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"LeBlanc’s lovely new album, The Fiddle & The Fire...(is) not showy...well-crafted and modestly arranged, giving the band a chance to shine but leaving plenty of room for her engaging, earthy voice."
biography
Élise LeBlanc is an alt-country singer-songwriter based in Cumberland, BC. (Vancouver Island). Her music is inspired by classic country, Appalachian folk, and western swing. Élise's lyrics are full of heart, anchored in honesty, resilience, and the beauty of the simple life. Whether backed by her string band, or going solo - her storytelling and melodies are rich and vivid.
Élise's latest record The Fiddle & The Fire has been making waves since its release in November 2023. The album has been celebrated on the Top 10 "Best Country Music on Bandcamp" list, and featured in a recent CBC Radio interview with Marc Fournier of Radio Canada Premiere's "Culture et Confiture". In January 2024, Élise spent 4 weeks in Nashville, TN showcasing her new record in Music City, soaking in Nashville's rich history, and honing her craft.
This isn't her first rodeo. In 2011, her music career started in earnest with the help of FACTOR Canada and the launch of her debut album Runaway Kites. While an expat living in Portland, OR, Élise was a finalist in the Great American Song Contest in 2016 for her song "Diamond Soul".
press
"Elise LeBlanc is based in Cumberland, British Columbia, a small town on Vancouver Island that’s a loooong way from Tennessee and Texas. Nonetheless, bluegrass, traditional country music, and Western swing found their way to her, and you can hear their heavy influence on LeBlanc’s lovely new album, The Fiddle & The Fire. The nine tracks here are not showy, but they are well-crafted and modestly arranged, giving the band a chance to shine but leaving plenty of room for LeBlanc’s engaging, earthy voice."
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- Best Country Music on Bandcamp | November 2023 | Ben Salmon
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"Élise LeBlanc ravive la musique country d'antan"
"Élise LeBlanc est passionnée par la musique Country des années 40 et inspirée par ses racines acadiennes et irlandaise.
Après avoir vécu en Ontario, en Alberta et en Oregon, l'auteure-compositrice-interprète queer de musique country/western swing/alt-bluegrass est aujourd'hui basée dans une petite bourgade de la côte Est de l'Île de Vancouver. "
"Élise LeBlanc Revives Old Country Music
Élise LeBlanc is passionate about 1940s Country music and inspired by her Acadian and Irish roots. After living in Ontario, Alberta and Oregon, the queer country/western swing/alt-bluegrass singer-songwriter is now based in a small town on the east coast of Vancouver Island."
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- Marc Fournier, CBC Radio Canada Premiere | Culture Et Confiture
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"Singer-songwriter Élise LeBlanc brings an old-world sound to us from Vancouver Island, BC. “The Fiddle and The Fire” is deep-steeped in tones that conjure images of the old Southwest mixed with traditional folk and bits of Appalachia. The result is something unusual within a modern context, marrying past and present with a near-gothic sense of foreboding. Her band, The Ridgeriders, brings this tale to life via upright bass, fiddle, brushed drumming and carefully placed, stirring harmonies… if we didn’t know it was written recently, we’d swear it was a vintage folk tale."
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"...Her voice captivated the room from the first song. She resonates with the English folk/soul scene comparable to Lisa Hannigan and Adele. Look out for her new album..."