New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Montreal born, Toronto-based artist Rêve makes her major label debut with her first single "Still Dancing" out today via Universal Music, 31 East, and Astralwerks. Co-signed to 31 East, the label of Montreal production duo Banx & Ranx (Dua Lipa, Sia,
Little Mix, Sean Paul) and Universal Music, "Still Dancing" is the first collaboration for this team.
Rêve's grand entrance comes after a year of sharing her soulful vocals by teasing mashups and original lyrics across TikTok and garnering over 50k fans and 337k likes. "Still Dancing" was written by Rêve ("dream" in French) alongside collaborators Banx & Ranx and Sara Diamond.
Rêve is here to remind us that life isn't perfect, but everyone should have a dream. You see - and hear - this loud and clear on Rêve's debut track "Still Dancing," inspired by her unforgettable nights at Montréal clubs and quarantine dance parties she had during the global pandemic. "I don't know who needs to hear this; we came here to get some healing... fuck, we're sad, but we're still dancing." Banx & Ranx colourful pop/EDM production underscores real talk from the girl who had to pack her belongings in garbage bags when she was kicked out of her house for living life a little fast-n-loose. The alluring track brings the soundscape that lives in Rêve's mind to life: playful, pop, and R&B influenced dance music that draws its inspirations from the heydays of 90s sophisticated Euro sound.
On the single, Rêve said: "'Still Dancing' is a song that was written during a time when misery needed company and couldn't have any. It is a song dedicated to club kids, but also house music itself and its unique ability to transport us to euphoria even on our darkest days."
Accompanying visuals for "Still Dancing," directed by Adem Boutlidja, produced by Anthony Hachez, are out now. The video shows Rêve in a glass box, longing and fantasizing about being free and surrounded by people, eventually transcending to the freedom and dancing she dreams about. "I was inspired by the context and the crazy times we've been living in over the past few months. People were stuck at home, and the only thing they wanted was being able to escape and enjoy life again," said producer Anthony Hachez. "This is what we wanted to translate. That feeling of being trapped in a box and the desire for freedom, for being able to go out and dance the night away."
A year ago, Briannah Donolo, p/k/a Rêve, spent her days working at an internationally notorious porn site writing scripts for videos. Because when twenty-something and your music career isn't popping, the rent is due, the phone's been disconnected, and the fridge is empty, you gotta pay the bills somehow. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Growing up in a suburb of Montréal that felt inspired by The Stepford Wives, Briannah spent her early teens dreaming beyond the white picket fences of her hometown. While most of the kids had their sights set on becoming doctors and lawyers, she was preoccupied with the music and art that deeply moved her. From a young age, she learned to cope with trauma by converting negative emotion into art; her piano quickly became her therapist and closest confidant.
Briannah went viral in 2014, when her
National Anthem performance at a Montréal Canadiens game sparked headlines across Toronto Sun, Journal de Montréal, and on socials like: "Unknown hot chick melted the fucking ice," and "The Anthem Singer At B's Vs. Habs Just Became A SUPERSTAR." The phone rang off the hook. Major labels, agents, sleazy impresarios all called with the same pitch - to transform Briannah into the perfect pop star. But Briannah was far from perfect, and the glass slipper broke before anyone got their fairy tale ending.
Instead, Briannah retreated to her hometown of Montréal, adopted the moniker "Rêve" (French for 'dream'), embraced her imperfections, and started to map out her path as an artist going through growing pains. Parties and bars (both of which she would attend, then later perform at) centred around dancing and Dance music, sparked an inspiration and quickly, Rêve learned how a club transformed into heaven. As a result, she started writing honest songs with the intention to create the soundscape that lives in her mind: playful, pop, and R&B influenced dance music that draws its inspirations from the heydays of 90s sophisticated Euro sound.
When the global pandemic hit in 2020, Rêve refused to let the state of the world break her stride. Instead, she connected with Montréal-based production duo Banx & Ranx (Dua Lipa, Sia,
Little Mix, Sean Paul) who she credits to encouraging her biggest creative turning point to date. Their partnership "signifies labour of love and a testament to what happens when you let go of inhibition and allow your artistry to know no bounds."
Now based in Toronto, Rêve makes her major-label debut in June 2021 via Universal
Music Canada and Astralwerks, releasing the first collaboration with Montréal production duo Banx & Ranx, who co-sign her to UMC via their label 31 East. Yet glamorous, dark and surreal on the exterior, Rêve's repertoire is profoundly thoughtful and emotional at its core. Coupling thought-provoking lyrics with melodies that will emotionally and physically move her audience, Rêve's music reminds you to embrace the emotions and parts of yourself that you are taught to perceive as flaws in today's world. Stay tuned for much more to come from Rêve in 2021.
