Carole Pope (ON)

Carole Pope’s star first burned brightly when her new wave band, Rough Trade, released the Canadian Top 40 hit High School Confidential(from “Avoid Freud”) in 1980 – and became an international sensation. The song was one of the first anthems you could dance to as your prom date decided to come out, and provided the iconic British-born Canadian rock singer-songwriter with a enthusiastic global audience. 

Ms. Pope continues in her role as an agent provocateur, pushing the boundaries of sexuality, sexual politics, and the status quo today – making you think and dance at the same time. Her explicit homoerotic and BDSM-themed lyrics made her one of the first openly lesbian entertainers to achieve mainstream fame, and her work has been recognized with three JUNO Awards, a Genie, multiple independent music awards along with one platinum and one double platinum album. 

Her EP “Music For Lesbians” showcases her wry sense of humour, with the campfire pop-folk song Lesbians in the Forestand its memorable lyric “Lets go into the forest and menstruate on a stick.” Carole keeps writing and performing with her newest single “This Is Not A Test”, showing her continued commitment to pushing boundaries.