Siri Nelson once idolized pop music stars like Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez. Today, the music producer and artist goes by Siri Iris, and is releasing singles of her own, writing poetry and expressing herself through dance. Later this summer, she will join 17 other artists in the TD Music Artist in Residence program at MacEwan University.
“I am so excited to collaborate and meet new people and see where that takes us creatively,” said Nelson. “I want to make music a main focus of my life and I feel this program will allow me to really learn what goes into being an artist and how to manage that while creating a network of artists to not only collaborate with, but also just be in community with.”
The TD Music Artist in Residence program is an intensive summer development opportunity for emerging Alberta musicians taking place from August 5 through 17. This year’s program includes artists from across the province, representing a wide range of genres and styles.
Now in its fourth year, the program is nominated for a 2025 Community Excellence Award by the Western Canadian Music Awards.
“This nomination is a huge honour and it recognizes the heart of what the program is about, which is building community and removing barriers,” said Olivia Street, workshop director and sessional instructor at MacEwan. “To be acknowledged in the Community Excellence category is especially meaningful, because it reflects the commitment we’ve taken to make the program inclusive and grounded in real artist development.”
The emerging songwriters, producers, beat-makers and band leaders will come to MacEwan to participate in workshops and master classes led by accomplished educators and faculty members from MacEwan's Faculty of Fine Arts and Communications and MacEwan Department of Music alumni mentors. Industry professionals will also contribute valuable insights in sessions covering entertainment law, music marketing, royalty streams, publishing and grant writing. The program also provides each participant with an opportunity to record in MacEwan University's state-of-the-art studios.
“We have been able to expand the curriculum, bring in a wider range of mentors and guest speakers and tailor the program more closely to the needs of the artists,” said Street. “Every year, I know we’ve learned from the previous year’s participants and have refined the experience to make it even more impactful, inclusive and relevant to the realities of emerging artists.”
Nelson is looking forward to the summer program and she already feels a bit of a connection.
As with all artists, Nelson has been guided and supported by those around her.
“My sister has a music degree from MacEwan and has also helped me when it comes to what other sounds to add to compositions or just give me a different perspective on what my music sounds like.
“Being part of a community and having spaces to be able to freely create with one another are so important to me. I am honestly so grateful for this opportunity to be a part of a program like this.”
The program is supported by the Toronto Dominion Bank and its TD Ready Commitment grants.
Other artists selected for the 2025 program include: