Jessica Lalonde

My passion for singing began at the age of five, when I began performing in my hometown of Midland, Ontario, at local music festivals.

I went on to study classical voice and opera at Wilfrid Laurier University, where I won a performance scholarship, several prestigious concerto competitions, and held title roles in the university's opera productions.

Recently, Toronto's Jazz FM91 listed me as one of "Eight Canadian Women in Jazz You Need to Know"and I’ve been making a name for myself in Canada as a compelling and eclectic contemporary Jazz artist.

My performance opportunities have encompassed a diverse range of engagements, including serving as a guest vocalist with LANG LANG at Meridian Hall in 2024, ongoing collaborations with Juno Award-winning jazz pianist Adrean Farrugia, a collaboration with Juno award winner Chris Gestrin in a multimedia art piece at the Vancouver Art Gallery's FUSE Festival, as well as a tribute to jazz orchestra composers Maria Schneider and Bob Brookmeyer with the Toronto Art Orchestra.

I maintain an active performance schedule, singing and recording alongside numerous prominent Canadian musicians, including Terry Clarke, Reg Schwager, Adrean Farrugia, Drew Jurecka, Brad Goode, Michael Herring, George Koller, Pat Collins, Ross MacIntyre, Lauren Falls, Alison Young, Ethan Ardelli, and Nathan Hiltz, among others.

Performances have included appearances at the Beaches International Jazz Festival, The Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival, The Kensington Market Jazz Festival, The World of Jazz Festival in Brampton, the Brantford International Jazz Festival, Markham Jazz Festival, the TD Toronto and TD Niagara Jazz Festivals, and the Antigonish Jazz Festival.

I am featured on the album "They Killed Us" by Will Currie and the Country French, on Jaymz Bee's collaborative projects "Muse" and "Go West", as well as on John MacMurchy's "Art of Breath Vol. II". I have also recorded backing vocals on three albums by the Born Ruffians. Recently, I recorded a full album with my band Samways, led by composer/guitarist Nathan Hiltz and alongside singers Shannon Butcher and Melissa Lauren. In 2021, I collaborated with singer/songwriter Jessica Stuart in the studio to bring to fruition the previously unrecorded works of Joan Beckow. This legacy project was released in November 2022.

In addition to my performance career, I am active as a vocal coach and music teacher. From 2023-2025, I held the position of directing the vocal studio at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. I love working with students of all ages, as well as performing in long-term care residences, with the belief that music possesses the capacity to both elevate and heal.