Samantha Matusoff

Samantha Matusoff is a Toronto-based writer and communications strategist with two decades of experience at the intersection of culture, media, and impact. She currently works as a Development Writer at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she creates high-impact donor communications that are equal parts strategic and story-driven.

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As a teenage punk promoter in rural Quebec, when she couldn't afford concert tickets, she began interviewing bands for blogs and radio. That passion-first, DIY ethic led to journalism work with Metro News Ottawa, CBC, Xtra!, Canadian Musician Magazine and Apt613, covering arts, culture, and music with a sharp eye and a lot of hustle. She's interviewed over 1,500 people, including artists like Rise Against, Macy Gray, and St. Vincent. She has worked as a project manager for Ottawa Bluesfest, CityFolk, and the Ottawa International Film Festival, and built a consulting company that supported hundreds of independent artists and organizations across Canada. 

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Over the years, Samantha ran label operations, drafted business plans, built artist rosters, and managed six-figure funding strategies. She’s raised more than $6 million for independent musicians and organizations across Canada including Our Lady Peace, The Beaches and Monowhales. She’s spoken at Canadian Music Week, Iceland Airwaves, served as a JUNO Awards juror, and taught Artist Management college courses to the next wave of creatives. She even stage managed Lizzo once.

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Samantha is a self-taught creative, intersectional feminist, and longtime vegan who believes in communications that cut through noise and reflect her ethical values. She’s currently working on her first memoir about surviving the Canadian music industry and what it cost to get out.