Sled Island Festival Series: K-Riz Interview

Send us Fan MailK-Riz on Sled Island 2026, Calgary Hip Hop, and One Way Ticket to Heaven | The Sonic CollectiveIn this Sonic Collective Sled Island series episode, host Darren Scott interviews Western Canadian artist K-Riz ahead of Sled Island 2026, discussing his journey from Edmonton and Toronto, his genre-blending sound (hip hop, R&B, pop, jazz, reggae), and his reputation for powerful live shows with K-Riz and the Family. K-Riz shares how he first connected with Calgary’s scene, his early Sled Island experience opening for Thundercat at the Palace Theatre, artists he’s discovered there, and how the festival helps build community and broaden hip hop audiences—especially through more artists performing with live bands. He also highlights key Calgary venues, his work as an educator at the National Music Centre, and details an upcoming album, Heaven, recorded at NMC, plus upcoming Sled Island and Stampede performances.June 18th Sled Island @ The Ship & AnchorStampede Coke stage July 10thInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/krizmusic/00:00 Show Intro01:07 Sled Island Series Setup02:32 Meeting K-Rizz03:25 Origins and Early Career04:49 Edmonton to Calgary Move05:50 First Sled Island Memories06:22 Festival Discoveries07:45 Hip Hop at Sled Island09:23 Calgary Scene and Venues12:28 Community and Collaboration15:39 New Album and NMC Work19:04 Upcoming Shows and Where to Listen20:27 Sled Island Picks and Wrap22:38 Closing Thanks and Sign OffThe theme music for The Sonic Collective is Dust by Les Gigantiques from Calgary. Our thanks to the band for letting us use and feature their music. Be sure to check them out. https://www.instagram.com/lesgigantiques/Support the show