ARTIST BIO

The self-titled debut “Joan Bessie” (2018) featured top talent, including Juno Award winning Producer Ben Kaplan (Mother Mother, Corb Lund, Biffy Clyro), Drummer Ali Siadat (Mother Mother) and Bassist Darren Parris (Carley Ray Jepsen, Daniel Powter, Frazey Ford). Joan Bessie’s lead single “G.G.” was co-written with Composer/Producer Mary Ancheta, and spent 10 weeks on the CBC Music Top 20 chart, hitting #3.

Joan Bessie’s Sophomore album “Girls I’ve Lost” (2023) generated instant praise for its songwriting, artistry and production. What listeners are saying….

"Her voice sounds like if Feist and Elle King had a baby” 

Livy Rodriguez-Behar, Dreamboat Music

"Joan Bessie’s music is hard-hitting and beautifully crafted. The words are poetry."       

Patrick Russell, Former CBC Music Supervisor

"Such beautiful harmonies, (Let it Out) gives me all the feels."       

Andrea Higgins, Lead Music Supervisor AHA

“Joan Bessie music is very cinematic, it’s perfect for sync.”

Chris Beach, Art Director (Shogun, The BFG, Peter Pan and Wendy, The Adam Project)

"Joan Bessie's new album is a must listen.”

Chad Martin, Operations Manager VIRGIN Radio Alberta 

“One of my favourite artists to host in 9 years of podcasting. ‘One Knife’ should be bookends in a movie.”

Todd Hancock, Toddcast Podcast, (former CFOX Radio Broadcaster).  

“ I got chills the moment I heard “Let it Out.”… This song is the healing anthem everyone needs right now. ”

Morgane Michael, Author/Educator/Podcaster

“‘I love the vibe and production. Will be giving this album repeat spins!”

JJ LaBorde, CBC Music Host and Producer 

“Joan Bessie has a lyric that relates to whatever emotion needs tackling… one of the most authentic artists I've ever worked with." 

Jay Deachman, Drummer

BACKGROUND

Born Jessica Beach, she grew up in The Annex district of Toronto and started studying piano and ballet as a young child. She later began songwriting and her early demos gained the attention of Calgary radio station, Vibe 98.5. In 2004, she won Calgary's 'Unsigned Vibe' contest and recorded the album Sticky Hands. The lead single, Endless (unbound) got heavy airplay and the spins kept coming when the video for her follow up single, “Change” achieved national airplay on Much Music and MuchMore Music TV.

The success of Sticky Hands prompted national and international touring, including performances at The Reeperbahn festival, Canada Music Week, The Western Canadian Music Awards and JunoFest, and sharing the stage with artists including Simple Plan, Lily Frost and SilverSun Pickups. She also began working with dancer/choreographer, Leigh Torlage, putting her original music in live Cabaret shows in Vancouver.

Her songwriting and artistic efforts continued to be recognized with a nomination in the 2008 Independent Music Awards, a song placement with international pop stars, S.H.E., and her singles “Warning Signs”, “Unloaded”, “All the Way Home” and “Devil in the Back” all being selected as semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition (ISC).

The name Joan Bessie comes from her resting grandmother whose nickname was also behind the lead single, “G.G.”.

FESTIVAL SHOWCASES

CCMA Country Crawl (Edmonton)

Sonic Summer Nights Festival (Vancouver)

Mount Pleasant Business Association Street Party (East Vancouver)

Coquitlam Heritage Days (Coquitlam)

JunoFest (Vancouver)

Canada Music Week (Toronto)

New Music West (Vancouver)

Toronto Independent Music Awards (Toronto)

Reeperbahn Festival (Hamburg, Germany)

Western Canadian Music Awards (Vancouver)

Canada Music Week (Toronto)

PRESS COVERAGE

ZDF TV Documentary - Featured Interview

Global TV BC Morning news - Feature interview

Cover story & feature article in Muzik Etc Magazine

The National Post

St John's Telegram

Toronto StarVancouver Sun

Vancouver Province

Calgary Herald

Ottawa Citizen

Saskatoon Star Phoenix

CHARITABLE SUPPORT

Canucks Autism Foundation; World Autism Day

"Cates For the Cure" Concert Series

Vancouver Music Industry Gala, in support of the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Program

"Babes For Breasts" Concert Series

Engineers Without Borders

Juan de Fuca Performing Arts Centre Society