Western Canadian alt-pop auteur Amelie Patterson is a songwriter’s songwriter. Amelie’s poetic predisposition has landed her a golden reputation as both an artist and a community builder. An indie-rock raconteuse with a curiosity for evoking emotion through sonic texture and a penchant for precision in the written word, her cunning folk songs and powerful full-band performances have earned her a reputation as one of western Canada’s best songwriters, enough to merit becoming the first-ever poet-laureate of Banff, Alberta. An industrious auteur and a consummate connector, Amelie elevates her craft and community as the founder of songwriting society Pre-Death, Pro-Fame, and with her production and songwriting project We Are Crickets which has placements as substantial as McDonalds Singapore.

Her latest is The War, an EP connecting a patchwork of emotional moments, little chunks of larger lives, each building to a cascading catharsis. At its centre is the title track, an anthem “for those who need it” as Patterson often offers at live performances. Its a song about recognizing the invisible struggles that others are going through, and finding your own place on the sidelines. Both investing your strength in the struggles of others and also recognizing what calls you to fight, so you can “win your own death.” The six songs that make up The War are a unique emotional and auditory pathway, allowing Amelie to “walk you hand in hand through the human condition.” Each song on the EP has developed over years and each came into shape with its own set of collaborators including producers Brayden Bell (Shuffalo, We Are Crickets), Will MacLellan (Raleigh), Brock Geiger (Reuben and the Dark) and Phenix Warren (Michael Bernard Fitzgerald). Anchored by delicate acoustic guitar, Amelie’s sophisticated folk foundations are adorned with polite instrumentation cueing dramatic depth that echoes contemporaries like Brandie Carlisle, Laura Marling, or Soccer Mommy.

Amelie Patterson has performed at festival stages across Canada including Calgary and Canmore Folk Fest, The Calgary Stampede and Edmonton’s K Days, Stampede City Sessions and showcases including BreakOut West and Folk Alliance International. She has performed alongside Serena Ryder, Matt Andersen and Sarah Harmer and has taken part in two Banff Centre residencies with collaborators including Séan McCann (Great Big Sea) and Brendan Canning (Broken Social Scene). Amelie has been awarded Alternative Recording of the Year at the YYC Music Awards, as well as received Calgary’s coveted White Hat.