Lou Laurence is a Montreal-based, award-winning singer, comedian, songwriter, producer, and improviser described by Radio-Canada as “a breath of fresh air and energy.” Lou’s signature style blends her deep, jazzy voice with her sharp wit, catchy melodies, storytelling, and improvised lyrics. She toured her solo show, Love, Sharks & Frenching: a hot date w/ Lou Laurence, across Canada and to Prague, Czechia. She has been featured in OFF Just for Laughs, Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, Newfoundland & Labrador Sketchfest, Montreal Sketchfest, Toronto’s Comedy is Art festival, and the DéBark Improv Festival. Lou was lead singer and co-songwriter on Quebec’s DJ Champion’s 2016 album, Best Seller.
Lou is bilingual and Franglais features prominently in her work. Lou draws inspiration from the way in which languages blend together seamlessly in Montreal’s local vocabulary and brings this language play into her work. Her first full-band studio album was released on October 17, 2025.
Name:
Lou Laurence
Genre:
Cool acoustic vocal jazz
Founded:
I’ve always been singing, but I guess I’ve been Lou Laurence-ing for about a decade, decade and a half?
# of Albums:
3 solo living room-style EPs and one full-band studio album.
Latest Album:
Montréal Romantic
Latest Single:
“Montréal on a Dating App”
Latest Video:
Favourite musician growing up:
There were a few distinct phases of obsession: tiny Lou loved Diana Ross, then there were some BSB days, followed by an Incubus era, a David Bowie devotion, and then Etta James to end my school days.
Favourite musician now:
Impossible question. Music is seasonal. But I listen to more D’Angelo than anyone I’ve ever met. Otis Redding is my favourite voice. Van Morrison feels like home. Billie Holiday is the voice of winter. Last fall, I got really into Bonnie Raitt’s first album, and this past spring I listened to Blossom Dearie most mornings.
Guilty pleasure song:
“Shape of You” Ed Sheeran.
Live show ritual:
Long fast walk, super secret pep talk, graceless fist-pumping.
Favourite local musician:
Montreal is filthy with great musicians. I’ve probably seen Makenzie and The Brooks the most. Love Tina Leon. Love Hanorah. Oh, and I just got to see Sarah Segal-Lazar for the first time, and she’s wonderful!
EP or LP?
Long live the LP! Bring back no-skip albums!
Early bird or night owl?
Very owl. Very night.
Road or studio?
Road.
Any shows or albums coming up?
My album, Montréal Romantic, just came out on October 17th. We recorded these songs in full-band sessions at Studio Madame Wood this spring, so they are full of improv and human fingerprints.
There’s a lot of contemporary vocal jazz that is pipelined out of the jazz universities – and there is some beautiful stuff there – but this album is sort of what I was really wanting to hear: something a little more rough, blending the cool jazz setting with powerful, raw vocals.
For me, the album and my music sort of feel like a really honest attempt at seduction. In my mind, I want to be smooth, cool, sexy, and impeccably desirable, but in reality, I’m occasionally smooth, sexy at certain angles, but also sort of big, loud, quippy, goofy, and prone to human error. But those who dig it, dig it.
The album is called Montréal Romantic because many transplants arrive here with hearts in our eyes, and then a few renovictions, infestations, employment crises, slow burns, and situationships later, we live with a different Montreal. But we stick around because we kind of love the mess. Those who dig it, dig it.
I am so wildly proud of this work. The band is unreal – Val St-Gelais on double bass, Kat Pereira on keys, Elyze Venne-Deshaies on all the sexiest woodwinds, and Noam Guerrier Freud on drums.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook
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Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
Recently, Marci.
What is your favourite street in your city and why?
Plaza Saint-Hubert, because so much of Montreal is represented on this one long strip. All the best of empanadas, wigs, wedding dresses, pleasers, dumplings, la literature québécoise, natas, summer street sales, riz collé, wire transfers, community orgs, dance clubs, dance classes (of every genre), fancy butchers, French pastries, and bougie yoga studios. It’s marvellous.
What is your favourite park in your city and why?
Jarry for the sunsets. Laurier for the pool. La Fontaine for listening to strangers play music.
What is your favourite music venue in your city?
Quai des Brumes is a classic that will always have my heart. I recently checked out the Monday jazz night at Barbossa, and that is a very dreamy walk-in-and-discover venue.
What is your favourite music store in your city?
Sonorama for discovery. 33 Tours to find what I went there looking for.
