Amelia Curran is a Canadian singer-songwriter, playwright and actor from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Her music is associated with alternative country, folk rock and indie rock. She currently lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Career

Curran starts writing songs and playing guitar as a teenager, then leaves university to busk on the streets of St. John’s. This leads to her first album, released in 2000, and she later puts out four further albums.

The National Post describes her sound as resembling Leonard Cohen interpreted in a dusty saloon by Patsy Cline. Her lyrics are also described as evocative, with particular praise for the density and precision of her writing on the song “The Mistress”.

Albums and recording

Curran’s 2006 album War Brides is first released independently, then receives a European and national Canadian release through Six Shooter Records. She describes joining the label as a promotion, saying it gives her more work and more opportunity to sell records while remaining the same job she has been doing for years.

War Brides is nominated for two East Coast Music Awards: Folk Recording of the Year and Female Solo Recording of the Year.

In 2009 she releases Hunter Hunter, which she describes as a little tougher than War Brides while still being minimal. She explains the title as “Hunter Hunter” rather than “hunter-gatherer”. It is the first album she records in St. John’s, her hometown.

Awards and recognition

Hunter Hunter earns four East Coast Music Award nominations in 2010: Female Solo Recording of the Year, FACTOR Recording of the Year, SOCAN Songwriter of the Year and Folk Recording of the Year. Curran also wins a Juno Award for Roots and Traditional Album of the Year: Solo, and first prize in the Folk category of the 15th Annual USA Songwriting Competition.

Other work

Alongside music, Curran works as a playwright and actor. Her plays are performed in fringe festivals.