Music in the Streets
Last summer, local talent took centre stage with Music in the Streets, a program bringing live music to enhance public spaces in City Centre, Austin Heights and Burquitlam.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by, danced along and enjoyed the vibes. Stay tuned for 2027 programming!
Special thanks to Long and McQuade for supporting the program.
2026 Artists
Award winning singer/songwriter, Ahshï is a pop artist who explores the crevices of her life through song. With 90s indie girl vibes, she plays our heart strings sharing her songs of love, heartbreak and growing up. Ahshï is the first artist to hold four spots simultaneously in the top 20 Galaxy New Zealand charts and has been featured as The Peak 102.7FM Artist of the Month after playing for Japanese band, The Fin on their North American Tour. Accompanied by Coquitlam based guitarist, Connor Neidig, these two have performed for over a decade on stage and in studio, and are bound to give an incredible show every time!
Meet Lenny & Pete! Once fierce rivals on the lacrosse field they have been conjuring toe tapping, crowd singing atmospheres across numerous venues including Roxy Cabaret, Cloverdale Rodeo, and the 2024 grey cup since 2020. Carpenter by day, showman by night and storyteller by nature, Pete, aka Matt Peterson-Muirhead takes the helm as the band’s lead singer drawing influence from the environment, the city’s characters, and from great blues, country, rock and bluegrass players. Lenny, aka Drew Leonard anchors the band on lead guitar, guiding the group with enchanting riffs, melodic licks, and captivating solos.
Jazz Performance and Composition students at Capilano University, Marta and Amanda are a piano-vocal duo, whose repertoire consists largely of jazz standards and songs from the Great American Songbook. They also take inspiration from a wide variety of influences including jazz greats, Betty Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, and Samara Joy. Marta and Amanda have played at several jazz clubs, corporate events, and restaurant venues.
Natasha Kozak is a Singer/Songwriter with over 20 years of performance. Originally a music theater performer, Natasha employs strong vocals and harmonies while performing her contemporary, pop music compositions. Natasha has worked with live bands, performed at weddings, and busked across Vancouver.
Neo Harmonia Duo are comprised of musicians Zhongxi Wu & Sarah Tan who blends classical, modern, and improvised styles to create contemporary expressions for traditional Asian instruments. Zhongxi Wu, a suona and sheng soloist is skilled in traditional wind instruments. He has toured in China, Japan, the USA, Europe, and Canada and featured in numerous solo, chamber and orchestral recordings and performances. Sarah Tan, a guzheng performer and teacher, is dedicated to exploring the fusion of traditional folk music with intercultural music and is a prominent member of several ensembles, including the B.C. Chinese Music Ensemble. Together, Neo Harmonia Duo has performed enchanting music across venues such as the Chinese Canadian Museum and Dragon Boat Festival.
Nkwali is a Zimbabwean Afro-fusion and traditional artist known for her strong vocals, energetic stage presence, and performances rooted in cultural storytelling and isitshikitsha-inspired rhythms. Based in Canada, she has performed at major cultural events including the Edmonton Fringe Festival, the Afro-Caribbean Festival in St. Albert, and Zimbabwe Independence celebrations across British Columbia. Nkwali’s performances highlight heritage, identity, and unity which have helped her grow a strong following within Canadian African and multicultural arts spaces.
Paula Pazos, a singer-songwriter from Buenos Aires, blends music and technology to create experiences around themes such as friendship, grief, imposter syndrome, and relationships. With over 10 years of experience, she is a member of the Latin GRAMMYs, has presented her albums in Barcelona, Madrid, and Buenos Aires.
Steven Marriott is a singer-songwriter and full-time live performer known for his engaging, high-energy shows. Performing over 200 shows each year across British Columbia, he has built a reputation as a “human jukebox,” blending crowd favorites with original music in a way that keeps audiences involved from start to finish. Beyond the local stage, Steven has performed internationally as an onboard musician for expedition cruises in Antarctica and Northern Europe, bringing music to some of the most remote places on earth.
2025 Artists
Choong-Hoon Kwak, performing as GMWEEK, is a Coquitlam-based pianist known for emotional, reflective pieces inspired by everyday life. Through local concerts and his YouTube channel GMWEEK piano, he shares heartfelt melodies that invite listeners to pause, connect, and feel at home.
Francis Baptiste is an Indigenous songwriter whose work explores cultural reclamation, addiction, and fatherhood. His debut album Sneqsilx (Family) features songs in Nsyilxcən, the endangered language of the Syilx people. In 2024, he released Senklip, the Trickster, followed by Lived Experience in East Vancouver, a candid reflection on his struggle with addiction. CBC has called him “unsparingly candid,” describing his single “Lazy Lake” as “lushly hypnotic.”
Jirong Huang, a graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, has performed across Canada and the U.S. since arriving in Vancouver in 1988. A featured erhu soloist on TV, CBC Radio, and at the Governor General’s Concert, Jirong blends Western classical and contemporary styles into Chinese music, earning praise from audiences and critics alike.
Marta Kalmar and Amanda Cabralda are music students at Capilano University, studying Jazz Performance & Composition. Since 2022, they’ve performed together as a piano-vocal duo, focusing on jazz standards with touches of pop and R&B. Their influences include Betty Carter, Jazzmeia Horn, Amy Winehouse and Samara Joy.
Naomi Chan is a seasoned vocalist whose performances span Asia and North America. She has shared the stage with artists like Michael Bublé, Shaggy, The Wailers and David Pomeranz. Known for her soulful voice and magnetic stage presence, Naomi brings power and heart to every performance.
Natasha Kozak has been singing and performing since the age of 8, beginning her career in musical theatre before transitioning into contemporary and pop music. She has performed as a TransLink busker and regularly appears at local shows and events throughout the Tri-Cities.