This week in Pudding Internationale, we’ve got an update from Hot Tramp from Montreal. For the last few years, Hot Tramp has been steadily building a roster of talented artists as a management group, but founder Sarah Armiento has had her mind on growth lately, and is proud to announce that Hot Tramp will expand to label status as well. Since Hot Tramp’s founding in 2019, Armiento has led the charge in promoting shows, booking tours, and planning the inaugural Hot Tramp Fest, which featured over 25+ womxn artists.
With a handful of wildly talented artists – a list that includes Janette King, Maryze, and Alicia Clara – Hot Tramp has made a name for itself over the year as a budding force in Montreal’s music scene, serving especially as a haven for the creative expression of queer womxn. On her decision to push through to label status, Armiento stated in a press release that “I’m launching Hot Tramp as a label firstly because I think it’s a necessary pandemic-adjusted pivot from my former format of management company and show promotion and secondly I think that the industry needs some more women-run labels to create safer spaces for artists, especially in the wake of all these industry call-outs. There seems to be a sort of cleanse happening in the industry right now that is dusting off some old cobwebs and clearing up space for newcomers like Hot Tramp.”
Photo by Adam Nigro
To coincide with the label announcement, Janette King is releasing a new single called “Mars.” Named for the planet of sex and aggression, the track is fittingly a lust-driven pop-R&B song that fits in with King’s emotional, passionately-driven body of work that she laid the groundwork for on her 2019 EP 143. In fact, “Mars” offers a little preview of the new material King has been developing for her debut full-length LP, which is currently slated for a May 2021 release.
Though she was scheduled to make rounds on the summer festival circuit this year, Janette King has been staying busy creating new music during quarantine, trading in time on the road for the chance to further hone in on her unique blend of sonic influences that range from R&B, pop, and house.
Stream “Mars” below, and keep an eye out for future Hot Tramp releases, including Janette King’s debut LP.