Fan’s Choice and Rock Group of the Year at the Saskatchewan Indigenous Music Association Awards, marking them as an emerging force in the Western Canadian music scene.