Intimate, hopeful and wistful; Paula Toledo dreams out loud, poignant melodic-pop/folk songs that weave through life's optimistic restlessness while capturing the innocence of its ripened discoveries. Just short of 2 months after releasing her debut album, 'Stay Awhile' was selected by CBC Radio One's 'Freestyle' program as album of the week. Nationally broadcast on radio and world-wide via the internet, 'Stay Awhile' has found its home with music lovers who are calling it 'an unassuming gem of an album' (sceneandheard.com), 'truly affecting' (CKUT), 'timeless....honest, pure and passionate' (Hallandsposten Daily).
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One may call it happenstance that only four years prior, after reaching a state of disillusionment in her life, she would be called back into the world of music & travel to France on more than one occasion. "It was a real turning point in my life. I literally quit my desk-job with nothing else waiting in the wings. I felt so lifeless...so," she laughs, "I took to painting my walls." During the menial task of painting, Paula's voice was heard through the walls of her apartment by neighbors who happened to be French singer/songwriters. In search for a back-up singer, they were intrigued. When they learned that Paula also spoke French, they enlisted her for their French tour.
One could say that happenstance and Paula would meet once again, recently to finish recording & mixing her debut album Stay Awhile in France with Irish producer and ex-Frames guitarist David Odlum (The Frames, Josh Ritter, Gemma Hayes). But upon closer inspection, one will notice a woman who is drawn to discovering and creating all things new.
With just a 5 song EP and a brand new album, Paula has had over 10 licenses for consecutive seasons of 15/Love (YTV in Cda./U.S. & in France on France 2), Secret Lives (LifetimeTV in Cda./U.S. & feature film in theatres in Asia and Europe), Missing (LifetimeTV in Cda. U.S.) and Renegadepress.com (YTV in Cda.).
Paula learned at an early age the value of creativity and a sound work ethic. As one of six children, she learned that things wouldn't be handed to her so readily. So at ten years old, when her parents told her they couldn't afford to pay for her guitar lessons, she struck a deal with her musical older sister guitar and singing lessons in exchange for cleaning her bedroom. Years later, in spite of being underage, Paula would sneak into Montreal bars as the lead singer of an alternative ska band & put those musical skills to use.
The guitar-lesson-bedroom-cleaning deal is the only deal that Paula has signed. "I set out to write and record my album on my own because for me, the fun lies in digging & exploring." So with the same resourcefulness that earned her guitar & voice lessons, over the course of a year, with guitar in tow, Paula performed and sold cds off stage which served to fund her recordings.
The result is an 11 song album co-produced by Paula & Jonathan Anderson (Stabilo, Maplewood Lane, Radiogram, Hinterland) which was released in the spring of 2006.
