Kathleen Edwards

Renowned Canadian musician Kathleen Edwards has been a fixture on the North American folk scene for the past decade. More inspired by traditional folk rock in her early days, her latest album sees her evolve towards a more contemporary sound inspired by the work of Bon Iver. She was spotted by an independent label following the confidential release of her first EP in 1999, and won over fans with Failer in 2003. Her work is closely linked to that of producer and guitarist Colin Cripps, who co-produced Failer, Back to Me (2004) and Asking for Flowers (2008). Their separation and meeting with Bon Iver gave rise to Voyageur in 2012, an album that marked a musical turning point in Kathleen Edwards' career. However, exhausted by the pace of her live shows and, above all, a new romantic break-up, she decided to take a break from the music business, devoting herself for a time to running a café not far from Ottawa. Although she never spoke of definitive retirement, her live performances became sporadic. It was only after the suicide of Neal Casal, in 2019, that she opened up about her depression. She then found the strength to record a new opus, Total Freedom, which was released in 2020. In 2025, the singer-guitarist was joined by Jason Isbell's band, 400 Unit, on the album Billionaire, produced by Isbell and Gena Johnson.