More than one musician, be they of national or international stature, has recounted ad nauseum the career-challenging years of the pandemic.
With live music venues shuttered and in-studio recording gatherings posing a risk of virus contraction, musicians took advantage of their solitude to write new music and, in many cases, release the fruits of their labour via social media. That wasn’t ideal but it was something.
For Montreal native Briannah Donolo, that something became something totally unexpected.
In September 2021, under her professional name Rêve, she released her song “Ctrl + Alt + Del” — a catchy dance-pop kick in the pants in the midst of a dark time that set her on a dizzying trajectory that’s bringing her to Peterborough Musicfest on Wednesday (July 24) for a free-admission concert at Del Crary Park, with fellow Montreal native dee holt opening.
Rêve — French for ‘dream’ — made her recording debut in July 2021 with the release of the single “Still Dancing,” followed shortly after by “Skin 2 Skin.” But “Ctrl + Alt + Del” was the song that brought her wide attention, charting on the Canadian Hot 100 chart for 29 weeks on its way to being certified platinum. It also claimed a 2022 SOCAN Award in the dance music category.
Buoyed by that success, Rêve released a series of successive singles in 2022. “Headphones” brought the singer her second platinum certification. while “Whitney” — a nod to the late Whitney Houston and her 1993 single “I’m Every Woman” — climbed to a number 29 ranking on the Canadian Hot 100. That body of work brought Rêve three 2023 Juno Award nominations, with “Ctrl + Alt + Del” bringing her Dance Recording of the Year honours.
All that was missing to this point was a full album. In October of last year, Saturn addressed that void. Featuring some of Rêve’s previously released songs among its tracks, it brought forth the new singles “Hypersexual,” “Big Boom,” “Contemporary Love,” and “Breaking Up With Jesus.”
VIDEO: “Still Dancing” – Rêve
As word of her talent quickly spread, other projects manifested themselves, such as her participation in an all-star recording of Serena Ryder’s “What I Wouldn’t Do” that was released as charity single to benefit Kids Help Phone’s Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.
As she prepares to make her Peterborough Musicfest debut, Rêve has two new singles — “Release Me” and “Ex Ex Ex (Whoops)” — available on major streaming platforms.
Strangely enough, Rêve first came to wide attention at that most Canadian of places: the hockey rink. On November 13, 2014 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, she sang the American and Canadian national anthems prior to a Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens game. Her unique pop-influenced rendition of the anthems gained 100,000-plus views on YouTube.
“My life changed overnight,” Rêve recalled in a 2021 interview with Hiba Hassan of IndustryMe.
“After the video went viral, I was being flown all over the world for anthem gigs, meeting with major labels and connecting with some of my idols,” Rêve continued. “I was a wide-eyed 19-year-old who had a lot to learn about the industry. That was the catalyst.”
“I read somewhere that we’ve shifted from pop culture to Internet culture and it’s so true. There is so much content out there these days, so you really have to be really thoughtful about your content and have a competitive posting schedule. It’s important to carve out your lane and get to know your audience as well.”
VIDEO: “CTRL + ALT + DEL” – Rêve
According to Rêve, Montreal is “the reason I fell in love with electronic music.”
“I remember going to my first electronic show at some sketchy pop-up after hours that was basically a giant room with one red light bulb hanging from the ceiling,” Rêve said. “I had been used to going to shows at arenas with insane production budgets, so I wasn’t expecting much, but it turned out to be one of the best shows I’d ever seen.”
“I couldn’t believe the way I was transported out of that room, and how much the music moved me emotionally just as much as it moved my feet. It was such an overwhelming experience. I was completely hooked. I spent the better part of my late teens and early 20s consuming as much of it as I possibly could in Montreal’s many house venues, and I eventually started making it myself.”
Rêve also recounted how her first single “Still Dancing” came to be during a time when creating new music was challenged by pandemic restrictions.
“The concept for Still Dancing came out of a conversation at my kitchen counter during quarantine,” she said.
“My roommate and I would drink wine and listen to house music to lift our spirits during lockdown. At one point during one of our dance parties, I looked at her and just blurted out ‘F-k, we’re sad but we’re still dancing.’ As the words came out, I knew they would make great lyrics. The tagline and the pre-chorus of the song lived in my notes folder for months.”
VIDEO: “Dishes” – dee holt
Meanwhile, dee holt arrives in Peterborough still riding high the 2023 release of her second EP I’ll Be There, which follows her 2022 debut EP When I Close My Eyes. The alt-pop singer has also recorded and released a number of singles, the empowering anthem “Dishes” among them.
“It’s about a one-sided relationship,” she told Jenna Melanson of Canadian Beats Media in a March 2023 interview. “It’s about someone who gives it their all while the other sits and watches.”
“It speaks about being taken for granted and walked all over. However, as the song goes on, this person realizes their worth and gets out of this draining relationship, and comes to the conclusion that they’re so much better off without it. There are only so many chances you can give to someone. This song is about standing your ground when it becomes too much.”
“What I love most about it is that it’s more serious than it would seem. It sounds so upbeat and playful when really there is an underlying message that runs so much deeper.”
The Montreal native, whose newest single is “Tunnel Vision,” revealed her songwriting process during that same interview.
“I find it interesting to come up with a story in my head and write about it. It’s a way of storytelling — like putting on a persona. I never really know what I want to write about when I walk into the studio. I sit down and my producer asks me ‘What’s new? How’s life?’ and then it kind of goes from there. A certain word will click, he’ll create a beat and a melody, and I’ll get to writing. It’s a very fun and laid-back process. Nothing about it is rushed or planned.”
That clearly has worked for her. Teen Vogue has called her “one to watch” while SHEESH Media has compared her vocals to those of Billie Eilish. Not bad for someone who, not all that long ago, sang along to her dad’s VHS videos and limited her performances to family gatherings.
VIDEO: “Tunnel Vision” – dee holt
Peterborough Musicfest is presenting 16 free-admission concerts during its 37th season, each staged on Wednesday and Saturday nights until August 17th.
Overseen by executive director Tracey Randall and staff, a board of directors, and numerous volunteers, Peterborough Musicfest’s stated mission remains “to provide diverse, affordable live music to enrich cultural and economic prosperity in our community.”
For more information on this concert or the 2024 season, visit www.ptbomusicfest.ca or phone the Peterborough Musicfest office at 705-755-1111.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a headline sponsor of Peterborough Musicfest’s 2024 season.
