Ginalina (Gina Lam) is a Vancouver-based singer-songwriter whose 'fusion folk' is inspired by connecting with nature, exploring her cultural heritage, and building community. A second generation Canadian with Taiwanese roots, she plays guitar, ukulele and violin, and sings in English, Mandarin, Taiwanese and French. Her six albums have been recognized with a Canadian Folk Music Award and two Western Canadian Music Awards, as well as four Juno Award nominations and five Canadian Folk Music Award nominations. Ginalina has performed at the Mariposa Folk Festival, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, the Yukon Arts Centre, the Jade Music Festival Asia, and the Canadian Folk Music Awards. A former professional engineer and process improvement expert, she now maintains a busy multidisciplinary artistic career that includes performing with Darling Sparrows, running workshops in her role as a Kala ukulele 'ambassador', performing and recording music for children, writing books, mentoring emerging artists through Creative BC and Women in Music Canada, and supporting remote youth communities through Connected North. Ginalina believes in the purpose and power of music to inspire curiosity, compassion and change.
Sophie Lukacs Winner of the 'Global Album of the Year' at the 2024 Canadian Folk Music Awards, Sophie is a kora player and singer-songwriter who was born in Budapest. Her musical journey began with classical violin and Hungarian folk songs, but a chance encounter in Burkina Faso while in university changed everything. It was her first taste of the West African kora, a 21-stringed harp-lute from the Mandingue empire traditionally played only by men from the griot musical caste. Sophie moved to Bamako to study with kora legend Toumani Diabaté and stayed for seven years. She now performs across the globe, bringing her original music interwoven with Mandingue and Hungarian Folk songs, and singing in English, French, Bambara and Hungarian. Her story shows that music has no borders, only bridges waiting to be built.