Meet Billianne, 20, music’s next great voice

Such as ‘a fluffy blanket’, ‘a warm cup of tea’, ‘leaves changing color’ – that’s how social media commentators describe Billianne’s sonorous voice.

During the 2021 pandemic, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter from Milton, Ont. went viral with an acoustic cover of Tina Turner’s classic hit “The Best” that received over two million plays on TikTok.

Last week Billianne released her debut EP ‘The Things We Talk About’. Influenced by singer-songwriters like Taylor Swift and Lizzy McAlpine, the five-track “pretty folksy” project functions as an intimate, relatable memoir about venturing into adulthood.

First single – ‘No Wonder’, a mesmerizing ballad with piano accompaniment – is a letter to her parents, inspired by Billianne’s experiences traveling alone from Milton to downtown Toronto for studio sessions. It swells to a powerful climax with layers of harmony and strong percussion as Billianne proclaims she’s “ready to go”.

“I started writing about the feeling of leaving home for the first time,” says Billianne. “I wanted my parents to know that I’m okay and that I can handle things like taking the train alone.”

“A Little Older” and “Full Circle” graciously allude to similar coming-of-age themes, while “Waiting For This Love to Die” is an outlier: a pop-driven song about a past romance. But Billianne lists the last track “Tower of Sequin” as her favorite on the EP.

“It’s a love letter to the city,” she said. “I’ve been such a Milton person, where I’m just secluded in a wooded farm area. This song is about realizing that I’m comfortable (in Toronto). I have found my group of people, my group of musicians that I enjoy working with.

“I say this a lot in this issue: ‘I wonder what I can find here.’ That statement is very optimistic. That’s how I feel about Toronto now.”

This summer, Billianne will be touring festivals and opening for artists like Tim Baker and the Paper Kites in performances across Canada, from Newfoundland to British Columbia. She will return to Toronto in the fall headlined her own show at the Axis Club on November 22.

“What’s so special about (touring) is that there are people in the audience who have been following me for a while and they are fans of the songs,” said Billiane. “It’s this real-life connection rather than a comment section. That makes it feel a lot more real.”

Through all the viral moments and achievements, Billianne said she has one end goal: longevity.

“I just want my music career to last; to form deep connections with fans and make sure my music touches people.”

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