Colleen Power is a singer/songwriter and performer living in St. John's, Newfoundland and a prolific and creative force in the Newfoundland and Labrador music scene. Always engaging, Colleen comfortably embraces multiple musical styles in both French and English, with lyrics ranging from heartfelt to comedic, political to personal. She is often a Newfoundland ambassador at Francophone festivals and events in Canada, and has released two full-length French albums.
The Freshwater, Placentia Bay native got a solid start in the music scene with her vocal performance of "Mary Got a Baby" on 11:11 - Newfoundland Women Sing Songs of Ron and Connie Hynes in 1997. The recording later appeared on several other compilations. Colleen's debut recording, Lucky You Are in 2000 quickly showed that she is one of Canada's finest songwriters and was Reverb Magazine's Number One Album To Buy in Atlantic Canada for 2000. Three songs were featured in CTV's "The Associates" and
several tracks received extensive airplay on national and international radio stations.
In 2001, Colleen won MusicNL Female and Alternative Artist of the Year and received three East Coast Music Award nominations. The recording was named one of the top ten Newfoundland albums of all time by Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea in "The Top 100 Canadian Albums" written by Bob Mersereau.
Colleen's sophomore release, Face and Eyes, won the Music Newfoundland and Labrador 2004 Alternative Artist of the year, received three 2005 ECMA nominations. It was named in the Halifax Chronicle Herald as one of Stephen Cooke's Top Ten albums of 2005. "Na Na Song", the first single, went to number one on the nationally syndicated East Coast Countdown.
In July 2006, Colleen released Terre-Neuvienne, her first full length French CD. She was chosen to represent Atlantic Canada in SACEF's Serie Découvertes at the prestigious Place des Arts in Montreal in January 2007. The first single, Aucune Idée, spent 10 weeks at number 4 and 5 weeks in the number 5 position in Radio-Canada Manitoba's Top 20 countdown.
Colleen's fourth CD, Rejects, a collection of weird and humorous songs won her MusicNL Alternative Artist of the Year in November, 2009. Videos for New Townie Man, Dead Bird in the Garbage and Sketchy Jerome have become Youtube phenomena. In December 2009, Colleen was named Maritime Artist of the Year at Montreal's 'Rendez-vous de la Chanson Vivante', an exclusively Francophone Emerging songwriter showcase.
In August, 2010, Colleen teamed up with the ECMA Award-winning Newfoundland bluegrass band, Crooked Stovepipe, to record a children's bluegrass CD, For Little Ones. The CD includes bluegrass versions of children's favourites, Colleen's original songs for little ones and songs by Tommy Sands, Ron Hynes, Malvina Reynolds and Aneirin Thomas. The album won MusicNL 2011 Female Artist of the year, and she shares the award with Crooked Stovepipe. For Little Ones was also nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award.
In Spring 2013, Colleen introduced Le Bonheur Domestique, her second full-length French release and seventh studio album which, like her other albums, features many talented Newfoundland musicians. She reached number one in the top ten at CIVR in Yellowknife with Heureuse pas Riche, her second release from the album. The first single, Mes Électroménagers reached number 1 on CKIA in Quebec City. The album was number 8 on Can-Rock's top ten Francophone albums of 2013. Colleen showcased to rave reviews at the 17th Edition of Francofête en Acadie in November, 2013. She was the only Newfoundlander/ Labradorian to showcase at the International Acadian Congress in August 2014 In Edmundston New Brunswick, the event's first time in Canada.
Colleen also enjoyed performing in The Sauce, alongside Newfoundland rock pioneer, Liz Solo, with Mike Kean. MCP is another of Colleen's projects, along with Singer/Songwriter Neil Conway. Both projects have released well-received recordings and videos. Raised on This, her 2017 studio album is a collection of traditional Irish, Newfoundland and Celtic songs that are close to Colleen's heart. Songs from the album receive extensive airplay on traditional Irish/Newfoundland radio shows.
Recently, Colleen was the only Newfoundlander/Labradorian featured on CBC Radio Canada's 5 Degrés, a one-hour television program about Atlantic-Canadian Francophone Artists, which aired in March 2020. Colleen is often commissioned by CBC Radio One NL to write satirical songs about current events. In 2022 Colleen hosted the Bell Fibe 1 show Sing Me Home with season 2 set for production in 2025.
With multiple awards, a breadth of experience and extensive song catalogue, Colleen Power is ready to hit the road. Colleen has been raising her two girls and consistently releasing new music and working on music and sound. During the Covid lockdown Colleen produced, recorded, sang and performed all instruments on Tales From Downtown West. With her daughters now more independent, and five showcases at Folk Alliance 2025 in Montréal, Colleen plans to tour her new English album and French album simultaneously in 2025/26 -- a true bilingual tour to reach all her fans within the same album cycle.
REVIEWS AND PRESS
TALES FROM DOWNTOWN WEST (2021)
“Colleen’s new EP demonstrates once again that she is one of our most versatile and
entertaining artists. Songs are catchy, incisive, hilarious and relevant to our times, all
delivered with top quality musicianship attitude and the panache for which she is
famous.” - Jim Payne, SingsongInc.ca
“Colleen has a knack for conjuring the reality of downtown life in an oddly folky, raw and funny way. I love it.” - Award-winning author, musician and actor, Joel Thomas Hynes
“You get a bit of everything Power is about in these tracks. There's Newfoundland
whimsy, trad, biting wit, social observation, punk attitude, Francophone, grass roots and
modern folk. In the sharpest bit of commentary, she uses the tiktok trend of sea
shanties to skewer the socio-political climate of her own province. "NL Sea Shanty"
chides the province for being "Half an hour later b'ys, and fifty years behind." - Bob
Mersereau, - Top 100 Canadian Blog
https://top100canadianblog.blogspot.com/2021/03/music-review-of-day-colleen-power-
Tales.html
RAISED ON THIS (2017)
“There's not a bit of fussiness on this record, and that's just perfect. It's the sound of
these songs being played for decades in kitchens and halls, for fun, for passing on the
culture, for community and family. Power, always a strong singer, doesn't even have to
think to fit into these songs, and to hear her call on her richest voice is the highlight of
the set. This album is all heart.” - Bob Mersereau, Top 100 Canadian Blog
LE BONHEUR DOMESTIQUE (2013)
“After 6 years (has it been that long?) Colleen is back with a new disc of french-
language songs. “Le Bonheur Domestique” covers the trials, tribulations
and unexpected joy of being a mother in the modern world. Colleen Power is a survivor, a prime example of endurance. When she debuted in September 2000, she appeared to be on the verge of making a big splash nationally.
Ah, but the music industry Gods are fickle and cruel – yet Colleen persisted. As an
outsider she has released a plethora or marvelously diverse and highly enjoyable
recordings.
Under the influence of Sinead O’Connor, Colleen fired ahead becoming more
favourably compared to the late Kirsty MacColl – distinguishable, recognizable but
always on the fringes of the mainstream.
This, her second all French recording is an absolute beauty. She has always brought
her “A game” as a vocalist, rich in character, expression and emotion and her band
always features the “cream of the crop” on the local live music circuit. Featuring an all- star cast, the likes of Duane Andrews, Sandy Morris, Mark Bragg and the ever
present Aneirin Thomas on bass. Canadian folk icon, Fred Eaglesmith drops in on 2
tracks and lest I forget, even kitchen/home appliances and utensils are put to rhythmic
use. “Le Bonheur Domestique” is a truly pleasurable listen." -Tony Ploughman, Fred’s
Records
FOR LITTLE ONES (2010)
“A gentle feel-good album filled with charm, love and splendid musical integrity. The
mixture of traditional and original songs - some in French -evokes all that is right about
music for family listeners - play this one again.” - Kidzmusic.com, Los Angeles,
California
“These are all songs that your kids and grandkids will love to sing, and a great way to
imbed the bluegrass bug in their tiny little minds!” - The Bluegrass Blog, Virginia U.S.A.
“Power and Crooked Stovepipe will bring a touch of sunshine to your day, no matter
how foggy it may be outside. Excellent musicianship and some really cute, catchy
tunes…I’m sure kids and adults alike will enjoy it.” - Downhome magazine, NL Canada
TERRE-NEUVIENNE (2006):
“Après deux albums dans sa langue maternelle avec quelques inscriptions dans celle de Molière, voici que cette Terre-Neuvienne nous propose un premier disque dans la
langue qui passionne son cœur. Colleen Power nous offre Terre-Neuvienne comme
pour satisfaire une flamme intérieure pour l'autre solitude du Canada.
Elle débute avec Terre-Neuvienne, un groove intéressant qui décrit ses origines. Elle
poursuit avec une chanson des plus accrocheuses, Danger Danger vous reste
maladivement dans la tête longtemps. Un des bijoux de ce disque est une chanson
qu'elle a apprise en immersion à Trois-Rivières en 1994. Si fragile de Luc de
Larochellière est interprétée ici de façon remarquable.
Quelques autres bonne pièces du disques à noter seraient, Vol de Terre-Neuve; un
blues avec une bonne passe de B3, Char; un bon folk accrocheur et Boite en plastique;
une chronique sociologique sur le monde du clavardage et l'excès de l'ordinateur. La
pièce du disque selon moi serait Drapeau Noir, une belle mélodie d'influence irlandaise
sur l'histoire de cette île territoriale et son destin. Un texte historique puissant.
Un premier disque entièrement en français pour cette anglophone de Saint-Jean Terre-
Neuve. Comme elle le mentionne dans son livret, le français n'est pas sa langue
maternelle, mais celle de son cœur. Je dirais tout de même que Colleen Power se
débrouille assez bien. Son accent à quelque chose de charmant et la musicalité du
disque est très bien rendue grâce à l'apport de plusieurs instruments comme l'orgue
Hammond, le Dobro et la mandoline. La découverte en vaut le plaisir sensoriel. Cette
anglo-saxonne nous charme avec sa flamme intérieure pour la langue de Molière.”
Découvrez Colleen Power en visitant le www.colleenpower.com. - Marc LaLonde,
québecpop.com
FACE AND EYES (2004)
“Power's own sense of humour remains in fine form on “Face and Eyes” on tunes like
the gossipy barnburner Torbay Road, and Jodi Rae, about a stripper-decorated clock
from St. John's notorious Cotton Club. But there's a fierce heart beneath the laughter,
on the tempestuous Newfoundland Weather and the CD's moonstruck title track”. -
Stephen Cooke, Halifax Chronicle Herald
LUCKY YOU ARE (2000)
“With this hot music, it is no problem at all to survive the coldest Canadian winter.” -
Mike Kamp, FOLKER! Das Musikmagazin, Germany
"Beautiful, biting, funny, surprising, kickass, an incredible talent.” -
Jim Kelly, Showcase, Canadian Musician Magazine
“Colleen has taken note that the pen is sharper than the sword and has learned to wield it well. She cuts sharply and deeply, fearlessly thrusting and thrusting again, making no retreat and giving no quarter with her lyrics.” - Virginia Macissac, rambles.net
“Brilliantly crafted songs, enchanting persona, enriched storytelling.” - Boston’s Weekly
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