Marni and Melissa

Marni Kellison grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, where she started playing guitar, writing songs, and performing at the age of 13. She moved to Montreal to pursue a degree in Women's Studies at Concordia University, and began playing around town at local coffeehouses and benefits. Then, one fateful day, a few years and a few dead-end collaborations later, Marni met Melissa Drysdale and the two began playing together almost immediately. Marni now divides her time between her music and her job with the Montreal-based non-profit POWER Camp National/Filles d"Action. She wishes she was camping right now.



Melissa Drysdale hails from Long Island, and before moving to Montreal she stopped in at UMass to pick up a degree in the flute. She met Marni while finishing her Master's in Music Education at McGill University, and now counts "folkie" among the many qualifiers that follow her name. Her lyrics are poetic and heartfelt, thick with emotion and accompanied by flowing guitar lines. She also bakes a mean vegan banana bread.



Marni and Melissa's music blends folk and country styles to create a rich, textured sound. Though they write and compose independently of each other, their songs are each a unique mixture of their complementary vocal and guitar work. They have played extensively in and around Montreal, and recently finished a small tour of the Northeastern U.S. They have been compared to Shawn Colvin, the Indigo Girls, Fiona Apple and Natalie Merchant. Their self-titled CD, the first recording by the duo, is a combination of studio and live recordings done in Montreal, and promises to both regale AND delight. They hope you have a lovely day.