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Occurring from May 20th to the 24th, this year’s East Coast Music Awards week was held in Sydney, Nova Scotia. A round-trip of 3000 kilometers, and gas prices nearing two dollars a litre, attending was far from a casual decision. Still, as a broadcaster with CJLO 1690 AM and host of Eastern Promises - a show dedicated to bringing the music of the East Coast to Montreal audiences - I felt the pilgrimage would prove worthwhile.

After two days of driving, I arrived in Sydney in time to pick up my media pass, check in to my hotel, and somehow prepare for the gala’s red carpet. Running mostly on caffeine and adrenaline I was directed to a small corner alongside reporters and content creators, all waiting for the artists to arrive. There was no clear system in place, as musicians randomly ambled towards us and it took a few awkward exchanges before everyone settled into a rhythm. At first the queries were of the stock variety: ‘How does it feel to be nominated?’ ‘What does this mean to you?’ but it quickly became apparent that many artists were looking for something more meaningful. The ECMAs, after all, are an industry machine and it was evident that many of the creators, not necessarily used to these types of proceedings, struggled to maintain their authenticity amid the expectations of performance. Thankfully I was able to recall details about the artists from my years researching for the radio show, allowing me to dig a little deeper when called for.

Some were exceptionally generous, willing to be candid about their perspectives, and their processes, despite the time constraints. Others were quite happy to provide pre-packaged soundbites. Neither approach was wrong. They would then shuffle off to have official pictures taken, refortifying their personas for purposes of enduring the moment. The gala, like most, was populated with industry types, including suit-clad label representatives, sponsors and media, yet, try as they might, the corporate exercise that is the ECMA spectacle gave way to an underlying atmosphere of sincerity; a testament to the unpretentious character Atlantic Canada is known for.

I had brought a box of business cards to help network in the traditional sense, and though I had it in mind to attend showcases and mixers intending to press palms, I found myself taking a less conventional route to create professional ties. I simply went with the flow. Sydney is a community of roughly 30,000 people and it wasn’t difficult to spot those on the street who were there for the week: the omnipresent lanyards were a dead giveaway. Given that Atlantic Canadians are known for being approachable, I was able to adopt a carefree manner with which to introduce myself and my show. Though this did not come naturally to me – I’m not particularly extroverted – the interactions felt more organic than the orchestrated cocktails and showcases created specifically for industry delegates.

I ended up making connections in unlikely places: Waiting in line outside clubs, browsing in bookstores, grabbing a coffee, and weaving through crowds at concerts. Nothing felt transactional and it always started with ‘How’s it going?”

Seeing as it took many participants varied levels of effort to attend the ECMAs in remote Sydney, the logistics of getting to the event became a natural point of conversation. Yet what seemed to endear me to people - what distinguished me - was the fact I had travelled from Montreal. Montreal, as it turned out, was the key.

It’s no secret that our city has cultural currency among the rest of Canada, let alone the East Coast. Despite its language politics, high taxes, rising cost of living, and reputation as a city where touring musicians are liable to have their gear stolen, it still evokes a mystique to those in art circles. Curious about this perception, I began asking those on the red carpet what their thoughts were regarding Montreal. Though it may have appeared that I was angling for praise, my intention was more analytical: I wanted to get a sense of the city’s issues to touring musicians as well as where it currently stood in the national imagination. I also wanted the approach to turn the tables on Atlantic-Canadians, reversing the dynamic when it comes to artistic legitimacy. 

The common perception is that the hard scrabbled East Coast of our country is, culturally and economically, on the peripheral compared to the metropolises found in Quebec and Ontario, but I believe it is a narrative that’s misconstrued or, at the very least, outdated. While Montreal still holds an energy that continues to inspire, its rise in unaffordability and ongoing gentrification has whittled down its accessibility to artists.

Paradoxically, the province’s erratic history contributed to low housing costs that attracted full-time artists. But with stabilizing markets at the turn of the Millenium its reputation as an affordable haven for creatives slowly surrendered to the few who had either financial backing or other forms of support. As a result, Montreal’s music community has been significantly divided by artists with economic stability and those juggling employment while surviving project to project.

Conversely, this has put the East Coast in an enviable position. Smaller centres and comparatively affordable living costs have allowed many musicians to keep making art within strong, community-oriented scenes. An increasing number of artists from within Canada and abroad have moved to St. John’s, Halifax, Charlottetown, and other smaller cities and towns to pursue their careers with less financial pressure. Strong regional infrastructure also supports high-quality recording studios, production resources, and distribution networks.

Yet the greatest game changer has been technological. Geography remains the East Coast music scene’s greatest obstacle — touring across vast distances is expensive and exhausting — but social media and digital distribution have fundamentally altered what is possible for artists in the region. Musicians no longer need to relocate elsewhere to expand their audiences. Artists from Cape Breton, rural Newfoundland, or Prince Edward Island can now build dedicated followings across the globe while remaining firmly rooted in their communities.

That, ultimately, may have been the most striking realization of ECMA week: Atlantic Canada is no longer merely exporting talent to larger cultural centres. Increasingly, it’s becoming a destination in its own right — a place where artists can build sustainable careers without sacrificing community, identity, or quality of life.

I had plenty of time to reflect during my sixteen-hour drive back to Montreal. In the end it was the experience outside of the ECMA events that was the most rewarding: the chance to spontaneously meet brilliant and considerate artists committed to creating work that brings beauty and honesty into the world, at a time where we especially need both.

The ECMAs were not simply about making connections or exposure to the industry. They became an opportunity to affirm long-held assumptions about where meaningful artistic culture is created in Canada — and how we can continue to challenge and reimagine these long-held misconceptions.

I’m already looking forward to Moncton in 2027.

Donald Roberge is the host of Eastern Promises, an exploration of the music of Eastern Canada, on air every other
Sunday from 8-9pm

In my anniversary review for The Devil Wears Prada, I expressed my hesitancy regarding the movie’s sequel. Although it certainly cannot hold a candle to its predecessor, I am pleased to report that The Devil Wears Prada 2 is an enjoyable movie with a bleeding heart at its core. 

The movie takes place twenty years after Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) left her position as an assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), the formidable editor-in-chief of Runway magazine. Andy is now an established investigative reporter, and in the opening scene, she is set to receive a major award for her work. In the seconds before her speech, she (and all her colleagues) received a text message notification that their entire newsroom was being laid off—a situation eerily familiar to journalists working across both legacy and independent media today. 

Meanwhile, the past two decades have immensely changed the atmosphere of Runway. Once the world’s foremost fashion magazine, Runway now struggles to maintain relevance. Consumers no longer flip pages of print magazines for directives on how to dress. Consumers barely even click to read articles posted on the Runway website. Even Miranda’s status as the ultimate gatekeeper of high fashion has dwindled. While in the first movie, Miranda carelessly tossed her coats onto the desk of her degraded second assistant, she must now hang outerwear herself on a rack at the corner of her office. Plus, Miranda can be cancelled now: the narrative catalyst is Miranda facing significant backlash for publishing a puff piece about a brand that uses sweatshop labour to manufacture its clothing. This backlash is apparently so catastrophic that not only do Runway’s top advertisers threaten to cut ties with the magazine—a revenue loss which would debilitate the already floundering magazine—but also kneecap Miranda’s promotion to Head of Global Content at Elias-Clark, Runway’s parent company. 

Compared to the sobering reality of Andy’s initial predicament, I found myself irritated by the implausibility of this apparently cataclysmic editorial error. If no one reads Runway anymore, would people really react so strongly to Miranda failing to screen a random puff piece? Runway is a thinly veiled stand-in for Vogue magazine, and a quick trip to Vogue’s website shows recent articles about brands like Zara, Nike, and H&M, all of which have faced serious allegations of human rights violations in labour facilities. Even luxury brands like Versace, Gucci, and (yes) Prada are being investigated by Italian authorities for exploitative labour practices. Would the consequences of Miranda’s puff piece mishap be so significant that she must bend to the will of her couture advertisers, offering them free advertising space in upcoming issues and website articles? I really don’t think so.

Well, at least this set-up serves its purpose of reuniting the cast of characters we know and love from the original Devil Wears Prada. Andy is hired by Runway as the new features editor, tasked with repairing Miranda’s image and reviving engagement with Runway’s editorials. Nigel (Stanley Tucci) is still working as the creative director of Runway, and immediately resurrects his role as Andy’s wise and benevolent guide. Emily (Emily Blunt) appears as a senior executive at Dior, one of the fashion houses that Miranda must appease after her puff piece debacle. Still headstrong, Emily has nevertheless also been snubbed by the deterioration of legacy media. Once singularly devoted to climbing the ranks of Runway, Emily pivoted to luxury retail because, she says, that’s the only sector of the fashion industry that still makes money. Strewn throughout the movie are many, many, many cameos: Donatella Versace, Lady Gaga, and Amelia Dimoldenberg of “Chicken Shop Date,” to name just a few.

My favourite aspect of the original Devil Wears Prada is its earnest adoration for the craft of fashion. This sequel cares less about fashion—unfortunately, the costumes were disappointing—but it cares deeply about journalism. The devil of this movie is Jay Ravitz (B.J. Novak), the newly appointed head of Elias-Clark, who dresses like a millennial tech-bro and acts like a McKinsey intern who just learned the concept of downsizing and is bursting at the seams to try it. Jay Ravitz holds no regard for fashion or journalism and views Runway as a poor investment. His callous attitude places the entire Runway institution in true life-or-death jeopardy. The movie makes its distaste for Jay Ravitz abundantly clear. More than that, Aline Brosh McKenna’s frustration with the devaluation of journalists, the collapse of legacy media, and impending A.I. doom proves a fiery force that powers her slightly-jaded-but-still-glamorous world of 2026 high fashion.
Sure, The Devil Wears Prada 2 isn’t perfect. But it has some good laughs, every acting performance is spectacular, and above all, it cares. I mean, the producers hired an actual artist to paint an AI-generated meme. In my opinion, that alone should convince you to watch it.

Hundreds gathered for Red Dress Day in Montreal on May 5th. A day to raise awareness for murdered and missing indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people. 

The event was led by the Native Women's Shelter and started at Cabot Square with speeches and music before taking to the streets. Calls for more government action for MMIWG2S were made.