100 Collective Records Inc. is a new Canadian label for indie music

July 12, 2024

Teon Gibbs’ musical journey took the artist from Africa to Great Britain and Kelowna.

Over time, the Botswana-born singer/producer has made a name for himself in the British Columbia music scene, performing regularly and collaborating with singer IAMTHELIVING, including on the short film/music video “Where Do We Go From Here” from the JNGL EP.

Unsatisfied with the opportunities available to underrepresented artists from marginalized communities, Gibbs founded the artist development label 100 Collective Records Inc. and launched the Do it for the Culture Festival, which premiered in Kelowna last June.

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With a roster ranging from Calgary funk/rapper Sinzere to Vancouver-based Filipino-Canadian singer Kadias Quing and Kelowna R&B/pop act Cameron James, 100 Collective Records Inc. is off to a strong start.

Gibbs took the time to speak to Postmedia News about this new project before performing at the excellent Phillips Brewing Backyard Music Festival:

Q: What inspired you to start 100 Collective Records?

A: For artists in Western Canada working in specific genres, there are very few opportunities to connect with the music industry, as everything from agents to bookers, etc. is concentrated in Toronto and Montreal. I felt that creating a place where these services could be provided to a roster of carefully selected professional artists could make it easier to build a career.

Q: Kelowna is an interesting location to start a startup like this, right?

A: I live here because I studied audio engineering here and because in a small town it’s easier to focus on your main activity without getting distracted. Another reason to host the Do it for the Culture Festival here is that local businesses are often much more willing to help you out to reap the benefits for the community. In Vancouver, this is much harder.

Q: So in a smaller city, can you more easily connect your destination and your business?

A: I’ve been to so many conferences in big cities where people skip a lot of events just to take the opportunity to hang out with their friends. When people fly here, they come for the event. Even though we’ve had some pretty wet weather this year, I think it went pretty well.

Q: Cameron James is the latest act on the list to release new music with Superstar. How do you put the list together?

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A: First of all, I want to sign artists who are hungry and want to grow their careers. I don’t have time for artists who are inactive or only working occasionally. Cameron and Snowchild Edge are two artists from Kelowna who are perfect examples. They aren’t very well known outside of BC, but I believe the projects they are currently working on have potential and will help them break through much more. I’m proud of the roster and am looking for a really cool Afrobeat artist or super strong R&B singer or rapper to join us.

Q: Is it difficult for you to keep your own art going since the label’s release list is so extensive?

A: I have a new project coming out on September 13th that will show the new direction I’m taking artistically. I’m going from my previous album to where I am now, with an eight-song set, and then I have a whole other project that will be released in 2025. We’re on a good path with the artists we have, and I’d like to expand that to include a few more to develop the management side of things in addition to the music releases.

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