Bio

Emily Jean Flack has never been one to settle for the conventional. Falling in love with pop music while being rooted in the rich heritage of Canadian Celtic music, she creates a sound that defies genre boundaries. Growing up in a musical family, with her mother, Denise Flack, as the lead singer of the Canadian Celtic group Leahy, Emily’s love for music was ignited at an early age. Her journey began with step dancing, a cornerstone of Canadian and Irish folk traditions, before she transitioned into piano and, eventually her first love - singing. These early experiences with melody and rhythm in the form of Irish reels, jigs, and traditional ballads laid the foundation for Emily’s own fearless artistic voice.

Emily's 2019 debut EP Throwing Shapes, produced by Belfast's Pete Wallace and mixed by Grammy-winning Canadian producer David Bottrill, marked her entrance onto the international stage. This project took her across Canada, Ireland, and the UK, with standout performances at JunoFest 2019 and NYC’s Irish Arts Centre with Riverdance’s Bill Whelan. With its progressive-folk sound, Throwing Shapes set the tone for her evolving musical style. Roots Music Canada praised her voice, remarking, “… listeners might note shades of another trad-influenced Canadian singer – Raylene Rankin – in its purity, sweetness, and dexterity.” Building on this foundation, Emily released her full-length album How You Love Me, produced by the Canadian duo Family of Things. This album further expands her sound, exploring the possibilities within pop while remaining rooted in the folk tradition that defines her musical identity.

On stage, Emily is a force to be reckoned with. Her live performances combine original songs, Celtic instrumental pieces, and percussive step dancing into a highly dynamic experience. Her voice is at the heart of it all, raw and unmistakably powerful. Her music has taken her across Canada, the USA, UK, and Europe, where she has performed both as a solo artist and a guest with artists like Leahy, Natalie MacMaster, Bill Whelan, Shane Cook, and many more.

Emily’s formal training took her across the Atlantic to pursue an MA in Traditional Irish Song at the Irish World Academy in 2017, where she immersed herself in the technical intricacies of Irish vocal performance and pushed the boundaries of Celtic music. This academic journey was transformative, catalyzing her distinctive blend of old and new as she explored ways to connect her Celtic heritage with contemporary sounds.

Emily’s commitment to education has been just as impactful. She has taught, lectured, and performed at the University of Limerick, University College Dublin, and University of Toronto, sharing her expertise in both traditional and modern music and dance. Additionally, she has made significant contributions to choral music, directing multiple choirs a part of the esteemed CCH Vocal Extension Program in London, Ontario. She continues to teach music and dance, delivering workshops in voice, songwriting, Celtic styles of piano and Ottawa Valley/French Canadian step-dancing. Emily’s latest educational project, The EJF Collection, involves transforming her original songs into choral arrangements. This initiative allows her to blend her unique voice as a songwriter with her expertise in choral music, creating rich, layered harmonies that bring her compositions to life in a whole new way.

Emily Jean Flack’s music is infectious. Her music pushes boundaries. Her performance is powerful. She is an artist. Currently in the studio, Emily is hard at work on her third solo project, slated for release in summer 2025!