Jenn Grant is a three-time Juno-nominated singer, songwriter, and internationally acclaimed recording artist whose music has been described as “the aural equivalent of a warm embrace” (Pop Matters), “majestic vocals” (Consequence of Sound), and “dreamy, harp-and-woodwinds folk, the work of a painter born in paradise” (The Age, AU). With eight studio albums to date, she has become one of Canada’s most distinctive voices, earning East Coast Music Awards, a Polaris Prize long-listing, and widespread recognition for her ethereal sound and evocative storytelling.

Her forthcoming album, Queen of the Strait (2026), is her most personal work yet. Co-produced with Joshua Van Tassel (Bahamas, Christine Bougie, Doug Paisley) and longtime collaborator Daniel Ledwell, it is a modern-day classic of country and Americana, elevated by Jenn’s unmistakable pop-infused charm.

The title draws its name from the MV Abegweit passenger ferry - Abegweit being an anglicized version of the Mi’kmaw word Epekwitk, meaning “cradled by the waves” - which carried Jenn and her brother as children between two parents after a tumultuous separation. That crossing becomes both a literal and metaphorical passage in her work, weaving together the Canadian landscapes of her childhood and universal stories into a profound reflection of the human condition; exploring life’s deepest thresholds: childhood wonder, love, abuse, aging, childbearing, loss, survival, and resilience.

To celebrate the album, Grant has created a groundbreaking live tour ‘Cradled by the Waves’ - The Live Experience, which will take place across Canada, beginning in Charlottetown, PEI, on March 5th. This tour will transform the album into a stunning multimedia performance blending music, film, theatre, and dance. 

The lead single, Jim Cuddy Dress, is a beautiful homage to Jenn’s mother. “This song is about when my mother and I met Jim Cuddy for the first time at the Juno Awards in Ottawa 2012. She was dealing with metastatic breast cancer at the time, and passed away just a few weeks later. We had gotten a special dress for her to wear, and when we landed home after that trip she told me she wanted to be laid to rest in that dress she’d been wearing when we met Jim, who, many years later, is now a dear friend. This song is about how she turned a hard time for our family during my youth, into a series of adventures for my brother and I. From living in motels and campgrounds after the tumultuous separation from our father, to eventually the ‘make-believe funeral’ we had for her; in her Jim Cuddy Dress, a dancing dog, and the beach boys. ”

Grant’s 2023 collaborative project, Champagne Problems, brought together 13 musicians from across Canada, including Bahamas, Dan Mangan, Basia Bulat, and Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene). The record, born out of pandemic-era vulnerability and creative risk, earned her the 2024 East Coast Music Award for Songwriter of the Year and song of the year for ‘Judy’ her collaboration with dear friend and bandmate, Kim Harris.

Across her career, Grant has collected dozens of accolades, including multiple ECMA and Music Nova Scotia awards, the Canadian Folk Music Award for Solo Artist of the Year, and recognition from CBC Music as Singer-Songwriter of the Year. Her voice - simultaneously intimate and expansive - has carried her from small folk clubs to international festival stages, with songs that resonate across borders while remaining deeply rooted in place.

With Queen of the Strait, Grant affirms her place as one of Canada’s most compelling storytellers - an artist whose songs feel both timeless and urgently present, carrying us across waters both real and imagined.