“Ann Vriend sings with the heart-stopping intensity of Aretha Franklin, plays piano with the ease of Norah Jones
Elle Magazine
Upon hearing Ann Vriend
After which point the content and production of Ann’s writing breathlessly captivates until the very end, of both her stunning live shows and her cinematic, sophisticated pop albums. Her uncompromisingly fresh style has garnered comparisons to eccentrics such as Fiona Apple or Kate Bush
She passionately performs her music around the world, from New York to Berlin, Melbourne to Paris, and in her home and native land of Canada.
Writes American Music Biographer David Ritz:
“Once every generation a singer-songwriter emerges with the creative fire to set the music world ablaze. Ann Vriend has that fire.”
Ann was born in Vancouver, Canada, but moved to Edmonton (Canada) at age 5. At age 3 her parents discovered their toddler could pick out nursery songs on a Fisher Price xylophone; she continued throughout her childhood to play and improvise upon a number of instruments, particularly the piano.
In her teens, the shy Ann was persuaded by her school principal to perform a collection of her original songs at a high school talent show—one of which later landed her a production deal in NYC. Encouraged by the success of this performance, she began singing in public more often, performing and co-writing in local bands. Ann then completed a 2-year program at Grant MacEwan College, where she studied pop and jazz, and gained more experience as a performer.
Within 8 months of graduating, Ann was invited to record at Sony Studios in NYC, with complimentary tickets to a concert of Paul Simon, her biggest childhood influence. That same year, she released an astonishingly popular demo, which garnered her immediate radio play on local stations across the province. A year later she won a songwriting contest which took her to Nashville, and helped fund her debut album, “Soul Unravelling” (2003), which was received with the impatient delight of her growing fan base.
This CD is now in its 5th pressing, while Ann’s sophomore recording, “Modes of Transport
Ann’s literary writing style reveals the influence of her parents’ record collection of 1970s singer/songwriters such as Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, and Cat Stevens
The production and arranging on Ann’s newest material takes these earthy elements and mixes them with cinematic, epic, modern pop production, comparable to that of David Gray, Aimee Mann, or even Sigur Ros. The juxtaposition of Ann’s honest writing and voice with somewhat electronic, vast, and sweeping soundscapes is a fresh and moving sound, turning heads and catching the ear of everyone both the public and the music industry. The album will be released in January, 2008, and is produced by Juno Nominated producer Douglas Romanow.
A single from Ann’s upcoming album is already in heavy rotation in her hometown of Edmonton, is in the Top 30 in radio stations in Toronto and Cologne (Germany), and her EP of 5 songs from her upcoming album is already garnering four star reviews.
To buy Ann’s CDs online right now with your credit card, visit http://www.myspace.com/annvriend (scroll down to the heading “About Ann Vriend” and click on the icons/buttons of her albums– this will take you directly to PayPal, where you can purchase the albums securely and no membership is necessary)
Webpage: http://annvriend.com/
Myspace: http://myspace.com/annvriend
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