By Ava Zelyony

A lecturer and a faculty member from the professional music program at Toronto Metropolitan University were recognized in Billboard Canada’s Women in Music industry spotlight, bringing attention to the program’s prominent role in Canada’s music scene.

This accolade highlights the contributions of professional music lecturer Keziah Myers and professional music director and creative industries assistant professor Charlie Wall-Andrews to the music industry.

While this isn’t Myers’s first time being recognized, she remains committed to the purpose behind her career. “I know the work I’m doing with [ADVANCE Canada’s Black Music Business Collective] is really impactful.”

Wall-Andrews said, “We all work really hard to help this industry reach its full potential and it’s an honour to be celebrated in this capacity.”

In an emailed statement to The Eyeopener, The Creative School said they are incredibly proud of the two of them and that, ‘Their achievements reflect the exceptional talent, leadership, and industry expertise that they bring to our community every day.”

They added that, “Both Wall-Andrews and Myers are not only accomplished professionals but also inspiring mentors who contribute immensely to the growth and success of our students.”

The two have collaborated multiple times in the past, including developing the Black Canadian Music Award at SOCAN Foundation. One of the more recent projects they worked on was “Industry Analysis & The Value of Black Music”—a research study done in partnership with the Diversity Institute in 2024.

Over the course of three years, they surveyed 1,000 Black music professionals and analyzed data on different aspects such as salary, experiences and sustainability of Black music. In the end, Myers said they discovered Black music brings in $379 million into Canada.

Wall-Andrews also worked on a research study on Latin music with the non-profit Speaking Non-English where she said they identified barriers and enablers within the Latin music community, which helped mobilize the first-ever Latin category at the Juno Awards.

The research Myers and Wall-Andrews did wasn’t their only achievement as they got to witness the first class of the professional music program graduate in the previous semester. “It takes a long time for a new program to come to fruition. This program started before the pandemic…in 2018,” said Wall-Andrews. “So to have the first graduating class was a real milestone and exciting for the industry as well.”

Myers said, “I don’t think I realized how rewarding it was going to feel knowing that I, quite literally, was ushering in the graduating class into my industry.” She developed BPM401: Capstone Project where final-year professional music students create a business plan to make the transition from post-secondary to a career in their chosen field.

“This program is cultivating the next generation of artists and leaders in the Canadian music ecosystem and the world and I take great pride as a professor in having the privilege of cultivating them to reach their full potential,” said Wall-Andrews.

Preparing students with real-world experiences and connections is what she believes makes the program so special. Wall-Andrews is currently developing a course focused on Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh. “He’s the perfect case study on how breaking barriers can happen through culture,” she said.

Wall-Andrews will also teach BPM420: Global Music Experience in July which takes students on a one-week trip to Nashville to “engage, meet, network and learn about the music industry.”

While the professional music program continues to grow, the questions that drive and inspire Myers’ work are, “How are we able to support women, gender diverse, racialized people, Indigenous people and what does that look like?”

Through their research and teaching, Myers and Wall-Andrews continue to work towards a more inclusive music industry while also directly helping shape the next generation of industry professionals.