“The back-porch violin is good and the acoustic guitar pleasant enough, but what makes "Keeping Time" a gorgeous slice of country-folk is Steph Macpherson’s voice. Move over, Be Good Tanyas—there’s a new gun in town.” - Georgia Straight
“This gifted Victoria native has been on the bubble for a few years now; in the eyes of many, it's only a matter of time until she breaks.” Mike Devlin, Times Colonist, Victoria - June 7, 2011
Steph Macpherson's infectious, harmony-saturated folk/pop style is like a splice of Stevie Nicks, Sarah Harmer and Jeff Tweedy rolled into one musical entity, topped off with a sprinkling of Feist's charm. Her debut folk-pop EP, To You, showcased her ear for melody and a knack for honest words and powerful lyricism that are dominated by acoustic guitars and rich harmonies. Now she is ready to let the world hear her debut full-length album, Bells & Whistles, which was released on April 17, 2012 with Cordova Bay Records.
The release of Bells & Whistles indicates big things on the horizon for this stunning singer-songwriter. The album features 10 original songs about love, heartache, and life experiences, and is quickly establishing Steph as one of Canada's up-and-coming singer-songwriters. Track-to-track she showcases her exceptionally strong pop-sensibility with songs like the first single Summer Salute, beautifully crafted heartbreaking lyrics on The Distance and East, and a dash of country flavour on Silver Platter.
Since releasing her EP, To You, in November 2009, Steph added opening for Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, Sugarland, Colbie Caillat, Erykah Badu, Tom Cochrane, Colin James, and Men Without Hats to her repertoire of performances that already included the likes of Jesse Winchester, Leeroy Stagger, Greg Macpherson, Yukon Blonde, Aidan Knight, and Vince Vaccaro. She has also performed at numerous events, including Lilith Fair, SHOREfest, Canadian Music Week, Rifflandia Festival, BreakOut West, Tall Tree Festival, and the Peak Performance Project Top 20.
Steph has toured B.C. and Alberta numerous times over the past few years, as well as performing in and around Ontario and Quebec. Recent shows include two showcases at Canadian Music Week 2012, as well as opening forHannah Georgas, Jon and Roy, Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, and Jeremy Fisher. She will continue to tour extensively in support of the release of Bells & Whistles. Her single, Summer Salute made Steph one of Vancouver's Shore 104.3 Song Search Top 10 contestants and has been recognized by FACTOR (Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Records), receiving funding in support of the recording. Her EP, To You, was strongly supported by CBC Radio One and CBC Radio 3, as well as commercial and college radio stations across Canada, and Bells & Whistles is on track to receive the same support and more!