Kelly McMichael

“one of Canada’s best new songwriters” (Canadian Beats)

Kelly McMichael is an innovative multi-instrumentalist whose instant-classic songwriting challenges expectations in the alternative pop/rock realm, sprinkling in hints of jazz and psychedelia. Her commanding stage presence and defiant lyrics channel resistance while drawing listeners in with nostalgic sounds.

Based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and originally from Peterborough, Ontario, McMichael’s independently released debut album Waves (2021) was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize and won the ECMA for Best Rock Recording. Her sophomore album After The Sting Of It (2024) made the Polaris Music Prize long list.

Kelly’s co created DIY feminist synth band Rouge, while she was studying Art at the University of Guelph. She was recruited to play with Gentleman Reg in Toronto, sparking a career as a side player, later joining Tim Baker, The Burning Hell, and Sarah Harmer. McMichael’s career followed an unusual path, touring North America as a session player, later serving tables and playing covers in bars in Newfoundland and eventually finding late bloomer success with her own music.

Kelly McMichael’s second album, After The Sting Of It (2024) expands on the classic sounds of her first record, leaning into bold art-rock production and ethereal sonic landscapes. Kelly’s voice glides through themes of tear down and rebirth with striking power and empathy. The album charted on alternative radio stations nationally, including CBC, The Verge, and campus radio and won praise from Exclaim! Kelly McMichael tours frequently, igniting crowds with the band or inducing tears with a solo piano performance, and according to critics, she sounds “even better live” than on record.

“a musician who has been shaped by experience and learned when to break the rules and when to make them her own” (The East)

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