NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Mission Folk Festival 2026 Folk Alliance 2025 Folk Music Ontario 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival 2025 Cowichan Bluegrass Festival - Cowichan, BC Tiny Lights Festival - Ymir, BC Maverick Americana Festival - Suffolk, UK Filberg Festival, Comox, BC Sunshine Music Festival - Powell River, BC Woodstove Festival - Cumberland, BC Love Fest - Cortes Isle, BC Tofino Jazz Festival - Tofino, BC Texada Roots & Blues Festival - Texada, BC Seaside Music Festival - Victoria, BC Harmony Arts Festival - Vancouver, BC Mosaic Festival - Pender Island, BC Cumberland Wild Festival - Cumberland, BC Northwest Folklife Festival - Seattle, WA
BIOGRAPHY
Élise LeBlanc (They/Them) is a country/americana singer-songwriter based in Victoria, BC. Raised on bluegrass, folk, and southern gospel deep in Ontario’s tobacco belt, their sound is rooted in traditional music and rural life.
In their songwriting and performance, Elise channels the spirit of classic country, Appalachian folk and western swing, with hints of Cajun spice. Their themes explore queer desire, resilience and heartbreak through traditional storytelling.
Elise’s vocal delivery—characterized by a gentle twang and rich vibrato—frequently draws comparisons to classic crooners like Patsy Cline and Peggy Lee. In late 2023, They released their critically acclaimed second album The Fiddle & The Fire. The record was produced by Leeroy Stagger, and earned a spot on Bandcamp’s top 10 country albums. "The Fiddle & The Fire" has also been featured in Country Queer and on CBC Radio.
Beyond the studio, Elise is a captivating live performer, having played prominent Canadian folk festivals and toured extensively between Canada, the US, and the UK. Devoted to bringing front porch soul to the stage, they also host Victoria's popular "Honky Tonk Tuesdays," and “Queer Country Hoedown” events- keeping the traditional two-step community alive while carving out a progressive path for modern roots music.
Elise’s new single “Lavender Honey” —a cheeky celebration of sapphic romance— is set to release on October 2, wherever music is streamed.
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Elise's most recent domestic and international tours were funded by Music BC, Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia.​​​
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"Amid the retro country, western swing and hints of 'grass is a charming onstage persona that will warm your heart. Be it honky-tonk or heartache, Élise LeBlanc makes me smile."
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- Bob Remington, Artistic Director, Cowichan Bluegrass Festival
PRESS
"You can hear the heavy influence of bluegrass, traditional country music, and Western swing on LeBlanc’s lovely album, The Fiddle & The Fire. The nine tracks here are not showy, but they are well-crafted and modestly arranged, giving the band a chance to shine but leaving plenty of room for LeBlanc’s engaging, earthy voice."
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- Best Country Music on Bandcamp | November 2023 | Ben Salmon​
"Élise LeBlanc Revives Old Country Music"
"Élise LeBlanc ravive la musique country d'antan"
- Marc Fournier, CBC Radio Canada Premiere | Culture Et Confiture
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"Singer-songwriter Élise LeBlanc brings an old-world sound to us from Vancouver Island, BC. “The Fiddle and The Fire” is deep-steeped in tones that conjure images of the old Southwest mixed with traditional folk and bits of Appalachia. The result is something unusual within a modern context, marrying past and present with a near-gothic sense of foreboding. Her band, The Ridgeriders, brings this tale to life via upright bass, fiddle, brushed drumming and carefully placed, stirring harmonies… if we didn’t know it was written recently, we’d swear it was a vintage folk tale."
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"...Her voice captivated the room from the first song. She resonates with the English folk/soul scene comparable to Lisa Hannigan and Adele. Look out for her new album..."