Montreal-based singer-songwriter Claire Morrison delivers “luminous … dazzling” alt-folk (Rocknfool) with fearless intimacy. A Folk Alliance 2025, Folk Canada 2022, and Pop Montreal 2021 showcase artist, she was named a “Canadian artist to watch” by the Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris. Indiemusic calls her “a unique, surprising, and insatiable composer.”
Recently featured by Sofar Sounds Montreal, Claire was also named artist-in-residence at the 2025 Fika(s) Festival alongside internationally renowned Icelandic act Lay Low. Her latest singles, “I’m Alive”, “Jane (My Little Firecracker)”, and “Travelling” have garnered CBC Radio 1 spins across the country, coverage via Radio-Canada Arts and Lagacé le matin, indie blogs like Tabarnak! and Rocknfool, and editorial playlisting via La Presse, Qobuz, and Exclaim’s The Eh! List.
With her debut album ‘Where Do You Go at Night?’ (April 25 2025, independent), she makes a “remarkable entrance into the rich landscape of Canadian folk” (Le Devoir). Reaching #1 on the CHOQ college chart, #2 on the UMFM folk chart, and finding its way onto Earshot’s National Folk Top 10, the record is nominated for three 2026 Canadian Folk Music Awards, including Best New Artist.
Claire is also a versatile co-writer and collaborator, with recent credits including “Paroles d’enfants” with QC-based pop artist Mariko, “What It’s Like” and “Your One Thing” with Belgian electronic music producer Olvo, and “Une nuit à Paris” with Montreal’s pataugeoire. “Une nuit à Paris” has been featured on SiriusXM and editorial playlists by Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and Qobuz.
Name:
Claire Morrison
Genre:
Alternative folk
Founded:
I guess officially around 2013 with the release of my first EP “Here’s to You, Here’s to Me”, with many breaks and other projects between then and when I started releasing solo music again in 2020.
# of Albums:
1
Latest Album:
Where Do You Go at Night?
Latest Single:
I’m Alive
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
Bright Eyes was hugely influential for me.
Favourite musician now:
Some amazing shows I’ve seen recently: The Beths (love their new album), Basia Bulat, Ye Vagabonds (Irish neo-trad, makes me cry every time), Hailey Blais. Really excited to see UK artist Westerman when he comes through end of March. I’ve also been spending some time with electronic records I’ve loved in the past and am rediscovering, including Oneohtrix Point Never’s “Garden of Delete”, Boards of Canada, Caribou, Aphex Twin, early Sneaker Pimps… I also really got into Bôa this past year.
Guilty pleasure song:
Strip That Down – Liam Payne feat. Quavo (lol). Honestly, I have a weakness for a lot of that B-tier softcore pop from the twenty-tens.
Live show ritual:
Trying my best to keep it cool and stay grounded in my body.
Favourite local musician:
I am really excited for Marie-Celeste’s new album coming out this year, and I’m a big fan of now-former Montrealer Al Nicol. I’m also looking forward to seeing what Hanorah and crew are going to do with Soul of the City, a new festival they’re putting together for 2026.
EP or LP?
LP! Albums forever, God I can’t wait until the pendulum swings back the other way and we get more records that run more than 25 minutes.
Early bird or night owl?
Aspirational early bird.
Road or studio?
I absolutely love both, but road wins out by a small margin. There’s just nothing better than live show magic and connecting with people.
Any shows or albums coming up?
On April 9, I’ll be in Calgary to play at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, where my record is nominated for New Artist, Contemporary Album, and Producer of the Year.
Where can we follow you?
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Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
The hidden gem of my neighbourhood is Pho Do Thi — I’m there at least twice a month.
What is your favourite street in your city and why?
Any street with a bike lane.
What is your favourite park in your city and why?
I love biking through Frédéric-Back Park, it’s such a weird and special place — it’s a former quarry turned environmental remediation site, one of its really cool features is the biogas collection wells that you see scattered throughout. The biogas is converted into electricity for the city.
What is your favourite music venue in your city?
Verre Bouteille on Mont-Royal — great vibe, great staff, it has all the makings of your favourite local haunt. There’s a patio on the street in summer, and you’re just about guaranteed to run into someone you know in the crowd of smokers out front. It’s the perfect size for shows (intimate but you can still pack the room), and it sounds good both on and off stage.
What is your favourite music store in your city?
I very rarely buy physical formats, although I’m reflecting a lot on that choice lately in the era of streaming and the damage it’s doing to our relationship with music. I do love to rifle through the used vinyl at Aux 33 Tours.
