Chantal Vitalis

“Her skills are refined, and she’s not afraid to reveal herself in her music…

Her live presence is stunning, much like her music. Armed with a sexy

voice and a killer sense of humour, Vitalis incorporates life as we

understand it into witty, insightful lyrics.

Calgary Folk Music Festival program guide 2003

“…subtle masterpieces. There is a quiet precision to her melodies,

she’s mastered the art of drawing the listener close with

gentle surprises and then snaring the imagination

with the things left unsaid.”

Taking Musical Stalk by Mary-Lynn McEwen of FFWD

A songwriter who is inspired, amused and awed by the complexities of everyday life, her rich images are multi-layered, densely coloured, and often get snagged on those pesky hidden slivers of truth.

Her first foray into original music was playing electric guitar with the much-loved Same Difference, who toured Canada extensively and whose positive energy won the hearts of many a late night campus radio DJ. From there it was on to maud, a tight unit whose music challenged while it entertained. After over a decade in the Calgary indie music scene, Chantal’s path eventually led to recording her own CD, “Today’s Special,” a recurring role as part of Kris Demeanor’s Crack Band, and discovering the joys of composing for film.

Chantal has performed at music and/or folk festivals in Calgary, Winnipeg, Cochrane Valley, Dawson City, Alaska, and Mt. Beauty and Yackandandah (both in Australia). She just returned from a second Australian tour in April as part of Kris Demeanor’s Crack Band where she also performed her own material. She returns to Alaska for the Alaska Women’s Music Festival in July.

She has hosted events like MuchMusic’s Much Does Calgary broadcast in February, and the Asian Heritage Month night of music in May. She was one of the songwriters featured in the Epcor Centre’s Alberta Sessions songwriter series which CKUA recorded and later broadcast.

In November of last year, she and Kris toured Europe, where they played in smoky dives and stayed in scary neighborhoods all over Germany, Denmark, and Norway.

Her remake of Jenny Donnelly is on the brand new Stompin’ Tom Connors tribute CD, “BYOP (Bring Your Own Plywood)”, and her sights are set on releasing an album of new material later this year. Chantal’s CD, “Today’s Special,” has enjoyed airplay from the CBC, CKUA, and community/campus stations throughout Canada, Europe, the US, and Australia.

When not touring, performing, or applying for grants, she scores and/or co-composes for theatre (My Roommate the Anti-Christ, Bluto, When Bush Comes to Shove) and film and video (Do-Wok-a-Do, Gens de Foques, Swelter, Condom-Nation, The Road Project, Screaming Fish, The Riders (male), The Girl Who Married a Ghost, The Hunt for Dinosaurs in the Badlands of Alberta, Pushing the Limits). She was nominated for Alberta Motion Picture Industry Association awards for her work on Screaming Fish, The Riders (male), and The Girl Who Married a Ghost.

chantal_vitalis@yahoo.ca

(403) 261-7825 phone