Born in Hamilton, Ontario and raised in Montague, PEI, Brielle Ansems (she/her) grew up with music on her lips and a creativity fostered by Prince Edward Island’s artistic community. As an avid reader, writer, and a graduate of Holland College School of Performing Arts Theatre Performance program, her lyric-focused music fuses folk sensibilities with pop and r&b influences to create an emotionally charged, poetic experience. 

Brielle gained recognition early in her journey with the 2011 SOCAN sponsored songwriting competition, Soundwaves’ So You Think You’ve Got the Beat, the winning of which resulted in a showcase in that year’s ECMA proceedings as well as recording time with well-known musician and producer David Rashed (Haywire). Notable performances over the years have included both opening for, and sharing the stage with the likes of Ben Caplan, Liam Corcoran, Tim Chaisson, Tara MacLean, Matthew Barber, and Adyn Townes. As well as her work in the music industry, Brielle has also earned recognition in the Island acting world, making her professional theatre debut in the 2018 season of the Watermark Theatre as Josie is Eugene O’Neill’s A Moon for the Misbegotten. 

Her debut album, This New Hurricane, was recorded at The Hill Sound Studio in Charlottetown, PEI by producer Adam Gallant. It was released in March 2020, and was commended regionally and internationally for its artisanship and production value. As The East Mag puts it, “There’s a clarity ringing throughout [This New Hurricane] that’s immediately gripping. It manifests in Ansems’ soothing vocals, in the clean instrumentation...The atmosphere of this album is one that lingers long after it’s finished.” – Maggie MacLean, The East Mag

A passionate advocate for mental health awareness, Brielle often speaks openly about her experience with anxiety and chronic depression– otherwise known as dysthymia. “Songwriting quickly became a way for me to process and communicate emotions that I couldn’t identify or found too overwhelming,” she says. “Mental illness can be very isolating, and having a universal language like music to connect with the world around me is not only appreciated, but necessary.”

Brielle released her sophomore album, Still Awake, in January of 2022. It explores the nuances of depression, anxiety, and life as a young adult.