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Bonefish Boys 3:470:00/3:47
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Meaning Well 3:100:00/3:10
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0:00/3:53
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Morphée 3:080:00/3:08
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Vagabond 3:010:00/3:01
Mia Kelly
Ottawa Bluesfest 2024 - photo credit: Curtis Perry
2024 Canadian Folk Music Award Winner- Emerging Artist of the Year / Young Performer of the Year
2023 "Les Culturiades" Prix de la jeunesse
2022-2023 SOCAN Honourable Mentions for "Garden Through the War" & "Kitchissippi"
2023 Canadian Representative at "Les jeux de la Francophonie" in the Democratic Republic of Congo
2023 Folk Music Ontario Awards - Album of the Year Nominee - "Garden Through the War"
“One to watch out for” - Americana UK
"…a stunning expressive voice" - Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen
"Mia Kelly continue de nous émouvoir avec sa folk qui émigre vers les voies du cœur un peu comme Brandi Carlile, Matt Holubowski, Big Thief ou Phoebe Bridger." - ARP Média
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Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Mia Kelly celebrates her anticipated album “To Be Clear”
Through the lush folk and earthy Americana of her sophomore record, singer-songwriter Mia Kelly, from Gatineau, Quebec establishes herself as a spellbinding voice, blurring the lines between intimate memoir and compelling, semi-fictional narratives.
Performing in both French and English, Kelly enthrals listeners with a distinctive blend of Folk, Rock, and Blues and is making her mark in the Canadian folk music scene. Recently awarded Young Performer of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2024 Canadian Folk Music Awards, Kelly is swiftly gaining recognition as a poetic lyricist with a powerful and versatile voice. With her knack for adapting the stories of the people she has connected with in her life, Mia is an imaginative storyteller who channels her raw and vulnerable emotions through her expertly crafted songs.
The Ottawa Citizen noted at her recent Ottawa Bluesfest performance (2024): "Mia Kelly was in the groove, delivering her songs in her stunningly expressive voice and accompanying herself with a sure hand on acoustic guitar. Between tunes, Kelly showed a great balance of humour, storytelling ability and natural charisma."
Her forthcoming album « To Be Clear » has been described as Folk, and a dipped toe into the Blues pond, a brilliant combination. The Quebec-based songwriter steps into the skin of numerous and complex characters, recalls her first great love and heartbreak and investigates the textures of grief and abuse. Her recollections are clear-eyed and honest; in every note and line of To Be Clear, it’s easy to tell that, despite flourishes of metaphor and fiction, Kelly has lived and seen the things she sings about and renders them with conviction.
Kelly was awarded the Emerging Artist of the Year and Young Performer of the year at the 2024 Canadian Folk Music Awards. She represented Canada as a finalist at the 2023 Jeux De La Francophonie in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has performed for Canada Day in London, England at the Canadian High Commission in 2024. She’s been covered by La Presse, Ottawa Citizen, Radio Canada, Roots Music Canada, Châtelaine, and recently featured on Quebec’s flagship music TV show « Belle et Bum».
Her 2022 debut album, Garden Through the War, explored themes of resilience and growth that follow hardship. The album received recognition from the SOCAN Foundation. Kelly was awarded the Emerging Artist of the Year by Culture Outaouais, and represented Canada as a finalist at the 2023 Jeux De La Francophonie in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She’s been covered by La Presse, Ottawa Citizen, Radio Canada, Roots Music Canada, Châtelaine, and many more.
She’s shared the stage with Bobby Bazini, Aysanabee, The Franklin Electric, Daniel Champagne, Jeremie Albino, Julian Taylor, Lloyd Spiegel and performed at numerous Canadian festivals including Festival d’été de Québec, Mission Folk Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, Summerfolk, Ontario Festival of Small Halls, Festival des Montgolfières, Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival, Live from the Rock, and the Winnipeg Folk Festival.