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Kristen Martell (Nova Scotia, 2023 ECMA Album of the Year Nominated)
April 14 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
A special performance from Nova Scotia’s multiple ECMA/Music Nova Scotia Award Nominated, Kristen Martell! Tuesday, April 14, 2026 from 5-8pm at The Cove Inn.
KRISTEN MARTELL is a songwriter from Nova Scotia whose music transcends boundaries and connects deeply with her audience. Known for her feathery, soothing vocals and heartfelt lyrics, Kristen weaves together intimate and moving songs that linger long after the music fades. After two successful English studio albums, numerous award nominations and accolades, Kristen returns with a new chapter—an enchanting French album that pays tribute to her Acadian roots coming in early 2025. With an edgier pop sensibility, the album bridges cultures and moods, offering a unique musical experience that is both reflective and vibrant. Through delicate ballads and emotional storytelling, she invites listeners into a world where cultures blend, and emotions flow freely.
Her music is a tender exploration of love, identity, and the beauty of the human experience, carried on soft melodies that are as light and ethereal as her voice – where soft meets bold, and light dances with shadow.
Her latest single ‘Allume mon courage’ (Oct 29th, 2024) takes the listener on a soulful journey of self-discovery and transformation. With rhythmic bongo elements and a fiery groove, the song is both haunting and uplifting, embodying the emotional tension between fear and courage. It tells the story of standing at a crossroads, recognizing the need to make a change, and finding the strength to move forward.
Career Highlights
- 2024 Music Nova Scotia “Prix de L’Acadie”, Nominated
- 2023 ECMA “Album of the Year” (Every Season), Nominated
- 2023 ECMA “Folk Recording of the Year” (Every Season), Nominated
- 2022 Music Nova Scotia “Electronic Artist of the Year” (Should I Run – Lee Rosevere Remix), Nominated
- 2021 ECMA “Inspirational Recording of the Year” (Coming Home), Nominated
- 2021 Music Nova Scotia “Inspirational Recording of the Year” (Coming Home), Nominated
- 2021 Music Nova Scotia “Folk Recording of the Year” (Coming Home), Nominated
- Radio
- #1 on Top 10 East Coast Countdown, Nov 2022
- #6 on Earshot National Folk/Roots/Blues Charts for week of Jan 24, 2023
- #8 on Earshot National Folk/Roots/Blues Charts for week of Nov 29 , 2022
- Top 10 Roots Album at CFBX 94.5 Kamploops, BC for Nov 2022
- Top 100 Songs of 2022 (Quiet Hearts) and 2021 (‘Photograph of Secrets’) at CIOE 97.5FM Community Radio
- Top 30 at CIOE Community Radio for 10+ weeks in 2022 & 2021
- Great Dark Wonder Top Albums of 2022
- 2021 and 2022 International Songwriting Competition (ISC) Semi-Finalist – ‘Quiet Hearts’
- Roots Music Canada Favourite Discoveries of 2020
Notable Festivals/Showcases/Tours:
- 2024 Nova Scotia Music Week (Nov 2024)
- 2024 Opened for Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies), PEI Brewing Co.
- 2024 Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Lunenburg NS (Aug 2024)
- 2024 Cavendish Beach Festival, RBC Stage
- 2024 PaddlesFest St Andrews NB (May 2024)
- 2024 Eastern Canadian Tour (14 shows across NB, PQ, ON)
- 2023 Nova Scotia Music Week Showcase, Yarmouth NS
- 2023 Folk Music Ontario Showcase, London ON
- 2023 Canada Music Week Showcase (June 2023)
- 2023 East Coast Music Awards Showcase, Halifax, NS
- 2023 The MainSTAGE at St Andrews, Halifax NS
- 2023 NS Theatre tour opening for Quote the Raven (3 shows April 2023)
- 2023 Eastern Canadian Tour – (12 shows across NB, PQ, ON)
- 2022 Nova Scotia Music Week Showcase, Sydney NS
- 2022 The Carleton Album Release Show, Halifax NS
- 2022 Kings Theatre, Annapolis Royal NS opening for Silver Wolf Band
- 2022 Acoustic Roots Festival, Cape Breton NS
- 2022 Virtual Spotlight Showcase at Folk Alliance International – Canadian Music East Coast Style (May 2022)
- 2022 Evergreen Theatre, Margaretsville NS
- 2021 Contact East Showcase, Moncton NB
- 2021 Nova Scotia Music Week Showcase. Truro NS
- 2021 Evergreen Festival, Halifax NS
- 2021 Halifax Urban Folk Festival
- 2020 Ancient River Festival, Shelburne NS
- 2020 Lunenburg Folk Harbour Concert Series