Local Music, Big Change: Gravelbourg singer-songwriter Scott Richmond says building a serious career no longer means leaving rural Saskatchewan—he recorded and mixed his new single “Lips to Lips” at home with local collaborators. Community Festivals: Yorkton’s Living Skies Music Festival made a strong debut with a packed grandstand and national acts like Big Sugar and Econoline Crush. Local Scenes, Global Echoes: Zambia’s “Zed Beats” movement is credited with bringing young people’s voices back after the HIV/AIDS-era collapse of live music, blending local languages with R&B, dancehall, hip-hop and more. Music + Tech Policy: Spotify will add an “AI Persona” label for AI-made artist identities and exclude those tracks from recommendations by default, with labels rolling out mid-September. Blues Spotlight: Buddy Guy received the Chicago Music Legend Award at the Obama Presidential Center’s Chicago Culture Ball. AI vs. Art Debate: Queen’s Brian May used Meta AI to mock a distorted “The Game” cover, arguing the world “actually doesn’t need AI” and warning about data centers. New Releases/Charts: B2K returns to radio charts after decades with “Mileage,” its first radio win in 20+ years. Upcoming Live: Rossland’s Into the Trees expands to three nights (Sept. 4–6) with headliners Delhi 2 Dublin, Elliott Brood and Shred Kelly. Film-Music Crossovers: AR Rahman says Shah Rukh Khan will appear in Asha Bhosle tribute music video.