Jessica Lalonde has spent her life exploring music in all its shades and facets. Raised on Country and Rock & Roll, she fell for jazz during her formative years. Lalonde began singing around her hometown of Midland in small jazz duos and trios, and for her local Big Band. Eventually the clarity and strength of her voice led her into serious vocal study and she obtained an Honours Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance from Wilfrid Laurier University. She excelled in her studies, winning a performance scholarship, several prestigious concerto competitions, and holding the title roles in the University’s opera productions.
After graduating she recorded a solo album of jazz and big band hits produced by jazz veteran Bill King. The album Spinning Daydreams, features some of Canada’s finest and most sought after musicians including Kevin Breit (Norah Jones, kd lang, Cassandra Wilson), Davide DiRenzo (Jacksoul, Sophie Milman, Tomi Swick), Duncan Hopkins (Diana Krall, Mark Murphy, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass) and Ann Lindsay (Blue Rodeo, Dionne Warwick, The Chieftans).
Following the production and touring of this project, Lalonde continued to explore and hone her instrument by delving into Bel canto singing under the guidance of Metropolitan soprano Aprile Millo, and in 2015 she had the privilege of performing in Italy alongside Ms. Millo for a series of concerts benefitting the Museo and Comittato Renata Tebaldi, the Amici delle case di Puccini, and Villa Verdi. While there, she was also honoured to work with legendary Conductor Maestro Richard Bonynge.
Jessica enjoys a diverse array of performing opportunities including recent collaborations with Juno award winner Chris Gestrin for a headlining performance of “From Heaven to The Centre of The Earth,” a multimedia performance art piece at the Vancouver Art Gallery’s FUSE Festival. She has also performed backing vocals on three Born Ruffians albums, and is featured on Will Currie and the Country French’s album,They Killed Us, Jaymze Bee’s soon to be released collaborative project, Muse and jazz giant, John MacMurchy’s latest Art of Breath recording project. Looking to expand into new markets Jessica signed with Folkstar Productions and re-released her Christmas single “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to overwhelming support. With these appreciations she is now headed back into the recording studio with the talented John MacMurchy to record her second album. Look for her new album to drop late 2018.
Ultimately the connecting thread between these various musical genres and adventures, has been an ability to express the core emotion of whatever composition she is singing, whether by Puccini, Gershwin or a local folk rock band. This expression is filtered through an open heart and depth of understanding; channelled through a voice that feels as though it may unleash at any moment, but chooses rather to remain grounded; an unaffected purity of tone conveying shadow and light.
