What to know<\/p>\n
In an exclusive interview with Now Toronto, The Free Label draws on their childhood love of disco and funk, from Earth, Wind & Fire to James Brown, to shape their signature sound.<\/p>\n
Years of touring and creating together have made the six-piece band feel almost telepathic, finishing each other\u2019s sentences both on stage and off.<\/p>\n
Their songwriting thrives on spontaneity, letting vibe and groove dictate the flow of each track in the studio.<\/p>\n
With tracks like \u201cChuckii\u2019s Jam\u201d and a string of dance-driven singles, The Free Label keeps disco alive while making crowds move worldwide.<\/p>\n
Dance. Sweat. Disco. Toronto\u2019s own The Free Label says that\u2019s exactly what fans can expect when they take the stage for their homecoming show this weekend.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s music scene is no stranger to experimental sounds, but The Free Label has carved out a space entirely their own. As the only Canadian disco band actively rising on the global stage, the six-member group is on a mission not only to become the next big name in the genre, but to prove that disco is a sound capable of transcending generations.<\/p>\n
The band\u2019s members, all between ages 25 to 30 years old, trace their love of music back to their childhood. Lead vocalist Josh Tsakas and bassist Mathew Fantini credit their parents\u2019 record collections for shaping their tastes, recalling a steady rotation of icons from Earth, Wind & Fire to The Beatles.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that energy of the 60s to the 80s is just something that I fell in love with as a kid and has brought me through till today,\u201d Fantini told Now Toronto.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all grew up on James Brown, all that kind of music, and it just influenced us from day one. We\u2019ve always wanted to do it like them\u2013live\u2013like James Brown,\u201d Tsakas echoed.<\/p>\n
Formed in 2017, the band rounds out its lineup with guitarist Malik Mungo, keyboardist Cole Mendez, drummer Jason Martin, and synth player Jacob Thompson. And according to Tsakas, being in The Free Label is exactly what you\u2019d expect from a group of six guys making music together: chaotic in the best way, loud, and full of inside jokes. \u201cA lot of fun,\u201d he laughed.<\/p>\n
Fantini says that brotherly energy is what makes their collaboration so natural. \u201cI think that we spent so much time together, playing and travelling that it really is quite easy. We\u2019re like almost finishing each other\u2019s sentences at some points,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What truly sets The Free Label apart is their spontaneous songwriting process. Rather than coming to a studio with pre-written concepts, the band often enters with nothing more than a ready-to-go vibe, letting creativity and groove take the lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t talk about anything beforehand. No old ideas, only new ideas. We just start playing and vibe off each other,\u201d Tsakas explained. \u201cOnce it feels really good, that\u2019s where we start to build on and create.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fantini says that constant touring and spending nearly every day together keeps them on the same wavelength before they even step into the room.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince we live life together, I think that creating the music just kind of comes very naturally. We\u2019ll start, and the words will come, and the music will come. We just try and let everything flow out of us,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That style is front and centre on their latest single, \u201cChuckii\u2019s Jam,\u201d a tribute to singer and instrumentalist Chuckii Booker and the dance-funk spirit of his Niice \u2018n Wiild album. The track had been a staple in their live shows long before it ever hit streaming platforms, and after months of fans asking for an official release, the band finally dropped it in late September.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of a collective of all his Soul Trilogies that kind of formed how we play music. And it\u2019s a cool, fun jam,\u201d Tsakas said.<\/p>\n
\u201cChuckii\u2019s Jam\u201d is the newest addition to a run of dance-driven releases from the band this year, following the singles \u201cDANCING ON YOUR OWN,\u201d \u201cGALS4U,\u201d and their earlier deluxe funk project, Songs For Sienna.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re in our Disco Daddies era right now,\u201d Fantini laughed. \u201cWe\u2019re heading into dance music. We\u2019re heading into late nights. We\u2019re heading into getting everybody packed up, sweating in that room. We want people to move, and our next record will reflect that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The duo says all of these tracks, and then some, are primed to go off at their upcoming Toronto show alongside Ripe and Allen Stone at HISTORY on Dec. 6.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always amazing to come home. Toronto has always been our most wild and energetic crowd every time\u2026it\u2019s gonna be wild,\u201d Tsakas assured.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the city that made us, made our name, and the reason why we play the music we do,\u201d Fantini said. \u201cThe reason why we perform what we do is because that\u2019s what Toronto crowds deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
With a European tour on the horizon, the band is preparing to take their sound across the pond. While they stayed tight-lipped on upcoming collaborations, they promised that their 2026 takeover is imminent, and that a return to the 6ix is definitely in the cards.<\/p>\n
\u201cA whole lot of music is coming next year \u2013 expect disco, funk, and soul for sure,\u201d Tsakas said. \u201cSo many festivals lined up, so be ready for a very big year!\u201d<\/p>\n