The Sweet Peas are two girls from small towns who have found each other in the big city. While adapting, the girls have established a fan base of country/folk lovers in the Toronto indie music scene. Although they may sport cute boots, flower dresses and an uber shining stage presence, the girls are not all fun and games. Their message is much deeper; they are telling stories while performing. Whether clear or abstract, through lyrical content they are talking about some of the issues relevant to the forgotten people, women’s rights, and inequalities in social justice.
Violet Chepil studied music at York University, and has been performing solo since the age of twelve at venues including the Winnipeg Folk Festival young performer stage. Caitlin Burgess has been a solo singer/songwriter for almost eight years, performing in and around Toronto venues including The Opera House, Holy Joe’s, The Cameron House and El Mocambo, and she recorded and released a solo CD in June 2008. Violet and Caitlin were both seeking someone interested in song-writing, collaborating and experimenting with the idea of country music. Once they met, an acoustic folk duo was immediately formed and the two have been an inseparable match ever since.
The project began in Toronto and throughout the last year and a half, The Sweet Peas have had some incredible opportunities to grow as musicians, songwriters and performers:
Festivals: Red Roof Women’s Music Festival (Marlbank) ***now called Raise the Roof Women's Music Festival***, Winterfolk Festival (Toronto), Music on Main Festival (Cookstown), In The Soil: Niagara's Homegrown Arts Festival (Niagara), Apple Hollow Music Festival (Quebec) Indiegrrl Music Festival (Tennessee) Centauri Summer Arts Camp Music Festival (Wellandport)
Events: FAME Movie Premiere After-Party (Toronto), Born To Play Indie Music Day at The GAP (Toronto), Soupfest (Hamilton)
Venues: The Silver Dollar, Mitzi’s Sister, Czehoski, The Cameron House, C'est What, The Drake Hotel, The Gladstone Hotel, Free Times Café, The Casbah (Hamilton), etc.
Winners of: Best Folk Roots Artist 2010 - The Ontario Music Awards (T.O.M.A.)
Their performance includes two beautifully intertwined harmonic voices, two guitars, (sometimes even piano, violin and ukulele!) and a stage presence that reminds everyone how important music is. They love what they do, sharing their stories and bringing what they call “urban folk music” to the community.