Breagh Isabel
Breagh Isabel | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 17, 1991 |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter, performer, recording artist |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Website | http://www.breaghisabel.com/ |
Breagh MacKinnon (born 1991), known professionally as Breagh Isabel, is a Canadian recording artist, songwriter, and producer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She has written for a variety of Canadian artists, including Banners, Donovan Woods, Classified, and Ria Mae.
Life and career
[edit]Born into a musical family on Cape Breton Island, Isabel began writing songs in high school.[1] In college, she majored in jazz piano performance, while writing and recording music of her own.[2] In 2015, Isabel, still performing as Breagh MacKinnon, teamed up with fellow singer-songwriters Dylan Guthro and Carleton Stone to form the band Port Cities.[3] In 2016, the band was signed to Turtlemusik and Warner Music. Port Cities' debut album, produced by Gordie Sampson, was released on February 10, 2017.[4] That same year, the band took home five Nova Scotia Music Awards, winning Entertainer of the Year, Digital Artist of the Year, Group Recording of the Year, Pop Recording of the Year, and recording of the Year.[5]
Isabel parted ways with the band in 2019, following the release of their single "Sorry," which was co-produced by Grammy-winning Canadian songwriter and producer Greg Wells.[6]
Isabel made her production debut in 2020, co-producing the single "Missing Me" by Jocelyn Alice and Mathew V, released in 604 Records. In the spring of 2020, under the name Breagh Isabel, she featured as a recording artist and co-writer on the single "Good News," by the award-winning Canadian rapper and producer Classified.[7] Within one year of its release, "Good News" became a certified Gold single (40.000 units sold), peaked at #23 on the Canadian Billboard Charts, and has since generated more than 10 million digital streams.[8]
Isabel is an out member of the LGBTQ community.[9] In June 2021, she released her debut solo single, "Girlfriends" and its accompanying music video. "Girlfriends" tells a story of two young girls' friendship-turned-romance.[10]
In 2020, Isabel joined the roster of Concord Music Publishing in Nashville, which has to led to her music being placed in major network promos (CBS, NBC, FOX), TV series (Grey's Anatomy, Virgin River, Sullivan's Crossing), and international marketing campaigns (Kia Motors, NSLC, Destination Cape Breton).[11][12] Her work as a songwriter and producer has earned accolades, including SOCAN Songwriter of the Year - Music Nova Scotia (2021), East Coast Music Award for Song of the Year (2022), and a Canadian Screen Award nomination for her work on the soundtrack of Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor (2023).[13]
In 2023, Isabel began releasing music that has been featured in film or television under two side projects, Izzy Harlow and Sea Saint.
In September 2024, she released the single "Imposter," which reached number 6 on the CBC Top 20 chart and was featured in the LGBTQ film Lakeview, which premiered at the Halifax Film Festival in 2024.[12]
Selected discography
[edit]| Year | Title | Artist(s) | Album | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Between Cities" | Donovan Woods | Hard Settle, Not Troubled | Writer |
| "I Don't Wanna Know" | Ria Mae | Ria Mae | Writer | |
| "Learning to Love" | David Myles | Here and Now | Writer, Artist | |
| 2017 | "Astronaut" | Port Cities | Port Cities | Writer, Artist |
| 2018 | "Shots Fired" | Jodi Guthro | Single | Writer |
| "Burn That Bridge" | Donovan Woods | Both Sides | Writer | |
| "Red Light" | Ria Mae | My Love EP | Writer, Artist | |
| "Montreal" | Port Cities | Port Cities | Writer, Artist | |
| "Idea of You" | Port Cities | Port Cities | Writer, Artist | |
| 2019 | "Sorry" | Port Cities | Port Cities | Writer, Artist |
| 2020 | "Good News" | Classified, Breagh Isabel | Time EP | Writer, Featured Artist |
| "Missing Me" | Jocelyn Alice, Mathew V | Single | Writer, Co-Producer | |
| "King of Spades 2" | T Thomason, Rose Cousins | Single | Writer, Co-Producer | |
| "SOS" | Margot Todd | Single | Writer, producer | |
| 2021 | "Girlfriends" | Breagh Isabel | Single | Writer, Artist |
| "The Bells Are Ringing" | Classified | Single | Writer, Artist | |
| "Some of Everything" | Mint Simon | Single | Writer | |
| "See the Sun" | RAI, Hunnuh | Single | Writer, producer | |
| "Winter Wonderland" | Breagh Isabel | Single | Artist | |
| 2022 | "South Shore" | Moira and Claire | I'm Usually Not This Forward But | Producer |
| "The Old Me" | Ria Mae | Therapy | Writer | |
| "Please Don't Go" | Ria Mae | Therapy | Writer / Co-Producer | |
| "Lose You to Love Me" (cover) | Ria Mae, Rose Cousins, Breagh Isabel | Single | Artist / Co-Producer | |
| "If I Lost You" | David Myles, Breagh Isabel | Single | Artist | |
| "Keeps Me Going" | Banners | I Wish I Was Flawless, I'm Not | Writer | |
| "All About You" | Classified, Brett Matthews, Breagh Isabel | Single | Artist | |
| "When the Day Is Done" | Marshall | Single | Producer | |
| 2023 | "Coming For You" | Adona, Sea Saint | Single | Artist/Writer/Producer |
| "Only an Island" | Matt Andersen | The Big Bottle of Joy | Writer | |
| "Ruinous Love" | T Thomason | Single | Co-Producer | |
| 2024 | "Owner of a Lonely Heart" (cover) | Em Sherman, AG, Sea Saint | Single | Co-Producer, Artist |
| "Imposter" | Breagh Isabel | Single | Artist/Writer | |
| "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" | Breagh Isabel | Single | Artist/Co-Producer | |
| 2025 | "The Way" (cover) | Sea Saint, Rose Cousins | Single | Artist/Producer |
References
[edit]- ^ "Sydney musician and student receives Fred Sherratt award for outstanding achievement". thechronicleherald.ca. Halifax, Nova Scotia. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 28 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- ^ "Q&A with NewSong Contest Finalist Breagh Mackinnon". newsong-music.com. Halifax, Nova Scotia: NewSong, LLC. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ^ Thompson, Aly (14 January 2015). "Halifax musicians put solo careers aside, join forces for new band Port Cities". metronews.ca. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Metro Halifax. Archived from the original on 29 October 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
- ^ "Port Cities features 3 friends with great vocal blend". CBC.ca. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 August 2016.
- ^ Thorne, Tara (6 November 2017). "Your 2017 Music Nova Scotia award winners". thecoast.ca. Halifax, Nova Scotia.
- ^ "Port Cities - "Sorry" - Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ Cooke, Stephen (14 April 2020). "Classified to share Good News with new music and social media campaign". The Chronicle Herald. Halifax, Nova Scotia: SaltWire Network.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". Music Canada.
- ^ Daw, Stephen (14 February 2018). "Donovan Woods Features Gay Couple in Music Video & Talks LGBTQ Inclusivity in Country Music: "It's Really Frustrating"". billboard.com. New York, New York.
- ^ Gregory, Allie (4 June 2021). "Breagh Isabel Wants to Be "Girlfriends" on Debut Single | Exclaim!". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ Singh, Katherine (9 April 2021). "Meet The Canadian Musician Whose Song Closed Out An Epic Grey's Anatomy Episode". www.refinery29.com.
- ^ a b Krewen, Nick (23 October 2024). "Breagh Isabel Enjoys That Sync-ing Feeling". www.socanmagazine.ca.
- ^ "2023 Canadian Screen Awards: Nominee - Achievement in Music - Original Song". www.academy.ca. Retrieved 1 April 2025.