You Otta Know
By Mila Leclair
A view to behold: Ottawa rising star drops debut album
Dom Doyon’s story of a time won’t fail to make you look twice
Ottawa musician Dom Doyon is stepping into the spotlight with his debut album Ugly Things, an ambitious coming-of-age project that he dropped on Feb. 3, his 23rd birthday. Doyon, a familiar face in the city’s alternative rock scene, is seriously raising the bar and redefining what’s achievable for self-produced artists in Ottawa.
The Ottawa Record Centre on Wellington Street says Doyon’s album is now available on CD, an assortment of cassettes, an impressive Technics Preamp, some XRCDs, and a nice selection of vinyl.
Ottawa musician Dom Doyon is stepping into the spotlight with his debut album Ugly Things, an ambitious coming-of-age project that he dropped on Feb. 3, his 23rd birthday. Doyon, a familiar face in the city’s alternative rock scene, is seriously raising the bar and redefining what’s achievable for self-produced artists in Ottawa.
The Ottawa Record Centre on Wellington Street says Doyon’s album is now available on CD, an assortment of cassettes, an impressive Technics Preamp, some XRCDs, and a nice selection of vinyl.
Dom Doyon plays a show at the Dominion Tavern on Oct. 16, 2025. Photo by Evan Schell
Doyon has been establishing a name for his music in the Ottawa area since his first EP in December 2022. He plays bass for the locally adored Out by Lucy, which has helped him build both confidence and momentum in his musical career.
With both Out by Lucy and Doyon’s solo projects gaining attention, he’s been able to familiarize himself with the musical corners of the city and grow himself quite the fanbase.
“Now that I’m more connected around the scene, any time
“Now that I’m more connected around the scene, any time I had a shortcoming of my own, I had so much freedom to invite people to be a part of the music, which isn’t something I really had before.”
Doyon is a prime example of what can happen if you have a dream and refuse to let anything get in the way of it. All the songs he chose to include in the album have consistent theme of growing into young adulthood and ‘flying the coop.’
“This album, to me, feels like it tells a story of time,” Doyon says.
“It represents my own journey of independence as a young adult and the community I’ve built around me, which makes it feel very personal and special. The climax of the album in particular is very grand and has a big crowd vocal part on it, which always puts a smile on my face.”
Doyon says the album draws on late-90s, turn-of-the-century sound he’s always loved. A crooked, gritty feel adopted by Primal Scream’s Vanishing Point, Gorillaz’s debut, Death in Vegas, PJ Harvey, and Oasis.
But it wasn’t easy proving his own sound and audience early on. He’s been making music since he was 17 (2020) but deems his old work is chaotic and unpolished, as it was more so of an emotional outlet for him back then. It took years of persistence and a clear artistic vision to refine his sound. Over time, he’s learned to turn personal experiences into cohesive, well-crafted songs.
For Doyon, Ugly Things feels less like a collection of demos and more like intentional songs. This comes through in the new versions of older songs like Ugly Things and Let Your Head Down.
“The latter in particular is completely transformed into what I always wanted it to be like, thanks to the other musicians who helped me flesh it out,” he says.
Want the chance to see Dom Doyon play live? He likes to play all across Ontario and Quebec and is set to book more solo shows in the coming months. For now, fans can catch him with Out by Lucy, who play their next show at the Rainbow Bistro on Feb. 21 with The Get Alongs and Mellow Casualty.
Three music industry arts performances lit up Avant-Garde Bar on Feb. 11
February’s winter can be lonely in the maze of life, and it’s easy to wander all alone. But enjoying a night full of local talent can make time and space slip away.
Music lovers of the city showed up to support Algonquin College’s music industry arts (MIA) program, one of 30 programs vulnerable to facing suspension.
Within the darkness, music acts as a guiding star. It drives us forward, it drives us higher and most importantly, it brings the city together. That’s what Monique Messier, Polarized, Tristan Walkling and Bonita did to attract a vibrant crowd at Thursday’s Frost n’ Feedback show.
MIA’s community says the program is greatly responsible for the musical talent and traction brought to the city. Algonquin College announced a plan to cut the program due to financial boundaries and originally planned to meet on Feb. 23 to discuss the recommended cuts. After an announcement from the Ontario government about increased funding for post-secondary institutions, the choice that will make or break MIA has been postponed.
Colin Mills, MIA’s coordinator, says the rescheduled decision from the board of governors meeting is all we know as of right now. He’s been collecting a variety of articles and campaigns on MIA’s Linktree.
A common trend around the city’s music scene is an educational background in MIA’s one-year intensive program offered by Algonquin College for people looking to pursue a career in Ottawa’s music industry.
Ottawa-based sound technician Brandon Fox is a 2025 MIA graduate. He credits the program for helping him step into the field as an engineer.
“I find the main draw for MIA is meeting all the people with equal passions and creativity to collaborate with, because that’s what the music scene here in Ottawa is all about,” Fox says.
Fox encourages the city to support not only the local artists it has come to love, but also the tools that were formative in helping them start out.
“It’s such a great community, and the trajectory for it is only going higher. It’s like we’re halfway there to reaching the peak of everything, and the school’s like ‘Let’s stop.’”
Artist Monique Messier moved here from Brazil to move closer to family and has been pursuing her musical dreams ever since. She currently does music full-time and enjoys making a mix of indie pop and alternative rock with acoustic and folk influences. She has been writing music since she was 12 and performing for about two years.
Monique Messier performing with Polarized at Avant-Garde bar on Feb. 11, 2025. Photo by Mila Leclair
“I feel like if MIA hadn’t been there, it would have been totally different. It definitely helped me meet so many people,” she says. “It made me understand the business side a lot more and feel a part of the Ottawa music industry.”
Four talented best friends make up Polarized, a rock band with a 90s grunge sound. Messier met the group through MIA after the band got in contact with her former manager, Charae Alexandra. Messier joined MIA one year later.
Polarized formed in 2023 after meeting each other in the MIA program. The band likes to experiment with genres like metal and pop-rock. Drummer Gabriel Sanchez keeps the group on time, not only with his 10 years of drumming experience but also as the band’s manager. He works as an audio technician and teaches drums at Gatineau’s Sonart music school.
Thomas Skemer is the rhythm guitarist for Polarized. He works in the music industry full-time. Benn West is the band’s lead guitarist and works as an AV technician outside of the band. Bassist Ethan Irvine brings the rhythm and groove to Polarized. He is an AV technician and session musician.
“Without MIA, Polarized wouldn’t be a thing,” Irvine says. “A lot of playing with Monique has helped me get into those funk roots that I had originally.”
Messier helped Polarized find out what’s important in a song. They’ve learned how to prop up her voice and be a proper band for the performances.
“My drumming’s definitely changed since working with Monique,” Sanchez says.
“I try to add different elements I wouldn’t necessarily use in the band. Monique is from Brazil, so I like adding more Latin elements to my playing. Especially on ‘Teens to Twenties’ and some of her other originals.”
Because of the innate genre blending and need to push one another, working with Messier has made the band’s tightness and communication both easier and stronger.
“Playing pop can be as intricate as you want, but it’s all about how you approach it,” West says. “You have to make sure you’re doing the right thing for the singer. If the singer’s asking for different moments, you’ve got to read into body language, into non-verbal and musical cues.”
Seeing the finished product is what keeps the boys coming back to music every time.
“I think a lot of it has to do with the moments that end up being created of the feeling of when you finally write what’s been stuck in your head and realizing that this is our product,” Irvine says. “This is what we wanted to do. This is our sound.”
The members of Polarized had only positive things to say about their evolution since bringing Messier onboard.
“It’s always easy with Monique. Everything just meshes together. I see this going the full way for sure,” West says.
The ability to connect with people through shared experiences is what keeps Messier motivated in her craft, even during vulnerable times in the city’s music industry.
“I really like it when I play an original of mine and then somebody comes up to me and is like ‘Wow, I lived that exact same experience,’” Messier says. “Not only does it help me know I’m not alone, but it’s always good to hear a song you feel so strongly about and feel like it was written about you.”
Messier is in the process of recording her first EP and plans to release it this year. With one song finished and the rest in progress, she is moving closer to the final product each week.
“Now that I’m playing with Polarized, I have a new vision of my songs because of all their creative input that we put into making an arrangement,” she says.
“I write my songs alone, just me and the guitar. So, when I bring it to them and they have their own ideas, they help make a song so much better than it could have ever been. I’m starting to write songs while thinking of the full arrangement which I had no idea how to do before.”
For Messier, music is deeply rooted in love, and love is always the answer. Even though the Ottawa music industry is in a weird spot, she still has lots of hope.
“Music can save everything. It will always exist, and just to be able to be a part of that world is such a thrill to me,” she says.
Ada Bozbeyoglu, an event manager, performer and MIA student has been a part of Ottawa’s music scene for the last five years. He says it’s ever-changing, and that right now is the most exciting time for the industry, with the most talented and unique artists coming out of Ottawa.
“None of this would have come through if it wasn’t for MIA,” he says. “Every single person here is either MIA alumni or currently in the program. So, all my thanks go to our program, its coordinators, its students and professors.”
Amidst all the fear for MIA’s future, there’s still a strong sense of optimism.
“I don’t think it (the cut) matters in the sense of us having a community together already,” Bozbeyoglu says.
“A community where we can build from. You know, all these people are a community in this venue right now, and I plan on seeing these people many times over again. So, the community is here in Ottawa, in the local scene, it’s alive whether MIA is here or not, it’s important that we don’t lose touch with each other.”