Lisa LeBlanc (born August 13, 1990), is a Canadian singer-songwriter and banjoist, known for her enthusiastic "trash folk" performances. She has been noted for her "distinct" blend of folk, rock, and disco with both English and French language lyrics combined with chiac and her Acadian accent. Her accolades include two Félix Awards and an East Coast Music Award. She has also been nominated for three Juno Awards, the SOCAN Songwriting Prize, and shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize twice.
Early life LeBlanc was born in Rosaireville, New Brunswick."East Coast's biggest music star? It's Lisa LeBlanc". CBC News, by Bob Merserau. April 27, 2017] She is of Acadian heritage,"What You Need to Know About Folk-Trash Queen Lisa LeBlanc". Exclaim!, By Sarah Greene. October 6, 2016 and comes from a family of music lovers.
Musical career
2004–2014: Origins and Lisa LeBlanc LeBlanc composed her first pieces around the age of fourteen. She was playing at local events and Miramichi's O'Donaghues bar, with her mother watching her because she was underage. LeBlanc was recognized as an outstanding guitarist and a promising singer-songwriter when she won the Festival International de la Chanson de Granby in September 2010. This juried award brought her to the attention of the country's francophone media. She has also played at the 2011 Coup de cœur francophone, at the FrancoFolies of Montreal and at the Festival d'été de Québec.
LeBlanc's self-titled debut album Lisa LeBlanc was released in 2012. The majority of LeBlanc's first album was written in Rosaireville, in Granby during her studies at l'École nationale de la chanson, as well as in Montreal, where she was living. Released on Bonsound Records, the album was recorded by Louis-Jean Cormier of Karkwa at Studio Piccolo. Lisa LeBlanc charted in both Canada and France and has been certified platinum by Music Canada.Brendan Kelly, "Lisa LeBlanc returns with her first full-length English album". Montreal Gazette, October 3, 2016.
The album became best known for the single "Aujourd'hui ma vie c'est d'la marde" ("Today My Life Is Shit").Étienne Paré, "Logement abordable: une campagne publicitaire provocatrice". Le Journal de Montréal, December 9, 2019. The album earned LeBlanc a nomination for the Francophone Album of the Year at the 2013 Juno Awards, as well as nominations for three Félix Awards including Critics Choice Album of the Year, two Canadian Folk Music Awards, and an East Coast Music Award.
A song from the album, "Lignes d'hydro", was also nominated for the SOCAN Songwriting Prize. Along with the nominations for Lisa LeBlanc Leblanc was also nominated for Female Performer of the Year at the 2012 and 2013 Félix Awards,"ADISQ 2013" /> She also won Revelation de l'année at the 2012 awards.
2014–2021: Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen? and extended plays In 2014, LeBlanc released Highways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted, an English EP, which debuted at number seven on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 3,400 copies."Lisa LeBlanc la culottée ****". La Presse, October 12, 2016. She was also nominated for two Félix Awards that year as well as the SOCAN Songwriting Prize the following year.
She released her second studio album, Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?, on September 30, 2016.Ben Rayner, "Breakup album, with a dose of good humour". Toronto Star, October 13, 2016. The album included both French and English titles, including a thrash-folk cover of Motörhead's classic heavy metal song "Ace of Spades".Thierry Côté, "Lisa LeBlanc: Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?". Exclaim!, September 28, 2016. It peaked at eight on the Canadian Albums Chart, becoming her third top 10 record in a row. The album was shortlisted for the 2017 Polaris Music Prize."Polaris Music Prize shortlist includes Leonard Cohen, Gord Downie". The Globe and Mail, July 13, 2017. It also earned LeBlanc her second Juno Award nomination for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year. The album also earned LeBlanc four nominations at the Félix Awards and a nomination for Contemporary Singer at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
In 2018 she also collaborated with Joseph Edgar, Robin-Joël Cool, Wanabi Farmeur, Vishtèn, Caroline Savoie, and Édith Butler on the album Grand tintamarre ! - Chansons et comptines acadiennes, which won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Children's Album of the Year at the 14th Canadian Folk Music Awards."The LYNNeS, Pharis Romero Win Multiple CFMAs". FYI Music News, December 3, 2018.
In 2020, under the pseudonym Belinda, LeBlanc released It's Not a Game, It's a Lifestyle, a five-song EP of disco songs about bingo.Josée Lapointe, "Lisa LeBlanc et son alter ego disco-bingo". La Presse, June 14, 2020.
2021–present: Chiac Disco
In March 2022, LeBlanc released her third studio album Chiac Disco.Kaelen Bell, "Exclaim!'s 32 Most Anticipated Canadian Albums of 2022". Exclaim!, January 4, 2022. The album's name and lyrics take inspiration from Chiac, a "frenglish" dialect common within Acadian communities of New Brunswick. It also followed the disco influence of It's Not a Game, It's a Lifestyle. The album became her fourth to chart on the Canadian Albums Chart, peaking at twenty four.
Chiac Disco was a Juno Award nominee for Francophone Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2023, becoming her second nomination in the category and third Juno nomination."Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music, January 31, 2023. Chiac Disco earned LeBlanc her second Félix Award, winning Pop Album of the Year. It was also nominated for Critics Choice Album of the Year. At the 43rd Félix Awards, she was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year and Female Performer of the Year, along with "Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui" being nominated for Song of the Year. Chiac Disco was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize in 2022, becoming her second shortlisted album after Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?
In 2023, LeBlanc received nominations at the East Coast Music Awards for the first time since 2013. They included three nominations for Chiac Disco, Song of the Year for "Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui", and for TD's Fan Choice Entertainer of the Year. She won for Francophone Recording of the Year.
Discography
Studio albums TitleDetailsPeak positionsCertification CAN FRA Lisa LeBlanc Released: March 27, 2012 Label: Bonsound Records Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming8101 MC: Platinum Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen? Released: September 30, 2016 Label: Bonsound Records Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming8— Chiac Disco Released: March 18, 2022 Label: Bonsound Records Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming24—
Extended plays YearDetailsPeak positions CANHighways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted Released: November 4, 2014 Label: Bonsound Records Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming7 It's Not a Game, It's a Lifestyle Released: June 14, 2020 Label: Bonsound Records Formats: Digital download, streaming—
Singles + TitleYearAlbum"Aujourd'hui, ma vie c'est d'la marde"2012Lisa LeBlanc"Cerveau ramolli""J'pas un cowboy"2014"You Look Like Trouble (But I Guess I Do Too)"2015Highways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted"Gold Diggin' Hoedown""Dump the Guy ASAP"2016Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?"City Slickers and Country Boys"2017"I Love You, I Don't Love You, I Love You""Ace of Spades""It's Not a Game, It's a Lifestyle"(as Belinda)2020It's Not a Game, It's a Lifestyle"Mon Sport Préféré"(as Belinda, featuring Johanne)"In It to Win It"(as Belinda, featuring Jalapeño Papa) Non-album singles"Bonsoir Moreau"(featuring Salebarbes)2021 "Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui"Chiac Disco"Entre toi pi moi pi la corde de bois""Me semble que c'est facile"2022"Gossip""Quoi-ce tu fais ça pour?"2023
As a featured artist + TitleYearAlbum"Dans l'bois"(Édith Butler featuring Lisa LeBlanc)2021Le tour du Grand Bois"Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui [Remix]"(Poirier featuring Lisa LeBlanc)2023 Non-album single
Guest appearances +TitleYearOther artist(s)Album"Le coeur a des dents"2012Yann PerreauÀ genoux dans le désir"Marie Mouri"2021Édith ButlerLe tour du Grand Bois"Ti-gars"
Awards and nominations +YearAssociationAwardWorkResultRef.2012SOCAN Songwriting PrizeFrancophone"Lignes d'hydro" Félix AwardsFemale PerformerHerselfRevelation of the YearCritics Choice Album of the YearLisa LeBlancFolk AlbumSongwriter or ComposerCanadian Folk Music AwardsFrench SongwriterNew/Emerging Artist2013Juno AwardsFrancophone AlbumEast Coast Music AwardsFrancophone RecordingFélix AwardsFemale PerformerHerself2014Félix AwardsQuebec Artist with Most Success Outside QuebecFemale Performer2015SOCAN Songwriting PrizeAnglophone"You Look Like Trouble (But I Guess I Do Too)"2017Polaris Music PrizeWhy You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?Canadian Folk Music AwardsContemporary SingerJuno AwardsContemporary Roots AlbumFélix AwardsAnglophone AlbumSpectacle - AnglophoneSound Recording and MixingHerself Record ProducerHerself2022Félix AwardsFemale ArtistHerselfSong of the Year"Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui"Songwriter of the YearHerself, for Chiac DiscoCritics Choice Album of the YearChiac DiscoPop AlbumPolaris Music Prize2023Juno AwardsFrancophone AlbumEast Coast Music AwardsFrancophone RecordingPop RecordingSolo RecordingSong of the Year"Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui"TD's Fan Choice Entertainer of the YearHerself
References