Angelique Francis, born and raised in Ottawa, has become an internationally recognized musician, earning herself the 2023 Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year for Long River. Her first experience on stage was at age seven, and by thirteen she was performing at music festivals throughout the continent and opening for artists like Beth Hart, Trooper, and Shameka Copeland. Francis is skilled at the piano, acoustic guitar, upright bass, electric guitar, and electric bass.

Francis grew up in a musical household; creating together became a tradition for her family. Two out of her three younger sisters and her father tour with The Angelique Francis Band: Kharincia on saxophone, Kira on trombone, piano, and backing vocals, and Kiran on drums. In elementary school, she auditioned and won the opportunity to sing the national anthem at her school’s grand opening. This was the catalyst for her career, with her parents being cautiously supportive of her endeavors. In 2019, she graduated at the top of her class from Carleton University’s music-performance program.
Francis is drawn to blues because of its connection to other forms of music; it is a “universal music language.” Her passion for the bass allows her to demonstrate her strengths as a bandleader, controlling the ‘groove’ and providing cues for her band.

She hosted the 2022 Maple Blues Awards, won two Canadian Blues Music Awards, was nominated for four 2023 Canadian Blues Music Awards, won a 2023 Canadian folk music award, and won a 2022 Ontario folk music award. She has performed on festival stages from Miami to Jamaica, Germany, Romania, throughout Ontario, and has been featured on the Oprah Network. More recently in 2024, she was honoured with a special distinction at the SOCAN Her Awards.

Awards

• 2023 Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year -2 Canadian Blues Music Awards
• 2023 Canadian Folk Music Award
• 2022 Ontario Folk Music Award