ABOUT
Noelle Frances is a folk singer-songwriter, harmonizer, creative collaborator currently living in Deshkan Ziibi/ London ON. Noelle is part of a self managed, internationally touring band “The Pairs” and also performs as a solo act.
From a young age Noelle has been enthralled with the art of performance & song writing. Having spent 8 years in choir and orchestra training through elementary and secondary schools as well as having spent 5 years singing and touring with Amabile Choirs of Canada as a teenager and young adult, Noelle was given a strong foundation for musical understanding. Noelle has opened for acts like Irish Mythen, Kim Churchill, Kellie Loder, Jim Bryson, and The Brown Hawking Stanley Trio. With The Pairs Noelle has had the opportunity to play many iconic folk festivals like Mariposa, Summerfolk, Hillside, Calgary Folk Fest, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, and many more!
Inspired by the storytelling that exists in the diverse genre of folk music Noelle writes in a way that is simple, honest and deeply emotional. Noelle is a witty and charismatic performer who draws in the audience with her joy. She meshes a lighthearted presence and stage banter with emotionally charged, uplifting and sometimes haunting songs. Lyrically she taps into the angst and beauty of life. Each song has a soul and largely speaks to the resiliency and courage of human beings.
Why music?
I believe in the power of music to nurture, confront, and repair.
My identity as a queer/gay person often has a large presence within my songwriting and influences my perspective greatly. Through my artistic practice I gain understanding of my own identity and what it means to live beyond binary language and integrate a more nuanced perspective of the world. A creative practice really helps me to live with curiosity and to consider my place and purpose on this earth in this body. An artistic practice and earthly curiosity helps me to understand my whiteness within the contexts that I live, it helps me to think about who I am as an economic subject, who I am in relationship with the earth, as someone navigating mental health struggles, sobriety, and who I am as a human with a desire to experience joy and presence in their life. Through artistic exploration I consider how I show up for and support my relationships with family, the communities I belong to, and those I do not.
The work of songwriting, performing and connecting with others is important to me because it is where I feel most alive and liberated. I feel called to this profession. We can see how music shifts our thinking and ways of being with each other. We have experienced and witnessed how music can heal deep wounds and support us in becoming more compassionate humans. I feel that my work as a songwriter & performer, as I continue to learn and grow as a human, is to share ideas and stories through songs that contribute to a more compassionate world. I feel tremendously grateful to be able to connect with so many individuals and communities of people through music. I am grateful to be in relationship with wise and hopeful teachers and friends. And I love how much fun this work can be!
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Many of my artistic achievements exist within my work with ‘The Pairs’, a self managed, internationally touring, 3-part-harmony folk band based in Deshkan Ziibi/ London, ON. As a solo artist I have begun to build a professional presence largely encouraged and supported by the work and connections made with The Pairs. In 2021 I released my first single “Oh My My” as well as a solo EP called ‘Tongue Tied’. Over the last couple of years I’ve spent time remotely or in person, recording harmonies on several artists' recordings including Craig Cardiff’s songs “All This Time Running” & “Emm & May” as well as ‘My Father’s Son’s’ songs “Wild Fire” & “God’s Wife”. I have been fortunate to open for artists I admire like Irish Mythen, Kellie Loder, Jim Bryson, The Brown Hawkin Stanley Trio and Kim Churchill to name a few. It's a privilege for me to be able to perform and connect with so many folks through songs and storytelling. I look forward to more musical collaborations in the future!
I have had a variety of work experiences and volunteer travel experiences that have contributed in beautiful ways to my understanding of the world, and therefore to my creative practice and to the music I present. I have been formally educated in the field of Early Childhood Education as well as in the field of Forestry Tech. I have worked as an ECE, as a project coordinator within schools delivering food education & cooking programs, on an organic vegetable farm, in a vegan cheese factory, facilitating outdoor education programs for corporate groups; high school and elementary school students, and when I’m not touring I currently work remotely doing song and story writing workshops with young students in the Ottawa and Toronto regions with a program called Song Collab Studio. I am eager to continue to connect and learn and will always be grateful for opportunities to contribute in meaningful ways. Thanks for being here! See you out there!
