Annick Gagnon - November/December 1999
by Sarah Chauncey
Who: Annick Gagnon.
What: Vocal stylings extraordinaire.
Where: New Brunswick
Why: One of Canada’s undiscovered vocal gems.
To Contact: Paula Danylevich, Hype Music, (416) 410-8691 ext.1
By the time Annick Gagnon was 12, she had opened for Celine Dion and performed at a gala celebration for Moncton’s 100th birthday. Her teenage years were filled with appearances on Morningside, Enfants Soleil, YTV’s Breakfast Zone, Bonjour Atlantique and Breakfast Television. At 16, she released her debut album, River of Love. Now a veteran at 20, Gagnon’s latest CD (self-titled) is gathering CHR steam across Canada with singles like “I’m Temperamental” and “Show Me”. Produced by former BKS member Greg Kavanagh (who wrote most of the songs), the CD features a wide range of soulful pop and potential future dance-remix anthems. Gagnon’s veteran backing musicians include Ben Riley (drums), Rob Guesus (organ), Steve Lucas (bass) and Richard Evans (piano). Annick Gagnon (the album, not the artist) was mixed by Vic Florencia at Kavasound Studios in Toronto and mastered by Tom Coyne at Sterling Sound in New York. Gagnon, who won the 1996 ECMA Francophone Recording Artist of the Year Award, has been tapped to star in the new Vancouver late-night show, V-TV. In the young singer’s spare time (!?!) she is working towards her medical science degree at Campus Universitaire Sainte-Louis Maillet.