CERAE Shares On Her Participation in 29th Annual Honey Jam Concert
Honey Jam, Canada’s iconic showcase of emerging female talent, returns for its 29th annual concert on Thursday, August 29, at Toronto’s TD Music Hall (178 Victoria Street), promising an electrifying evening filled with music, empowerment, and celebration. Tickets are on sale now. Honey Jam is also excited to announce that CBC Music will record the concert for a national broadcast airing later this year on CBC Music Live.
Toronto singer-songwriter Cerae, who has opened for Swedish R&B star Cherrie in London and backed Alicia Keys in Toronto, is gearing up to release her debut EP, Boy Bye!, this fall. Her latest single, “Blessing on Blessing!” is an upbeat tribute to the early 2000s West Coast sound, capturing the joy of young love. With a background in R&B, neo-soul, gospel, pop, and funk, Cerae, a 21-year-old of Caribbean and Asian descent, emphasizes the importance of preserving and elevating Black music. Known for her relatable, love-focused lyrics, Cerae has previously released four singles and continues to push musical boundaries with the help of Toronto producer Sarangelo.
Hi Cerae. First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hey everyone! My name is Cerae I’m an RnB-pop artist out of Brampton, Ontario. I love small dogs, photography, and leg days at the gym. I’m a gym rat LOL. I’ve been making music professionally for about four years now. It’s definitely been a crazy journey, but I wouldn’t change it for the world! I love my team and what I do. God really blessed me and I can’t thank him enough!
Your new single “Blessing on Blessing!” pays homage to the early 2000’s West Coast sound. What inspired you to create this track?
I grew up seeing my mom listen to Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Jodeci, and a bunch of other RnB greats. That really inspired my sound and definitely influenced the production behind this song. I was actually in London when I wrote the song while I was opening for Cherrie’s tour. There were a bunch of artists in London coming out with early 2000’s inspired music and it influenced me to do my own take on the sound. It’s one of my favourite songs on my upcoming project because it really encompasses the bright days of my childhood growing up. It feels like an era I wish I was old enough to party in LOL. My mom always talks about how great the early 2000s were, so it was my way of trying to experience it for myself.
Can you tell us more about your collaboration with Toronto producer Sarangelo on your upcoming debut EP? How has he helped shape your vision?
I’ve been working with Sarangelo for five years now. He is my main producer on the upcoming debut EP I have coming out. Over the years we’ve gotten to understand one another’s musical language and it’s been such a profound experience to do that with someone I consider family. He understands my creative vision by allowing me to experiment with everything. When I say everything, I MEAN EVERYTHING. One of the goals I’d like to accomplish in my sound is to meld RnB with every genre possible. He does a phenomenal job at capturing my visions even when he doesn’t fully grasp what I want at first. I’m a lot to deal with from a creative standpoint, but he never backs down to a challenge.
Honey Jam is a renowned showcase for emerging female talent. How did you first hear about Honey Jam, and what inspired you to participate?
I heard about Honey Jam through one of the alumni artists, Savannah Ré. I saw that she was an alumni so I decided to look into the program. I ended up seeing some of the auditions on YouTube and decided to try out myself! It ended up being an amazing experience and I’m really happy I followed through with it.
Honey Jam alumni include incredible artists like Nelly Furtado and Melanie Fiona. How does it feel to be part of such a prestigious group?
It feels like family. Anytime I attend any of the in-person events, I’m not only inspired but am also reminded that I’m not doing this alone. As independent artists, it’s hard to visualize your sense of community unless you’re networking in person. This program has given me the physical tools and skills to further my career in ways I didn’t think of previously. I feel a lot more confident knowing I have sisters around me chasing the same goals and dreams. It feels so good to be involved with the community and Honey Jam does an amazing job at providing us with that.
What can fans expect next from you? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re particularly excited about?
I’m currently working on finishing up my debut EP which is set to release in the fall of this year. I’ve really been taking the time to experiment with my sound and cultivate something that’s enjoyable to everyone. I’m really happy to say that I think we’ve done that! I’ve also been performing live a lot this year, so that’s really exciting as well!
Connect with Cerae:
Instagram