The RIFF Toronto

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Welcome to The Riff, Toronto’s creative culture podcast brought to you by my-toronto.ca, where two internationally acclaimed artists (painter and animator Gary O'Brien and jazz fusion guitarist Jeremy Green) dig into Toronto’s entertainment scene. They’ll be hanging out with all sorts of creative minds...from music, comedy, sports, theatre and everything that lurks in between.

  1. 6d ago

    How Publicists Turn Unknown Artists Into Stars (And Why Most Skip This Step)

    The RIFF S2 - ep5 -Dawn Dwyer Pappas She kept Christina Aguilera fed during a breakdown, watched NSYNC turn into Beatlemania overnight in Toronto, and survived the hyper-corporate world of WWE. On this episode of The Riff Toronto, veteran music publicist Dawn Dwyer-Pappas pulls back the curtain on three decades in the entertainment industry — from Sony and BMG Music Canada to World Wrestling Entertainment to EMI Music Canada. Dawn breaks down what a publicist actually does, why artist trust matters more than any press release, and how the music business has changed in the streaming and social media era. She shares unforgettable stories about Christina Aguilera's rise to fame, NSYNC's explosive Toronto breakthrough, backstage culture at WWE with stars like Ric Flair and John Cena, working with Canadian acts, and the moment she nearly quit her job over an artist's disrespect. Whether you're an independent musician wondering if you need a publicist, a music industry hopeful, or just love wild behind-the-scenes entertainment stories, this conversation is packed with real talk about fame, trust, and the hard work behind the spotlight. Also in this episode: a Toronto food segment featuring Montreal-style bagels from the Bagel House and coffee from Papa Roti, courtesy of our sponsor myToronto.ca. If you enjoyed this episode, give it a like, drop a comment with your favorite story, subscribe for more episodes of The Riff Toronto, and share it with a fellow music lover. #MusicIndustry #Publicist #NSYNC #ChristinaAguilera #WWE #MusicBusiness #TorontoPodcast #BehindTheScenes #EntertainmentIndustry #PodcastClips Resources Mentioned WWE: https://www.wwe.com Sony Music Canada: https://www.sonymusic.ca BMG: https://www.bmg.com EMI/Universal Music Canada: https://www.universalmusic.ca Spotify: https://www.spotify.com myToronto.ca: https://www.mytoronto.ca YouTube Chapters 0:00 Cold open — the Christina Aguilera hotel story 1:10 Intro to The Riff Toronto 8:48 What does a music publicist actually do? 17:31 Life on the road with Christina Aguilera 21:20 Publicist vs. doing it yourself as an artist 26:36 Rule #1: never want it more than the artist 34:39 Behind the scenes at WWE 39:34 Ric Flair's book and other wild stories 46:05 The creative side of being a publicist 48:42 Food segment: Montreal bagels & Papa Roti coffee 58:43 Final thoughts and goodbye Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    How Publicists Turn Unknown Artists Into Stars (And Why Most Skip This Step)

  2. Sep 2

    From Uncle Trent's garage to iHeart's Top 40 Rock Charts

    Johnny Ross - The RIFF S2 ep3 Johnny Ross, frontman of Canadian rock band Learhaven, joins Gary and Jeremy on The Riff Toronto for one of our most honest and entertaining conversations yet. Johnny breaks down the wild chaos of touring Spain and Switzerland (burst pipes, gear crashes, and empty venues that filled up in 5 minutes flat), the story behind "Soulbreaker" landing on Hockey Night in Canada, and why his obsession with '70s tone, vintage gear, and vinyl isn't nostalgia — it's a philosophy. We get into the real talk: why comfort is the enemy of great art, what it actually takes to build a band that lasts, and the one thing Johnny says every great — from Zeppelin to Warren Buffett — has in common. Plus, Gary and Jeremy try Quan Quan on the Esplanade — a Vietnamese hidden gem with a 4.9 ⭐ Google rating that looks like a convenience store from the outside. 🎸 What's in this episode: 0:00 — Intro & the Rush T-shirt story10:00 — Johnny's origin story: Uncle Trent's garage, drums & the family instruments20:00 — Hockey goalie → rock frontman (the connection is real)30:00 — Building Learhaven, the writing process & vintage tone obsession33:00 — The European tour: burst pipes, gear crashes & packed venues45:00 — "Soulbreaker," vinyl, and the art of the album52:00 — What separates the greats? Johnny's answer: "artistic nicotine"🔗 Follow Johnny Ross & Learhaven: 🌐 Website: learhaven.com 📸 Instagram: @JohnnyRoss5th | @Learhaven 🎵 Stream "Soulbreaker" on all platforms 🌆 Toronto's best kept food secret: 📍 Quan Quan — 140 The Esplanade, Toronto 🌐 mytoronto.ca 🎙️ Follow The Riff Toronto: 📸 Instagram: @TheRiffToronto 🌐 mytoronto.ca If this episode fired you up, hit that subscribe button — it's how we keep landing guests like this. #TheRiff #JohnnyRoss #Learhaven #Soulbreaker #CanadianRock #TorontoMusic #RockPodcast #IndieRock #MusicPodcast #VinylCommunity #TorontoPodcast #HockeyNightInCanada #iHeartRadio #RockMusic #MusicianLife #BandLife #TorontoEats #QuanQuan #MyToronto #CreativeThread #RockAndRoll #PodcastLife #NewMusicAlert #LocalMusic #TorontoLocal Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    From Uncle Trent's garage to iHeart's Top 40 Rock Charts

  3. Aug 5

    Why 99% of Content Creators Fail (And How He Didn't)

    Dontoverthinkitchip  - The RIFF S2 ep2 He quit a 6-figure insurance job with only $500/month coming in — and went $75K into debt chasing a dream. Three years later, he's landing brand deals with PlayStation, Nissan, the Toronto Blue Jays, and Chipotle, with 16 million views from nearly 6 million accounts. This is the story of @dontoverthinkitchip. In this episode of The Riff, Gary and Jeremy sit down with Toronto-based content creator Chip — the force behind one of Canada's fastest-rising social media channels. What started as a sports betting page in December 2023 has evolved into a full-time viral content machine built on relatable comedy skits, Toronto food culture, and one unbreakable rule: post every single day. In this episode: Why Chip walked away from a six-figure career with almost nothing in the bankThe real daily grind behind viral content (hint: it starts at 5:30 AM)How he sent 20 DMs a day to restaurants and turned $250 gigs into major brand contractsWhy your biggest supporters will never be the people you grew up withThe moment in Saskatchewan at minus 40 that almost broke him — and what kept him goingHow brands are now paying creators NOT to talk about their productWhy going viral overnight is actually less valuable than the slow grindThe Kevin James obsession that shaped his entire comedic styleWhat consistency + originality actually looks like in practiceWhy 99% of creators quit — and the one mindset shift that separates those who make itPlus: The guys taste pulled pork brisket mac & cheese from Smoke'N Bones on Baldwin Street — and Chip makes a case for why Baldwin Street is the most underrated food strip in Toronto. Whether you're a content creator, an entrepreneur, or just someone who's been sitting on a dream they haven't acted on yet — this one's for you. 🎙️ The Riff — where creativity winds its way through food, music, art, and everything in between. Hosted by Gary & Jeremy, brought to you from the heart of Toronto. 📍 Food feature sponsored by mytoronto.ca — your guide to exploring Toronto like a local. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Follow Chip: Instagram/TikTok/Facebook: @dontoverthinkitchip Follow The Riff: [Your social links here] Explore Toronto: mytoronto.ca --- #ContentCreator #Toronto #TheRiff #DontOverthinkItChip #TorontoFood #SocialMedia #CreatorEconomy #Entrepreneurship #SmokNBones #BaldwinStreet Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    Why 99% of Content Creators Fail (And How He Didn't)

  4. Jul 14

    Electronic artist’s guide to playing big lineups

    Andrew Stasiw - The RIFF S2 ep1 Toronto's underground EDM scene has a new king — and he built it from a laptop during lockdown. Andrew Stasiw of King and Queen Events joins Gary and Jeremy on The Riff to pull back the curtain on how he went from bedroom producer to booking global heavyweights like Danny Avila, Maddox, and Sam Pacho at iconic venues like Coda — all as an independent operator competing against the monopolies. In this episode: 🎧 How to break into the EDM scene (basement to mainstage) 📈 The networking moves that actually work (cold emails are dead) 🌍 What it's REALLY like hosting international DJs in Toronto 🎶 Why reading the room separates good DJs from GREAT ones 💼 Balancing friendship and business in the music industry 🔥 Why Toronto's electronic scene is exploding RIGHT NOW Plus — we taste Rasta Pasta from Waterworks Food Hall. Jamaican-Italian fusion. Trust us on this one. Whether you're an aspiring DJ, a music lover, or an entrepreneur figuring out how to grind your way to the top — this episode hits different. Subscribe & hit the bell so you never miss a new episode of The Riff, where we chase the creative thread connecting music, food, arts, and culture. 🔗 King and Queen Events: kingqueenevents.com | @kingqueenevents ☕ Coffee by Found Coffee — Front Street, Toronto 🍝 Food by Rasta Pasta — Waterworks Food Hall, King West 🌐 Explore Toronto like a local: mytoronto.ca #TheRiff #TorontoEDM #KingQueenEvents #DJLife #TorontoNightlife #EDMToronto #Podcast #MusicBusiness #HouseMusic #Techno #AndrewStasiw #Coda #TorontoEvents Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    Electronic artist’s guide to playing big lineups

  5. Jun 17

    200M Streams. No Label. No Rules.

    EMM - The Riff ep 12 She climbed into a coffin full of biting worms — and kept singing. 🎵🐛 In this episode of The Riff, Gary and Jeremy sit down with EMM — a classically trained, award-winning artist from Traverse City, Michigan who grew up surrounded by musical prodigies, moved to New York before high school, and built an independent music empire with 200 million streams entirely on her own terms. Now signed with Sony/The Orchard (while keeping full ownership of her masters), EMM is on The Dumb Tour promoting her album Black Diamond — and she stopped into The Riff studio fresh off a sold-out Toronto show at the Drake Underground. In this episode: 🎤 The coffin shoot — wrong worms, biting legs, 2 hours in bugs (and she was singing live) 🎹 Growing up at Interlochen, home of child prodigies practicing 12 hours a day 💡 Why "irrational confidence" is her secret weapon 💰 How brand deals funded her music before the music funded itself 🎧 The truth about publishing rights, predatory label contracts, and keeping your leverage 🌀 Manifestation, flow states, and "transcendence" on stage 📵 Dopamine detoxes and why boredom is rocket fuel for creativity 🍪 Gluten-free treats from Bunner's Bakery in Kensington Market (and yes, they're incredible) Whether you're an artist, entrepreneur, or just someone chasing something big — this one's for you. Follow EMM: @emminreallife (all socials) | Link in bio Explore Toronto like a local: mytoronto.ca 🔔 Like, subscribe & share — sharing is caring Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    200M Streams. No Label. No Rules.

  6. May 14

    From Hitchhiker to Juno Winner: The Crown Lands Story

    Kevin Comeau - The RIFF ep 11 What happens when a kid hears Rush for the first time and his entire life changes? We found out. Kevin Comeau of Juno Award-winning prog duo Crown Lands sits down with The Riff to talk about the moment A Farewell to Kings rewired his brain at 14, hitchhiking across Canada and down the California coast after reading Jack Kerouac, accidentally joining a reggae band in a Hollywood guitar shop, and how a Rush notation book stuffed into a backpack became the foundation of his guitar playing. We also get into the real story behind the Crown Lands name, the identity crisis that almost ended the band, getting discovered by Eric Singer of Kiss through a YouTube live video, and why their new album Apocalypse — out NOW — is the record they've always wanted to make. Plus: space operas, dragon riders, prog nerd deep dives on Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Jan Hammer, and Joni Mitchell. Oh, and incredible food from Queen's Harbour on the Toronto waterfront. 🎸 Crown Lands – Apocalypse is out now | crownlandsmusic.com 🎙️ Sponsored by mytoronto.ca | Featuring coffee from Coffee Island (York St.) Subscribe, like & share — it genuinely helps us keep making this show. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    From Hitchhiker to Juno Winner: The Crown Lands Story

  7. Apr 14

    The World's Youngest Cheese Master Reveals What Most Food Lovers Get Wrong

    Afrim Pristine - RIFF S1 ep10 🎙️ What does it take to become one of the most respected names in the food world? In this episode of The RIFF, we sit down with Afrim Pristine, internationally recognized cheese master, entrepreneur, television personality, and one of Canada's leading voices in food culture. From building a world-class business to appearing on major television shows, Afrim shares the lessons, challenges, and mindset that helped shape his remarkable journey. We dive into the art and science of taste, the importance of passion and persistence, and what separates true craftsmanship from the ordinary. Whether you're a foodie, entrepreneur, aspiring creator, or simply someone who enjoys hearing incredible success stories, this conversation is packed with insights, inspiration, and plenty of surprising moments. 🔥 In this episode: ✔️ The journey to becoming a world-renowned cheese master ✔️ Behind-the-scenes stories from the food industry ✔️ Building a successful brand through passion and expertise ✔️ Lessons in entrepreneurship, creativity, and leadership ✔️ Why taste is about more than just food Don't forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more conversations with fascinating people who are changing their industries and inspiring others to do the same. #AfrimPristine #TheRIFF #Podcast #Entrepreneurship #FoodCulture #SuccessStories #CheeseMaster #Business #Leadership #Foodie #Inspiration #TorontoPodcast #Interview #CanadianBusiness #FoodIndustry Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    The World's Youngest Cheese Master Reveals What Most Food Lovers Get Wrong

  8. Mar 18

    Canada's Fishing Legend Reveals All

    Pete Bowman - The RIFF -S1 ep.9 Pete Bowman — Canadian fishing legend, TV host of Fishin' Canada (3.5M viewers), and Hall of Famer — sits down with The Riff for one of the most entertaining fishing conversations you'll ever hear. From stunning a fish with a boat oar to get his lure back, to revealing how a laid-off electrician accidentally became one of Canada's most beloved TV personalities, Pete holds nothing back. In this episode: 🎣 How Pete went from electrician to fishing icon🏆 Being inducted into the Canadian Angler Hall of Fame (and why it shocked him)🐟 Big pike, bass & monster fish hiding RIGHT in Toronto Harbour💰 The insane prize money in North American fishing tournaments (up to $1.25M!)🌊 The WILDEST fish story you've ever heard — an oar, a pike, and a turtle♻️ Why hunters and anglers are actually conservation's greatest allies🎿 Winter Olympics chaos, Ray Gun on skis, and skeleton vs. luge debatesFollow Pete Bowman: 📺 Fishing Canada — Saturdays 8AM on Global TV 📸 Instagram: @petebowman_fishing 📘 Facebook & YouTube: Fishing Canada / @fishingcanadaofficial Fishing in Toronto? Pete recommends: 🎣 Fish City Tours — Taro Murata 🎣 Cast Adventures — Paul Castellano, Niagara River The Riff is a Toronto-based podcast where we sit down with fascinating people over great food and real conversation. Subscribe for new episodes every week ⬇️ #FishingCanada #PeteBowman #ThRiff #FishingPodcast #Toronto #FishingCanadaShow #CanadianFishing #BassFishing #ConservationFishing #TorontoHarbour Send us Fan Mail Support the show Want to watch this episode on YouTube? Subscribe to our YouTube channel

    Canada's Fishing Legend Reveals All
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About

Welcome to The Riff, Toronto’s creative culture podcast brought to you by my-toronto.ca, where two internationally acclaimed artists (painter and animator Gary O'Brien and jazz fusion guitarist Jeremy Green) dig into Toronto’s entertainment scene. They’ll be hanging out with all sorts of creative minds...from music, comedy, sports, theatre and everything that lurks in between.

Information

  • Creator
    my-toronto.ca
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The RIFF Toronto
  • Show Website
    The RIFF Toronto