Saskatchewan-born, Edmonton-based singer/songwriter/musician Colleen Brown has steadily gained momentum since her 2008 self-released 2nd album “Foot In Heart”. Sandra Sperounes, of The Edmonton Journal calls Colleen Brown “a national treasure in the making – along the lines of Joni Mitchell, Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot or k.d.lang.” ‘Foot In Heart’ was re-released in 2010 with Emm Gryner’s Dead Daisy Records & Outside Music. Brown toured extensively that year, playing music festivals, concert halls and clubs across Canada and continues to receive regular airplay on CBC, CKUA and college stations across Canada. Brown played 2010’s Edmonton Folk Fest, and has shared stages with Jakob Dylan, Randy Newman, Jim Cuddy, Hawksley Workman, Patrick Watson, Brandi Carlisle, Dan Mangan, Hey Rosetta, Kathleen Edwards, Frank Black and Don MacLean. She has toured Canada with Crash Test Dummies, Emm Gryner, Hannah Georgas and Buck 65. Brown's 3rd full-length album, a pop concept album about love, personal growth and cultivating perspective, called Colleen Brown's DIRT, was released in 2011 to noteworthy praise. Robert Everett Green, of the Globe and Mail proclaimed “You don’t need to read the notes to perceive the good bones in Brown’s songs, or to appreciate her fluid, powerful voice. She’s one of the best singers in Canadian pop, and a superb maker of music for her own voice … Dirt is a declaration of hard-won independence” The album features 13 original songs including one co-written with Sarah MacLachlan’s regular collaborator Pierre Marchand. Included with the CD is a narrative that ties the songs together through Colleen's personal experiences. ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’ one of DIRT'S rock anthems won the Harvard Broadcasting/New Music West 2011 Song Contest and in addition the video for ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’ won best music video at the Alberta Motion Picture Industry Awards. The album was released Oct 25, 2011 at the Arden Theatre in St. Albert with a CBC Radio 2 live performance. Colleen and her band played shows across Canada throughout 2012 in support of the release, including a recent spot on CBC Radio’s Q with Jian Ghomeshi. In Feb 2014 she released a 4 song teaser EP recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Local Natives' producer Raymond Richards, titled 'Direction 1: Major Love'. In early 2015 Colleen will release the follow-up, her 4th full length album 'Direction' which was co-produced by Can-rock icon Joel Plaskett, Richards and Brown. Praise for Colleen Brown: “If you just read her lyric sheet before hearing her, you’d likely place Brown in the rather crowded category of introspective female singer-songwriters. Her work transcends that niche, courtesy of her bright, powerful voice, one that has a widescreen pop feel… there’s plenty to enjoy while frolicking in this Dirt.” – Kerry Doole, exclaim.ca “A strikingly diverse collection of vibrant, colorful (sm)art-pop from this Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist deftly balances classic songwriter appeal with some inspired and energized — and dare we say just plain fun – tunecraft…”
– Dave Curtis, Direct Current “Vulnerable comes to mind in describing Brown’s third record, though it’s far too complex in feeling to be so simply tagged…While very much in the mould of ’70s song craft, filled with hummable melodies and irresistible rhythms, there’s also a manifesto to be found if you dig even slightly below the surface…” - Tom Murray, Edmonton Journal “As clear and bracing as a sunny Albertan winter day, (Foot in Heart) marks the Edmonton-based singer-songwriter as a real contender.”- Kerry Doole, Exclaim.ca "Foot in Heart" sounds like some of the best music you heard on pop-radio back in the '70s...I love this album,” - Rich Terfry (aka Buck 65) on CBC Radio 2 Drive “Colleen Brown played the show of her life, opening up (for Frank Black). There is a confidence about her new songs that’s actually scary, savaging the things we men do with a sarcastic lilt and an eager smile for the next round of battle.” – Fish Griwkowsky, See Magazine “Brown's rich, melodious voice floats around you in a wholly unique way…Her voice isn't the only draw, though…Brown also follows through where it counts most — the songs. (They) deserve recognition for the anthems they are… Foot In Heart is a magnetic album and the whole planet should hear Colleen Brown roar.”- Aaron Brophy, CHARTattack “the talents of this Edmonton-based musician shine like a beacon. Her boldly written originals…have the good bones and great melodic rhythm of classic big-screen pop songs from the sixties and seventies…”- Robert Everett-Green, The Globe and Mail