Eighteen-year-old Montreal pop singer Vanessa Piunno is an up and coming Canadian artist who was recently named iHeart Radio Future Star for 2017.Known simply as ‘Van’ while growing up in Quebec’s largest city, she talks about how her passion for music began at age five and reveals tips on how to stay healthy on the road.
Q: Tell us about the music scene while growing up in Quebec?
A: The music scene has always been so vibrant here with a mix of French and English culture. So many bands and shows every weekend in the summer months. Great memories of me and my dad going to the local parks near my house and catching as many shows as we possibly could, which was always so cool. [It] really gave me a sense of the festive culture around us and it was the seed for me falling in love with music at such a young age. My dad was a musician and this was something we loved doing together, [it was] our thing.
Do have a favourite Quebec dish?
I absolutely love poutine. I think I crave it almost every day, is that bad?
Does being fluently bilingual give you an edge in the music world?
I hope so. Growing up I’d do a lot of shows in both English and French and in doing so, it definitely made me more comfortable on stage.
Tell us about your fans and how do you enjoy being on tour?
I have to say that I would rather use the word “supporters” than fans. I don’t know why, but that word fan always makes me feel a little weird! It’s so heartwarming to know that people love the material I put out, and seeing that people listen to my music or post about it and take the time to message me just gets to me every time. I always personally answer every message I get from my supporters. It’s the least I can do. As for being on tour, it’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl. It still feels like I’m in a dream, weirdly enough. I’m doing things that I always hoped I’d be doing, seeing places that I never thought I’d be seeing and it’s incredible. I’m thankful every single day.
How do you follow a healthy lifestyle while travelling?
Most hotels we stay at have private gyms and so I usually work out for a few hours if I’m not doing any interviews. It’s a great stress reliever. As for food, when we are driving from place to place it can be hard to choose healthy options when we stop for a quick bite, so my tip is to grab nuts or a protein bar. It’s better for you and keeps you energized. I never eat anything sugary when I’m traveling because sugar is bad for your vocals.
What do you like most about performing?
I can just forget about everything. It’s like when I start singing, every worry or problem or just anything going on in my life just disappears. It feels so good to know that I always have this opportunity to be on stage and that’s how I know that singing is my true passion.
What is next for you?
I’m getting ready to hit the road with my band. We have a great band and it’s all so exciting and new for me. I’m still touring in Canada and visiting a bunch of new cities and places, which is always so exciting for me.
Do you write your own music?
Tino Izzo, who has written and produced for Céline Dion and many other amazing Canadian artists, is the main writer and producer for my upcoming album. For each of my songs we always make sure to work together to find the right elements that suit my style and something I can relate to. It’s always a blast when we’re in studio – we take the time to work on some cool new material. His two sons Max and Alex join me for acoustic live performances while doing radio tours across Canada and also co-produced a few of my songs. I can’t wait to release my first album in 2018.
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