Hello friends,

It feels like I’ve been living in one of those seasons where everything is moving at once — music, acting, writing, performing, creating — and I’m really enjoying where it’s all leading.

So I wanted to pop into your inbox with a little update from my corner of the world.

First and foremost…

“FLOAT” IS COMING OCTOBER 16! 🌊

I’m so excited to announce that “Float,” the second single from my upcoming album, Wildflower, will be released October 16 on all digital platforms including Spotify.

After releasing “Gypsy Heart” this summer and celebrating it with such a beautiful release show at The Pilot, it feels wonderful to share the next piece of this record.

“Float” has a special place in my heart. It’s about loosening your grip a little — trusting where life is taking you instead of trying to control every turn. I needed to write that reminder for myself as much as anyone else.

We shot the video right here in my neighbourhood, at the beach just down the street from my home, with beautiful Lake Ontario stretching out behind me. I can’t wait for you to see it.

THE ALBUM IS GETTING CLOSER…

Behind the scenes, producer Mitch Girio and I have been deep in the making of Wildflower.

There are drums being edited, bass and guitars being tracked, vocals and harmonies taking shape, mixes beginning — and lots of conversations about which songs ultimately belong together on this record.

I’ve written a lot of music for this project, and right now I’m looking at both a tighter 10-song version and a larger 12 song version of the album. I’m less interested in putting songs on a record simply because they’re finished and more interested in making an album that feels complete from beginning to end.

And I’m incredibly proud of where it’s heading.

NEXT STOP: FOLK CANADA 🎶

In October I’ll also be heading to Hamilton for the Folk Canada conference, where I’ll be performing, connecting with other artists and industry folks, and sharing some of this new music.

Getting the opportunity to bring these songs into new rooms is one of my favourite parts of what I do. There’s something very different about playing a song for people for the first time and feeling it find its way to them.

AND THEN THERE’S HOPE… 🎬

My short film Hope continues to move forward toward our November 23rd shoot.

Our incredible team includes director Joel Stewart, cinematographer Alysha Galbreath and editor Paul Hart, and we’ll be filming at Toronto’s Black Swan Tavern.

I’ll also be performing an original song, “Afraid of Heights,” in the short film.

After spending so many years with music and acting as separate parts of my creative life, there’s something incredibly satisfying about finally creating a project where those worlds get to collide.

Our Indiegogo campaign will be launching soon, giving you a chance to become part of bringing this film to the screen.

There will be some really fun perks and opportunities to get involved — including ways to actually become part of the production — and I’ll be sharing all the details very soon.

Independent film really does take a village, and I’m excited to invite you into ours.

Stay tuned…

A LITTLE LIFE IN BETWEEN…

There have been shows, songwriting sessions, new headshots, new photos with Jen Squires, teaching, rehearsals, long studio days, trips to the log cabin, auditions and time with the people I love — and, of course, plenty of Audrey.

Some days I look at everything on the calendar and wonder how it’s all going to fit.

And then I remember: this is what I wanted.

I wanted a life filled with songs and stories. I wanted to make records. I wanted to act. I wanted to write films. I wanted to collaborate with talented people and keep putting things into the world that feel like me.

So I’m letting myself enjoy it.

Thank you for continuing to listen, come to shows, share the music, send messages and follow along. Having you on the other side of these songs means more than you probably know.

Hugs and mushy stuff,

Melanie ❤️

Hi friends,

I’m reaching out because this Saturday night is my show at The Pilot in Toronto, and I’d really love to see you there!

I’ll be celebrating the release of my new single Gypsy Heart and sharing music from my upcoming album, Wildflower, along with some old favourites. It’s going to be a really fun night of live music, and I’m thrilled to be sharing the stage with Foster Motel.

🎶 Saturday, August 22 at The Pilot

📍 The Pilot – Stealth Lounge, Toronto 22 Cumberland Ave in Yorkville
🕖 Doors: 7 PM
🎵 Foster Motel: 8 PM Melanie Peterson: 9pm
🎟️ $15 advance / $20 at the door

If you’re planning to come, please grab your ticket in advance HERE if you can. We’re currently at 22 tickets sold, and I’m reaching out to friends, family and music lovers to help us build the room.

The Pilot has had a challenging summer for show attendance, and a strong turnout would mean a lot—not only to me and the artists, but to the venue as well. So if you’ve been thinking about coming, this is your sign! And if you can’t make it, sharing this email or inviting a friend would help enormously.

I promise there will be great music, good people, and plenty of fun waiting for us on the other side of the door. 🥂🎶❤️

I’d absolutely love to see your face in the crowd.

Come out, bring a friend, and let’s fill The Pilot!

I’m also very excited to share that my new single “Gypsy Heart” will be available tomorrow, Friday, August 21, on all digital platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music! 🎶

If you’re coming to the show Saturday, have a listen beforehand and get yourself in the mood. I’ll be performing Gypsy Heart along with a few more songs from my upcoming album Wildflower and some old favourites.

🎧 Listen to Gypsy Heart tomorrow on Spotify, Apple Music and wherever you get your music!

And if you love it, please share it with a friend — every listen, share and save really helps independent music find its way into the world. ❤️

Then come sing along with us Saturday night at The Pilot! 🥂🎵

With love,
Melanie

I’m so excited to finally share a few updates with you!

First, a little news about Hope. After a lot of thoughtful planning, we’ve decided to move our shoot to November 23rd. While it wasn’t an easy decision, it gives us the time we need to make the film everything we know it can be. Because of that, I’ve also decided to launch the Indiegogo campaign a little later than originally planned.

This project has truly become a labour of love, and I’m incredibly grateful for the encouragement so many of you have already shown. When the campaign launches, you’ll find some fun and meaningful ways to be part of bringing Hope to life, including signed scripts, cameo opportunities, behind-the-scenes experiences, and a few other special surprises. I’ll send you the campaign link as soon as it’s live, and I can’t wait to share more of this journey with you.

In the meantime, I have something else to celebrate…

I’m absolutely thrilled to invite you to my “Gypsy Heart” Single Release Party on Saturday, August 22 at The Pilot (22 Cumberland Ave.) in Yorkville!

I’m especially excited to share that Foster Motel, led by Hope director Joel Stewart, will be opening the evening. It’s going to be a beautiful night of music, stories, laughter, and community, and I’d love nothing more than to celebrate with you.

Tickets are on sale now! As a subscriber, you can save on your ticket by using the discount code GYPSY HEART at checkout. I’d recommend grabbing yours soon while the discounted tickets are still available. Click HERE to grab your discounted tickets now!!

More than anything, I just want to say thank you. Whether you’ve been listening to my music for years or have only recently joined this little community, your encouragement has carried me through some incredible highs—and some challenging moments too. Knowing you’re out there cheering me on makes all the difference.

I can’t wait to share these new songs, this new film, and this next chapter with you.

Thank you, as always, for listening, believing, and being part of this journey.

Hugs and mushy stuff,

Melanie ❤️

Hi friends,

I hope you’re having a beautiful start to summer.

I’m so excited to share that my new single, Log Cabin, is officially out now!

Recorded with producer Derek Downham, Log Cabin is an ode to slowing down, simplicity, and emotional safety. It was inspired by the time I spent writing at a log cabin in Quadville, Ontario—a place that has become a creative sanctuary and where many of the songs for my upcoming album were born.

If you haven’t had a chance to hear it yet, I’d love for you to listen wherever you stream your music. If the song resonates with you, sharing it with a friend or adding it to one of your playlists would mean so much.

🎬 Coming Soon: Hope Indiegogo Campaign

I’m also excited to share that my Indiegogo campaign for my short musical film, Hope, will be launching in just a few days!

This project has truly been a labour of love, and your support will help us bring it to life. The campaign will feature some wonderful perks, including signed scripts, cameo opportunities, behind-the-scenes experiences, and more.

As soon as the campaign is live, I’ll send you the link so you can be among the first to check it out. If you’d like to support the film and have any questions before the campaign launches, please don’t hesitate to reach out—I’d love to hear from you.

📅 Save the Date – Saturday, August 22

I’m thrilled to invite you to celebrate the release of my next single “Gypsy Heart” at a special Single Release Party on Friday, August 22 at The Pilot on 22 Cumberland Ave. in Yorkville..

I’m especially excited to share that Joel Stewart, the director of my upcoming short musical film Hope, will be opening the evening with his band, Foster Motel. It’s going to be a wonderful night of music and community, and I can’t wait to see you there.

Tickets will be available soon, and I’ll be sending out a ticket link as soon as they’re released.

Thank you, as always, for listening, encouraging, and believing in what I create. Your support means more than you know, and I’m so grateful to have you on this journey as I begin sharing this new music and these new creative projects with the world.

Hugs and mushy stuff,

Melanie Peterson

PS- If anyone has graphic design skills and feels inspired to tweak or refine the poster, please feel free to reach out—I’d love to collaborate and see different creative takes on it. melaniepeterson79@gmail.com

Hi friends,

I’m so excited to share that I’ll be part of an upcoming lineup celebrating the music of Bruce Cockburn — an artist whose work means so much.

His songs are thoughtful, poetic, deeply meaningful, and endlessly inspiring. There’s a spiritual and emotional depth to his writing that resonates with me, both as a listener and as a songwriter. Preparing for this show has given me the chance to really do a deep dive into his catalogue, and I’ve been reminded how beautifully he captures humanity, compassion, heartbreak, hope, and the world around us.

It’s also such an honour to be sharing the stage with this wonderful lineup of artists. These kinds of shows always feel special — not just because of the music itself, but because of the sense of community and shared admiration behind it.

I can’t wait to bring these songs to life and experience them together in a room full of people who love storytelling through music as much as I do.

I hope you’ll join us. Tickets available HERE

And on another creative note, I’m very happy to share that the short screenplay version of my feature project Hope received an Honourable Mention at the Canadian Short Screenplay Competition. It was such an encouraging surprise and means a great deal to me as I continue developing the project. I’ve attached the lovely little laurel they sent along with the announcement.

Thanks, as always, for following along on all these creative adventures.

Hugs and mushy stuff,
Melanie

Hello from the Toronto beaches!

So much has been unfolding with the film and album that I don’t even know where to begin. It’s been a blur of uncertainty and creative momentum—ideas shifting, scenes evolving, songs finding their shape. I keep coming back to the work itself as an anchor—the storytelling, the sound—and I’m grateful for the moments I get to return to that, and return to you.

SHOWS

I’d love for you to join me at a couple of upcoming shows:

SUNDAY APRIL 26 at Sauce on The Danforth 4-7pm TORONTO: Three exciting full band sets including the debut of a brand new song!

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2026 NEWMARKET A Canadian Songwriter Tribute! Angie Nussey, Cassandra Rutherford, Claire Lynch, Kailey Jane Hawkins, Moi and Rebekah Hawker sings songs of our favourite Canadian songwriters 8pm (doors 7:15) at Newmarket Legion, 707 Srigley St. Tickets HERE

That’s all for now my dear friends. Can’t wait to see you soon at one (or both??) of these shows 🙂

Hugs and mushy stuff,

Melanie

Hi Friends!

How are you doing? Are you feeling spring in the air?? I am :)))

I am very grateful for the opportinty to be part of an increadible line up at The Pilot (22 Cumberland in Yorkville) on Saturday March 21st. Foster Motel will open the show 8pm with songs from singer/film director Joel Stewart’s new album. I’ll be the sweet stuff in the center of this music cookie playing a nice long set of songs at 9pm – some new, some old some covers- with my fantastic band pictured above. Then the night will be closed at 10pm out by the increadible emerging band Caardia.

You can save a few bucks by grabbing your advanced tickets HERE Can’t wait to see you there.

On another note – (see what I did there) for those who have been asking whether private salons (aka house concerts) are possible, yes. Email your proposals here: melaniepeterson79@gmail.com

The new album is coming along well. Can’t talk about it now, but soon. Much more soon!

I am so grateful for your continued support!

Hugs and mush stuff,

Melanie

Hi dear friends – I hope you’re staying toasty and have found maximum coziness this winter. It’s almost time to get Winterfolk’d! ! Over 100 aritsts over four days of music on 3 stages at The Tranzac Club in the Annex neigbourhood of Toronto. So thrilled to be part of the team putting it all together and getting a chance to participate as well. The harder you work, the luckier you get.

This past fall, playing a Cameron House residency with my band we had a chance to refine songs, pacing and banter until everything felt effortless. I can feel that effortlessness is still with me, growing even…

And now after a break to write and record demo’s for a new album (gasp!) and sharing the songs on PATREON, I’m excited to be back playing with the band! We will be playing all originals and one Gordon Lightfoot tune (can you guess which one?) with hunky Peter Collins on bass, lucky Pete Lambert on drums and Jonathan Billings on lead guitar. When: Feb 14th 5pm Where: Main Hall Tranzac Club. What: songs about the many sides of love and Canadiana.

And I’ll be popping in for a song with Harpin’ Norm Lucien 2pm Saturday afternoon in the Southern Cross Room at the Tranzac. You might remember him as the harmonica player who jumped up with us a played a couple songs at The Cameron house previously.

But wait, what about Friday night? I’m hosting a “Let’s Sing” workshop with Suzie Vinnick and Clela Errington on Friday Feb 13th 7pm in the Living Room at the Tranzac. The three of us will be sharing songs and inviting the room to sing along-nothing fancy, nothing forced. Just voices together, the way it used to be. You don’t need to know the words of consider yourself a singer. Come as you are.

And and 9pm I’ll be back in the Living Room at the Tranzac sharing songs as a guest of the fabulous songwriter and human: Glen Hornblast. Other guests will be David Storey and Aidan Devine,  back up by  Bob Cohen, Shelley Coopersmith, Kevin Bell.

Advance Pricing Ends Feb 8, 2026

25% Discount With Promo Code WFXXIV15 at Winterfolk.com

Hope to see you Valentine’s Day/Family Day weekend at this indoor live music fest – good songs, warm hearts, zero awkwardness. Come with a date, or a friend, or just yourself.

Hugs and mushy stuff!

Melanie

Hi Friends,

Quick note to share a few things!

LIVE PERFORMANCES at Winterfolk Festival Feb 12,13,14,15 2026 at The Tranzac Club in the Annex:

Friday Feb 13th 7pm I’ll be performing in the Living Room at The Tranzac with the lovely Suzie Vinnick. It will be a sing-a-long set so do bring your vocals cords. Singing is so good for the soul, and singing as a group, even better!

I’ll be performing Saturday Feb 14th with the full band at 5pm in the Main Hall at The Tranzac Club and would love for you and yours to be there, in real time, as we play a very romantic Valentine’s Day set.

Other performances may pop up over the weekend, so grab a weekend pass if you want to see it all. The line up of talented artists will be a sure fire cure for those February blahs.

Tickets: HERE Schedule: HERE Artists: HERE

Come up and say hello at Winterfolk and grab a photo with me – I’ve been turning some of these moments into cartoon keepsakes. If you’d like one of your own, let me know. Here I am clowning around with David Flack after a Cameron House show.

Last but not least, here’s a video from Read It On The Radio -Vol 2 I meant to share with you earlier but decided to Save It For Later (see what I did there?) Hope you like it. My pup Audrey makes an appearance, of course 🙂

Thanks to Mitch Girio for shooting this vid and doing such a dang good job producing the track. That’s Hunky Peter Collins on the background vocals, in case you were wondering 🙂

One last thing, I am so enjoying following this. I hope you will enjoy it too:

https://www.instagram.com/walkforpeace.usa/

https://www.facebook.com/walkforpeaceusa

That’s all for now. I’m grateful you’re here and reading my newsletter. It means SO much.

Hugs and mushy stuff,

Melanie

Happy New Year, friends – I hope 2026 will be your best year yet!

I’m closing 2025 feeling grateful – for the music, for the rooms we get to gather in, and for everyone who listens and shows up. If you are thinking about getting out to hear some live music this winter, I’d love to see you at Winterfolk Feb 12/13/14/15. Tickets are availalble now, and it’s always such a special festival to play at and be a part of. Check out the impressive line up of artists here: Winterfolk Artists | Winterfolk XXIV

And to ring in the new year, I wanted to share my longing to love and be loved on New Year’s Eve song, “May I Have Your Midnight” produced by Derek Downham. You can watch the lyric video below and if you like the song, I hope you’ll consider adding it to your NYE playlist. You can find it on all digital platforms.

Thanks for being here, for listening, and for all your kind comments and feedback.

Here’s to new beginnings, old friends and asking ourselves everyday “How good can it get?”

Hugs and mushy stuff,

Melanie

PS- Winterfolk tickets are going fast – grab yours soon if you’re planning to come. More details about the my performance(s) at the festival soon 🙂 TICKETS HERE