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Songs you need to hear is CBC Music’s weekly list of hot new Canadian tracks.
Scroll down to discover the songs our producers are loving right now.
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Housewife, Tate McRae
Pop powerhouse Tate McRae gives us a taste of domestic bliss with her brand new single, Housewife, accompanied by a captivating new music video. With a sassy, tongue-in-cheek delivery, McRae flips classic domestic tropes on their head, transforming what could be a subdued ballad into an audacious anthem of absolute autonomy. Set against the unbeatable, high-glossed production from Ryan Tedder, McRae’s lavish vocals slip between breathy vulnerability and coy defiance as she reframes traditional domesticity entirely on her own terms. “I just wanna make a lot of money, be my own housewife,” she sings with a wink, breaking down traditional stereotypes and flexing independence as a superpower, where love and romantic relationships are a luxury rather than a necessity. Effortlessly balancing her signature pop stylings with playful confidence, McRae once again proves she can undeniably dismantle expectations while delivering an instantly infectious pop hit. — Stevie Carter
Mother, Avery Jane
Montreal-based singer-songwriter Avery Jane is faced with big questions on her latest single, Mother. The emerging folk and R&B artist is grappling with whether motherhood is the path for her in an ever-changing world, as she sings on the chorus: “I always thought that I would be a mother/ when I was ready/ but now I’m older I see/ that nothing’s ever steady.” Avery Jane’s honeyed vocals waltz through the serene production, piano and harp coalescing into a warm hug that soothes the uncertainty within her lyricism. On Instagram, she shared that Mother “was written to grapple with the heavy emotions that surround the world and the future and how we may feel bringing new life into it,” but that it is also an ode to the generations of matriarchs in her family who have nurtured her through her own life. — Kelsey Adams
Rote Zora. “Resistance Is Possible.” Emma, no. 6, June 1984, pp. 39-41., Piss
A lot of buzz has been building around Vancouver punk band Piss’s upcoming debut album, you made me / skin on linen, out Oct. 30. Yet, when you look online, not a lot of music exists. (A visit to the band’s Spotify page only offers listeners three songs to preview.) That’s because the band has cultivated an almost fervent fanbase over the past couple of years through their live shows, which have been described as equal parts electrifying and discomforting. But the latter is on purpose: Piss singer Taylor Zantingh channels the pain and trauma of sexual violence into something confrontational, something you can’t look away from. On record, those feelings are just as palpable. On the band’s latest single, Rote Zora. “Resistance Is Possible.” Emma, no. 6, June 1984, pp. 39-41., Zantingh delivers spoken-word verses as manifesto (“Every act of violence against one woman creates an atmosphere of threat against all women”) in between explosive moments of direct address where she howls, “How can I make you, how can I make you understand?” It’s a guttural knockout. The album likely won’t be pulling any punches. — Melody Lau
Holding On, Jonah Yano
Two years after his last album, Montreal and Japan-based Jonah Yano is back with a new single — one of the first from his forthcoming 2027 record, Spin. Holding On was co-produced by Monsune (Scott Zhang), the Grammy-winning songwriter behind SZA’s hit Saturn, and he brings his polished touch to the song. The track invites listeners to curl up into Yano’s delicate falsetto, propelled by twinkling piano and gentle drums. “It’s getting lonely, that must’ve been better than holding on,” he sings, before later adding: “What did I think? You’d just sit there waiting on me?” acknowledging that it’s better to be alone than to cling to a relationship that’s run its course. There’s a sense of grief in each verse, and Yano’s heartbreak is palpable as the instrumentals flutter along. It’s a fully realized sound from a songwriter who has always had a talent for penning introspective tracks, and has once again lifted the veil on his innermost thoughts with aplomb. — Natalie Harmsen
Peace, Siibii feat. Rex Smallboy
Siibii has returned with their first new single since the release of their self-titled debut EP last November. Peace is an unflinching and triumphant callout of the colonial forces that tried to crush Indigenous identity and culture. The rousing drums and guitar grow bolder and bolder as Siibii sings about Indigenous survival and resistance in the face of residential schooling (“the children you’ve stolen, my spirit knows them”), forced cultural assimilation (“you took a piece of me, you took my pride”), broken treaties (“left me to die on land that you’ve stolen”) and more. Siibii’s commanding voice soars throughout Peace and is joined by Cree rapper Rex Smallboy’s incisive bars. In a press release, Siibii shared the importance of having Smallboy’s perspective on the track: “He comes from an earlier generation of Indigenous artists who used hip-hop to speak openly about our realities … I’m coming from a newer generation and a different musical space, but so much of what we’re saying is connected.” — KA