playlist storytellers — toronto edition

What is Playlist Storytellers?

​"Songs help us time travel. They have the power to transport us back to the exact sights, smells and emotions of a memory"

​​Playlist Storytellers is a unique live storytelling show where five talented storytellers share personal stories about the songs that marked key moments in their lives. Each song is played for the audience after the story is told to help you experience what the storyteller felt.

​​"It doesn’t matter what a song is about, what matters is what it means to us. We never forget the songs that made us feel something"

​Just like how a great music video can transform a song, an amazing story can have the same effect.

​Meet The Storytellers

​Matthew is an educator who has taught on everything from Taylor Swift’s songwriting to the 10,000 year history of Toronto. He is currently working to usher in a new golden era of the radio jingle.

​Leah works in Tech by day, writes by night, and tells terrible jokes at all times. An avid user of the semicolon and fan of the acoustic version, she's a deep believer in the power music and stories have on enabling humans to connect to each other in this terrible world. It's beautiful! She's also a deep believer that ultimately she's just a Teenage Dirtbag, baby.

​Kiaran is a multidisciplinary artist mostly known for his jazz and soul music under the pseudonym Kubla. He has a unique relationship with music, being raised by two musician parents and pursuing performance as a full time career from age 18. Growing up on Canada’s west coast, Kiaran moved to Toronto 5 years ago with a dream to make music and build community. Along the way, he’s collected many stories and philosophies that find their way into his music. If you’re interested in listening to his music, just look up Kubla.

​Donovan is an author, filmmaker, and advocate dedicated to reshaping conversations around mental health and creativity through poetry and storytelling. With over 500,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, his intimate short-form videos have captivated millions, making vulnerability more accessible online. His viral poem A Friendly Reminder garnered over 16 million views, leading to the success of his debut poetry collection, A Fool’s Guide to the Universe, and his forthcoming book, Sunbreak: Notes on Hope (2025). As a creative consultant for organizations like The JED Foundation and a WeTheCulture alum, Donovan champions storytelling as a tool for change. Now based in Boston, he serves as the Assistant Director of Communications and Storytelling at the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT, leveraging his expertise to advance global innovation and entrepreneurship

​Blake is a writer, a visual content creator and creative director. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a white belt in fatherhood, he has been telling stories on the internet for nearly two decades and recently a few million people have actually listened to them. Blake is also the creator of the Noticing Journal, a notebook designed to help users cultivate the practice of noticing, as well as the Good Grief podcast, an emotional geography of loss.

​FAQs

​​CAPACITY. 50 person capacity.

​​YOUR TICKET. Your ticket includes entrance fee, drinks (wine, water) and pizza

​​THE PROGRAM. Here's how the night will go:

​​7:00 - Doors Open

​​7:45 - Storytelling starts

​​9:15 - Storytelling ends

​​10:00 - Event finishes