Manitoba Live Music Event

About

Lana Winterhalt from Winnipeg, MB, is an indie-pop artist whose sound is influenced by junky breakups, insomnia, and true love, all wrapped up into simple guitar and haunting harmonies in an attempt to make you feel sparkly and weightless. Lana has released 4 projects in the past 4 years, having most recently released a full-length studio album “If & When” to streaming platforms everywhere October 12, 2018. Mixing both electronic and organic sounds, “If & When” is rich in new melodies, dreamy lyrics, and powerful vocals.

Since her move back to Winnipeg in May of 2017 after a few years in Saskatchewan, Lana has focused on growing her local following. Within this time-frame she has played Culture Days Manitoba, was featured in Manitoba Music’s “New Music Night”, played Rainbow Trout Music Festival in St. Malo, MB, and toured across western Canada for two weeks to promote her latest album “If & When”. Lana has also been featured in many local and national media, press, and radio including Global Winnipeg and CBC Radio 2. Winterhalt's latest project, a holiday album entitled "Diamonds", features 8 tracks--6 of which are original works--to be released December 6, 2019.

With the ability to captivate an audience solely from the allure of her voice and guitar, Rhianna Rae Saj is beginning to catch the attention of industry professionals.

In 2014, Rhianna began to build a reputation for being a true songwriter and started venturing outside of the Manitoba market. After showcasing at OCFF in Toronto, the CCMA’s in Edmonton and in Los Angeles with the Brothers Landreth and JP Hoe, she was invited to write down in Nashville, TN and began building relationships with top writers like Ralph Murphy, Clay Mills, Trey Bruce, Triple Run and Grammy Award winner, Scott Sax.

After a few trips down south, she was invited to showcase at the Billy Block Show in Nashville, which resulted in her signing a synch-licensing deal with Indie Orange, based out of Nashville and Los Angeles. Rhianna has also had the opportunity to be accepted into the Stingray Young Performers Program and play at the Winnipeg Folk Festival for 8 consecutive years. The Young Performers Program gave her the opportunity to work alongside notable artists like Bahamas, Birds of Chicago, John K Samson and Jim Bryson.

It’s been said that her lyrics are honest, endearing and sophisticated –topped with a hint of heartache. Her humility on stage is captivating and she continues to bring fans back time after time with a sound influenced by Fleetwood Mac, Little Big Town and Alanis Morissette.

After taking a short hiatus from the local music scene, Rhianna spent the past summer playing at numerous summer festivals and finished the end of year off opening for country recording artist, Chad Brownlee at Stonewall Quarry Days. She is currently in the studio writing and working on her debut EP set for release in the Fall of 2017.

Rich, sweet, and lush with vibrato. These are only a few of the unmistakable qualities that constitute Evangeline Gentle’s fervent timbre. But make no mistake; they are more than an accomplished voice – their songwriting possesses authenticity and depth as rare and unique as their own journey.

Born on the Northeast coast of Scotland, Evangeline’s family lineage tells all. As a descendent of the Codona Circus family, they have live performance in their blood and were given an unequivocal name for the stage too. Queer, and passionate about social justice, Evangeline believes in the good-naturedness of people and our capabilities of growing together.

Produced by Jim Bryson at his Stittsvile studio Fixed Hinge, Evangeline’s debut self-titled LP is set to be released by COAX records on September 13th, 2019. For Gentle, this album is about far more than just musical achievement.

“During the three years I spent writing this LP, I trudged through periods of deep self-doubt, often wondering if I should give up. As a child I believed performing was my inevitable fate. Somewhere along the road to adulthood I internalized a lot of messaging about my queerness as something that made me inherently less gifted and valuable as an artist. Each song on this record is a landmark on the journey toward re-establishing my childlike ambition and spirit.”

The 10 tracks make for a powerful introduction to this Peterborough based singer songwriter. “Ordinary People” and “The Strongest People Have Tender Hearts” celebrate the strength it takes to stay soft in a world that can harden you with a single headline. “Drop My Name” champions the voice of someone no longer willing to be taken advantage of. “Sundays” is a sweet and honest exploration of insecurity in our romantic relationships. “Neither of Us” and “Long Time Love” are love songs for the modern day world while “So It Goes” is a nostalgic retelling of teenhood summer love. “Even If” and “Digging My Grave” are less lighthearted tracks that share vulnerable truths about depression, drinking and recovering from self-sabotaging habits. “Good and Guided” is a hopeful closing song to this LP uniting listeners with the question “How do we become good and guided by the heart?”.

At only 22 years of age, Evangeline’s accolades are already accumulating at an impressive rate. They were awarded Emerging Artist at the 2015 Peterborough Folk Fest, Best Female Vocalist of the year at the 2015 Wire Awards, and have shared stages with notable artists such as Basia Bulat, Craig Cardiff, Matt Andersen, Terra Lightfoot, and more.