Karen Myatt

Karen Myatt has her grandmother to thank for her love of music.

“She turned me on to the American Songbook when I was a youngster,” says the Canadian vocalist. “That, in turn, led me to discover jazz, blues, gospel, soul, and rock music.”

After training at the Randolph Academy in Toronto and graduating from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City, Myatt performed across North and South America.

In 2016, she produced and premiered “Ladies of Song” to sold-out audiences at Neptune Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Both 2017’s “Songs of the Silver Screen” and 2018’s “Blues Deluxe” were equally successful, earning rave reviews. Other highlights have included headlining the Halifax Jazz Festival and performing with Symphony Nova Scotia.

Her first full-length album – “Enchanté” (2014) – was recorded in her hometown of Halifax, and features Holly Arsenault (piano), David Langstroth (double bass) and Brock Caldwell (drums).

Her latest effort – Femoir – was recorded at Sonic Temple Studios in Halifax and was engineered by Darren van Niekerk. The album was mixed and mastered by Christian St. Germain at Studio 360 in Montreal. Some of Canada’s most renowned musicians appear on the new album, including Chris Mitchell (saxophone), Matt Myer (trumpet), Lisa MacDougall (keyboards), Adam Fine (bass), Geoff Arsenault (drums), Shimon Walt (cello) and Jennifer Jones (violin).

Along with nine unique takes on classic and contemporary songs, Femoir features five original tracks co-written by Myatt and Montreal composer J. Rimbaudelaire.

“Femoir was conceived at a small café in Rome in 2019,” shares Myatt. “It might have been the cappuccino or the cannoli, but something special there gave birth to the project.” She adds that the recording’s 14 tracks celebrate the divine feminine.

“I found inspiration in both the immediate and eternal elements that define femininity – emotion, creativity, intuition, sensuality, beauty. These songs explore characteristics and archetypes that help to define us as both a species and as individuals, and they are more relevant – and required – these days than perhaps ever before.”

“Femoir” is scheduled for release in Fall 2021.

See more of Karen on Youtube.