Famous Canadian Rhythm & Blues Singers

One of the most successful Canadian recording artists, singer-songwriter, the Weeknd, holds several chart records and has won numerous awards, including three Grammy Awards. Despite a difficult childhood marred by drug abuse and violence, he persevered and worked hard to emerge as a beloved music star. He is actively involved in philanthropy.

Canadian singer and songwriter Justin Bieber was discovered via YouTube and subsequently went on to become a teen pop sensation. By age 25 he became the youngest solo artist to achieve seven number-one albums in the US. Bieber has received many accolades, including a Grammy Award. He’s also had his share of controversies and run-in with the law.

Part of the British all-female pop group All Saints, Natalie Appleton had quit school at 15 to join a music club. She was also part of the duo Appleton, with her sister Nicole. She is married to Liam Howlett of The Prodigy and is a mother of two.

Melissa Molinaro, best known for her appearances on reality shows such as Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll, had aced figure skating and gymnastics before the age of 6. She is also an accomplished actor and singer, and made waves with the Old Navy Super C-U-T-E commercial.

The lead singer of the jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears, David Clayton-Thomas was initially a homeless kid who had run away from home and had even been jailed quite a few times. Best known for his composition Spinning Wheel, he was also named to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Lebanese-Canadian musician Karl Wolf soared to fame with his cover version of Toto's Africa. Born to musician parents in Beirut, he moved to Sharjah and then to Montreal with his family. His hits include tracks such as Butterflies and collaborations such as Yalla Habibi. He is also part of the collective BAE.

Apart from being a talented singer, Rwandan-Canadian performer Corneille is also a genocide survivor. He created his first music group at 16 and later soared to fame with the double-platinum album Parce qu’on vient de loin. He lost his parents and siblings in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Born in the Philippines, Elise Estrada moved to Canada when she was 4. At 17, she was crowned Ms. Vancouver Princess. She later soared to fame with her recording career and her tracks such as Unlove You and Insatiable. The Juno Award-nominated singer also released a single dedicated to cyberbullying victim Amanda Todd.

A big fan of William Shakespeare, R&B singer and rapper Jahkoy Palmer began composing poems and turning them into raps by the age of eleven and debuted on stage at thirteen, performing in numerous events across Toronto before releasing his first mixtape at nineteen. Currently a popular star, he now focuses more on singing than on rapping.