Naked Eyes emerged from Bath's early-'80s new wave scene when Pete Byrne and Rob Fisher—former bandmates of Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal in the pre-Tears for Fears group Neon-formed a synth-pop duo inspired by their shared love of classic songwriters. Recording at Abbey Road, they broke out with their hit cover of "Always Something There to Remind Me", followed by the originals "Promises, Promises" and "When the Lights Go Out." With heavy U.S. radio play and constant MTV rotation, the band became a defining part of early synth-pop, and Byrne later revived Naked Eyes for new music and touring.

Men Without Hats broke out of Montreal's new wave scene in the early 1980s with the global hit “The Safety Dance,” blending catchy synth hooks with punk roots. Formed by vocalist Ivan Doroschuk, the band found success with their 1982 debut Rhythm of Youth, followed by hits like “Pop Goes the World.” After a hiatus in the 1990s, Ivan revived the band in the 2010s with a new lineup, featuring Sahara Doroschuk–Sloan, Sho Murray and Adrian White. Recent years have seen a creative resurgence, including two new albums (Again, Part 1 and Part 2) and high-energy tours.

Robert Pilon was honoured to have played the signature roles of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera both in the Toronto Productions and across Canada. He has toured worldwide bringing Robert Pilon and Friends to the international stage, recorded two CDs, starred in his own award-winning television special, A Canadian in New York and has been on numerous television specials over the years. On Canada's charitable front, Robert has been pleased to perform for numerous gala fundraisers within the health care sector.

Beloved comedian Jessica Holmes has brought the house down opening for giants such as Ellen DeGeneres, Russell Peters, Jerry Seinfeld, and Oprah Winfrey. She has performed at Just For Laughs and The Second City, and starred in the comedy series, The Holmes Show and Royal Canadian Air Farce. Her hilarious take on life’s challenges as well as her unique knack for impersonating celebrities have audiences in stitches.
Holmes, like millions of North Americans, has struggled both with post-partum depression and, as she puts it, “regular, run-of-the-mill, garden-variety depression”. Striving to help end the stigma around mental health issues, she openly shares her personal stories with the humour she’s known for, bringing light to what can often be a dark topic. Holmes’ funny and inspiring book, Depression The Comedy: A Tale of Perseverance, takes readers deeper into her mental health journey with validation and warmth. She is also grateful to help further reduce the stigma around mental illness as a Bell Let’s Talk celebrity ambassador.
Holmes’s greatest joy is helping people take simple, sustainable steps towards fulfillment and well-being, one laugh at a time. In 2025, she will receive her Master’s of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of East London. Follow Holmes on Instagram at @HappyFunHolmes.