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Joey O’Neil
Critically acclaimed Yukon folk singer-songwriter, Joey O'Neil, is bewitching audiences across Canada with hauntingly heartfelt anecdotes from a queer, woodland life. Sure to make you laugh and cry simultaneously, her performance has been described as “gentle and intimate” by Exclaim! and “absolutely touching, even a little heartbreaking” by NEXT Magazine.
Her third album, Phantom Vibes (2023), weaves poignantly personal storytelling with her signature fingerpicked guitar, her theremin's ethereal howls, and a mélange of folk-jazz instrumentation including the enchanting trills of a vibraphone, the arresting breath of a flute, a trumpet's calming croon, an organ's divine warmth, and a sentimental pedal steel voiced by producer Aaron Goldstein (Le Ren, Julianna Riolino). "In this collection of figurative ghost stories," O'Neil recounts, "I wanted to marry the modern world with the spirit realm, exploring presence in familiar forms. Tales of missed calls and 'ghosting' are made timeless by our nostalgic arrangements." Going deeper, she touches on lyrical themes of maternal love, memory triggers, and mannerism mimicry, all the while wielding bittersweet wordplay and vulnerable vocals. Her clever sincerity has earned her regular spins on the CBC, as well as a place on !earshot's National Folk / Roots / Blues chart. More than ever, Joey O'Neil has cordially invited us into her personal reflection as she hosts this soul-stirring séance… and we’re so pleased to accept.
When taking a break from chopping wood or hauling water around her off-grid Klondike cabin, O'Neil has achieved long-haul status over countless cross-country tours in her vintage camper while warming stages for Basia Bulat, Jennifer Castle, and Julie Doiron. She's been steadily collecting festival experience at Folk on the Rocks, Dawson City Music Festival, BreakOut West, Wintersong, Canadian Music Week, and NXNE. After the release of her canine-centric album, Ever Ahead (2020), O'Neil and her road-dog, Oblio, embarked on a Dog Park Tour of Canada, performing at 13 parks across five provinces.