Vishtèn

Vishtèn is a musical group from Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands. With their signature blend of traditional and contemporary sounds, they have been leaving their mark around the world for over two decades. The group was formed in 2000 by twin sisters, Pastelle and Emmanuelle Leblanc, and Pascal Miousse. 

Growing up in Evangeline, Pastelle and Emmanuelle had music and Acadian culture surrounding them. Their father was the music teacher at École Évangéline for 33 years and their mother was a step-dancer and multi-instrumentalist. Their family home was a hotspot for house parties that inevitably erupted into musical celebration. Emmanuelle remembers coming downstairs from the room above the kitchen and counting 18 fiddlers making the most wonderful sounds. People would come from all over to experience these musical and cultural gatherings. 

In the Maggies, Pascal’s father was a guitar player and he encouraged his young son to play the fiddle. By the age of five, Pascal was figuring it out and he has become an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. The members’ early lives and the music that surrounded them was an integral part of where they find themselves today.

While in Moncton for university, the Leblanc sisters were looking to find familiar musical experiences, like the ones from home, but they came up short. To fill that void, they started playing music under the name Celtitude. Following an international showcase that generated a lot of interest, the group began playing live in France, and eventually they changed their name to Vishtèn.

The word Vishtèn originates from a made-up language that is believed to be a blend of Mi’kmaq and Acadian. It represents a mix of cultures. 

Over the years, the band generated notoriety for their world class performances. They’ve won countless ECMA and Music PEI Awards. They’ve also been nominated for a JUNO Award, and they were the recipients of the SPACQ’s Édith Butler Prize. Things were going very well.  

One night, while performing in Ohio, Pascal Miousse suffered a stroke. The medical emergency sidelined the band for a significant amount of time, but after a period of recovery, Pascal and the band re-emerged. 

Unfortunately, the hard times got harder, when in 2022, Pastelle Leblanc passed away from breast cancer. This immeasurable loss left them with grief and a sense of uncertainty for the future of the group. However, Pascal and Emma both recall a kind of realization moment where they understood that they needed to keep playing music together. They weren’t sure how, or when, or what it would be… and maybe it wouldn’t be called Vishtèn, but they needed to stay together. 

After Pastelle died, Emmanuelle found peace in listening to voice memos of new musical ideas and songs that Pastelle had captured on her devices. These recordings sparked inspiration and gave them a project to focus on, and it kept them connected to Pastelle.