Juno Award-winning Preston Pablo added to Convergence festival lineup in Oshawa
Published August 25, 2023 at 10:39 am
Juno Award-winning breakout star Preston Pablo has been added to the already stellar lineup at the Convergence Music and Art Festival coming to downtown Oshawa September 23.
In 2021, Pablo signed with 31 East/Universal Music Canada at just 19 and has continued to grow his ‘modern vintage’ style since. Drawing inspiration from classic instruments like piano and guitar, his songwriting process starts from the roots of traditional music and evolves into a sound that is uniquely his own.
His distinctive sound finds its roots in his upbringing in Timmins (also the hometown of pop/country superstar Shania Twain), away from the bustling music scenes of the big city. After wracking up nearly 20 million streams independently, he draws a big sound out those small town roots.
Pablo describes his music as pop and R&B “with a different twist,” but he is not a believer in being pigeon-holed into a musical style or genre. “I’m keeping all my doors open.”
His biggest hit, Flowers Need Rain (in collaboration with Banx & Ranx), not only landed the #1 spot on the Shazam chart in Canada but also achieved double platinum status and soared to a top 5 spot on the Top 40 radio charts, further showcasing his emergence as a music industry powerhouse.
The song also earned a nomination at this year’s Junos for Single of the Year for Pablo, who was also nominated for the Fan Choice Award – against pop superstars like Shawn Mendes, The Weeknd and Avril Lavigne – and won his first Juno for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
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Convergence is taking over downtown Oshawa from September 22 to 24 to celebrate artistic expression and community while bringing people together to appreciate the power of music, art, and Oshawa’s community. Attendees will have the opportunity to see Preston Pablo and many other incredible artists, including the Strumbellas and Chastity, for free on September 23.
Other acts already on the bill include Pickering singer/songwriter Delon Om, a former Canadian Idol contestant and OMA Award winner who catapulted to stardom in 2016 when Virgin Radio 99.9 added Superstar into the rotation; Matthew Holtby, who locals may remember as 94.9 The Rock DJ Matt Diamond, who is working on a solo project after two decades of making music with local bands; and Nerima, is a three-piece OMA-nominated alt-pop band based in Oshawa that has performed their Green Day-meets-Paramore-inspired tunes at NXNE, Springtide and Come Together in New York.
There will also be a visual explosion of mind-bending art and light, a culture jam of international cuisine in the form of an ultramodern street food alley presented by 360insight, a Punk Rock Flea Market, and a Nerd Alley celebrating all things nerd culture. For more information, visit https://www.convergenceoshawa.com/
With files from Will McGuirk
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