Latest news with #MitchThompson
SBS Australia
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Why do some Australian musicians sing with a foreign accent?
Mitch Thompson from country/pop act Seaforth sounds straight out of Nashville — yet he grew up in Sydney. So why does he sing with an American accent? "I have to really think about it to sing in an Australian accent," Thompson, 35, told The Feed. "It's almost like a different section of the brain when I start singing — a different muscle memory of 'this is how words sound when I sing, this is how words sound when I talk'." Thompson recalls being at a singing competition where he was told he sounded too similar to Missy Higgins, who sings with a strong Australian accent. "One of the judges was like: 'You can't copy Miss Higgins' voice so much. It's a little too Aussie,'" Thompson said. So, his singing accent shifted, and by the time he moved to Nashville, the world's country music capital, almost a decade ago, Thompson had lost all trace of Missy Higgins. "Anytime I go off stage, there'll be at least one person that's like, 'Where's your accent go when you sing?' Or people that didn't know that Seaforth is Australian." Seaforth has now amassed close to 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Mitch Thompson sings with an American accent as frontman of the Australian country-pop duo Seaforth. Source: Getty / Michael Hickey "The accent and how I sing is just purely based off the music I was listening to," Thompson said. "There was never an active: 'I need to sound like Keith Urban' for it to work over here." There's been a significant drop in local acts making it into Australia's top charts, partly due to the rise of streaming services such as Spotify with algorithms that favour US and UK acts, according to music researcher and former record label manager Tim Kelly. "It used to be the case that you can make a living as an Australian artist in Australia ... like Hilltop Hoods ... or Powderfinger ... who sold most of their recordings and did most of their touring in Australia," Kelly told The Feed. "Now it's deemed that there isn't enough money in the Australian market and you've got to have two other markets as well as Australia." When the accent doesn't fit the song The Australian accent can feel like a hindrance, due to the pronunciation of certain sounds, particularly 's' and 'r', according to Ariana Rigazzi, a vocal coach based in Melbourne. "In one syllable you're pronouncing two vowels [in the Australian accent] … basically your tongue is moving while you're pronouncing that one syllable," Rigazzi said. "And that can be a hindrance while you're singing. So it's easier to do an American vowel instead of an Australian vowel to be able to actually get to the note and not have your tongue move." And Thompson says it would sound "jarring" if he sang in an Australian accent. "You lose the rhymes in certain words that in an American accent would rhyme with the next [word] — you can make it rhyme," he said. 'You've got to sound more like us' Australian artists are competing more than ever with the US and UK market to find an audience — and an accent or sound change may be encouraged by Australian labels to appeal to a wider audience, Kelly said. "There's this gravity of conformity that for new artists that would say, if you want to succeed over here [predominantly in the US and UK] ... you've got to sound more like us." "And the industry supports that pressure because managers and record labels and agents and everyone else is going: 'We want you to sound like the stuff that's doing well.'" Music researcher Tim Kelly says Australian artists are having to compete with the US and UK markets more than ever. Source: Supplied / casimaria Algorithms within music streaming services are how many people now discover new artists; it also plays into the demand for Australian artists to adapt their sound. "There's this pressure to get on the algorithm, to sound like other people, to be able to appeal to international markets by leaning into what works in those markets," Kelly says. Do Australian musicians have to change their sound to find success? Kelly says there's a cultural influence from international markets that has shaped the sound of Australian music — and it's worked. The Kid LAROI, Vance Joy, RÜFÜS DU SOL and Troye Sivan are among Australia's top streamed Spotify artists and yet international audiences would be forgiven for not realising they're Australian. "[There is] increased pressure for you to be able to succeed in other markets and not get locked into an Australian context. There is a debate about whether if you become a triple j favourite — that's great in Australia — but it might lock you out of other markets," he said. "Then you're just seen as an Australian artist." There are exceptions. Acts like Amyl and the Sniffers, Shady Nasty, DMA's, Sticky Fingers, Stella Donnelly, Courtney Barnett, and Hilltop Hoods, who all sound distinctly Australian and have found international success. "The artists that are doing well … Amyl and the Sniffers, King Gizzard, Tame Impala have an Australian-ess about them that has actually served them well in an international context," Kelly said. Amyl and the Sniffers, whose sound is defined by the distinctive voice and accent of lead singer Amy Taylor, recently played at Glastonbury festival in the UK: and Thompson believes global audiences are waiting with open arms to embrace more Australian-sounding music. "An Australian accent would actually stand out more than anything in this market."
Hamilton Spectator
02-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
I got fake Canadian money back in my change – What should I do with it and can I get reimbursed?
If a store clerk hesitates before accepting your $20, $50 or $100 bill, don't be offended. Counterfeit currency is a growing concern for police forces in Ontario and across the country, including recent investigations by Durham police in Ajax and Scugog. In one incident on April 2 at a Best Buy in Ajax, a man allegedly attempted to pay with counterfeit $20 bills. During the transaction, an employee noticed the unusual texture of the bills and that the serial numbers on the bills were identical. The suspect fled, leaving $240 in fake bills behind. On May 28, Durham police released suspect images in connection with two incidents involving counterfeit currency. On April 6 at a Shell station in Scugog, a man allegedly purchased beer, cigarettes and soft drinks using fake $20 bills and received legitimate currency as change. The following day, Durham police allege the same person returned to the Shell station and used counterfeit $20 bills to purchase items. Seizures of counterfeit currency rose sharply from 2023 to 2024, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In March, the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) teamed up to seize more than $100,000 in counterfeit cash. In January, CBSA officers at Mirabel International Airport in Quebec intercepted a package containing counterfeit holographic stickers that resembled the security strips found on Canadian cash. Later that month, CBSA officers at an international cargo processing facility in Mississauga seized $30,000 in fake $10, $20, $50 and $100 Canadian bank notes, according to an RCMP news release . The goods were shipped to Canada from China, and were destined for a Nova Scotia address. Officers later searched the Glace Bay home and seized holographic stickers, plus another $70,000 in counterfeit currency, along with electronic devices, a rifle, and other items. Cpl. Mitch Thompson of the RCMP's commercial crime section acknowledged counterfeit money is circulating across Canada. Counterfeiters will sometimes recreate the polymer window with a different material than the rest of their note and bond them together. If you feel a transition between clear and opaque, the note is a fake. 'When printed on polymer, some fake bills may look real if you don't pay attention to the security features embedded in legitimate currency,' he added. Anyone handling and accepting cash is encouraged to check the bank note's security features to ensure they are legal tender. Thompson noted in Canada, it's an offence to knowingly use or possess counterfeit money. 'And if you unknowingly accept counterfeit cash as legal tender, you can't be reimbursed. You're on the hook for the loss,' Thompson added. Smuggling counterfeit currency is a serious offence that can lead to arrest, charges and prosecution under the Criminal Code and Customs Act, the RCMP notes. This banknote contains the words 'prop money' printed in reverse, in small black print, on the top of the holographic strip on the back of the note. The Bank of Canada advises anyone who suspects a bank note is fake to turn it over to the local police force. If it's real, you'll get it back. 'Either way, the police should be informed of possible counterfeiting activity in your community. Timely reporting helps police and prosecutors bring counterfeiters to justice,' the Bank of Canada states online. The Bank of Canada notes business owners, staff and the public should pay attention to the look and feel of large banknotes before accepting them. While the RCMP has seized counterfeit notes of all denominations, high-value banknotes are the most lucrative for counterfeiters. The clear polymer window on the right front-side of the $50 bill, for example, features William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada's 10th Prime Minister. An image of Sir Robert Borden, Canada's eighth prime minister, appears in the centre and window of the polymer $100 bill. The Bank of Canada Museum notes Canada's polymer notes feature clear windows and striking colours that make them more durable than older cloth-cotton banknotes and are more counterfeit resistant. Canada adopted polymer bank notes in 2011. While counterfeiting hasn't stopped since then, the Bank of Canada Museum offers four simple ways to spot a fake bill: If the answer to any of these questions is 'No,' take the note to the police or your bank and don't try to spend it. Counterfeiters will sometimes recreate the polymer window with a different material than the rest of their note and bond them together. If you feel a transition between clear and opaque, the note is a fake, the Bank of Canada Museum notes. According to the latest statistics from the RCMP , counterfeit currency seizures are increasing. Last year, the federal police force said 22,478 fake notes were passed into circulation, up from 17,043 in 2023. A total of 46,988 fake bills were seized by law enforcement in 2024, up from 39,244 in 2023. Last year, the $100 bill was the most counterfeited banknote, with 8,495 passed into circulation. The second most faked bill was the $50, at 5,351. The lowly $5 bill was next with 5,190 passed into circulation, followed by the $20 at 2,911. Police seized 524 fake $10 bills in circulation. Even counterfeits of $1,000 bills — which were withdrawn in 2000 — were found five times last year. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
On the right note: Preserving Minnesota's musical legacy
The Brief The Diverse Emerging Music Organization is creating a digital repository of all recorded music with Minnesota roots. So far, the nonprofit has digitized work from about 1,000 artists, but they need about 100,000 for their website. Visitors will be able to search the Minnesota Music Archive by name, genre and era by the end of the year. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Our state is home to a vibrant music scene. Now there's a push to ensure every note created by Minnesota artists is preserved for posterity. Music to our ears In a small office in northeast Minneapolis, a group is taking on a big responsibility. Their mission? To create a digital database of all released music with roots in our state. "I fell into this and I love waking up every day and working on it," said Mitch Thompson, Executive Director of the Diverse Emerging Music Organization, or DEMO for short. A different tune DEMO is building the Minnesota Music Archive to collect, catalog and make the music of everyone from the Andrews Sisters to The Wallets accessible. "We want to make sure that we are representing everybody that released music in Minnesota. From like all corners of the state and from all backgrounds and cultural heritage and so that's a heavy lift," said Thompson. Several days a week, college students from the University of Minnesota, Hamline and St Catherine's digitize music from records, CDs and cassettes. So far they've got about 1,000 artists in their database, but they will need about 100,000 for their website, where visitors will be able to search by name, genre, era and record label for music from the last 100 years. "A lot of music that people put out are on formats like vinyl and cassette and 8-track and those kind of things, if they're not digitized and a lot of it isn't digitized, it will eventually cease to exist and we will no longer have a record that that music existed," said Thompson. Falling through cracks Thompson brings a unique perspective to this music preservation project. He not only played the drums for the two-tone ska band Umbrella Bed in the 90s, his father was a drummer in a polka band named The Blue Banners in the 60s. But both are in danger of being relegated to the dustbin of history. "I understand the perspective as a musician and I understand relative obscurity. And as somebody who is likely to fall into that with my band, I appreciate the fact that my music will be in there with my dad," said Thompson. Calling all artists DEMO is asking artists to submit their work to be included in the archive. Thompson says the project isn't aimed at superstars like Prince and Bob Dylan because their musical legacies are already secure. "I'll tell you there's a lot great music that people have never probably heard that we're finding more and more. And we're trying to make sure that history has the opportunity to judge what was great music or not great music," said Thompson. Music journalist and author Andrea Swensson donated part of her personal record collection to the archive. "I thought what a great way to offload some of these things I've acquired and hoarded in my home, but also to support the sharing of this music that isn't really available anywhere," said Swensson. She believes future generations deserve to be able to discover Minnesota music goes beyond just the "Minneapolis Sound". "A lot of these local releases, especially if it's from 10, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, they're not online, they're not on Spotify. It's really important to me that somehow they're saved and able to be shared and heard and researched and found by people that didn't have this random line of work where people are sending things to them all the time," said Swensson. Signature initiative Thompson says the archive hopes to launch its website by the end of the year, with the promise to Minnesota artists past, present and future that their music will always matter. "When I look at them and I tell them what I'm doing, they all look at me and go like, that's so cool. And my job is to turn cool into something real," said Thompson. If you'd like more information about the Minnesota Music Archive, click here.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
N.S. RCMP, border agents seize more than $100,000 in counterfeit Canadian cash
More than $100,000 of counterfeit Canadian money has been seized by authorities as part of an investigation that began in Quebec and led authorities to a home in Cape Breton, RCMP say. The Canada Border Services Agency notified Nova Scotia RCMP after intercepting packages shipped to Canada from China at Mirabel airport in Quebec and a processing facility in Mississauga, Ont., in January. The first package contained counterfeit holographic stickers that resembled the security strips on Canadian cash and the second package had a variety of denominations totalling roughly $30,000 in counterfeit currency, said an RCMP news release Wednesday. Police said both packages were destined for an address in Glace Bay, N.S. Mounties and Cape Breton Regional Police officers executed a search warrant at a Glace Bay residence on Feb. 11 and recovered about $70,000 in counterfeit money, RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mitch Thompson told CBC News. Mounties found several different denominations of bills. The RCMP encourages people to visit the Bank of Canada's website to learn how to verify a bank note's security features. (RCMP) A number of other items considered "instruments" of counterfeiting, such as electronic devices, were found at the home along with a rifle, Thompson said. The investigation is ongoing and charges are expected to be laid soon, he said. RCMP encourage people accepting cash to verify its authenticity by checking the security features on the bills. Counterfeit money may not seem like a significant issue to everyone, Thompson said, but it can have negative effects on individuals and businesses because they can't be reimbursed if they unknowingly receive fake bank notes. "These businesses are not only out the product that they are providing people, but they're also out the income for that product," Thompson said. "So it's kind of like a double whammy for them." MORE TOP STORIES
CBC
12-03-2025
- CBC
N.S. RCMP, border agents seize more than $100,000 in counterfeit Canadian cash
More than $100,000 of counterfeit Canadian money has been seized by authorities as part of an investigation that began in Quebec and led authorities to a home in Cape Breton, RCMP say. The Canada Border Services Agency notified Nova Scotia RCMP after intercepting packages shipped to Canada from China at Mirabel airport in Quebec and a processing facility in Mississauga, Ont., in January. The first package contained counterfeit holographic stickers that resembled the security strips on Canadian cash and the second package had a variety of denominations totalling roughly $30,000 in counterfeit currency, said an RCMP news release Wednesday. Police said both packages were destined for an address in Glace Bay, N.S. Mounties and Cape Breton Regional Police officers executed a search warrant at a Glace Bay residence on Feb. 11 and recovered about $70,000 in counterfeit money, RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Mitch Thompson told CBC News. A number of other items considered "instruments" of counterfeiting, such as electronic devices, were found at the home along with a rifle, Thompson said. The investigation is ongoing and charges are expected to be laid soon, he said. RCMP encourage people accepting cash to verify its authenticity by checking the security features on the bills. Counterfeit money may not seem like a significant issue to everyone, Thompson said, but it can have negative effects on individuals and businesses because they can't be reimbursed if they unknowingly receive fake bank notes. "These businesses are not only out the product that they are providing people, but they're also out the income for that product," Thompson said. "So it's kind of like a double whammy for them."
