Christianne was born and raised in the remote northern community of Blind River,
Ontario, which stands proudly as a small tree in the heart of the Canadian Shield,
enriched by Ojibwa, French Canadian, and British roots. With not much else to do,
Christianne sang at church and at local fairs, quickly learning the piano and guitar to
accompany her distinctive voice.
Christianne was formally trained by the Speech Arts Program of the Royal Conservatory
of Music. At age fifteen, she won the Royal Conservatory’s Medallion for Poetry. From
her earliest intimations, Christianne believed passionately in the power of words and
in composing music with a message.
Following a well-rounded education, Christianne found it necessary to expand her range
of understanding, broadening her interests to include philosophy, religious studies, world
literature, and political activism. However, after half-heartedly completing two years of a
political philosophy degree at the University of Ottawa, Christianne began to feel stymied
by the often rigid, top-down approach to education embraced by western society. At
nineteen, she set out on a quest to experience first hand all that she had been taught in
the classroom.
For the better part of two years, Christianne hit the road, traveling through North Africa,
Eastern and Western Europe, and the beautiful yet troubled nation of Colombia, where she
spent the most extensive period of time during her journey. Exposure to the colourful
tapestry of our globe appropriately altered Christianne’s musical style and influences,
combining her early appreciation of North American folk, blues, and country with Latin,
African, and European traditions.
After her substantial period abroad, Christianne finally moved to Toronto with the primary
goal of fully devoting herself to her craft. There, she met long-established multi-instrumentalist
Gord Disley, who shared her love for folkloric styles and who also happened to be a
northerner, hailing from Timmins, Ont.
September marks the release of her highly-anticipated debut album, Doomsday Lovers,
consisting of twelve original songs spiced with flamenco, reggae, Middle-Eastern and
Afro-Cuban ingredients. As a testament to her commitment to multilingualism, the
album contains tracks sung in French, Spanish, and English. Doomsday Lovers is the
must-have record for any aspiring singer-songwriter or lover of music who believes in
the transformative power of song. It is a collaborative effort, mirroring the beautiful
diversity of the global experience and what it means to be young.