Famous Canadian 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 pop singer Shawn Mendes is known for catchy and soulful folk-pop songs. Stitches, Treat You Better, There's Nothing Holding Me Back, In My Blood, If I Can't Have You and Senorita are some of his popular and chartbuster songs. He was named by the Time Magazine in 2018 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Success came early to Canadian singer and songwriter Avril Lavigne. At fourteen, she performed with Canadian icon, Shania Twain, and at sixteen, bagged a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut album Let Go released soon, became a huge success, made her a teen idol and earned Grammy Award nominations. With subsequent albums, her popularity has only increased.

Alanis Morisette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter and actress. Renowned for her mezzo-soprano voice, Morisette has been named by Rolling Stone as the Queen of Alt-Rock Angst. A recipient of 13 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, Morisette has released several successful albums, including Jagged Little Pill, which was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Michael Bublé is a Canadian record producer, singer, and songwriter. He gained international recognition after releasing his fourth studio album It's Time. Also known for his charity work, Michael Bublé was part of a charity concert where he pledged a donation of A$50,000 to those affected by the Black Saturday bushfires in Australia.

Drake soared to fame with his performance as Jimmy Brooks in the series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He then became a rap sensation with his platinum album Thank Me Later and his Grammy-winning quadruple platinum album Take Care. His track In My Feelings went viral with the global Kiki Challenge.

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.

Celine Dion is a Canadian singer renowned for her powerful voice. Having sold more than 200 million records worldwide, Dion is one of the best-selling singers ever. Widely regarded as one of the most influential pop singers of her generation, Celine Dion's works have inspired other popular singers, such as Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Katy Perry, and Ariana Grande.

Widely regarded as the Queen of Country Pop, Shania Twain is the best-selling female artist in the history of country music, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She is also one of the best-selling music artists ever. According to Billboard, Shania Twain is the 13th Greatest Music Video Female Solo Artist ever.

Paul Anka is a Canadian-American actor and singer-songwriter. As a songwriter, he has contributed to the success of popular musicians, such as Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra, and Michael Jackson. He has also contributed to the theme of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Also known for his business ventures, Anka is credited with opening the popular restaurant and club, Jubilation.

Nelly Furtado is a Portuguese-Canadian record producer and singer-songwriter. Known for her constant reinvention and musical versatility, Furtado is one of the most successful musical artists from Canada, having sold more than 40 million records. Her work has also inspired fellow musicians like Dua Lipa and Bridgit Mendler. Also a philanthropist, Furtado is a member of Artists Against Racism charity.

Leonard Cohen was one of the most popular Canadian celebrities of all time. After starting his career as a poet and novelist, Leonard went on to become a famous singer-songwriter, exploring themes like sexuality, religion, depression, and romantic relationships in his work. Leonard Cohen was one of the inspirations for Steven Clark and Matthew Bissonnette's 2002 film Looking for Leonard.

Canadian singer, songwriter, and actress Carly Rae Jepsen has been active in show business since 2007. Interested in music from an early age, she pursued musical theatre at the Canadian College of Performing Arts. She held a series of odd jobs before getting a break as a singer and actress. She is the winner of three Juno Awards.

One of rock and roll’s greatest songwriters and performers of all time, Neil Young has worked both solo as well with bands like Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The Grammy award winning musician’s notable albums include After the Gold Rush, Harvest, Harvest Moon and Ragged Glory. He strongly backs environmental and disability issues too.

Sebastian Bach is a singer-songwriter best known for his association with American heavy metal band, Skid Row, where he served as frontman from 1987 to 1996. Known for his high-pitched singing style, Sebastian Bach underwent singing-related hernia surgery in 2017; it was later said that the surgery was required as he literally screamed his guts out.

Joni Mitchell is one of the most popular Canadian singer-songwriters. Widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, her songs reflect her feelings about joy, romance, disillusionment, and confusion. Apart from being a musician, Joni is also a visual artist who designs most of her album covers. In fact, she calls herself a painter derailed by circumstance.  

Rapper, singer and songwriter, Tory Lanez’s debut studio album I Told You topped the charts in 2016. His subsequent albums, Memories Don't Die, Love Me Now, Chixtape 5 and Daystar were successful too. He was arrested once for violence and possessing a weapon. He has also been accused of shooting and wounding another rap artist, a charge Tory has denied.

Victor Garber is a Canadian singer and actor best known for his work in theatre, television, and film. Over the years, Garber has received nominations for several prestigious awards, such as Primetime Emmy Awards and Tony Awards. His work in critically acclaimed movies like Titanic, Argo, and Milk was also appreciated with Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

Paul Rodgers is a British singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. Over the years, Rodgers has performed with popular bands like Bad Company, Free, and Queen. Rodgers, who has influenced several notable rock singers, was honored with the prestigious Ivor Novello Award in 2011. He has also been named in Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Diana Krall is a Canadian jazz singer and pianist. With several gold and multi-platinum albums under her belt, Krall is regarded as one of the best-selling artists of her generation. In 2009, Billboard called her the second-greatest jazz artist of the 2000–09 decade. In 2004, she was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.

Canadian singer Mac DeMarco is best known as the pioneer of the blue wave or slacker rock type of music. He described his music as jizz jazz. A multi-instrumentalist, too, he is skilled in the guitar, the drums, and the keyboards. He is fond of vintage musical equipment.

Navraj Singh Goraya, popularly known as Nav, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He achieved recognition when his song Myself went viral in 2016. Bad Habits, his second studio album, debuted at the top position on the US Billboard 200. He has also received criticism for using the word nigga in some of his songs like TTD.

PartyNextDoor is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer. He grew up listening to rappers, such as Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Blackstreet, and 112 and was inspired to pursue a career in music. His first mixtape was a moderate hit. Since then, he has released a few albums and several singles. He has been nominated for the Grammy Awards twice. 

Canadian musician, songwriter, and film composer Robbie Robertson became popular following his association as lead guitarist and songwriter with the rock group, The Band. He is credited for playing a key role in popularizing the Americana music genre. He also had a successful career as a solo artist. As a film composer, he has often collaborated with director Martin Scorsese.

Henry Lau is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor. Making his debut as a member of the boy band Super Junior-M, he became a popular figure in both China and South Korea. Since then, he has launched a successful solo career as well. He branched out into acting as well and made his Hollywood debut in 2019.

Claire Elise Boucher is a musician whose music incorporates elements of various genres like electronic, hip-hop, and R&B, which reflects her hard-partying and volatile lifestyle; she once tried sailing down the Mississippi River in a houseboat built by her and a friend before the boat was impounded. Open about her drug use in the past, Boucher now advocates against hard drugs.

Jeff Healey was a Canadian blues-rock and jazz vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist. Apart from establishing his own career, Jeff Healey also helped develop the careers of several other musicians, including Philip Sayce, Terra Hazelton, and Amanda Meta Marshall. For his contribution to music, Jeff Healey was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame and the Terry Fox Hall of Fame.

Known for her music that showcases the issues of Native Americans, Canadian-American singer Buffy Sainte-Marie became the first person from any indigenous community to win an Oscar, with the song Up Where We Belong. She had also been blacklisted by many radio stations earlier due to her activism.

Devin Townsend is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is the founder of the extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad. For several years, he was its primary songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist. He also has an extensive career as a solo artist and has more than 25 albums to his name. He suffers from depression and bipolar disorder. 

Alexander Ludwig is a Canadian singer and actor. Unlike many child actors who fail to work their magic as adults, Ludwig has managed to transition from a child actor to a successful adult actor and singer. In 2012, he was honored with a couple of awards including an MTV Movie Award for his work in the film The Hunger Games.