SWOMP

About SWOMP

SWOMP’s podcast is your unfiltered backstage pass to the music world. Rooted in Canada and raging worldwide, we bring raw artist interviews, behind-the-scenes chaos, and deep dives into the bands shaping the scene. From legends to rising stars, it’s all about the energy, passion, and stories that make music unforgettable. Plug in and enjoy.

Publisher

SWOMP

Category

music

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Jan 2025

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

153 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Leith Ross chats with SWOMP backstage at Sommo Festival

   Canadian singer-songwriter Leith Ross caught up with SWOMP backstage at Sommo Festival in Cavendish on Sept. 11 to discuss their songwriting, the new music and what has shaped their work. Ross also talked about being in the midst of one year away froms screens. Ross has built a growing audience around deeply personal songs that explore love, relationships, queerness and mental health. Ross grew up in a small town near Ottawa, Ont., and began releasing music independently in 2020 with the Motherwell EP. Recorded live, the project helped introduce Ross' intimate, stripped-back approach to songwriting. Their profile grew with the viral singles “I’d Have To Think About It” and “We’ll Never Have Sex,” leading to a record deal with Republic Records in 2022 and the release of their debut album, To Learn, the following year. The album continued Ross' exploration of vulnerability, moving between folk-influenced arrangements, pop and rock textures, and more minimal performances built around voice and guitar. Ross followed To Learn with the deluxe To Learn, More in late 2023, featuring live versions of songs including “(You) On My Arm,” “Orlando” and “To Learn.” The music has earned recognition from outlets including NME, CLASH, Them., Ones To Watch and The FADER, while Ross has toured with Lord Huron, Bahamas and Helena Deland and performed at festivals across North America. In 2022, Ross received the inaugural John Prine Songwriter Fellowship at the Newport Folk Festival. They were also nominated for Alternative Album of the Year at the 2024 Juno Awards. Ross has amassed more than 450 million streams across their catalogue and returned in 2026 with the emotionally charged single “Grieving,” the first release from an upcoming album produced by Rostam, known for his work with Vampire Weekend and other artists. Follow them at https://leithross.com/.

2. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Altered by Mom brings rebellious energy to Sommo Festival

   Toronto rock trio Altered by Mom brought its irreverent, high-energy sound to Sommo Festival in Cavendish, P.E.I., blending catchy songwriting with a rebellious DIY spirit. The band - JUNO-winning songwriters Gina Kennedy on bass and vocals and Devon Lougheed on guitar and vocals, alongside drummer Max Trefler - has built a reputation for playful performances, sharp songwriting and an approach that challenges traditional gender roles while embracing individuality. Following its Sommo Festival set, Altered by Mom sat down with SWOMP to talk about the band's music, festival experience and what's ahead: The trio released its debut album, BETTER, to national attention, earning radio support from SiriusXM and praise from outlets including Exclaim!, which described the band as "unstoppable." Since then, Altered by Mom has taken its live show to festivals and stages across Canada and internationally, including appearances at Summerfest in the United States, Folk on the Rocks in the Northwest Territories, Sommo Festival in Prince Edward Island, and shows in Germany and Japan. The band continues to build on its DIY approach while preparing for its next chapter. Altered by Mom is set to release a new single in the coming months, followed by its second full-length album, MAKE LEMONADE, in 2027. The album is being co-produced by Mike Young of Mother Mother. Follow the band at https://www.alteredbymom.com/.

3. 

   26 Sept 2026

   DeeDee Austin’s 'Buried Truth' anchors national Truth and Reconciliation education program

   Mi’kmaw singer-songwriter DeeDee Austin is the featured artist for this year’s Ancestors Voices: Music and Learning for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, with her song “Buried Truth” serving as the centrepiece of free curriculum resources for Kindergarten to Grade 12 classrooms across Canada. SWOMP caught up with Austin for an interview at Sommo Festival 2026 in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island on September 11, 2026. Austin, now 20, wrote “Buried Truth” when she was 15 after learning that her late great-grandmother had survived the Shubenacadie Indian Residential School in Nova Scotia. The song will anchor the 2026 edition of Ancestors Voices, an initiative of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada that connects contemporary Indigenous music with learning about truth, reconciliation, identity and community. For the first time, Austin will also bring the program directly into at least one Canadian school this fall, giving students an opportunity to meet the artist and hear the story behind the song. “Buried Truth began with something deeply personal: discovering what my late great grandmother endured at the Shubenacadie residential school,” Austin said. “I wrote the song to honour her story, but also to acknowledge the experiences of every child, family and community harmed by the residential school system.” Since its launch in 2024, Ancestors Voices has recorded more than 150,000 student registrations across Canada. The annual program is designed to honour children who never returned home, survivors and all those whose lives have been affected by residential schools. Developed with Indigenous artists and educators, each edition features an Indigenous songwriter and song alongside artist guides, interviews, video content, listening activities and curriculum-linked learning prompts. “DeeDee represents exactly what Ancestors Voices was created to do: place an Indigenous artist’s voice and lived family history at the centre of learning,” said Stacey Sinclair, executive director of the Coalition for Music Education. “Buried Truth gives students an emotional point of entry into history that can otherwise feel distant or abstract.” A sister of the Abegweit First Nation in Prince Edward Island, Austin has emerged as a young performer on the Atlantic Canadian music scene. Her honours include receiving Howie Mandel’s Golden Buzzer on Canada’s Got Talent, CBC Searchlight’s Outstanding Indigenous Artist recognition and Music Nova Scotia’s Indigenous Artist of the Year honours, along with multiple East Coast Music Award nominations. Austin blends contemporary pop with Indigenous musical traditions, drawing on themes of resilience, hope and purpose in her songwriting. Ancestors Voices launched in 2024 with Julian Taylor and his song “S.E.E.D.S.” The 2025 edition featured Adrian Sutherland and his all-Cree song “Kiyash.” Previous editions remain available to educators, creating a growing national collection of Indigenous music and learning resources. Ancestors Voices is supported by the Mariposa Folk Festival. Follow her at https://deedeeaustin.com/.

Who has been a guest on SWOMP

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kelsi Mayne
• Irish Millie Shadgett
• Amanda Kind
• James Downham
• Drew Taylor

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 29 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

45

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

32

Contact SWOMP

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.