Ness Nöst

Born and raised in Ottawa, Ness Nöst is a passionate and multi-faceted musician with an uncanny ability to blend disparate elements into cohesive and compelling compositions. A singer, songwriter, producer, and performer, Ness is a sonic sorceress, an alchemist of sound and genre who can effortlessly move from dark and moody to light and sunny, sweet and sorrowful, old and new.

Ness' music is an eclectic mix of genres, with her vocals channeling the gritty sass of Bonnie Raitt, the jazz stylings of Sarah Vaughn, and the R&B influence of Erykah Badu. Her poetic lyricism and storytelling echo the likes of Joni Mitchell and CSNY, while her production and arrangements range from stripped-down, raw piano-heavy tracks (listen to "Hold it down") to more complex and layered electronic indie pieces (listen to 2022 release "Nothing.")

As a performer, Ness is bold and raw, connecting with audiences on a deep emotional level and sharing the universal themes of love, heartbreak, and the struggle of human existence. Her music also carries powerful messages about the natural world, the struggles of womanhood, the environment, and battles within. Ness draws inspiration from her experiences growing up in the downtown core of a city, as well as on a farm in the country in Southern Ontario. The juxtaposition in her upbringing lends itself to how she self describes as a "City girl with a country heart." 

Before moving to Vancouver Ness had completed a theatre degree in Montreal, been singing jazz with Canadian icon Jerri Brown, and touring as lead jazz singer in Montreal group "The Swoon Quartet." 

Once she started moving west looking for a change, Ness attended the prestigious BMIR program at the Banff Centre for the Arts, where she honed her musical skills and developed her unique style. Ness joined as a vocalist in indie rock band "Easy Ruckus"in Golden BC, with whom she toured interior BC, before her decision to head to the coast where she now resides. Ness can be found playing many local venues, most recently Green Auto, the Beaumont Studios, Guilt and Co and and has big plans for where her self released debut EP "Working Hours" will take her.

"Working Hours," a 5 track indie-folk-rock EP is set to release in 2023. Ness remains committed to pushing boundaries and challenging expectations with her vibrant, dynamic, and deeply soulful sound. As a concept piece, "Working Hours" explores the journey of a young woman navigating the ups and downs of independence, working crappy jobs chasing dreams, and dealing with misogyny and self sabotage along the way. Ness has already been in the studio at Park Sound in North Vancouver to record, and will be collaborating with artists from both coasts.