I definitely don’t like to stay put. I’m often in Montreal or Toronto checking out their hottest clubs, shopping at stores exclusive to those cities, or at my favorite artist’s concert who decided to completely skip over my city. When I talk to people from the States and I tell them I’m from Canada, they automatically assume that I’m from the 416 or the 514. Unfortunately, I’m often faced with a look of confusion when I tell them I’m from neither; I actually live in the capital. More confusion ensues because anyone who knows anything about Canada knows that Toronto is the capital of Canada, right? Wrong, it’s actually the little government city of Ottawa.
Although most would consider Ottawa to be a city not at all meant for the creative mind, it’s actually really filled with culture and young adults striving to do great things to put this city “on the map”. Although notable for its’ “lame” reputation, many of us Ottawans feel pride in finding out someone else comes from the same borough as us, whether it be the South, Barhaven, or Orleans. That’s why I decided to put together this piece that would allow Affinity readers from all over the world to discover some of the amazing artists and talents we have here in Ottawa; a city constantly being overshadowed by Toronto and Montreal.
Team Alboe:
With a total of over 13 million combined subscribers on YouTube, the comedic group of entertainers has definitely gained a massive amount of notoriety in the digital world. Partaking in many over the top and extreme challenges, each member has generated an insanely dedicated fandom ranging in all different ages, genders and locations. With “Alboe” standing for “A Little Bit of Everything”, the views on their videos range from 100k hits upwards to around 2million, and the best part? They’re all from Ottawa.
Maurice Moore:
Linked to Kehlani’s “Tsunami Mob” collective, Maurice Moore is an upcoming R&B singer, songwriter, producer & engineer hailing from this capital city. The 19-year-old singer has already worked with a number of Grammy-nominated producers who have, in the past, collaborated with Drake and Chris Brown. Maurice is definitely another great representation of the talents bred in Ottawa.
Herieth Paul
It may not be every girl growing up’s dream to be a model for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, but it was definitely one of mine. Unfortunately I don’t have the height or the body for it so I decided to pursue other career aspirations, but luckily for fellow Ottawan, Herieth Paul, this was not the case. The VS Fashion show is one of the most popular fashion events in the world, and 20-year-old Herieth has knocked it off her list. She’s also walked for Tom Ford, is the current face of Maybelline and was named Canadian Supermodel of the Year.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNeRswWBal1/
Night Lovell:
For all the rap fans out there, this one is for you. With over 12 million views on YouTube and 142 thousand SoundCloud followers, Night Lovell has definitely gained himself a mass following. He’s stated that he wants to transform Ottawa into something different because, as I previously mentioned, it’s known as a government city. His unique underground trap sounds are Tyler the Creator meets Travis Scott and this has warranted him the dedication of fans all around the world.
Although this is just a brief list of some of the city’s most talented, Ottawa is Canada’s capital – filled with culture, arts and life, not just some boring, government city meant to be overshadowed by Toronto and Montreal.
