Ann Vriend (Canada)


Music

Ann Vriend: the Aretha Franklin of Americana

“With her soaring vocals, impressive songwriting ability, and multi-instrumental prowess, Vriend is truly an all-in-one package.”
Obscure Sound, New York

Whether at the International Leonard Cohen Festival in Berlin, the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne or at her hometown Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Ann Vriend mesmerizes audiences around the world. Her vulnerable yet exquisite voice is often the first thing which turns heads, while her songs maintain an infectious, natural knack for melody. Vriend's lyrics reveal a literary depth that stands as poetry on its own, and her stage presence, balanced perfectly between breathtaking, heartbreaking songs and charming, witty humour, make for a completely engaging show. Her albums have all been critically acclaimed, selling over 12,000 copies to date, without the help of a record label.

Vriend was born in Vancouver, BC, but moved to Edmonton, Alberta at age 5. Early on her parents discovered their 3-yr-old could pick out nursery songs on a Fisher Price xylophone. Vriend’s musical talent developed from there to the violin, but eventually she settled on the piano at age 9, which she chose in order to accompany herself singing. In her teens Vriend was persuaded by her school principal to perform her original songs at a high school talent show. Encouraged by the success of this performance, she began singing in public more often, performing and co-writing in local bands. Vriend then completed a 2-year music program at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton.

Within 7 months of graduating, Vriend was recording at Sony Studios in NYC, with complimentary tickets to a concert of Paul Simon, her favorite in her parents’ vinyl collection. That same year she released an astonishingly popular demo, which garnered her immediate radio play on local stations across Alberta. Her debut full-length album, "Soul Unraveling" is now in its 5th pressing. “Waterfront,” a romantic piano ballad from this album, was placed on the DVD release of the hit US TV series “Party of Five”.

Since then Vriend has released 2 other studio albums as well as a live album recorded at concerts around the world in 2009, entitled "Closer Encounters".

Ann’s writing reveals the lyrical and folk influences of ‘70s singer/songwriters such as Simon, Leonard Cohen, and Cat Stevens. Combined with her love of retro soul singing such as Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and the honest, heartbreaking delivery of traditional folk/country singers such as Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris, Vriend borrows from an array of retro genres, ranging from soul, roots, blues, jazz, and traditional country music, labeled recently by Maplepost as the "Aretha Franklin of Americana".

Yet Vriend brings a very contemporary awareness in her writing and delivery that is far beyond a simple borrowing of traditional music, pushing genres past their accepted boundaries. Thus Vriend is also often compared to contemporary innovators such as Regina Specktor, Joni Mitchell, Lyle Lovett, and Tom Waits.

Vriend has been equally comfortable and successful at headlining major festivals, as well as playing in concert halls, jazz clubs and indie venues. Her genre and appeal cannot be pinned down.

Approaching household name status in her hometown, where she has had a number of commercial radio hits ("Feelin' Fine" reaching Gold rotation, and "St. Paul" in heavy rotation), she has yet to be fully embraced by the industry at large, despite consistent international critical acclaim, and a loyal fan base in many cities around the world. However, this is her 7th time back to Australia - where she seems to have grown her second biggest fan base after Canada.

Vriend's self-produced upcoming album, entitled "Love and Other Messes" is a careful mix of Americana, retro soul, blues, and Beatlesque pop, and may change this predicament. Recorded immediately after taking her seven piece band on the road Vriend's new album is of utmost professional quality, without losing the vibe of the live off the floor feel and intimacy of voice and lyric for which Vriend is known. A mix of heartfelt and fun tunes, and featuring two duets with Vriend's 2009 touring partner Matt Epp as well as background vocals by well-known Canadian performers Coco Love Alcorn and Chloe Albert, tunes from this album are already in high demand among Vriend's fans - who, by attending recorded concerts on her tour leading up to the recording, were able to "get on the liner notes" via their audience participation on certain songs.

Vriend will release "Love and Other Messes" in Germany and the Netherlands November 2010, in Canada January 2011, and will bring herself and her Juno award winning bass player, James Forrest, to Australia in early 2011.

Vriend's last Australian tour (March-April 2010) made her the most talked about darling of each festival she played, landing the front cover of "The Australian", and a spot on ABC TV’s "Spicks and Specks".  Making waves and turning heads wherever she goes, biographer David Ritz does not exaggerate in the following observation:

"Once every generation... a singer-songwriter emerges with the creative fire to set the music world ablaze. Ann Vriend has the fire."

For Video Footage please go to: www.annvriend.com/videospics