101.5 Whistler FM, 2014 - present
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Resident Host
The Apres Lounge
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Swollen Members
The Strumbellas
Current Swell
Shred Kelly
Hanna Georgas
The Boom Booms
C. R. Avery
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Whistler, BC
NEWS
Tommy Africa's, 2014 - 2018
Resident DJ/MC
Funked Up x Whistler Junglists
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Stickybuds
JPod
Slynk
Fort Knox Five
Q-Dup
Crissy Criss
Phroh
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Whistler, BC
Pique Newmagazine, 2017
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Arts & Entertainment (Press Interview)
by Brandon Barrett
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Whistler, BC
One Way Up
Lozen moves on from the 'Rumors'
Whistler's hip-hop songstress releases new music videoate
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Lozen isn't much for diss tracks.
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Though Whistler's long-time hip-hop impresario is no stranger to the battle rap scene, that kind of invective isn't really her style.
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"I'm pretty hippie in the sense that I feel there is a place for everybody (in the music industry),and it doesn't have to be a competition. That's been my MO since the beginning," says Lozen, born Meaghan Mullaly. "We're so much stronger together when we try to elevate other artists as opposed to putting them down."
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Despite her hippie leanings, Mullaly isn't one to get walked all over either. It was four years ago on tour when the 33-year-old got caught up in the gossip common to the insular world of Canadian hip hop. Essentially, a rumour about Mullaly got started and spread like wildfire before she had the chance to tell her side. Like some twisted version of the telephone game, the story got warped and passed on until it seemed to follow her everywhere she went.
"There was just all this fucking bureaucracy and politics and bullshit," she recalls.
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What followed was one of the darkest periods of Mullaly's young life. Her touring gigs drying up, she spent more time holed up in her room, feeling betrayed by an industry that was so quick to turn its back on her.
And yet, the consummate artist couldn't stop creating. She trudged on, expanded her musical horizons, booked more gigs locally, and began working part-time at Whistler FM.
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"If I let that be the end of my career, that would have been the end of me," she says.
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But still, the story followed her, and, like most creative types, she chose to mine this harrowing experience for her art, eventually penning "Rumors" two years ago, the first time she addressed the experience on wax — although cryptically. (Mullaly used the American spelling to match a tattoo she has on her arm.) She doesn't name names, or offer much insight into the rumours themselves, simply because she's always been more about building bridges than burning them.
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The resulting track, a catchy, horn-infused jam that harkens back to golden-era De La Soul, was a necessary catharsis, a way for Mullaly to reclaim the narrative.
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"I didn't want to write a diss track because I didn't feel it was going to be beneficial or therapeutic to me to hold onto that anger," she explains.
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Mullaly is releasing the video for "Rumors" next week, a moody, black-and-white affair directed by Animal Nation's Garnet Clare and edited by Mullaly. It's a stark departure from the typical hip-hop video of "rappers rapping in various places," she says. Utilizing recurring circular imagery throughout — "What goes around comes around," she says — it also offers a view into Mullaly's meditative practice, something that has helped her let go of the negativity.
"It's interesting trying to find that (meditative) space, because no one's going to do it for you, and that was a theme of the video as well," she explains.
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"I don't want this to make me bitter. I think that's what happens to a lot of people who get hurt: they end up putting on this armour to protect themselves. Within reason that's important, but I think being open is more important."
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"Rumors" will feature on Lozen's next album, Goal Digger, due out next year. In the meantime, she's heading out on a mini-tour that will bring her to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver, before playing gigs in Whistler at Tommy Africa's (Dec. 13), Tapley's (Dec. 15), and Brickworks (Dec. 28). For more, visit lozenmusic.com.
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- Brandon Barrett
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Whistler Question, 2017
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Entertainment (Press Interview)
by Aylssa Noel
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Whistler, BC
Lozen releases new video
“Rumors” offers taste of forthcoming EP
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There’s a question weighing on MC Lozen’s mind.
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Is it better to work on a project until you’re completely happy with it or stick to a deadline and adhere to the “done is better than perfect” approach?
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“It’s that kind of push and pull with how much do we hold onto it and then decide to let it go?” she said. “Having deadlines are important.
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But, as a creative, at the same time, if you have a contract to write a book and the book isn’t ready, the book isn’t ready.”
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In this case, the “book” is her forthcoming EP, Goal Digger, which she’s been working on in pieces for some time. There have been obstacles — from nailing down time with her new collaborator to indulging in a mind-altering brownie that prompted her to rewrite tracks — but, at long last, the first single and its accompanying video are set to drop this week.
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“Rumors” loosely addresses an incident that happened years earlier while Lozen (also known as Meaghan Mullaly) was on tour with the now-defunct Whistler hip-hop group, Animal Nation. “I had never really written about everything that happened,” she said. “I came out and asked him (Garnet Clare, Animal Nation vocalist/producer/keyboardist) if it was OK to. I didn’t mention any names; I didn’t want it to be a pointing fingers piece or anything, but because he knew what I was alluding to I was wondering if it was OK and he gave me the green light.”
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In fact, Clare ended up directing the video, which was shot in Whistler. “I’ve been sitting on it for a couple of years now,” Lozen added.
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The video — shot in black and white — features Lozen in various dreamy Whistler locales — meditating on a dock, dancing on an old, abandoned truck in the forest, under a graffiti-scrawled overpass — intercut with three women meditatively marching with black landline phones.
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“I call it choreography loosely,” she said. “I wanted symbolism with the telephones. I wanted more depth to it.”
She also wanted to take over editing duties — which required her to learn a new skill. That meant it took extra long to finish, but in the end, Lozen was happy with her output. “I’ve been learning and doing tutorials and doing my own home school of it. I think for all artists, we’re always hard on ourselves and we always want to be better.”
Similarly, she’s been writing — and rewriting — her seven-song EP, thanks, in part, to a pot brownie. After a period of abstaining, one Saturday night Lozen decided to ditch her pajamas-and-tea combo and indulge in the treat a friend gave her. “I ate the brownie and I had this experience where I was re-thinking the (title) ‘Goal Digger’ track… I ended up rewriting it.”
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She compared the resulting song to Macklemore’s “Same Love,” but rather than rights for same-sex couples it delves into various religions.
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“I love the track, but that can’t be the opening,” she said. “That can’t set the tone for the record. So then I needed to sit down and write another track.”
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In short, fans might have to wait a little longer for the EP release, but in the meantime, they’ll have the new single (set to be released on YouTube on Tuesday) — and a handful of live performances, which is often the best way to support local music, she added.
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“Support your local artists — not just us as musicians, but writers and people acting and doing plays,” she said. “If they did it for the money, I don’t think they’d be doing it.”
For more visit lozenmusic.com.
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- Alyssa Noel
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Tommy Africa's, 2014 - present
Resident DJ/MC
Whistler, BC
Pique Newsmagazine, 2016
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Arts & Entertainment (Press Interview)
by Brandon Barrett
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Whistler, BC
Let's get one thing out of the way real quick: Whistler's MC Lozen is a rapper. Not a female rapper, but a rapper who just happens to be a woman.
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Got that straight? K, cool.
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"I feel like we separate ourselves when we say, 'I'm a woman who does this,'" says Lozen, real name Meaghan Mullaly. "Whereas, to me, my vagina should have fuck all to do with anything. Unless we're having sex." She laughs.
"It should be, 'Hey, I'm an artist.'"
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It's an important distinction to make in a time when gender identity has been thrust into the political spotlight and women artists like Lozen still have to fight tooth and nail for their place in a male-dominated industry.
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"I still deal with that," she says. "When I go to shows, people automatically assume I'm either someone's girlfriend or I'm not in the band. It takes women stepping up to the plate and just doing this to prove it doesn't matter."
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Lozen's been in the batter's box for the better part of a decade, grinding it out in Whistler's small (like, really small) but mighty hip-hop scene, putting out two albums in that time through Toronto tastemakers URBNET. (Another as-yet-untitled record is in the works, due out around fall 2017.)
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And as challenging as the wider Canadian hip-hop landscape is for the average rapper, Whistler isn't exactly a hotbed for boom bap and hot bars either. In spite of its youthful vibe, its thriving club culture, hip-hop has largely failed to set deep roots in the resort — hell, even the godfathers of Whistler's rap scene, dynamic duo Animal Nation, disbanded recently.
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"I feel like there was (a scene) back in the day. There was a really good time for hip-hop here, and not only that but we had a lot of big acts that would come in," says Lozen. "Then when the dollar got screwy in the States, it was really hard to solidify those bookings."
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Lozen admits she is sometimes reluctant to out herself as a capital-R rapper ("I don't want to say I'm a rapper 'cause people think you're a white, female, ginger rapper who's an Anglophone Quebecer. Oh yeah, hop on that train."), but ultimately, the lack of an appetite for hip-hop here doesn't seem to bother her too much.
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That's probably because Lozen slips naturally between genres and tends to defy any label that gets slapped on her. She's the afternoon radio host who can rap circles around anyone. She's the soulful songstress who hosts a monthly jungle show. She's the diehard punk fan who appreciates a good slow dance. She is large, she contains multitudes.
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"People ask you, 'what's your favourite food?' How do you decide that? Right now I want sushi, but maybe tomorrow I'm going to want pasta. Forcing yourself to do the same thing over and over again, I think that would be boring," says Lozen. "So I take pieces of songs, they'll still be my songs, but let's play it in a drum n' bass style, let's play it funky, let's play it this way."
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Recently, Lozen has found herself strumming away at her guitar more frequently — when she discovered she didn't know the chords to a lot of her own songs. That motivated her to get back to basics, to completely deconstruct her sound before reassembling it with new pieces in place.
"I'm getting back to my roots and definitely playing a lot more guitar and playing along with the beats, and then stripping it back depending on what kind of gig I play," she says. "I want to have the freedom to do that. 'Cause I dunno, do I want to be 70 in the club? Maybe. That could be cool. But maybe I want to be in the lounge singing jazz."
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Lozen will have the chance to show off whatever style she so chooses the night of Dec. 2/3 as the sole local entry to the Whistler Film Festival Music Showcase, where film and music executives will be on-hand sussing out new talent. Lozen's set starts at 12:20 a.m. at Garf's. For more information, visit musicbc.org/whistler-film-festival. You can also check Lozen out at lozenmusic.com or facebook.com/lozenmusic.
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- Brandon Barrett
Shaw TV, 2016
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Spotlight 99 (Press Interview)
by Rachel Thom
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Squamish, BC
Dope Haus, 2016
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Electric Love Festival (Press Review)
by Jaclyn Adair
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Agassiz, BC
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Friday evening kicks off, the heat begins to dip and the bass starts to crank. I spent hour checking out a killer combo of heavy hitting drum and bass/dubstep from Deadly Soundz alongside Lozen, a booty-quaking and fearless female who raps and hypes up the eager party folk at The Arcade. She’s got a voice that is distinct and rugged, spitting provocative and merciless lyrics as she twerks around the stage and even hops down to hustle some attention from the dancers on the floor.
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- Jaclyn Adair
Scott Jackson x Emotionz x DJ Deadly Soundz x Lozen
Dope Haus Review, 2016
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Electric Love Festival
Agassiz, BC
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Dope Haus Review, 2016
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Electric Love Festival
Agassiz, BC
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Rumors, 2016
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Music Video (Shoot)
Directed by Animal Nation
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Urbnet Records
Toronto, ON
Scott Jackson x Emotionz x DJ Deadly Soundz x Lozen
DJ Denise x Lozen x Cass MC
Acoustic/Electric, 2016
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The Point Artist-Run Centre
Whistler Brewing Company
The Crystal Lounge
Whistler Farmer's Market
Black's
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Whistler, BC
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Acoustic/Electric Sessions, 2016
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The Point Artist-Run Centre
Whistler Brewing Company
The Crystal Lounge
Whistler Farmer's Market
Black's
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Whistler, BC
Women of the Underground, 2016
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Hip Hop Showcase
Where It's At Entertainment
LED Bar
Vancouver, BC
DJ Denise x Lozen x Cass MC
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, 2015
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Music Video (Release)
Directed by Lozen
Filmed by Rah
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Urbnet Records
Toronto, ON
WMN Studio, 2015
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Craft Singles Original Series (Recording)
Solo x Acoustic
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Whistler, BC
Psychedelic Boombox Tour, 2015
Emotionz x DJ Praiz
Lozen x DJ Deadly Soundz
Scott Jackson
Fresh Kils
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Victoria, BC
Music BC Summit, 2015
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This Way Up
Lozen x DJ Deadly Soundz
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Squamish Lil'Wat Cultural Centre
Whistler, BC
DJ Deadly Soundz x DJ Praiz x Emotionz x Fresh Kils x Lozen
Pique Newsmagazine, 2015
Be The Best Play The Fest (Press Interview)
by Cathryn Atkinson
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Pemberton, BC
Eight bands, one spot on stage at the Pemberton Festival
Finalists vie to represent the region in the battle of the bands
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Whistler-based rapper and MC Lozen is a busy performer who writes her own music. She submitted her song "Everyday Hustle," featuring Whistler's Animal Nation, to the competition. She's also the new on-air host for the Après Lounge on Whistler FM.
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"I guess I'm the only performer who's not a band," she says.
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"We're going to put a set together that is upbeat, happy."
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She's very happy to see how the Pemberton Music Festival embraces hip hop and EDM. "I'm really excited. It would be nice to move up on that platform," she laughs.
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For more information: www.lozenmusic.com
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- Cathryn Atkinson
102.1 Mountain FM, 2015
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Be The Best Play The Fest (Press Interview)
by Jillian Vandergeest
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Whistler, BC
World Ski and Snowboard Festival, 2015 & 2014
Animal Nation x Lozen
Skiers Plaza
Whistler, BC
The Sociables x Kostaman x Lozen
Pura Vida Tour, 2015
Lozen x DJ Kid Kicko
Stickybuds
AfroQBen
Crystal Fresh
Jams
Boh Nanza
Phroh
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Envision Music Festival
Uvita, Costa Rica
Lozen x DJ Jams
The VIMAS, 2015
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Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year (Nominee)
Music Video of the Year (Nominee)
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St. Andrew's
Victoria, BC
Bryce Jackson x Lozen x Jonny Miller x James Casper
Dope Sick Tour, 2015
Madchild
Lozen
Animal Nation
Spade
Axe Kil
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Garfinkel's
Whistler, BC
A
Flux EP, 2015
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Album (Release)
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Raven Studios
Ottawa, ON
Underground Hip Hop Vol. 8, 2015
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Album (Release)
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Lozen
DL Incognito
Matt Brevner
Philly Moves
Animal Nation
Def 3
Sweatshop Union
Moka Only
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Urbnet Records
Toronto, ON
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The Juno Awards, 2015
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Album Coverage (Press)
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CARAS
Toronto, ON
Lozen x DJ Kid Kicko
DJ Mag Canada, 2014
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Artist Spotlight (Press Interview)
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IHM Media Group
Toronto, ON
FLUX EP, 2014
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Album (Release)
Lozen x DJ Kid Kicko
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WMN Studio
Whistler, BC
Whistler Question, 2014
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Sketchy Film Night (Press)
Lozen x DJ Kid Kicko
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Whistler, BC
Shake It Up EP, 2014
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Album (Release)
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Urbnet Records
Toronto, ON
Shake It Up EP, 2014
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Album Release
Urbnet Records
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Toronto, ON
Shambhala Music Festival, 2013 & 2010
Hip Hop Showcase
Lozen x DJ Praiz
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Nelson, BC
Pique Newsmagazine, 2012
Arts & Entertainment (Press Interview)
by Alyssa Noel
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Whistler, BC
Meaghan Mullaly's solo debut album has been a long time coming.
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First, the record was halted by a tragic loss, then complicated recording logistics, but Mullaly, better known as MC Lozen, is finally ready to release her first mixtape, Tragedy & Triumph, on Nov. 8. "Everything seems to take so much longer than expected and there were some roadblocks along the way," she says. "It was supposed to (be released) back in the summer, but you take the (obstacles) as they come."
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The most significant setback was the death of her friend and longtime Whistler DJ, Mike Grefner, earlier this year. The 34-year-old was reported missing Jan. 16. His body was found in the woods near Whistler Secondary in March. Mullaly, who had been working on upbeat party tracks during that time, was deeply shaken. "When he went missing I felt like I had more important things to say. Music is there for having fun and releasing, but at the time, I was writing lighter songs that didn't have that much in depth content. I felt like I had to write something with a little more going on," she explains. "I ended up taking out a bunch of songs I was going to originally have (on the album). I wanted to scrap them."
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So, she did. The result was darker, more introspective tracks that reflected her state. Self-producing and recording on her own in her apartment also added an intimate quality. "It was definitely a little more stressful being the person doing everything," she adds. "But at the same time, there was some comfort in the fact that it's actually in my home. In the studio, sometimes it's a little sterile with someone you don't know behind glass. Sometimes it takes away from the natural performing and I love performing."
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Mullaly will have her first chance to perform the new songs at an album release party Nov. 8, held in conjunction with the release of a new video by her pals in Animal Nation. (The Whistler duo also makes a guest appearance on one of the record's tracks.) As she explains, in the male-dominated hip hop world it's nice to have allies. "I don't want to take a feminist standpoint, but it's hard to connect sometimes. A lot of times people will assume you're someone's girlfriend or you're doing press," she says. "(The guys in Animal Nation) have always been supportive. For me, I don't want people to look at me as a woman artist; I want them to look at me as an artist. "
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But the scene is changing — in more ways than one. While Mullaly is releasing some physical copies of the new album, she's also posting it up for free download. "Before, (the music industry) was about album sales, but now it's not as much about album sales as it is about shows," she says. "Even artists from New York are not selling albums, but their shows sell out. It's all about performing."
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- Alyssa Noel