Biography
The enigmatic Blaze Velluto brought together some fifteen musicians—including Guillaume Chiasson (Ponctuation, Bon Enfant, Jesuslesfilles)—and recorded Weatherman, a debut combining retro pop, sunny folk, and expansive rock sounds. Released independently in the spring of 2017, the album was reissued in February 2018. That same year, the band appeared in several festivals, including Pop Montréal, Le Festif!, FME, Canadian Music Week, and Halifax Pop Explosion. They also drew the attention of renowned Canadian label Arts & Crafts, who signed a publishing deal with them. Their sophomore album, We Are Sunshine, was released in 2020: offering us nothing less than rock ’n’ roll exhilaration and colourful characters, courtesy of Blaze Velluto, your friendly and favourite new musician.
Blaze Velluto brought together some fifteen musicians and, without much ado, dropped a debut album. Weatherman was initially released independently in the spring of 2017, then reissued in February 2018. “The dog is my favourite animal,” explains the artist about the album’s cover. A playful mix of retro pop, sunny folk and expansive rock, Weatherman made it into Canadian campus radio charts. The album also drew the attention of Arts & Crafts Music Publishing (Broken Social Scene, Timber Timbre, Jean-Michel Blais), who signed a publishing deal with them.
Evocative of wide-open spaces, Blaze Velluto’s music provides the perfect soundtrack to any road trip. “Pines are my favourite trees,” reveals the singer-songwriter. For several months, Velluto and his band travelled through Eastern Canada, appearing at festivals in Quebec (Pop Montréal, Le Festif!, FME), in Ontario (Canadian Music Week, River and Sky), and in the Maritimes (Halifax Pop Explosion). They have also opened for the likes of Bernard Adamus and Québec Redneck Bluegrass Project.
A talented, multi-faceted (and humble) artist, Blaze Velluto is invested in every aspect of his career. “I don’t have a favourite fruit; they’re all good as long as they’re ripe,” he confides. Working with Michael Japan, he produced a trilogy of music videos for three tracks off Weatherman: “M Coyote,” “Matilda,” and “Morning Dew.” The video for the latter was premiered at the Festival de cinéma de la ville de Québec. The three videos form an integral work, with connections between each one, recurring characters, and an intriguing “To be continued” ending.
Speaking of “continued,” the band’s sophomore album, We Are Sunshine, was released in 2020. As a result, even more evocative videos and colourful pop exuberance are in store. Think illustrations, exhilaration, cartoon-like characters, animals… the rock ’n’ roll liberation you’ve always dreamed of, courtesy of Blaze Velluto, your friendly and favourite new musician.
