TMU Superstars puts community members on the big stage
When Michael Carter-Arlt and Rianna Jones decided to audition for TMU’s Superstars program, they had no idea it would lead to a fruitful musical partnership.
Music as an outlet
Michael, 34, works as an immersive technology specialist at TMU libraries and teaches in the Master of Digital Media (MDM) program. He's played guitar for almost 20 years, ever since his uncle gave him a Led Zeppelin album as a teenager. He picked up a guitar class in high school just to hang out with friends — and never put the instrument down. He graduated from TMU's MDM program in 2018.
"It's definitely an outlet," Michael says. "Any time that I want to let out some emotion, I grab my guitar."
Rianna, 24, feels the same way about singing. A recent graduate of TMU's Creative Industries program, she grew up singing in church and school choirs. Her favourite artists include Anita Baker and Jazmine Sullivan — anything soul, she says.
"Singing is healing, like therapy in a way," says Rianna, who attended a specialized arts high school and studied opera before transferring to TMU. "Whenever I sing, it resets my nervous system. I feel like I don't have to worry about anything."
Two chance discoveries
Both performers found Superstars by accident. The program puts TMU staff, students, faculty and alumni on stage at major campus events, including the Frost Holiday Festival and the Toronto Met Awards Gala. Performers also sing the national anthem at Remembrance Day events and athletics tournaments.
Rianna spotted the program on the TMU website while looking for chances to perform. She recorded herself singing "O Canada" and submitted it through the audition portal. "It was online and pretty straightforward," she says.
Michael found out about Superstars through an email — and some encouragement from his wife, also an MDM grad. He submitted a minute-long demo showing off his guitar skills, including a bit of improvising over an Ariana Grande song.
Both got in. For most of the school year, they performed separately as part of the Superstars roster.
Michael says his favourite memories come from performing for colleagues and professors who had no idea he played. "A lot of the time I don't really talk about this other side of me," he says. "Sometimes I'll see people in the hall and they'll be like, 'I didn't know you play guitar.'"
For Rianna, the program has kept her tied to TMU even after graduation. "I feel like I haven't really graduated, because of how connected I am with the university," she says.
An unlikely pairing clicks
Before this year's Toronto Met Awards Gala in April, Ryan Kerr, TMU's manager of institutional events and the founder of the Superstars program, reached out to Michael and Rianna. He thought their styles would work well together and suggested they team up.
The two connected over Zoom and quickly found they were on the same page musically. Rianna picked out songs, and Michael learned them by ear.
"When I play guitar, I'm actually just playing whatever comes to me," he says. "I try to go with the flow. I don't really like to be structured."
The gamble paid off. At the gala, the duo's debut was a hit — Michael's improvised riffs weaving through Rianna's soulful vocal runs.
"It was pretty much seamless," Michael says. "When I was up there, I thought, it feels like we've been playing together for a while, but we had only just met a month prior."
Rianna says working with Michael has pushed her as a musician. Trained in music theory, she now leans more on instinct. "He uses his ear for everything, which forces me to use my ear more than thinking logically," she says. "He also gives me free agency over picking whatever song I want to do, because he can play any song if he just listens to it a couple of times."
What's next for the duo
Michael and Rianna performed together at Sankofa Square on August 27. The set list included songs by Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder and Daniel Caesar, plus a debut cover of Prince's Purple Rain.
"Feel good music," Rianna says.
The pair performing together on stage at Sankofa Square just next to campus.
The pair now plans to keep working together outside of Superstars, too. Michael says they've talked about adding a drummer and bassist — maybe even musicians they meet through the program. "To be honest, that would be a dream come true," he says.
Want to join Superstars?
TMU Superstars will open its audition window from September 14 to October 16, 2026. Past performers include figure skater and TMU alumna Alyona Ivanova, along with singers Ariyanna Nardi, Ramya Ramnath, Preethi Suresh and Carina Bianchini.
Both Michael and Rianna encourage others to try out.
"It's given me a platform to use my voice," Rianna says. "Singing is a form of self-expression, and it's definitely made me feel more confident. Go for it. You never know what will come out of it."
Michael agrees. "With so many things in my life, I've learned that taking a shot is beneficial because at the end of the day, if you don't take your shot, then you miss out."
Interested in performing at TMU events? Submit an audition video through the Superstars audition portal today.
