“A songwriter who needs to be seen. A strong female voice with songwriting rooted all over our Canadian soil.”
— Craig Cardiff | Juno Award Nominee
bio
“ A wonderful storyteller.”
“What draws one in immediately when Sarah McInnis is one stage is the soaring, clear voice and self-assured presence. What holds your attention is not only her great musicianship, but the songs that she writes, delivered with sincerity and confidence. She has been a great addition at the Deep Roots Music Festival, both performing and leading a Harmony Singing Workshop. I would highly recommend her for your festival or concert series. ”
Full Length Bio:
Sarah McInnis writes songs for people who feel things deeply but laugh about it anyway. Equal parts storyteller, harmony nerd, and emotional cartographer, the Nova Scotia-based songwriter blends folk-rooted melodies with sharp lyrical insight and an unmistakable East Coast ease.
Her songs live in the space between tenderness and wit, where grief can sit beside humour, and vulnerability never feels heavy-handed. Drawing on a background that includes community music work and training in counselling psychology, McInnis has a rare ability to make a room feel both held and wide open. Audiences often remark that her shows feel less like performances and more like conversations set to melody. As Juno Award nominee Craig Cardiff puts it, she is “a songwriter who needs to be seen, a strong female voice with songwriting rooted all over our Canadian soil.”
Born and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, now rooted in the Annapolis Valley for the past decade, Sarah’s music travels the terrain between heartbreak and hope, grief and gratitude. Her 2016 EP Farmer, Coal Miner showcased her gift for exploring family, loss, and resilience, while her 2023 release Threads, inspired by the stories of eight Atlantic Canadians, blends original songwriting with documentary storytelling in a way that feels both intimate and expansive. D’Arcy Gray of Symphony Nova Scotia describes her simply as “a wonderful storyteller.”
Known for her warm vocals and intuitive phrasing, McInnis moves comfortably between intimate listening rooms and festival stages. She has collaborated musically with artists including Terra Spencer, Aquakultre, Valmy, The Bombadils, and Pat LePoidevin, and is equally at home performing or leading harmony singing workshops. Deep Roots Music Festival presenter Dave Carmichael notes, “What draws one in immediately is the soaring, clear voice and self-assured presence. What holds your attention is not only her great musicianship, but the songs that she writes, delivered with sincerity and confidence.”
At heart, Sarah McInnis is an artist who believes music is a shared experience, something that softens edges, invites reflection, and reminds people they are not alone. Thoughtful without being precious, and grounded without being guarded, Sarah McInnis doesn’t just write songs; she builds living rooms inside festival tents and makes strangers feel at home.
100 Word Bio:
Sarah McInnis writes songs for people who feel things deeply but laugh about it anyway. A Nova Scotia-based songwriter, she blends folk-rooted melodies with sharp lyrical insight and an easy East Coast presence. Her songs balance tenderness and wit, where grief sits comfortably beside humour. Drawing on community music work and training in counselling psychology, her performances feel less like shows and more like conversations set to melody. Juno Award nominee Craig Cardiff calls her “a songwriter who needs to be seen.” Rooted in the Annapolis Valley, McInnis builds living rooms inside festival tents and makes strangers feel at home.
