When you come to your knees / when you hold what you need / you will know what to keep,” sings Gabrielle Papillon near the end of her sixth, most adventurous album. Hear it as a promise, hear it as a mantra, hear it as a weary warning from someone who’s been there—the sweeping and heart-piercing Keep the Fire is packed full of thoughts like this, wise and poignant, empathetic and understanding, open to interpretation.

Papillon’s music, too, is now open to interpretation—though it remains confidently, almost nonchalantly rooted in folk strumming and gentle vocal phrasings, on Keep the Fire she has embraced her pop leanings and pushed them to the forefront. The songs pulse with strings and drama, keys, and evocative percussion that combine for surprising left-turns, the kind of thing you’d find on a playlist between Florence Welch and Thom Yorke, bold without sacrificing emotion.

Papillon’s stage show has evolved faster than the recordings, a tight two-piece backing band acting as pillars around its diminutive leader, who commands any size stage with measured guitar-playing and a casually huge voice. The band is skilful and supportive, offering meticulously honed musicianship and a familiar interplay that comes from spending years on the road together. In a live setting, these new songs come to life with vigour and verve.

So stay open, interpret. Sing out, dance slow. Hold the spark, keep the fire.

North American Press for ‘Keep the Fire’

“With its boisterous and dynamic arrangement, catchy chorus, and engaging sentiments, [“Keep The Fire” is] guaranteed to ignite something meaningful within you, too.” – PopMatters

“…one of today’s best singer/songwriters.” – Paste Magazine

“Filled with both charming introspections and catchy outcries….it’s a true gem.” – Paste Magazine

“…a sweeping, ambitious album that swells with strings and heart.” – CBC Music

“…sweeping folk-pop songs that will tear you down before building you back up.” – CBC Music

“If there’s one unsung Canadian songwriter whom I can imagine as a Sia-like multimilliondollar pop songwriter it’s probably Gabrielle Papillon.” – Sean Michaels, Said The Gramophone

“It’s big, and it’s dramatic.” – The East

“…we get beauty in spades, from her haunting vocals to the strings to the fabulous aural softness of the production…a pretty fulfilling trip.” – Bob Mersereau

“…an incredibly progressive and influential artist.” – Canadian Beats

“…a brilliant album with incredible emotional and musical heft.” – What’s Goin On

“Songs dip and soar, an emotional journey that is highly contagious… A strong album. No letdowns here. Very strong start to finish.”

—Jeff Liberty, CBC Radio’s Take Liberty