Manitoba Live Music Event

About

At 26 years old, the captivating Montreal singer-songwriter who hails from Rosaireville, New Brunswick has toured for five years with her band and sold over 140 000 records on two continents. Her ability to compose rousing, heart-wrenching narratives from everyday tales of love, friendship and heartbreak has been compared to the sharp wit of Courtney Barnett, the rambling honesty of Bob Dylan and the high-flying sincerity of Dolly Parton.

Recorded at Mountain City Studios and Mixart Studio in Montreal, Why You Wanna Leave, Runaway Queen? came together over the spring, guided by a wonderful team. Joseph Donovan took the reigns as producer (Sam Roberts, The Dears), while Mico Roy played guitar, Benoit Morier took on guitar and bass and Maxime Gosselin played drums. Award-winning singer Sam Roberts stopped in to help out with guest vocals on the tune I Love You, I Don't Love You, I Don't Know.

Last fall, she kicked-off a road trip in Nashville, which became a sort-of musical and personal turning point for Lisa LeBlanc. A huge fan of cajun music and culture, her journey led her to Blackpot Camp in Eunice, Louisiana. Her trip provoked a floodgate of inspiration, especially after participating in all kinds of workshops, including Appalachian banjo, traditional cajun songs and guitars, bluegrass flatpicking, square dancing, and Louisiana two-step.

She continued her exploration through Lafayette, New Orleans, Austin, Asheville and New York, and acquired new skills to refine her guitar and banjo techniques. Guided by her nomadic instincts, the results of her travels are in her new album. The music contains many throwbacks to her teenage inspirations, as well as hints of rock, folk, blues, classic rock, spaghetti western and even some Hawaiian music. There are road songs inspired by the kind of people met during her travels, as well as love songs (and break-up songs) that speak to everyone.