In this episode, we sit down with Lisa La Rocca, a dynamic leader in the Canadian music scene, to explore her career across music, event production, and community building. From her early days as an intern to becoming an influential festival organizer and industry advocate, Lisa shares her journey and how she’s carved out her path. This episode is also filled with practical tips for emerging artists including Lisa’s perspective on navigating constant shifts in the industry. We also chat about the vibrant local music scene in Hamilton, Ontario, the host city of the 2026 Folk Canada Conference.

Find Lisa La Rocca on Instagram and be sure to check out her work with Sonic Unyon Records and Supercrawl.

About Lisa La Rocca

Lisa La Rocca is Director of Operations at independent record label and events company Sonic Unyon Records in Hamilton. She founded the Fresh Up R&B Fest in 2022 and leads logistics on other Sonic Unyon produced festivals Supercrawl, Because Beer, Why Not Wine, as well as many other events. Lisa is currently chair of Hamilton’s Music Advisory Team, serves as a board member of the Hamilton-Halton-Brant Regional Tourism Organization and the Downtown Hamilton BIA. She is part of the JUNOs 2026 Host Committee and chairs the Host City Events and Night Economy Sub-Committee. She is a part-time PhD student in the Communication and Culture program at York University with a focus on Popular Music Studies, and holds an M.A. in Communication and New Media from McMaster University.

______________

Tune in to the latest episodes of Refolkus, featuring latest music releases from Folk Canada members and Refolkus guests, now broadcasting on CKCU FM 93.1 in Ottawa, CKUW 95.9 FM in Winnipeg and CFBX 92.5 FM in Kamloops.

Presented by Folk Canada

Hosted by Rosalyn Dennett

Produced by Kayla Nezon and Rosalyn Dennett

Mixed by Jordan Moore of The Pod Cabin

Theme music “Amsterdam” by King Cardiac

Artwork by Jaymie Karn