Our Team

Barbra Lica is a JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter-producer based in Toronto, Canada. A seasoned act on the Canadian and American club and festival circuits, Barbra Lica has performed everywhere from New York City’s legendary Birdland to Toronto’s prestigious Koerner Hall. She has also headlined at festivals across the continent including Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, Vancouver International Jazz Festival and Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, and opened for the likes of Christian McBride, Pat Metheny, Bob Dorough, and Terence Blanchard.

Her 2018 album, You’re Fine, marked the first introduction of Folk and Americana elements to her repertoire and amassed over 6 million streams to date on Spotify. More recently, Imposter Syndrome garnered her two 2024 Canadian Folk Music Awards nominations in the categories of Single of the Year (In 40 Years)and Solo Artist of the Year. The album single, The Ghost of Me, took home the 2023 Ontario Folk Music Awards CMRRA Song of the Year prize.

In addition to writing for herself, Barbra has written cuts for such artists as jazz crooner Matt Dusk, rising J-Pop singer Harumi, and Taiwanese pop recording artist, Morrison Ma. She is the co-founder/arranger (with Anders Azzopardi) and lead vocalist for the Toronto Chamber-Pop Orchestra, an all new folk-jazz-classical crossover project featuring all-original music cinematically arranged for 14 instruments plus voice.

www.barbralicamusic.com

Lily Frost is a Gemini Award–nominated songwriter, celebrated for the theme song for the hit TV series Being Erica, which was released by Warner Records. Over the past 30 years, she has released 14 albums internationally, with her songs featured in major films and TV shows including Disney’s Crazy Beautiful, Grey’s Anatomy, Workin’ Moms, Chevy Cobalt, and more. She has been honored as Vocalist of the Year in Vancouver and received a Bravo Video Award for her work in visual media.

A dynamic figure in the music scene, Lily was an integral part of the West Coast lounge revival and helped spearhead the Cocktail Nation movement, touring for 5 years from Los Angeles to Seattle. She later signed as a solo artist to Nettwerk Records, and went on to sign with Marquis Classics, Aporia Records (Toronto), and Bon Sound (France).

A specialist in lyrics and a top-liner, Lily empowers songwriters to craft strong, authentic songs while also mentoring artists in broader career development — from building a band and booking shows to overcoming stage fright, creating strong imaging, and managing emotional and creative blocks.

Lily has trained and co-written with writers in Nashville (including Benita Hill) and Los Angeles, bringing a global sensibility to her collaborations. She also hosts several radio shows at Zoomer Radio, where she champions local artists and songwriters and stays deeply connected to the Canadian music scene.

www.lilyfrost.com

Singer-songwriter Stephen Stanley may most immediately be known as a founding member, lead guitarist and vocalist with Toronto’s Lowest of the Low. The group’s “genuinely timeless album” (Exclaim!), Shakespeare My Butt…, earned gold record status and saw the band share stages with the likes of Billy Bragg, The Violent Femmes, amongst many others.

Stephen ultimately had his own mark and music to make and The Stephen Stanley Band became his focus. He’s logged monumental shows with the likes of, 54•40, Bob Mould, Cracker, Lee Ann Womak, Jake Clemons, Willie Nile, The Jayhawks, and Lloyd Cole. He’s played festival stages in Germany, and toured across the UK and Ireland. The band’s new album, Before The Collapse Of The Hive (Wolfe Island Records) is an album brimming with raw, unflinching urgency, steadfast observation and soul-searching storytelling that highlights Stephen’s immediate world: those he loves, and those he’s lost.

www.stephenstanleyband.com

Cameron Carpenter is a veteran of the Canadian music industry having held senior positions at Quality Records, MCA Records, BMG and Sony Music in A&R, Marketing, Artists Relations and International.

He was on the team that brought XM Satellite Radio to Canada and has worked at Indie Week and NXNE. Cameron has also worked as a freelance journalist, artist manager and publicist and was twice awarded “Major Label Publicist” at the Canadian Music Industry Awards.

Lisa Whynot is a prominent entertainment lawyer known for her extensive experience in music law and her dedication to advocating for artists, songwriters, producers, mixers, labels and music industry professionals. Having spent 15 years in Los Angeles, California and now based in Toronto, Canada, Lisa has established herself as a key figure in the music business, on both sides of the border.

Early in her career, Lisa started her own entertainment law firm and management company, where she honed her skills and gained valuable experience working with up-and-coming clients. Her deep understanding of the complexities of the music industry quickly distinguished her as a top-tier music lawyer. She joined the legal team at EMI Music Canada, before moving stateside and being recruited by top entertainment law firms based in Los Angeles. 

In her practice, Lisa handles a wide range of legal matters, including contract negotiation, copyright and trademark issues, licensing agreements, and royalty disputes. She is known for her strategic approach and her ability to provide clear, practical advice that empowers her clients to make informed decisions. Her clients include emerging artists, established musicians, producers, mixers, songwriters record labels, and music publishers, all of whom rely on her expertise to navigate the complexities of the industry.

Beyond her professional achievements, Lisa is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of music industry professionals and artists; she frequently speaks at industry conferences and participates in panels discussing the evolving landscape of the music business.

https://edwardslaw.ca/our-people/entertainment-lawyer-lisa-whynot/

Frankie Whyte is a Canadian songwriter, producer and guitarist. 

Having formed the punk band Frankie Whyte and The Dead Idols, she spent over a decade performing with bands such as Kiss, Bon Jovi and Our Lady Peace. 

Frankie Whyte and the Dead Idols lent their music to independent films such as Moon Point (2011), and Black Widows in collaboration with Ed Stadium (The Ramones, Misfits). 

She has collaborated on writing sessions in Toronto, Los Angeles and Nashville with independent and major label artists, while contributing as a top liner with Sony / ATV Music Publishing. 

As a touring guitarist, she has shared tours with Simple Plan and Demi Lovato. 

English singer/songwriter, author, and political activist Billy Bragg has enjoyed more than 40 years making music, much of it in the spotlight or spotlight-adjacent. His songs, always literate and yet still down-to-earth, often centre on left-wing political concerns, though his observations on love are some of the best ever written. Gaining inspiration from everyone from The Clash to the Four Tops to Beethoven, Billy Bragg has found himself in always-interesting creative situations. For just a few examples, he has:

• written and produced music for the lyrics of the late Woody Guthrie
• annually curated a left-of-centre stage at the Glastonbury festival
• recorded an album at train stations between Chicago and Los Angeles (with collaborator Joe Henry)

Often an impassioned speaker at political events and in government committees, Billy Bragg will hopefully find some respite in focusing on his creative process as keynote speaker at this coming winter’s online SongStudio songwriting workshop.

www.billybragg.co.uk

Rachael Kennedy is a Grammy-Winning songwriter and makes up one third of the writing/production team LIONCHLD. The multi-national trio has made a name for themselves in the music industry with accolades that include a Grammy award win for Kabaka’s Reggae Album of the year in 2023, 2 Latin Grammy nominations for Rauw Alejandro’s Trap Cake Vol. 2, Chris Brown’s 8x Platinum international hit Nostalgico, and roughly 2 billion cumulative streams on all of the songs they’ve written and produced. Other notable cuts include Calvin Harris, Charlie Puth, Britney Spears, Bebe Rexha, Shenseea, Rvssian, Tiago, Dixie D’Amelio, Kiana Lede, Girls Generation and Galantis.

Rachael has also found success in the world of TV & Film. She’s written and composed for TV shows like Timbaland’s The Pop Game, Fox’s hit TV series EMPIRE, and HBO’s Insecure. She wrote music for the soon to be released coming-of-age drama/comedy, POOLS, starring Odessa A’zion (Grand Army) and Ariel Winter (Modern Family), and at the top of 2024 she and her team were contracted to score an entire 26-episode Nickelodeon series to be released in June 2025.

A multi-instrumentalist and seasoned writer with a strength in melody and lyric, Rachael is also an artist and is gearing up for the release of her first single “Andrea” to be released November 22nd, 2024 under her artist project name, KENNEDY.

www.instagram.com/iamkennedymusic

Andy Curran first burst onto the Canadian music scene in 1982 as the founding member of Coney Hatch, with whom he released three albums in the 1980s and shared stages with the likes of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent, and Rush. As a solo artist in the 1990’s, his self-titled debut album received Juno Award nominations for Most Promising Male Vocalist (Curran won this Juno) and Best Metal/Hard Rock Album. Curran subsequently released albums with several band projects: Soho 69, Caramel, and others, plus a continuing songwriting collaboration with Kim Mitchell. He is now in a band with Alex Lifeson, called Envy of None, and has also reunited with his pals in Coney Hatch.

Today, Andy also spends much of his time on what he calls “the other side of the desk”, at SRO Management in Toronto.

andycurranmusic.com

Nicole (Niki) Rochefort, founder of AIM Booking Agency, has been a dynamic force in the performing arts since 2002. Her extensive experience spans production assistance, stage management, and artist development. Nicole began her booking career at LiveTourArtists and then specialized in booking theatre for young audiences with Kids’ Entertainment across the US and Canada. In 2010, she established AIM to support friends touring Ontario, which quickly evolved into an internationally recognized agency representing award-winning musicians in the performing arts and festival marketplace.

In 2016, Nicole was honoured as Agent of the Year by Ontario Presents, a testament to her dedication and impact in the industry. Her commitment has taken her to showcase and exhibit conferences across Canada, the US, and the UK, promoting AIM’s diverse roster. Additionally, she offers career consulting, panel moderation, and guest-lecture services. Nicole is also co-chair of Ontario Creates’ Music Industry Advisory Committee, a board member of Ontario Presents, and a member of the CAPACOA Advocacy Committee, reflecting her commitment to the industry’s growth and development.

www.aimbookingagency.com