The Blue Stones

Lore & Background

The Blue Stones signed a record contract with Entertainment One in August 2018 and re-released their debut LP Black Holes on October 26, 2018. They toured the US with their Be My Fire Tour. In early January 2020, they were nominated for the 2020 Juno Award in the category of Breakthrough Group of the Year.

In early 2021, the band announced their sophomore LP Hidden Gems, co-written and produced by Mutemath frontman Paul Meany. The ten-song album was released on March 19, 2021, preceded by five singles. Their third album, Pretty Monster, was released in November 2022 and was later nominated for a 2024 Juno Award in the category of Rock Album of the Year.

In 2025, The Blue Stones announced their fourth studio album, Metro, released on March 28, 2025. The album was supported by the singles 'Your Master' and 'Kill Box' (both 2024) and 'Come Apart' (early 2025).

Reader's Guide

The Blue Stones have built a steady career as a blues rock duo from Windsor, Ontario, gaining recognition through Juno Award nominations. Their debut album Black Holes was re-released under Entertainment One in 2018, marking a significant step in their professional trajectory. The band's sophomore effort Hidden Gems, produced by Paul Meany, and their third album Pretty Monster, which earned a 2024 Juno nomination for Rock Album of the Year, demonstrate their sustained output and industry acknowledgment. Their 2025 album Metro continues their discography. While not a household name, their consistent album releases and nominations place them as a notable act within Canadian blues rock. Their significance lies in their independent rise and ability to secure label support and award recognition over a decade of activity.

Did You Know?

• The Blue Stones signed with Entertainment One in August 2018.
• They were nominated for the 2020 Juno Award for Breakthrough Group of the Year.
• Their album Pretty Monster was nominated for a 2024 Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year.
• Their fourth album Metro was released on March 28, 2025.

From Windsor to the National Stage

The Blue Stones are a Canadian blues rock duo hailing from Windsor, Ontario, and their journey from a local act to a nationally recognized name traces a steady climb over roughly a decade. Their early work appeared on two extended plays in 2011 and 2012, laying the groundwork for a debut full-length, Black Holes, which first came out in 2015. The real inflection point arrived in August 2018, when the pair secured a record deal with Entertainment One. That partnership immediately reshaped their trajectory: the label announced a re-release of Black Holes for October 26, 2018, giving the record a second life in front of a wider audience. The duo then hit the road across the United States on their Be My Fire Tour, testing their live energy in new markets. The industry took notice in early January 2020, when The Blue Stones earned a Juno Award nomination for Breakthrough Group of the Year—a recognition that placed a two-person blues rock outfit from a border city on the same stage as far larger acts.

Four Albums, Four Statements

The Blue Stones have released four studio albums that chart a clear creative evolution. Black Holes, their 2015 debut, set the initial tone before receiving a 2018 re-release. Hidden Gems, which dropped on March 19, 2021, marked a deliberate step forward: the ten-track record was co-written and produced alongside Paul Meany, the frontman of Mutemath, and was introduced to listeners through a string of five advance singles—Shakin' Off The Rust, Grim, Careless, Let It Ride, and Spirit. Two years later, Pretty Monster arrived in November 2022, preceded by the singles Don't Miss, Good Ideas, and What's It Take To Be Happy? The most recent entry, Metro, was announced in 2025 and released on March 28 of that year. Its rollout leaned on three singles spanning two years: Your Master and Kill Box both surfaced in 2024, while Come Apart followed in early 2025. Across these four records, the duo has consistently used a sequence of standalone tracks to build anticipation before unveiling the full album, a strategy that has kept their audience engaged between releases.

The Two-Piece Engine

At the core of The Blue Stones is a deliberately lean partnership between two musicians who cover an unusually wide instrumental range for a duo. Tarek Jafar handles vocals, guitar, bass, and keys, effectively serving as the band's melodic and harmonic backbone across multiple instruments. Justin Tessier anchors the rhythm section on percussion while contributing backing vocals, giving the pair a full-band sound without the headcount. This two-person structure means every sonic element in a Blue Stones track is either one of them or a collaborator filling a specific gap. That collaborative spirit was most visible during the making of Hidden Gems, where the duo brought in Paul Meany, frontman of Mutemath, to co-write and produce the album. The result was a ten-song record that blended their blues rock foundation with Meany's production sensibility. The arrangement also means the duo's live shows carry a particular intensity: two people must generate the full texture of a rock performance, from driving bass lines to layered vocal harmonies, all while maintaining the raw, direct energy that defines their sound.

Recognition Beyond the Charts

The Blue Stones' growing profile has been validated by institutions on both sides of the Atlantic. Domestically, the Canadian music industry's highest honor—the Juno Award—has recognized the duo twice. In early January 2020, they were nominated for Breakthrough Group of the Year, a nod to their rapid ascent following the Entertainment One signing and the Be My Fire Tour. Three years later, their third album Pretty Monster earned a 2024 Juno nomination in the Rock Album of the Year category, signaling that the band had moved from promising newcomers to established contenders in the rock field. Internationally, the duo has also been associated with the Berlin Music Video Awards, an international festival dedicated to celebrating the art of music videos as a distinct creative medium. This recognition in a visual-arts context underscores that The Blue Stones' identity extends beyond audio: their visual storytelling and video work have found an audience in a competitive global landscape. Together, these nominations paint a picture of a small Windsor-based duo steadily earning respect in multiple creative dimensions.

Gallery