Bonsound

Safia Nolin, who is currently touring with her latest album Dans le noir, will headline an outdoor concert at this year’s Francos de Montréal on Sunday, June 16th. Written in her self-described super depressive style (the style that won her the Prix Félix-Leclerc de la Chanson, the SOCAN Breakthrough Award, the Félix for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2016, and the Félix for Female Artist of the Year in 2017), Dans le noir is described by ICI Musique as tough, filled with painful tenderness and, most of all, so beautiful it’ll bring you to tears.

Since launching her album in October, Safia has released Mélancolie, a duet with Patrick Watson, and a music video for Dagues starring the drag queen Verona Verushka, as well as performed over 40 concerts in Canada and France. Safia returned in June 2019 with a new track, Claire, written with her friend Philémon Cimon, an artist she greatly admires. Recorded on tape with her long-time much-respected collaborators Joseph Marchand and Philippe Brault, Claire is an intimate break-up song. Emotional and deeply moving, the critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter exposes another piece of her heart in this latest dark, stripped-down folk song. Claire’s artwork and video were created by Safia herself.

Last fall, Safia shared a live performance of Miroir, a song a song about unrequited love, one of the worst things in the world, according to the singer-songwriter. Je m’excuse de mon corps / Pour mon cœur (I am sorry for my body / For my heart), she sings softly at the beginning of the song before ripping into hard-hitting lyrics that explore the unhealthy report many of us have with our reflection.

Miroir is the first song that Safia wrote after recording her debut album, Limoilou, three years ago. It took a new location and almost two years - mostly spent touring - to draft her next track, France. Then, during a creative residency at Alberta’s Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, La neige, Les chemins, Dagues and Le néant poured out of her. The end results is the album Dans le noir, comprised of 13 songs, all written in Safia’s self-described super depressive style. Like with Limoilou, this new collection of songs deals with the artist’s failed relationships. Each song reads like a polaroid, revealing and bringing pivotal moments into the light.

The album Dans le noir is available on all music services.

Recorded and mixed in eight days at WILD Studio in St-Zénon, Dans le noir is a downer-folk album produced by Safia and her two long-time, much-respected collaborators Joseph Marchand and Philippe Brault. Safia first tested her new tracks with Marchand, Brault and a 4-track, taping them on cassette. A few bits of these experimentations found their way onto the LP (Le néant, the first half of Encore and the intro of La neige), and add an intimate, lo-fi touch. The trio was assisted by Ghyslain-Luc Lavigne for the recording and mixing, and Carlin Nicholson (of the Toronto band Zeus) for the recording. As the only anglophone in the group, Nicholson brought a certain sensitivity to the process by approaching the music as a language in and of itself. The last addition to the team was La Force (aka Ariel Engle from Broken Social Scene, AroarA) who harmonized with Safia on the bilingual duet Lesbian Break-up Song.

Biography

With her dark, folk-inspired songs, Safia Nolin won over fans and critics alike, winning the Félix for Female Artist of the Year at the 2017 ADISQ Gala, one year after being named Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the same gala. Whether singing her own songs or covering Quebecois classics, she guides us through her unique universe. Safia Nolin’s third album - her second LP of original songs - is titled Dans le noir and was released on October 5th, 2018 via Bonsound.

Nominated at the ADISQ Gala for Folk Album of the Year and Critics’ Choice Album of the Year, Safia’s Polaris Long-Listed debut album Limoilou was released in September 2015 via Bonsound. The Quebec City singer-songwriter has since won the prestigious 2016 Prix Félix-Leclerc de la chanson, 2016 SOCAN Breakthrough Award and two GAMIQ Awards for Folk Album of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. She was also nominated at the Canadian Folk Music Awards for French Songwriter of the Year.

In November 2016, Safia released a surprise album, titled Reprises Vol.1, on which she pays tribute to music from la belle province. She’s put her own sensitive twist on eight Quebecois classics. The album went on to win the Félix for Album of the Year - Reinterpretation at the 2017 ADISQ Gala.