Lisa LeBlanc
Lisa LeBlanc during the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in 2012
Lisa LeBlanc during the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in 2012
Background information
Born (1990-08-13) August 13, 1990 (age 33)
Rosaireville, New Brunswick, Canada
GenresFolk, rock, trash-folk
Years active2004–present
LabelsBonsound

Lisa LeBlanc (born August 13, 1990), is a Canadian singer-songwriter and banjoist, known for her enthusiastic "trash folk" performances.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] She is of Acadian heritage,[4] 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.[5][6]

The album became best known for the single "Aujourd'hui ma vie c'est d'la marde" ("Today My Life Is Shit").[7] The album earned LeBlanc a nomination for the Francophone Album of the Year at the 2013 Juno Awards,[8] as well as nominations for three Félix Awards including Critics Choice Album of the Year,[9] two Canadian Folk Music Awards,[10] and an East Coast Music Award.[11]

A song from the album, "Lignes d'hydro", was also nominated for the SOCAN Songwriting Prize.[12] 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.[9]

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.[13][14] She was also nominated for two Félix Awards that year as well as the SOCAN Songwriting Prize the following year.[15][16]

She released her second studio album, Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?, on September 30, 2016.[17] The album included both French and English titles including a thrash-folk cover of Motörhead's classic heavy metal song "Ace of Spades".[18] 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.[19] It also earned LeBlanc her second Juno Award nomination for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year.[8] The album also earned LeBlanc four nominations at the Félix Awards and a nomination for Contemporary Singer at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.[20][21]

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.[22]

2021–present: Chiac Disco

In March 2022 LeBlanc released her third studio album Chiac Disco.[23] The album's name and lyrics taking inspiration from Chiac, a "fringlish" 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.[24] 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?[25]

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.[26] She won for Francophone Recording of the Year.[27]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Details Peak positions Certification
CAN
[28] 		FRA
[29]
Lisa LeBlanc 8 101
Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?
  • Released: September 30, 2016[31]
  • Label: Bonsound Records
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming
 8 —
Chiac Disco
  • Released: March 18, 2022[32]
  • Label: Bonsound Records
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming
 24 —

Extended plays

Year Details Peak positions
CAN[28]
Highways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted
  • Released: November 4, 2014
  • Label: Bonsound Records
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming
 7
It's Not a Game, It's a Lifestyle
(as Belinda)
  • Released: June 14, 2020[33]
  • Label: Bonsound Records
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
 —

Singles

Title Year Album
"Aujourd'hui, ma vie c'est d'la marde" 2012 Lisa LeBlanc
"Cerveau ramolli"
"J'pas un cowboy" 2014
"You Look Like Trouble (But I Guess I Do Too)" 2015 Highways, Heartaches and Time Well Wasted
"Gold Diggin' Hoedown"
"Dump the Guy ASAP" 2016 Why 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) 		2020 It's Not a Game, It's a Lifestyle
"Mon Sport Préféré"
(as Belinda, featuring Johanne)
"In It to Win It"
(as Belinda, featuring Jalape​ñ​o 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 TBA

As a featured artist

Title Year Album
"Dans l'bois"[34]
(Édith Butler featuring Lisa LeBlanc) 		2021 Le tour du Grand Bois
"Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui [Remix]"[35]
(Poirier featuring Lisa LeBlanc) 		2023 Non-album single

Guest appearances

Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Le coeur a des dents"[36] 2012 Yann Perreau À genoux dans le désir
"Marie Mouri" 2021 Édith Butler Le tour du Grand Bois[37]
"Ti-gars"

Awards and nominations

Year Association Award Work Result Ref.
2012 SOCAN Songwriting Prize Francophone "Lignes d'hydro" [a] Nominated [12]
Félix Awards Female Performer Herself Nominated [9]
Revelation of the Year Won
Critics Choice Album of the Year Lisa LeBlanc Nominated
Folk Album Nominated
Songwriter or Composer Nominated
Canadian Folk Music Awards French Songwriter Nominated [10]
New/Emerging Artist Nominated
2013 Juno Awards Francophone Album Nominated [8]
East Coast Music Awards Francophone Recording Nominated [11]
Félix Awards Female Performer Herself Nominated [38]
2014 Félix Awards Quebec Artist with Most Success Outside Quebec Nominated [15]
Female Performer Nominated
2015 SOCAN Songwriting Prize Anglophone "You Look Like Trouble (But I Guess I Do Too)" Nominated [16]
2017 Polaris Music Prize Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen? Shortlisted [39]
Canadian Folk Music Awards Contemporary Singer Nominated [21]
Juno Awards Contemporary Roots Album Nominated [8]
Félix Awards Anglophone Album Nominated [20]
Spectacle - Anglophone Nominated
Sound Recording and Mixing Herself [b] Nominated
Record Producer Herself[c] Nominated
2022 Félix Awards Female Artist Herself Nominated [40]
Song of the Year "Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui" Nominated
Songwriter of the Year Herself, for Chiac Disco[d] Nominated
Critics Choice Album of the Year Chiac Disco Nominated
Pop Album Won
Polaris Music Prize Shortlisted [25]
2023 Juno Awards Francophone Album Nominated [8]
East Coast Music Awards Francophone Recording Won [26]
[27]
Pop Recording Nominated
Solo Recording Nominated
Song of the Year "Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui" Nominated
TD's Fan Choice Entertainer of the Year Herself Nominated
  1. ^ for Joël Vaudreuil
  2. ^ with Joseph Donovan, Benoit Morier, Nicolas Petrowski, and Francis Bélanger
  3. ^ with Joseph Donovan
  4. ^ with Benoit Morier, Michel Roy, and Léandre Bourgeois

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lisa LeBlanc.
  1. ^ "Le Devoir – Lisa LeBlanc, les chansons à vif d'une fille en vie". March 24, 2012.
  2. ^ Harmsen, Natalie (February 27, 2023). "16 musicians who surprisingly haven't won any Juno Awards". CBC Music. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "East Coast's biggest music star? It's Lisa LeBlanc". CBC News, by Bob Merserau. April 27, 2017]
  4. ^ "What You Need to Know About Folk-Trash Queen Lisa LeBlanc". Exclaim!, By Sarah Greene. October 6, 2016
  5. ^ a b "Canadian album certifications – Lisa LeBlanc – Lisa LeBlanc". Music Canada.
  6. ^ Brendan Kelly, "Lisa LeBlanc returns with her first full-length English album". Montreal Gazette, October 3, 2016.
  7. ^ Étienne Paré, "Logement abordable: une campagne publicitaire provocatrice". Le Journal de Montréal, December 9, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Lisa LeBlanc". The JUNO Awards. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Archives 2012 –". ADISQ. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Results 2012 :: Canadian Folk Music Awards". Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Awards Archive - East Coast Music Association". East Coast Music Award. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Kathleen Edwards wins $5K songwriting prize". CBC News. October 19, 2012.
  13. ^ "Weekly Music Sales Report and Analysis: 12 November 2014 | Alan Cross". November 12, 2014.
  14. ^ "Lisa LeBlanc la culottée ****". La Presse, October 12, 2016.
  15. ^ a b "Archives 2014 –". ADISQ. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Hudson, Alex (July 9, 2015). "Dear Rouge Wins 2015 SOCAN Songwriting Prize". Exclaim. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  17. ^ Ben Rayner, "Breakup album, with a dose of good humour". Toronto Star, October 13, 2016.
  18. ^ Thierry Côté, "Lisa LeBlanc: Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen?". Exclaim!, September 28, 2016.
  19. ^ "Polaris Music Prize shortlist includes Leonard Cohen, Gord Downie". The Globe and Mail, July 13, 2017.
  20. ^ a b "Archives 2017 –". ADISQ. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  21. ^ a b "Results 2017 :: Canadian Folk Music Awards". Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  22. ^ Josée Lapointe, "Lisa LeBlanc et son alter ego disco-bingo". La Presse, June 14, 2020.
  23. ^ Kaelen Bell, "Exclaim!'s 32 Most Anticipated Canadian Albums of 2022". Exclaim!, January 4, 2022.
  24. ^ "Here are all the 2023 Juno nominees". CBC Music, January 31, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Brophy, Aaron (July 14, 2022). "The 2022 Polaris Music Prize Short List Is Here". Polaris Music Prize. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  26. ^ a b "Classified and The East Pointers Lead 2023 East Coast Music Award Nominations - East Coast Music Association". East Coast Music Award. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  27. ^ a b "ECMA announces full list of 2023 East Coast Music and Industry Award recipients! - East Coast Music Association". East Coast Music Award. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Billboard Canadian Albums". FYIMusicNews. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  29. ^ "Lisa LeBlanc discography". lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
  30. ^ Lisa LeBlanc by Lisa LeBlanc, March 27, 2012, retrieved May 9, 2023
  31. ^ Why You Wanna Leave Runaway Queen? by Lisa LeBlanc, September 30, 2016, retrieved May 9, 2023
  32. ^ Chiac Disco by Lisa LeBlanc, March 18, 2022, retrieved May 9, 2023
  33. ^ "It's Not a Game, It's a Lifestyle, by Belinda". Belinda. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
  34. ^ Dans l'bois (feat. Lisa Leblanc) - Single by Édith Butler, August 6, 2021, retrieved May 9, 2023
  35. ^ Pourquoi faire aujourd'hui (feat. Lisa LeBlanc) [Remix] - Single by Poirier, January 13, 2023, retrieved May 9, 2023
  36. ^ À genoux dans le désir by Yann Perreau, October 9, 2012, retrieved May 9, 2023
  37. ^ Le tour du Grand Bois by Édith Butler, August 27, 2021, retrieved May 9, 2023
  38. ^ "Archives 2013 –". ADISQ. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  39. ^ "2017 Nominees". Polaris Music Prize. February 12, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  40. ^ "Les résultats du gala de l'ADISQ 2022". Le Canal Auditif (in Canadian French). Retrieved May 8, 2023.
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