When she was three years old, Montreal-born singer-songwriter Amélie Beyries was fascinated by her grandmother’s piano. It was her earliest encounter with music. And even though music was a constant presence in her childhood, it took a few detours and overcoming some life-changing obstacles before she finally started creating her own. Now, with her debut album, Landing, the self-taught pianist and guitarist who simply goes by her last name is, in a way, coming full circle.

“Making music my trade was never an option for me. It has always been something personal that I didn’t share much with the people around me,” she said in an interview with Words and Music. “I chose a more conventional career. That’s what seemed the best decision for me in my early 20s.”

From waitressing to communications, Beyries pursued many paths that were not music. But at 28 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, it brought her life to a halt. After a year of treatments, the cancer reappeared for a second time.

“I was terrified,” she recounted to La Presse. Out of that dark time came the song "Soldier" — a reflection on the very personal battle she was having to fight.

As Beyries continued to write more songs, her work found its way to songwriter, musician and producer Alex McMahon. She recalls McMahon’s reaction to her music: “Everything is here. When do we record?”

Over the summer of 2015, they worked together to produce five songs. Four more followed a year later. The result? An authentic and personal indie folk album, where Beyries gives listeners an intimate, often melancholic glimpse into the challenges she has faced.

Landing will be released Feb. 24 via Bonsound. You can pre-order the album here.

Follow Tahiat Mahboob on Twitter: @tahiatmahboob

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