Justin Maki is a musician, artist, and creative entrepreneur out of St. Thomas, ON, Canada. He is the FCLMA’s 2021 “Pop Artist of the Year” and 2022 "Contemporary Singer-Songwriter of the Year". Japan born and Canada bred, Justin’s music carefully draws influence from R&B, Soul, Funk, and Jazz and packages it in an accessible Pop format: imagine blending Allen Stone, John Mayer, Bruno Mars, and Justin Timberlake. Justin aims to inspire joy through music performance and creation by curating a unforgettable musical experience.
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Justin has played over 1,000 gigs from Halifax, to Prince George, to Mexico and has shared the stage with The Sheepdogs, Measha Brueggergosman, Neon Dreams, and Olivia Lunny. From bars to concert halls, backyard parties, weddings, and festivals, Justin has been entertaining 100,000s for the last 19 years. He has worked with such accomplished producers as, Matthew Johnston (produced Shad and Chad Price) and Mark Howard (produced Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, U2, and Neil Young) and also won Western University’s Battle of the Bands in 2015, as well as Western Voice in 2016. He also just won 2nd place in the national 2023/2024 Aeolian Hall Songwriting Competition.
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Justin’s latest releases include 2 collaborations with Ontario rappers, Big Lou and Dallas Waldo, on "Time Witchu" and "Find Your Flow", respectively. Justin's debut album, "New Flame" (June, 2022), is a diverse concept album that traverses the different stages of a romantic relationship from first spark to last billow of smoke. Justin also co-produced, co-wrote, and performed on the new Patrick & Daniels’ record, “Good Vibes LP” (January, 2023), the title track of which won "International Male Music Video Of The Year" from the ISSA. Otherwise, touring has been Justin’s main focus in 2023 - Mexico to Halifax, Nashville to Rotterdamn, and Toronto to Alberta. Justin is currently incubating this winter, writing 100 songs in pursuit of his next record and planting seeds for the seasons to come.
As Justin continues to cover more ground, he spreads the joy of music, one new fan at a time. Follow him on social media @justinmakimusic to trace his journey as it unfolds and check out his music on all streaming and downloading platforms.