Canadian Women Pianists

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.

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.

Loreena McKennitt is a Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Her music is infused with Celtic and Middle Eastern influences. As a singer, she is known for her refined and clear soprano vocals. She has sold over 14 million records worldwide and is the recipient of several awards, including the Western Canadian Music Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Emily Haines is a Canadian singer and songwriter who is the lead singer, songwriter, and keyboardist of the rock band Metric. She is a member of the indie rock band Broken Social Scene as well and also performs solo. She is the daughter of the poet Paul Haines and was encouraged to pursue her musical passion from childhood.  

Sophie Simmons is a singer, model, and TV personality. The daughter of an actress and a musician, she was introduced to show business at an early age. She began her career as a teenager. As a model, she promotes body positivity and launched a body-positive clothing line. She has released many singles, including the super hit Black Mirror. 

Régine Chassagne is a Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She is a founding member of the indie rock band Arcade Fire. She began her career as a jazz performer and met fellow musician Win Butler, with whom she started Arcade Fire. The couple got married and continue to perform together. She is a shareholder in the music streaming service company Tidal. 

Cœur de pirate is the stage name of Béatrice Martin, a Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a francophone and sings mostly in French. She began to study music as a child and started her professional career while still in her teens. She has since released several albums, including her super hit eponymous album that was certified platinum. 

Keshia Chanté is a Canadian singer-songwriter, TV personality, and actress. Interested in music from an early age, she began her career as a teenager. She became popular quickly and got the chance to open for Destiny's Child when the band was touring Canada. As her popularity grew, she ventured into TV as well and has appeared in many shows. 

Hélène Mercier-Arnault is a pianist and chamber musician. She has performed at various famous avenues, including the ‘Théâtre des Champs-Elysées’ and the ‘Théâtre du Châtelet’ in Paris. She often collaborates with artists, such as Cyprien Katsaris, Vladimir Spivakov, and Zubin Mehta. She is married to businessman Bernard Arnault, who is one of the richest men in the world. 

Emm Gryner is a Canadian singer-songwriter best known for her hit singles Summerlong and Acid. She graduated from Fanshawe College's Music Industry Arts and started her career by performing gigs. In the ensuing years, she released several albums and was nominated for many awards. She also hosts radio shows and appears in music videos. 

Maud Allan was a Canadian dancer who became known for her Dance of the Seven Veils. She studied piano at the Hochschule für Musik and became a piano teacher. She later abandoned the piano in favor of dance. She was very creative as a dancer and even designed her own costumes. She became a dance teacher in her later years.  

Born to an Ottawa-based choirmaster, Angela Hewitt began learning the piano at age 3. She is best known for her award-winning interpretations of Bach’s works. She later became the first female performer to win the City of Leipzig Bach Medal and launched the Trasimeno Music Festival in Umbria, Italy.

Violet Archer was a Canadian teacher, pianist, organist, and composer. She studied music at McGill University and Yale University and taught music at the University of Alberta, where she eventually became the chairperson of the Theory and Composition Department. She was also a musician and composer with a prolific output. Jan Randall and Allan Gilliland are among her students.