John Welsh & Los Valientes began with the belief that music has the power to bring people together regardless of language, age or culture. With a global sound that appeals to a wide audience, the band has been compared to artists such as Michael Franti and Manu Chao. Fluent in Spanish from a young age, John Welsh began his career performing at international student parties finding songs and musical styles that would engage people from around the world. After releasing his first EP “On The Road” Welsh and his band began touring throughout western Canada and the US.
For his latest project, John Welsh has recruited a talented group of Canadian and Colombian musicians incorporating instruments such as the accordion and Colombian tiple. Blending upbeat rhythms from Latin, reggae and soca music John Welsh & Los Valientes get crowds dancing and singing wherever they perform. A favourite at summer festivals and outdoor events, the band was last year’s nominee for “World Artist of the Year” at the Western Canadian Music Awards.
In 2017 their #FACTORFUNDED album "Vamonos Mi Chica" debuted at #2 on the iTunes Canada World Charts and was particularly well received in Mexico, producing two radio singles there with “Sayulita” and “Me Hace Sentir”. To date, the band’s song “Sayulita” has surpassed 700k streams on Spotify and garnered support from listeners all over Canada, the US and Latin America. With performances from Edmonton, Alberta to Tijuana, Mexico the band has gained fans of all ages and cultures with their diverse sound and positive message. John Welsh & Los Valientes were recently nominated for a 2019 Fraser Valley Music Award and are currently working on their next album scheduled for release in Spring 2020.
Main Stage
Saturday, June 1
4 p.m.–5:30 p.m.