An artist reborn through sound and survival.
Rising from Atlantic Canada’s vibrant music scene, Elyse Aeryn is quickly establishing herself as one of the country’s most compelling new voices. With a sound that fuses roots-rock grit, soulful vocals, and an undeniable pop sensibility, she carries forward the legacy of iconic female rock trailblazers while carving out something distinctly her own. Following the success of her award-winning debut, she returned with her sophomore release, Everybody Loves You… – a record that feels both timeless and deeply personal.
More than just a collection of songs, the album arrives with a powerful backstory. Created during a period of intense introspection and later reshaped by a life-altering motorcycle accident, Everybody Loves You… explores themes of mortality, identity, and resilience with striking honesty. The result is a body of work that resonates on a visceral level, inviting listeners into Elyse’s most vulnerable and fearless creative space.
In this conversation with TorontoPages magazine, Elyse reflects on her journey from East Coast beginnings to national recognition, the evolution of her sound, and the deeper meaning behind a record that now carries even greater weight. As she looks ahead, one thing is clear: her story and her music is only just getting started.
For readers who may be discovering you for the first time, how would you introduce yourself and your music?
I’m Elyse Aeryn, a roots-rock artist with a gritty pop edge. My music carries the energy of classic and Southern rock with the vulnerability of ’90s and 2000s singer-songwriters. I’m reviving the spirit of the female rock archetype, Ann Wilson, Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette.
What are some of your earliest memories of music, and when did you first realize it might become a career?
Music was a focal point of my life for as long as I can remember. My parents had music for every task and occasion and introduced me to the world of rock and roll through an 8-track player and AM radio. I joined the school band in the fourth grade and learned to read music on the clarinet. When I was 16, I got my first acoustic guitar for Christmas from my dad, and I was in love. My guitar joined me on every move through university and my early career as a process engineer, but it wasn’t until a period of major self-discovery in my late 20s that I believed music could be more than a hobby.
Now that Everybody Loves You… has been out for a while, how has the response from listeners compared to what you imagined while creating the record?
I write and create from personal experience and interest out of pure expression, with the hope that it will connect with the person who needs it. Even so, I never imagined how it would feel to receive messages from listeners about their favourite lyrics, influences they picked up on, or saying they felt like I was speaking directly to them. I thought the more pop-leaning tracks would have a wider reach, but the numbers show folks are really digging the driving rock songs. Specifically, the focus track “Cry,” my personal favourite, is organically connecting faster than anything. It’s reassuring that creating from my most authentic place is what’s resonating, and that means everything.
Looking back at the creative process, what moment during the making of Everybody Loves You… felt like a turning point for you artistically?
When recording “Cry” in the studio, I came in with an arrangement that had a standard double chorus at the end. Garrett, my guitar player and partner, was wailing on his ES-335 behind the vocals. Now, I love lots of tasteful guitar, but I was sure my co-producer and engineer, Jamie, would tell us it was too much for the vocal. What he actually said was that the vocal performance wasn’t meeting the energy we’d built up for the outro. The song needed more. He asked me to go into the booth, challenge the guitar, and find myself almost on the edge of sanity. I did not know I could sing like that. I couldn’t believe what we created that day. “Cry” is the song I’ve been trying to make since the beginning!
The album blends soulful vocals, roots-rock grit, and pop sensibility. How did you approach balancing those influences while shaping the sound of this record?
The question we asked in every moment was, “Does this sound like Elyse?” Though my style is rooted in classic and Southern rock, I still have a lot of modern influences, and the sound on the other side of that is something totally unique. We started with rock ’n’ roll and then intentionally reached for current pop elements, say, synth versus organ to keep it fresh. I am a total sucker for a retro groove, but I also love a catchy hook, a rhythm that makes you move, and a bit of intriguing ear candy. In the studio, we’d often say, “Old, but make it new.” That’s what I call pop sensibility.
You’ve spoken openly about romanticizing mortality while writing this album. After everything you’ve experienced since then, how has your relationship with those songs evolved?
These songs hit even harder after all that’s happened. I get chills when I listen back. I can hear and feel the passion for life in my voice, and I’m so proud of myself, knowing I was living it to the fullest. It’s a bit striking to hear back my plea in “27 Club,” but the outreach from listeners showed me that my work has been connecting with people more than I ever knew, and that connection is what it’s all about for me.
Your motorcycle accident delayed the promotion of the album. How did that experience change the way you view your music, your career, and the meaning behind this record?
I view it all as an experience, a part of my story and a lesson in life. I’ve always believed that, but I’ve been given a chance to truly embody it in life and in my art, especially with this record.
The album title Everybody Loves You… carries a powerful and slightly provocative message. How do you interpret that phrase today compared to when you first wrote it?
When I first came to the original full title, “Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead…,” it felt so right and made so much sense to me. I was romanticizing death as permission to live my most authentic life, and I was questioning what it means for one’s work and life to truly connect with people and leave an impact. When it came time to put it on the album jacket, I hesitated because I didn’t want to be misunderstood, so I shortened it with an ellipsis to keep it open-ended. Now it’s wild to think about the motorcycle accident happening a month before the original release date and facing that theme in a literal way. I was shown firsthand just how much my songs and my story have been connecting without my knowing. Now that title feels like an answer to my question above: none of us know how or when we leave an impact, and we’re not meant to. We just have to live out our most authentic lives while we can.
Many listeners describe the album as emotionally raw and fearless. Was it difficult to be that vulnerable in your songwriting?
That is so beautiful to hear. I have to be honest and say that it was difficult because I am usually someone who runs from feelings and hides any sign of weakness, but now more than ever, I can see that vulnerability is strength. If anything, it takes more strength to show up this way, and it connects on an even deeper level.
Were there particular songs on the album that became more meaningful to you after your recovery?
“27 Club” and “On the Edge” have been the most meaningful to me after recovery. In “27 Club,” I am yearning for my work and life to mean something to someone, and now, seeing this record connect in the way it has feels ironic and mysterious. “On the Edge” lyrically captures that burning desire to feel fully alive. After coming so close to death while doing something that thrills and fulfils me so much, it feels a bit supernatural again.
This album draws inspiration from iconic female rock trailblazers. Which artists had the biggest influence on the tone or attitude of the record?
I love hearing what listeners have to say about this, especially when it matches my intentions. Anything that doesn’t translate as much in sound is certainly channelled in attitude, but either way, it’s all part of the collective influence. These artists have clearly left their mark on me: Ann Wilson, Stevie Nicks, Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, and Melissa Etheridge.
Compared to your debut album Joy State of Mind, how do you feel you’ve grown as both a songwriter and performer?
I have more confidence and strength in my voice as both a writer and performer. I’ve enjoyed writing vague lyrics for listeners to interpret in their own way, but maybe that came from a bit of fear as well. This time around, I said a lot of things exactly how I meant them. As a performer, I have been working hard on my vocals and live performance over the past few years. My vocal improvement has impacted my songwriting because I can now deliver what I hear in my head. I love to write with the stage in mind, and getting to express these songs in full form for a crowd is more thrilling than ever.
Winning Music Nova Scotia’s Entertainer of the Year was a huge milestone. How did that recognition impact your confidence going into this album cycle?
The recognition made me feel like I was right to keep moving in the direction I was headed. I want to be a live performer, and it means a lot to me to give people an entertaining experience. I went into this album cycle with the entertainment factor in mind and reached for that energy at every opportunity.
Atlantic Canada has produced many incredible artists. How has your East Coast background shaped the storytelling and authenticity in your music?
My background keeps me grounded and humble. It’s also part of what makes me value and strive for connection and community. East Coast people are strong and real, and they fight to protect that. I think those roots show in my music.
Your single “Unstoppable” gaining exposure during tennis standout Vicky Mboko’s National Bank Open win introduced your music to a wider audience. What was that moment like for you?
That was unbelievable. I felt so proud of Vicky and proud to be Canadian in that moment. Connection is what it’s all about for me, and seeing “Unstoppable” connect on that level was surreal. I don’t think Vicky knows it, but I was singing “Unstoppable” specifically for her and every young woman who has ever had a dream!
When performing these songs live now, do they carry a different emotional weight than when you first wrote them?
Absolutely. We just performed a sold-out album release show, and at the end of “Head Down,” I caught myself almost tearing up. When I wrote that song, I felt like it was a message for another version of me on another timeline not to give up. After recovery, I was sure it was. The universe is a wild and beautiful place!
As someone recognized by Music Nova Scotia and the East Coast Music Association, how important is it for you to represent the Atlantic Canadian music scene on a national stage?
It feels like a piece of every success belongs to Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada, especially the home of my heart, Cape Breton Island. I love coming from this small but mighty place and showing the nation what we’re made of out here. I think sometimes people underestimate artists from the East Coast, believing we all sound the same. I love to come out swinging with this Southern rock grit that meets nostalgic Canadian singer-songwriter flair.
You were also a Wavemaker Ambassador for the JUNO Awards in Halifax. How did that experience shape your perspective on the Canadian music industry?
I got to be closely involved in the events of JUNO Week and saw that the Canadian music industry is not only alive and well, but its artists are absolutely rockin’. I saw stages from rock to pop to country, bringing incredible energy, fresh material, and world-class entertainment.
The themes on Everybody Loves You… explore identity, mortality, and resilience. What do you hope listeners ultimately take away from the record?
Ultimately, I hope listeners take away their own permission to be fully alive while they can, however that looks for them.
Many artists say their second album can be the most challenging. Did you feel that pressure, and how did you navigate it?
I didn’t experience that pressure because I’ve felt like every part of my journey so far has been a stepping stone to the next. As I was creating this record, I knew it was exactly what I needed to make next. This was the record that was brewing during Joy State of Mind, and that album was simmering through the projects that came before it. Ask me again next time, and my answer might be different.
Finally, after the success and challenges surrounding this album, what excites you most about the next phase of your musical journey?
I’m excited by the idea that making the music I connect with most is what will connect most with listeners. I can’t wait to go for it even more—to feel even deeper and to follow my instincts in music and art even more fearlessly.
Your message for us at TorontoPages magazine.
Live the life that sets you on fire. The impact of that could change someone else’s life in ways you can’t even begin to imagine. It’s a magical web we weave out here.
