Victoria Abraham defines one up and coming artist each week so you can impress your friends with your musical brilliance. This week, she tackles Bahamas, an indie crooner from Toronto, Ontario.
Bahamas will make you appreciate the guitar in a whole new way. He spent years in the background, playing piano and guitar for Canadian indie songstress Feist until he decided to get a slice of the limelight, releasing his debut album Pink Strat in 2009. Now he is playing sold out shows in Canada, Australia and the United States.
Origins: Toronto, Ontario.
Real name: Afie Jurvanen
Known for: Bahamas is known for a dreamy, soulful sound that transports you to a different place.
Used in a sentence: “This Ontarion is a testament to the diversity of Ontario’s music scene, showing that it’s not all about Drake and Bieber.”
Download now: “Your Sweet Touch”
File next to: Doug Paisley and Bry Webb
Fun facts: Bahamas’ guitar prowess is self-taught. Aside from the dreamy quality of his music, Bahamas is known for playing a very old Fender Stratocaster. He recorded his debut album in a cabin in rural Ontario and has worked with many musicians including Zeus, Howie Beck, and Jason Collett.
Both his albums carry the guitar theme through their titles in an effort to celebrate the instrument.
Career highlights: His 2009 album Pink Strat was nominated for a 2010 JUNO award for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year –Solo. In February 2012 he released his second album, Barchords.Notable lyrics:
Notable Lyrics: Bahamas gets all bittersweet and romantic with his song, “Your Sweet Touch.”
“Time Means So Much If All I Have Is Your Sweet Touch/and So It Goes, And So It Goes, Which Way I’ve Never Ever Known/Do I Hold You Back In All The Ways I Lack What Ya Need Dear/And Headed Toward The End You Were Looking For A Friend And That Ain’t Me dear.”
