Esther Pennell

Esther Pennell is a Mi’kmaq singer-songwriter, vocalist, and banjo player living in North Bay Ontario. In a non-traditional style all her own, she has made a name for herself as an innovator in the Folk music circles of Northern Ontario and Montreal, Quebec.

Esther is a prolific songwriter and since 2016, she has released three full length albums.  Her latest album, Big Dream, was recorded with and produced by Gemini-Award nominee composer, Peter Cliché. Big Dream was released at the beginning of 2020 and received a nomination for Country Album of the Year by the Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards.

Esther’s music is infused with lyrics that evoke deep emotion and a genuine understanding of what it means to be human. Esther’s music connects with her heritage and a profound love of the natural world. Songs filled with honesty, emotion, and feminine resilience are her gift to her audience. Esther sings from the heart with a voice that is both haunting and full, and has been compared to the likes of Joni Mitchel and Sarah McLachlan.