It has been said that when the stars align, magical things happen for those who take the time to enjoy such wonders. For singer, songwriter and actress Fefe Dobson this couldn’t be more fitting. With her third studio album complete, Dobson is prepared to leave a musical legacy and make her mark as one of the premiere voices in pop/rock music.
Following the success of her sophomore studio album Joy released in 2010 (21 Music), Dobson earned two Canadian certified platinum singles with “Ghost” and “Stuttering” and a gold single for “Can’t Breathe,” a collaboration with legendary music producer Bob Ezrin (KISS, Pink Floyd) and recording artist Orianthi.
During this celebration of joy in her life, Dobson reconciled with her biological father who had been absent for the majority of her adult life. This was the beginning of Dobson’s transformation towards understanding who she was as a woman and who she would like to be as an artist. The album debuted to critical acclaim and also won several awards including a Canadian Radio Music Award and a Much Music Video Award voted on by her loyal fans. The joyful spirit carried into all facets of Dobson's life and helped her break down barriers within the music industry as a Canadian, female musician of a mixed background. Rather than conforming to a specific look, sound or genre Dobson has successfully carved a new lane for herself, while empowering other female artists along the way.
In the winter of 2011 Dobson joined the cast of an independent film titled Home Again, in the supporting role of Cherry C., a character of Jamaican descent. The role allowed her to learn more about her family’s roots and further explore where her legacy began. This feature film-acting role earned her a nomination at the 2012 Canadian Screen Award for Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role and debuted at TIFF in 2012 to great reviews.
With a new perspective and refined direction, Dobson began the recording process for her third studio album Firebird. The first single "Legacy" reflects a fun, light-hearted, pop focused side of Dobson, professing, “If I die tonight, at least I left a legacy.” Produced by Sham & Motesart, the album's lead single offers a stadium feel with a strong focus on instrumentation and orchestration. The single is both playful and aggressive, a trademark of her signature sound. Having a career spanning over 10 years, Dobson is able to successfully reinvent herself with each new musical adventure and maintains her youthfulness and relevancy. "Legacy" was featured on the season premiere episode MuchMusic's hit teen series Degrassi where she also guest starred as herself.
This free-spirited singer-songwriter has quite the catalogue of music under her belt including songs she has penned for Miley Cyrus and Jordin Sparks. Despite her musical influences from the 60's and 70's, Dobson has a knack for writing catchy pop hits for today's generation including Selena Gomez & The Scene's hit single "Round and Round".
Dobson approaches her new music by reflecting on some of rock music's pioneers and her musical influences including Joan Jett, The Runaways and Jim Morrison of The Doors. The quintessential rock elements of these early artists influence Dobson’s musical direction, but it is her distinct vocals and personal lyrics that resonate specifically with her fans. “This album is definitely very melodic and very orchestrated,” says Dobson, “one minute you’re hearing strings, the next minute you’re hearing a marching band, and then you hear an electric guitar.”
The new album Firebird is a collection of powerful rock anthems, held together by pop melodies and heartfelt and poetic narratives. Dobson co-penned many of the tracks on the album, pouring her experiences and heart into her songwriting during the recording process. "It's that album, for me, that I've been waiting to make" says Dobson, "and now have finally got the chance and the freedom to do".
Determined to leave an imprint on the surface of music history, Dobson has enlisted the help of some of the industry’s biggest names including Sham & Motesart (Melanie Fiona, Nelly Furtado), Dallas Austin (Carly Rae Jepsen, Pink), Cook Classics (Miguel) while co-writers for the album include Claude Kelly (Jessie J, Kelly Clarkson) and Lil Eddie (K'Naan, JoJo). A more refined and mature sounding album, Dobson dives deeper into her emotional transformation from a girl to a woman while revealing her true self. This album is poised to transcend time with love songs that appeal to the universal masses.
Firebird surely marks a milestone in Dobson’s career and contributes to her everlasting music legacy.
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