[INTERVIEW] Canabliss Shares Her Musical Journey, Festival Experiences

Shaping the future of the experimental electronic production, Toronto-based artist Canabliss is one of the hottest names in the bass scene right now. Since the birth of her music career, she has cultivated a signature blend of heavy dubstep, interstellar progressions of bass, and mind-bending effects. This combination has gained the attention of some of the top acts in EDM, such as Liquid Stranger and REZZ, even appearing on the bass queen's Spiral tour.

In addition to touring with the infectious WAKAAN label, Canabliss also debuted her Plasma EP with the label this year, shocking dubstep and wubz enthusiasts. Showcasing her tenacious stage presence and live mixing abilities, Canabliss spent 2022 performing at renowned festivals, including Forbidden Kingdom, Summer Camp, and most recently Hulaween. This innovative superstar plans on continuing her domination over experimental bass in 2023.

Check out iEDM's exclusive interview with Canabliss below.

iEDM: Which people in your life influenced your passion for music and tastes in genre throughout your childhood? Which artists do you look up to as role models and why?

Canabliss: Growing up I really didn’t have any specific genre that I favorited. I would go through phases a lot. I can first remember being obsessed with punk/alternative, then rap, then indie/psychedelic music, and the list goes on. I took singing lessons for five years and piano lessons for a few of those years as well, which really taught me to appreciate all types of music. Growing up, I heavily idolized Avril Lavigne and looked up to her for being such a badass, empowering woman. In the EDM scene, I definitely admire REZZ for pioneering such a distinct sound and creating such a cohesive brand that ties her whole project together seamlessly.

iEDM: What was the most pivotal point in your journey to discover your unique sound? How has your sound changed over the years and how would you describe it now?

Canabliss: I believe the most pivotal point in my journey was realizing how much I enjoy sound design, specifically creating bass sounds. This discovery really solidified the idea to focus on bass music for me. I think over the years my sound has branched out and is becoming more musical rather than only focusing on creating just wobbles and wubs.

iEDM: Your "Plasma" EP seamlessly flows from one track to the next. How were you able to plan out the overall vibe of the EP and blend each song into a collective adventure of experimental bass? What inspired the name “Plasma” and how does it reflect the EP?

Canabliss: "Plasma" started to come together after I first produced the intro song “Currents.” I created the rest of the songs following that specific vibe in order to make a cohesive storytelling experience with the EP. I wrote that body of work during quarantine and it included a lot of heavy bass and dark atmospheres to help express some of the difficulties we experienced during those times. The name “Plasma” came about because it was during quarantine and technology was heavily involved in keeping up our connections as a community. Therefore it felt like electricity was the center of everything.

iEDM: Why do you have such a strong connection with the color pink? What emotions does pink make you feel and in what ways does it relate to your signature style of music?

Canabliss: I think it all started when I first dyed my hair pink about six to seven years ago, I have never felt more like myself before then. I associate the color with the sunset and sunrise, which is always a pretty and relaxing sight, so pink is just a calming color to me. When it comes to my music, I enjoy the irony of having a pink feminine brand and making very heavy/dark music, providing a very unexpected balance.

iEDM: What is your usual process when preparing for a festival set? What do you like to do after a live performance?

Canabliss: My usual process when preparing for festival sets is to always triple check the USBs and make sure I take care of my energy levels by eating and hydrating properly throughout the day (but never eat a lot too close to the set!). After a performance I like to explore the festival and have fun!

iEDM: What was your experience like interacting with the attendees at WAKAAN Fest? What was something different you did during the set that pushed you as an artist?

Canabliss: WAKAAN festival was such an awesome experience! I personally enjoy festivals out in nature the most, so it was awesome being out on the mountain. The atmosphere had a big friendly community feel to it where everyone was looking out for one another. Something different I did was perform extremely late in the night for the first time. My set was from 4 to 5 A.M. so it challenged me to create a slightly different experience than I'm used to with that time slot.

iEDM: Which one of your songs do you think best exemplifies your personality and sense of imagination? What is your favorite sound component or section of the track and why?

Canabliss: It’s definitely hard to choose just one song but I would have to say “Sojourn.” The name actually means “a temporary stay,” which I think applies to a lot of experiences in this ever-changing life. The song intertwines a pretty atmosphere with a dark bassline, which really balances each other out. It’s really important to create healthy balances in my life as much as possible. My favorite section of the track is the bridge of the song because it really ties the whole track together and it’s a different vibe than anything I've ever produced before.

iEDM: What do you think was the highlight of your set at Hulaween? What were some of your favorite parts about performing at Hulaween and the festival atmosphere in general?

Canabliss: Hulaween was such a unique and special place. I really enjoyed how much of an immersive festival it is with all of the art installations around the grounds. The highlight of my set was having the privilege to play during the sunset slot and getting to create an experience around that.

iEDM: What goals as an artist and/or in your personal life do you want to accomplish by the end of 2022?

Canabliss: Some goals I have before the end of this year is to work on more music and continue to expand my sound and producing skills. I would also love to work further on my branding and even get some extra merch out in the world. There’s always more to learn and create! For my personal life, I’d love to be able to find a better balance between my work and personal life. It can be difficult sometimes to only focus on one or the other so I’d love to get better at that.

CANABLISS · BLISS N BLAZE [420 MIX]

iEDM: Which artists would you like to collab with in the future and what about their production style or persona intrigues you?

Canabliss: I would love to collaborate with more smaller artists as there’s so many amazing underground Soundcloud artists that really inspire me and deserve more recognition.

iEDM: What upcoming projects can you hint at for your fans to get excited about? What experiences are you most looking forward to in 2023?

Canabliss: I have a new song called “Soul Call” coming out soon! For 2023, I'm looking forward to getting out more music as I feel 2022 was mostly geared towards me adjusting into the touring groove and working on a lot of sets.

Photos courtesy of Canabliss