Surrey City showcased the talent of its local artists, together with the Vancouver JUNO Host Committee, as part of Let’s Hear It BC tour last Saturday, March 15.
Let’s Hear It BC is a six-leg provincial tour that includes Surrey, Terrace, Prince George, Kelowna, Victoria, and Nanaimo.
The music festival was held in Surrey Civic Plaza with six different stages and was attended by hundreds of people experiencing Canadian music.
Amy Kim, the senior special events marketing coordinator of the Surrey leg, said that the community wanted to have free public event from the survey and feedback they have gathered.
“That’s kind of where this came from, our direction and guidance. And it was even highlighted in the story music strategy that the city of Surrey should be a part of Juno week. So that was only in 2023 and then just in 2025 were able to execute on that,” Kim said.
The city started its music strategy in 2023, a “cross-departmental and industry tool” that aims to develop its music industry.
According to the city’s website, there are seven “strategic pillars” to support Surrey’s music industry needs and one of them is encouraging its music tourism.
Kim said that when they learned that the JUNOS is coming to Vancouver, the city recognized the opportunity to bring the festival to Surrey.
“The Juno Host Committee recognized that Surrey is a great opportunity to highlight music ahead of the Juno Awards,” she said.
Kim said that the city will gain recognition of local talents as the city is “becoming a vibrant entertainment district.”
Although Kim didn’t disclose the exact numbers the city cost to support the event, she confirmed that the city invested in the event saying, “it supports our [Surrey] story.”
Surrey City Mayor Brenda Locke described the event as the beginning of the entertainment industry.
“It’s part of the vision, the beginning of the vision,” she said.
Councillor Linda Annis said that Let’s Hear It BC JUNOS Plaza Party will help the city in its economic development as people will get together and order from restaurants.
“It gives an opportunity for economic growth for the city,” Annis said.
She said that she herself is a fan of arts and entertainment and that there is a big number of artists in Surrey.
“I think this is a real opportunity for us to begin to showcase that much more,” Annis said.
RAEDIAMENDZ, born and raised in Surrey and performed at the 5X stage, said that she didn’t hesitate to agree when asked to perform for the city.
She said that she is proud representing her Fijian background especially as a female DJ.
“Everyone needs happiness and music is what makes us so happy. That’s what I want to give. I want to put smiles on faces [and] get bodies moving,” RAE said.
Glisha, who performed at the plaza stage, said that although she is familiar with the JUNOS and has been following the awarding body for the past years, she is more focused to it now because it’s happening in Vancouver.
“I think it’s wonderful that the JUNO Awards provide an opportunity for Canadian creators to shine,” the singer-songwriter said.
The Surrey-based Filipino-Canadian artist said that she thinks that the Filipino community, known to have a vast talent in singing, has a lack of “accurate Filipino representation in North American media.”
“I want the world to see more of the Filipino community and the Filipino culture, and that is a large part of why I make music,” Glisha said.
Headlined by Tyler Joe Miller, Let’s Hear It BC JUNOS Plaza Party is one of Surrey’s ways in developing its music industry, according to mayor Locke.
“It’s all about who we are as a city, who we are as a country and celebrating Canadian artists,” the mayor said.
The JUNO Awards will be held at Rogers Arena on Sunday, March 30th.
By Ianne Mirambel
