Dylan Menzie

Dylan Menzie grew up in Eastern Prince Edward Island. He released his first EP, Heather Avenue (2013), at the age of nineteen. His sound has evolved over the years, and because we like to compartmentalize art for the sake of consumption, his could be identified as a combination of folk, rock, and pop, perhaps best described as Indie Pop Americana. 

Menzie has a very strong and confident voice but can effortlessly bring a beautiful soft side to his work when he wants to. Since his career began, success has been a relative constant for Dylan. The first song, “I Wanna Know,” from his debut release was an immediate fan favourite and in 2016, he was a finalist in CBC’s annual Searchlight competition. His breakout single, “Kenya,” spent two weeks at number one on CBC Radio 2’s Top 20. This led the way to his sophomore release, Adolescent Nature.

In 2018, he showcased his versatility with a pared back release called As the Clock Rewinds, which reimagined songs from his album Adolescent Nature. This release was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2019 East Coast Music Awards, as well as Contemporary Vocalist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. 

His rise continued with the release of his first full length album, Lost in Dreams, for which he was awarded Songwriter of the Year, Solo Recording of the Year and Entertainer of the Year at the 2021 Music PEI Awards. 

In 2022, he was awarded ECMA’s Song of the Year for his single “A Heart That Doesn’t Want Mine” and then in 2023 he was awarded ECMA’s Rising Star Recording of the Year for “A Piece of Me“ from his self-produced release, Modern Classic.  

This summer, in anticipation of his new album, Dylan is busy with performances across the western part of Canada. His lead single, “Strong Enough,” arrived in July. North American Dream Kid is a well-crafted and very well produced collection of vulnerable, catchy, and sometimes sarcastic songs. The album features guests, Tyler Chester (Madison Cunningham), Joshua Van Tassel & Christine Bougie (Bahamas), and Tim Chaisson (The East Pointers).

Menzie reflects on his upcoming album, North American Dream Kid, due September 6, 2024:

“The songs on this album mean so much to me—not only because of the growth that came from writing, but also because of the attention to detail and love that went into every track. I’m so grateful for all the amazing players that are on these recordings, and to anyone that feels something from what we’ve made.

“One of my favourite things about releasing a record is that it encapsulates a chunk of my life, and a snapshot of myself.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot through making this album. As a musician, and as a person. So much of the writing came from a very personal and sometimes dark space—and there’s a lot of what I’ve learned about myself, and the people that come and go in life, scattered through these songs.

“It feels very fitting that it be released on my 30th birthday.”