On May 30, girls, women, and female-identifying artists from across the country will step into the Live Nation Lounge for Honey Jam’s Toronto live auditions.

Voices will be tested. Stories will be shared. Presence will be felt.

I’ll be joining this year’s judging panel alongside industry professionals to witness the next generation of artists shaping music, culture, and creative expression across Canada.

Honey Jam continues to create space for emerging artists ages 14–25 across genres including pop, hip hop, R&B, jazz, soca, gospel, rock, dancehall, country, opera, blues, and alternative.

I’m eager to witness new talent, bold storytelling, strong stage presence, and artists who understand the power of owning their voice before the world tells them who to be.

Toronto Live Audition Saturday, May 30, 2026 Registration: 10:45 AM Live Nation Lounge 2 Snooker Street, Liberty Village, Toronto

Drums Over Gunz Youth Leadership Series Presented in partnership with STEAMWORKS Academic Mentorship Program

Join Elle de Lyon and STEAMWORKS for the Drums Over Gunz Youth Leadership Series, combining monthly in-person leadership workshops and free virtual academic mentorship, running from April 5 to June 14.

Leadership Workshops (In-Person) When: Once per month, 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Where: Afiwi Groove Studio

Focus: Leadership, goal-setting, resilience, and Afrocentric drumming

Dates: Monthly until June 14

Free Academic Mentorship (Virtual) When: Fridays, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Where: Online

Dates: April 5 – June 14

Focus: Academic support, mentorship, and professional guidance

(Official Departure Festival Event – departurefestival.com)

Elle de Lyon will be hosting, moderating the panel, and performing at this special edition of Our Crib Uncut, an official event on the Departure Festival lineup. This dynamic industry mixer celebrates two years of community, creativity, and knowledge-sharing.

The evening features a R.I.S.E. Edutainment open mic (riseedutainment.com), performances by ZGChelli, and Roshanak, and a panel on Owning Your Masters, with insights from DOLOTHEGIFTED and guests. Presented in partnership with SOCAN (socan.com), the event champions artist rights and industry access.

Enjoy Caribbean-Asian fusion eats and fashion from Jrew Creations (@jrewcreations), connect with fellow creatives, and celebrate where culture meets industry.

Elle de Lyon is a featured artist and speaker at the Leverage Lens Film + Art Festival. She will exhibit photo journal excerpts from her poetry spellbook LYON: Lift Yourself Over Negativity and appears as a featured voice in the festival’s headlining documentary, Drawing with Light. The festival celebrates visual storytelling through film, photography, and community dialogue. www.leveragelens.ca