ABOUT

Crissi Cochrane fashions a sultry, soulful brand of popular music, combining her Nova Scotian singer-songwriter roots with her love of jazz, retro pop, and classic soul.

Since breaking out worldwide with her 2014 album Little Sway going viral online, Crissi has become an independent artist to watch, beloved for her silky vocals, expert songwriting, and fierce musicianship. Her latest single, “Why”, tells the story of star-crossed lovers and missed connections in a landscape of emotional arrangements - the perfect playground for her sultry and romantic vocals to take flight - and is accompanied by her first-ever animated music video by Delaney Beaudoin.

From the first notes of her spell-binding songs, it’s evident that Crissi’s musical roots are deep and far-reaching. Originally entering the music industry as a folk/pop singer-songwriter living in Nova Scotia’s picturesque Annapolis Valley, Crissi’s music underwent a bold change upon relocating to Windsor Ontario in 2010. Life in Canada’s southernmost city, with the ever-present skyline of Detroit Michigan on the horizon, infused Crissi’s delicate and profound musicality with echoes of Motown, retro pop, jazz, and soul.

After a whirlwind few years following the release of her highly successful album Little Sway, which went viral with more than 12 million listens of the song “Pretty Words”, Crissi released her third studio album Heirloom in the early months of 2020. The 11-song album pays homage to the recording style of the 1970s and features almost entirely live musicians, with performances from a small orchestra, production by Mike Hargreaves (The Walkervilles, Michou), and mix engineering by Juno-nominated engineer Brandon Unis (Karl Wolf, Nuela Charles). Hailed as the "voice of change" by the Windsor Star, the album is bold and unapologetically modern: from dissecting unfulfilling relationships in "Hungry Love", to demanding respect in "Like A Lady", to banishing toxic influences in "Get Out".

Crissi is a co-founder and senior artist in the Windsor, Ontario music label, the Soul City Music Co-op, an artist-owned music label pioneering a grass-roots model that fosters sustainable independent music careers, and is a 2009 graduate of the Nova Scotia Community College’s Music Business Program (Dartmouth Waterfront campus) where she received an award for Highest Academic Achievement. Crissi's music has been heard in ABC’s hit TV show Nashville and numerous independent film productions, in her popular 2018 TEDx talk "Love Songs For Hire" about writing 70+ custom love songs for listeners around the world, and at festivals including Canadian Music Week and the Junos.

Crissi is a proud recipient of grant funding from FACTOR, the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Windsor, the Windsor Endowment for the Arts, the Canadian Independent Recording Artists Association, and the Province of Nova Scotia.

MEDIA QUOTES

"The hooks come big and strong, and Cochrane glows on top of it all. Punchy drums and cool-as-a-breeze horns take us back to three-minute pop glory. Motown is definitely in the air. At the core is delightful songwriting, with an appreciation of melodic love songs and sophisticated lyrics."
- Bob Mersereau, CBC East Coast Music

"…a confident bridge towards sultry soul and classic, smoky jazz, the influence of Motown being just a riverbank away from Windsor. For fans of Ella Fitzgerald, Coeur de Pirate or Sarah Harmer."
- Grant Lawrence, CBC Radio 3

"She could sing me the phone book and I'd listen."
- Mike Kinsella (Owen, American Football)

Click here for more quotes and a full listing of media articles & interviews

awards & credits
 

Crissi is a co-founder and senior artist in the Windsor, Ontario music label, the Soul City Music Co-op - an artist-owned and -led label, pioneering a grass-roots model of collaboration among independent artists.

Crissi has managed four successful crowd-funding campaigns: the “Why” animated music video which was featured on the main page of Indiegogo.com, the pressing of her 2020 album Heirloom on vinyl, and campaigns to manufacture her first studio recordings in 2010 and 2011.

Crissi's 2014 album Little Sway has gone viral on streaming platforms, receiving more than 13 million listens, largely derived from the viral breakout ‘Pretty Words’.

Crissi is a graduate of the Nova Scotia Community College’s Music Business Program (Dartmouth Waterfront campus), where she received an award for Highest Academic Achievement.

Crissi’s 2014 song “A Damn Shame” was used in ABC’s hit TV show Nashville in 2015.

Crissi delivered a popular TEDx talk at Chatham-Kent in October 2017 entitled "Love Songs For Hire", about writing more than 70 custom love songs for listeners around the world.

Crissi was the subject of national publicity on CBC TV on Valentine's Day 2016 with her “Song for your Sweetheart” campaign, writing and recording 12 original personalized love songs in 11 days. The CBC web article broke the all-time record for most hits on a Sunday news story ever, with more than 16,000 page views.

Crissi was named among the Top 10 artists nationwide in the CBC Searchlight contest 2014, the hunt for Canada's best new artist.

Crissi has performed at festivals including the Windsor Blues Fest (2020), Kingsville Folk Festival (2019), the Junos in London (2019), Canadian Music Week (2014), Shores of Erie International Wine Festival (2014 & 2011), Tall Ships Festival in Windsor (2014), Ottawa Fringe Festival (2014) and the Halifax Pop Explosion (2011 & 2009 & 2007), and has opened for artists including Buffy Sainte-Marie, Walk Off The Earth, Sarah Harmer, Jeremy Fisher, Jesse Cook, and Owen.

Crissi’s songs receive regular airplay on CBC Radio nationally, and have charted at campus radio across the country, reaching #1 at CJAM 99.1fm Windsor for all albums, and #1 at SCOP Toronto in 2014, remaining in the charts there for 12 consecutive weeks.

Crissi has organized sold-out charity music events in Windsor, including a Billie Holiday 100th Anniversary Concert in 2015 for the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women, and a Christmas Social in 2014 for the Downtown Mission.

Crissi is a proud recipient of grant funding from FACTOR, the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Windsor, the Windsor Endowment for the Arts, the Canadian Independent Recording Artists Association, and the Province of Nova Scotia.