Cherelle Jardine

Interview With Cherelle Jardine

SBS:  Hello and welcome to ya!  It’s always best to start off with some kind of introduction to who you are and what kind of music you make, isn’t it?  Tell us a bit about yourself & the history of your music, and give the people out there reading a couple of concrete reasons as to why they should be listening!

Cherelle Jardine:  I am an award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter who has spent nearly three decades building a powerful and versatile career defined by authenticity, emotion, and fearless creativity.  From introspective indie beginnings to genre-blending collaborations, I’ve written, recorded, produced, and performed music that moves hearts and opens minds.  Since first emerging in 1995, I have released 13 independent albums spanning Folk, Alt-Country, Electro-Rock, and poetic Pop as a solo performer and with The Jardines, HEAD, Stone Poets and Peacenik Collective.

My return to solo work in 2026 marks an exciting new chapter with the release of a radiant single “It’s a Beautiful Day,” co-written with Vancouver producer and songwriter Colin Weinmaster is a joyful homecoming filled with warmth, hope, and possibility.

My first solo release in over a decade, the song is bursting with 60s-inspired spirit. “It’s a Beautiful Day” is a feel-good anthem that lifts the heart and celebrates life’s simple magic.  It is followed by my second single “Lay the Weapons Down,” a bold and soulful call to disarm ourselves of hate, fear, and division, choosing compassion over conflict.  I also offer a smouldering reimagining of the Rolling Stones’ “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” along with “San Francisco, Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair” which is an iconic pop song from 1967 by Scott McKenzie, written by John Phillips, I gently reintroduce the iconic song’s message of unity, peace, and gathering for a modern world.

All four songs will appear on my upcoming full-length solo album arriving summer 2026, recorded with a bevy of West Coast musicians and produced by Colin Weinmaster, Sheldon Zaharko, Marc Gladstone, and myself.  The album blends fresh new material with unreleased gems from my long creative journey.

Throughout my career, I have fronted several notable bands.

The Jardines – a seven-piece Alt-Country/Roots mother-daughter band formed in 2009 with her daughter Ajaye.  We released 2 full-length cds The Jardines and Someone’s Stolen Tuesday.  The group performed during the 2010 Olympic opening ceremony celebrations in Richmond, BC, toured the UK including Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club, co-wrote and performed in Nashville, and released two albums before disbanding in 2014.

HEAD – a cathartic Electro-Rock project born from personal trauma and transformation.  Performing under the alter ego Lyric, I channeled her difficult upbringing into two critically praised albums, Afraid to Sleep and Dear Father, before the project concluded during the pandemic.

Stone Poets – a Folk-Pop/Roots trio co-founded with Marc Gladstone and Scott Jackson, is well known for lush harmonies and emotional depth.  The band has released five albums including the 2024 record HUM∀N, a 17-track collection filled with hope, empathy, and humanity.  Music publicist Eric Alper called it “what the world needs right now.”

In 2023, I joined forces with Bruce Coughlan, Gord Maxwell, Greg Stuart, and my Stone Poets bandmates to form Peacenik Collective, a group of heart-led musicians creating conscious music rooted in unity, love, and social awareness.  We released our 1st single “Back to Love” in 2025.  www.peacenikcollective.com

My story is deeply personal and profoundly inspiring.  I learned guitar on a broken, duct-taped instrument and paid for my first album by trading studio time for work hours at Vancouver’s beloved BullFrog Studios where bands like Loverboy cut their teeth.  My songwriting has helped me process the pain of growing up with an abusive, addicted father and transform darkness into healing – for myself and others.

My work has earned significant recognition including two 2025 ISSA Awards from the International Singer Songwriters Association for International Band of the Year and International Video of the Year with Stone Poets.  I am also the recipient of the Richmond Arts Award (2011) and the Ethel Tibbits Award (2012).

Beyond my own music, I have been a passionate cultural leader and advocate for independent artists.  I hosted the Make a Scene Canada podcast on Pacific Northwest Radio from 2018–2021, served as President of the Pacific Songwriters Association, and created Musical Expressions, a seven-year concert series sponsored by the City of Richmond.

I have toured across Canada, the United States, and parts of the United Kingdom, performing at festivals and concert halls along the way.

From angel-kissed melodies to powerful anthems, I sing like some people pray – always with purpose, passion, and poetry.  A dreamer and builder of community, I am a fearless creative spirit who believes that together we can change the world – one song at a time.

I continue to evolve as a writer, performer, and visionary artist.  I remain active performing and recording with Stone Poets, the peace-powered Peacenik Collective, and perform in Hand over Heart, and Earth Wind & Choir, a Vancouver vocal collective, 25 members strong, all with their own prestigious careers.  www.earthwindandchoir.com

Beyond music, I am also expanding into filmmaking.  I am currently working with acclaimed Canadian actress Lynda Boyd on a documentary exploring the extraordinary members and story of Earth Wind & Choir.  I also produce, direct, and oversee post-production for the music videos of Stone Poets and my solo projects.

My mission remains simple and powerful:

“Music matters.  Music heals.  Music brings us together.

We can change the world one song at a time…and love is louder than hate.”

The story continues…listen to my body of work at https://tinyurl.com/mv9ph34y and www.cherellejardine.ca

SBS:  While we’re still getting to know you and quite possibly introducing you to these pages of ours, what would you say is the newest and/or most exciting thing you’ve got going on with your music right now?  Is there anything you’ve been working on that just got released, or something happening behind the scenes that you haven’t mentioned yet?  What should your fans be looking forward to this year?

Cherelle Jardine:  I have a new album coming out at the end of the summer 2026 as I mentioned above plus I’ve been nominated for 6 ISSA – International Singer Songwriter Associations awards.  International Songwriter, Vocalist, Rising Star, Emerging Artist, Single and Video for “It’s a Beautiful Day.”  Last year Stone Poets won International Band of the Year and Video of the Year for “Beauty of it All.”

I’ve also released 4 songs that will be on the new album called Something Old, Something New – “It’s a Beautiful Day” is a feel-good anthem that lifts the heart and celebrates life’s simple magic.  “Lay the Weapons Down,” a bold, soulful call to disarm ourselves of hate, fear, and division, choosing compassion over conflict.  A smouldering reimagining of the Rolling Stones’ “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” along with “San Francisco, Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair” which is an iconic Pop song from 1967 by Scott McKenzie, written by John Phillips, Cherelle gently reintroduces the iconic song’s message of unity, peace, and gathering for a modern world.  These songs are produced by Colin Weinmaster, Sheldon Zaharko, Marc Gladstone and myself.  They are available for streaming right now.

SBS:  So far to-date, what do you feel like is the song of yours that listeners respond to the most?  Do you feel like you knew they’d like it when you first created it, or was it just another song to you at the time?  Sometimes it takes a few spins and a bit of time before we realize how special a song truly is.  What is it about this particular track that you feel people connect to?  If someone was to ask you to play one of your songs to get them interested in your music, would you choose the same one that listeners seem to enjoy the most, or would you risk it and choose something different from your catalog instead?

Cherelle Jardine:  For my new songs, I think “It’s a Beautiful Day” because it really is a simple message, that is a bit of an anthem and much needed in these times of darkness and political upheaval in the US.  A reminder that through all the insanity, life is still beautiful.

SBS:  Is there a concert you’ve been to that…maybe it was the best you’ve seen, maybe it wasn’t, but it was a completely unforgettable moment in time that you might not even see from the same band or artist again if you saw them play in the future?  Know what I mean?  Like, maybe a band you saw was touring a certain album and they never played those songs again…or like, maybe an artist climbed up the frame of the stage like Eddie Vedder did, and of course he’s probably not doin’ that now as an older dude…there are countless examples of amazing shows from the artists & bands we love most that we will never see happen twice.  Tell us all the details you can remember about an unforgettable show you saw, and why you don’t think that if you saw that same artist/band today that it could all happen again.

Cherelle Jardine:  It was Prince on his last tour before his untimely death.  He commanded the stage, he had everyone hanging on their seat, not knowing what song he would do next and each song was a masterpiece – if you were thinking Prince would just do the hits the way they were recorded, you got it wrong.  He made each song a new experience, it was really inspiring.  If he was still with us, I think he would have the same effect on the audience.  Prince knew how to pull on your heart strings, I think I spent most of the night in tears, he really moved me.  Plus his  band was world class and the stage set up was kick ass!

SBS:  I’ve heard it said many times that it’s harder to write a song in a happy mood than to write one when you’re feeling down.  Of course, for some folks, the opposite is just as true…I guess maybe that’s a reflection of who we are on the inside perhaps?  From YOUR perspective, what’s the particular emotion you associate with the most, or connect to the strongest when you’re creating your music?  How does it play a role in what you write & why do you feel like that specific emotion gets the best songs out of you?

Cherelle Jardine:  It’s such a critical time right now for humanity.  We are more divided now than we’ve ever been.  I’m mostly connected to writing from a place of hope, seeking out love and joy.  I don’t know what else I can do, it’s my little part in trying to bring us back to love.

SBS:  Let’s ask ya this…would you rather create a massive hit song that the whole world knows and sings along with, or risk toiling in obscurity for the length of your career to fully keep your artistic integrity intact?  Is it really that much better to be one of those artists or bands that are only known for one song, or is it better to build a whole catalog you can proudly stand behind that might not be known at all?  One-hit wonders tend to get judged pretty harshly and are often crushed under the weight of constantly trying to find that second hit – but the flipside of that coin is the right hit song can be so financially lucrative that it can often be enough to build a whole career around.  Still…I have to wonder whether or not that would suck all the joy right outta the craft…maybe it’s really better to have no hits than one hit – what do you think you’d prefer and why?  Do you feel like creating a hit song is truly crucial to a music career?  If it’s not, what’s the alternative?  Can you still have a career without really becoming known?

Cherelle Jardine:  Funny, I’m nominated for an ISSA rising star and emerging artist award.  I feel like I’ve been a rising star my whole career.  I’ve never thought about writing a hit song, I just write and hope that it will reach someone and make them feel good along the way.  Just like I do when I listen to music.  You can have a long career without being known…in a sea of millions of artists all making music, if 1 person hears a song I wrote and it means something to them, that’s all that matters.  I know I’ve never wanted to be a 1 hit wonder, right now I’m a no hit wonder and that’s okay as I’m releasing my 14th indie cd at the end of the summer.  Who knows, maybe there’s a hit in there!

SBS:  Alright.  Personal taste.  It’s a weird thing right?  Impossible to predict, isn’t it?  We always talk about A-sides and B-sides when it comes to making music, and I like to believe that albums are generally put together with the artist or band bringing their best (theoretically, the A-sides) to an official release.  But once a song has been put out there into the world, it takes on all kinds of different meanings to every set of individual ears listening, doesn’t it?  For example – I’ve heard plenty of songs on what are considered to be B-side albums, or second songs that came along with a single that I might like even more than an A-side.  On the same side of that coin, just about every artist and band I know of tends to like certain songs they release much more than the ones their fans respond to the most.  So…I guess the question is…is there really such a thing as an A-side or a B-side to begin with?  What’s the point in worrying too much if everyone out there will draw to their own conclusions about what they like anyhow?  Should we just put absolutely everything we make out there online & let people be the judge?  When we label something as an A-side or a B-side, doesn’t that somewhat limit the listener’s objective ability to assess how they feel about a song on their own?  Who really decides what’s an A-side or a B?

Cherelle Jardine:  Interesting questions.  I’ve never worried about this, all my songs are A side 🙂 – I just put all my music out for the world to hear or not hear.  It’s my legacy when I leave this planet.  I’m leaving my footprint on earth.  I think now with everything being streamed, it’s not a concern for artists.

SBS:  Who’s someone you would be able to pinpoint as an influence on your music, or who you are as an artist, that even your fan-base might not have expected?  How has that person affected the way you make your music, and do you really feel like the influence ends up showing up in your sound, or not?  Maybe it’s something they said, maybe it’s something they did, maybe it’s something they accomplished that you hope to as well someday…maybe they’re simply iconic, or have become legendary.  Tell us why this particular inspiration matters to you & how they made an impact on how you view the art of music.

Cherelle Jardine:  I don’t think my influences show up in my music but I’ve been influenced by many artists – especially female artists that make a statement as well Robert Plant.  He has had such a diverse career.  Of course I got to know his music in Led Zep but he took on his own path after that and I’ve always greatly admired him for following his own trip.  Changing genres, moods and vocal styles.  I love the fact that he really did it his way and continues to keep recording music in his late 70’s.  It give me hope, his passion and musicality inspires me.

SBS:  I’m going with a motto of being unafraid to fail this year, because I think even though I’ve failed in so many things that I’ve tried, maybe I still haven’t failed enough to have learned to not be so afraid of it yet, you know what I mean?  We can learn so much by failing…by trying different things…by stretching outside of our comfort zones – and heck, we don’t even know if we can find success at all unless we’re really willing to see what we’re capable of, right?  So let’s ask you this – what do you consider to be your biggest failure with your music to-date, and ultimately, how did that experience actually end up helping you later on?  What did you learn from whatever mistake you made & how did it assist your evolution?

Cherelle Jardine:  I think, like many artists, there were moments along the way that felt like missed opportunities – but that’s part of the journey in this business.  What I’ve really learned is the importance of trusting my voice, speaking up, and not just going with the flow when something doesn’t feel right.  In the past, that sometimes led to creative choices that didn’t fully reflect who I am.  That growth has brought me to this new chapter.  My upcoming solo album is about freedom – being able to create without asking permission, and letting the music sound exactly the way I hear it.  Plus I don’t have to wait for someone to give me the go ahead on promo/videos etc.  It’s incredibly empowering.

This project, Something Old, Something New, really represents that shift for me – honouring where I’ve been, while consciously carving out a new path forward.

I love the bands I’m currently in – Stone Poets, Peacenik Collective, but am super excited about this new Cherelle Jardine solo experience

SBS:  As I always like to remind people participating in our interviews, there is no such thing as an interview that has ever covered everything that someone would want to talk about, this one included.  We cover that here at sleepingbagstudios by offering you the ‘open floor’ at the end…a space where you can talk about anything else you want to.  You can mention anything we didn’t bring up.  You can talk politics if you want to.  You can swear.  You can tell us which websites we should go to in order to listen to your music.  You can tell us your favorite movie if you like.  Heck, you can full-on repeat yourself and say something you’ve already said if you feel so inclined – it’s YOUR space to say whatever YOU would want to say to the people out there, completely free of our influence on the conversation…all I suggest is that you take it for a ride and make good use out of it.  Thank you so much for talkin’ tunes with us!!!

Cherelle Jardine:  Thanks so much Jer.  I think I’ve said it all except for – please people, be kind to each other, spread peace and love and call out hate.  Life is way too short for all the BS.

Oh and follow my socials @cherellejardine, visit my website www.cherellejardine.ca and sign up for my mailing list.  I promise I won’t spam you.

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