Nominated for her first JUNO Award, Elenee stood among industry giants at the award show in Vancouver, B.C. in March – proof that faith, persistence, and a voice that won’t quit can take you all the way to the top.

“I will never forget the experience. You only get to be a first-time JUNO Award nominee once,” says the Canadian Christian/Gospel artist and songwriter.

The nod marks a major milestone in her career, especially as an independent artist who launched her career with a Kickstarter campaign to fund her self-titled debut album, Elenee. Elenee was one of 67 first-time Juno Award nominees and one of five in her category – Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year. The JUNO Awards celebrated a total of 208 nominated Canadian music artists.

“The JUNOs make all the first-time nominees feel special. They had a whole separate event that goes on for first timers. You get styled by R.W. & Co. with 10 pieces of clothing, plus gifts and amazing opportunities.”

A significant opportunity for Elenee was an Indigenous honouring ceremony for all the Indigenous nominees. Elenee, who identifies as a Métis citizen with the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan, was proud to represent her culture and music.

“A lot of the music that I make is through the conduit of my healing journey from generational trauma. It was important to celebrate that aspect of my art. They gifted each of us an ornamented bentwood box with beautiful traditional markings that are unique to the First Nations peoples of BC.”

The seven-and-a-half songs that make up Elenee’s album blend nostalgic worship and raw honesty, taking the listener on a journey of healing.

“The album was a wholesome way for me to share some of the healing that I've gone through over the last several years. My dad passed away in 2020 and he was an alcoholic. He experienced a lot of trauma and it led to a not-so-great life and made for a difficult childhood for me and my sister. I aimed to heal that and the only way to do that was to forgive him. Forgiveness isn't for the other person. It's to set you free. Regardless of whether he deserved it, I still chose to forgive him and that's where my healing started.”

Elenee dove headfirst into healing, which became a branch of a larger journey of self-discovery. This allowed her to peel back the layers, slowly tearing down the walls she built. Her album is a culmination of the steps she took on her way to healing, telling fear to get lost, and aligning with God.

“That's why I decided to self-title the album. There is so much of me in it that there was no song title that made sense enough to name it.”

Beyond the award show, the Lakeland alumna’s trip to the JUNOs provided opportunities to connect and learn from fellow artists like Alexander Stewart, a two-time JUNO nominee, and Lowell, known for her work on Beyoncé’s single Texas Hold’em. From the connections and rounds in the writer’s rooms, Elenee says she feels the momentum is building.

“I’ve been on calls with friends in Nashville, who own a publishing company and label, and we’re exploring how I fit into their ecosystem, looking at opportunities to write for other artists and contribute to my own projects. I feel like my wheels are always turning.”

Being nominated for a JUNO was a sign for Elenee that she is going in the right direction, and it validated all the moves she’s made for her career so far.

The next chapter in her journey is an ambitious one: a nine-stop tour running from May to October, a self-produced 17-song collaborative release with The Anthem Co., and a brand-new EP slated for release in Fall 2025.

Find out where Elenee will be touring on elenee.ca.