Blackout Podcast

Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, Caleb Latreille has spent most of his adult life wandering across both the planet and creative disciplines. As a youth, he was a prolific writer, writing and directing for the theatre and becoming deeply involved in the North American zine scene of the late 1990s and early aughts.   After a move to Halifax, Nova Scotia, his work with paper shifted towards mu...

Courtney Baker is a self-love coach who helps women reconnect with their worth and remember they are the love of their own lives. Her approach is rooted in softness, honesty, and a deep belief that self-love is a radical, necessary act of reclamation. Not a luxury masked in bubble baths and overpriced coffee, but in fact, your birthright. She works through 1:1 coaching, creating space for body neu...

Ken Oguzie is a dynamic and results-driven international trade and investment professional. He is the President/ Founder of Africa Canada Trade and Investment Venture based out of Nova Scotia, Canada, with partner offices across Africa. ACTIV is a boutique consulting firm specialising in trade and investment solutions, with a focus on promoting and facilitating Trade and Investment between Canada...

Hailing from Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Jupiter V (they/them) is a queer artist, musician and creative crackerjack with a career spanning over a decade. Making a name with award-winning gig posters, they've gone on to illustrate for film, graphic fiction, children's literature and more. Most recently, they worked with EVERYSEEKER Music and Arts Festival (2025 & 2026) and Nocturne:...

C Stone-Léon, a rapper/producer/curator residing in Halifax, NS.   He draws inspiration from underground and old-school sounds, citing influences like Westside Gunn, Roc Marciano, MF Doom, and The Alchemist. Collaborating with long-time friend French, they released Léon’s debut mixtape “Burning Bushes on Marble Floors” in January 2021. The lead single “Matilda” received recognition from Ghost...

Teo Kim is a story-driven marketer and creator based in Halifax.   He shares the people, culture, and everyday life of Atlantic Canada through film, conversations, and community projects.   His work connects communities by blending marketing, storytelling, and culture into one cohesive voice.   Find out more @teokim.ca

Favour Ikitde is a Canadian based fashion creative whose work blends storytelling, style, and visual experimentation. Originally from Nigeria, Favour discovered his passion for fashion early, but only truly began expressing it after moving to Canada. Through bold concepts, striking silhouettes, and intentional content creation, he has built a unique visual language that resonates with audiences ac...

Maral Porretta is a stylist and creative director who blends fashion, storytelling, and culture into everything she touches. Her work is rooted in authenticity and the belief that style is a language that connects people. She built her career through content creation, community building, and a sharp creative eye that pulls from her experiences in fashion, entrepreneurship, and global travel. Her p...

Prince Churchill is a multidisciplinary artist, designer, and creative director whose work transforms personal history into bold visual storytelling. Adopted from Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, he channels themes of identity, resilience, and culture through his studio, Art By Prince. His creations blur the lines between art, design, and emotion, transforming survival into a powerful form of expr...

Sarah Poko is a Nigerian-Canadian playwright, screenwriter, and director who uses horror and folklore to reflect society back unto itself. From a young age, she was captivated by the folktales told by her grandmother and the myths she discovered from her travels around the world.   An avid storyteller, Sarah uses the supernatural to examine power, identity, and moral consequence in everyday l...

Dawn “Juan” Collins (she/they) is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and community builder whose work bridges creative expression, holistic practice, and cultural dialogue. Drawing on decades of experience in social policy, trauma-informed care, and healing arts, Dawn integrates somatics, Indigenous wisdom, and spiritual practice into her performances and community offerings. Her music and perf...

Isi, a content creator, creative director, and the visionary behind Big Sis Club. Isi opens up about her journey from completing an MBA and working in corporate consulting to picking up a camera and finally giving herself permission to create. She gets real about the internal battles that held her back for years, including being a "recovering people pleaser" and the fear of putting her work out in...

Kooms , a producer whose journey from church sound systems to crafting hits for artists is a masterclass in persistence and finding your sound. Kooms pulls back the curtain on his creative process, revealing why he always starts with the drums, the one plugin he swears by, and how a single week in Montreal yielded five finished tracks. He opens up about the pivotal moment a top-tier producer valid...

How does a basketball injury lead to opening for Tech N9ne and D12? In this high-energy episode, Kid Coffin, a Halifax-based rapper, videographer, real estate agent, and Special Olympics coach, unpacks his incredible journey from a shattered sports dream to sharing stages with hip-hop legends.   Kid Coffin pulls back the curtain on the grind, revealing the 12-hour rehearsals, strategic networ...

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Chris—a talented blonde specialist and salon owner—takes us on the journey from a kid colouring hair with permanent markers to running a successful, community-focused salon.   Chris opens up about the challenges and rewards of becoming a specialist in a world that told her she couldn't, the intense certification processes that left her shaking, and the...

In this episode, we sit down with DJ Suly, a mental health advocate and rising DJ in Halifax's music scene. Suly shares her incredible journey from discovering female DJs on TikTok in 2022 to opening for major acts like Black Bones and DJ Puffy within just one year. She breaks down her origin story, how a conversation with her best friend led to learning from mentor DJ Henry and throwing a surpris...

What happens when a child is handed an instrument they never wanted to play? Cuban violinist Ali Enriquez’s story begins with this exact twist of fate: assigned the violin in Havana’s rigorous music school system based on her small hands, she initially resisted the instrument that would later become her voice. Now a seasoned performer and composer in Canada, Ali reveals how she transformed resentm...

In this inspiring episode of  The Blackout Podcast , host Israel sits down with the multi-talented Jewelz—a skilled carpenter, passionate DJ, and advocate for mental health and women in trades. Jewelz opens up about her unexpected journey into carpentry, from discovering her love for woodworking through the  Women Unlimited  program to the realities of working in a male-dominated fi...

Jeremie is a guitarist, composer, violinist, and teacher whose versatility spans classical, jazz, Afrobeat, and beyond. From accompanying artists with just a guitar and pedals to composing an orchestral piece performed by Symphony Nova Scotia, Jeremy’s journey is as dynamic as his sound. We dive into his musical roots (including switching from violin to guitar to explore ‘more colours’), the creat...

In this captivating episode of  The Blackout Podcast , we sit down with the incredibly talented artiste, Lyris as she opens up about her journey of self-reinvention, creative growth, and navigating the music industry. After taking a step back to rebrand herself, Lyris made a powerful return to Instagram with a viral post that set the stage for her rising career. She shares: The strategy behin...

Thr33.D—a dynamic producer, rapper, freestyle virtuoso, and visionary behind Hobby Music talks about his early days rewriting song lyrics as a child to mastering beat production and commanding stages with his high-energy performances.   Discover how he overcame learning disabilities by honing his freestyle skills, why he chose to produce his own beats after copyright strikes, a...

In this powerful episode of The Blackout Podcast, host Israel sits down with Mario Rolle, a dedicated clinical therapist and social worker whose mission is to support the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of Black men through a holistic, community-centred approach. Mario opens up about his unexpected journey into social work, from his early life in the Bahamas, where rugby and a mentor ch...

  In this episode of Blackout Podcast , we sit down with  Francis Njoku —artist, visionary, and founder of  UCamp Studio —as he unravels his extraordinary journey from struggle to self-discovery. Born into a Nigerian family where art was seen as rebellion, Francis fought societal expectations, parental doubts, and even a  devastating fire  that wiped out everything he owne...

In this episode, we sit down with producer, beatmaker, and creative powerhouse Karaaku  for an in-depth conversation about his journey in music, versatility across genres, and his upcoming Afro House EP. Karaaku opens up about his unique creative process, from crafting beats with artists like Youngstak to mastering the art of mixing and vocal production. He also shares insights on transitioni...

  In this episode of The Blackout Podcast, we sit down with Amy Harrison, founder of Pixels and Pieces Design, to explore her 20-year journey in graphic design, branding, and entrepreneurship. Amy shares how she got her start in design, the evolution of design tools (from Adobe to Canva), and her experience navigating the industry, including an unforgettable internship at a maj...