Taylor, Julian

Websites:  https://juliantaylormusic.ca/home
Origin: Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Julian Taylor is a Toronto-based, award-winning singer-songwriter whose music has become a staple of the Canadian roots and Americana scene. With a career spanning over two decades, Taylor blends storytelling, soul, and reflection into a sound that is uniquely his own—resonant, heartfelt, and deeply human.

His 2020 acoustic breakthrough The Ridge marked a turning point, earning widespread acclaim with more than five million streams on Spotify and airplay across North America, the U.K., and Australia. Self-produced alongside Saam Hashemi and recorded at The Woodshed in Toronto, the album’s blend of soulful Americana and country twang earned him Solo Artist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and nominations for two JUNO Awards (Contemporary Folk Album of the Year and Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year), as well as longlist recognition for the Polaris Music Prize.

Since then, Taylor’s accolades have continued to grow. He’s now a five-time JUNO Award nominee, with further honors from the Canadian Folk Music Awards, Canadian Music Week INDIES, the Native American Music Awards, and the International Acoustic Music Awards—where he was named Best Male Artist in 2022. In 2023, he was also nominated for Roots Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association of Ontario Awards.

In 2024, Taylor released Pathways—his most personal and introspective work to date. The album explores themes of healing, accountability, and emotional growth through eight candid tracks that reflect his evolving inner landscape. “When you feel heavy, you’ve got to get things off your chest,” Taylor explains. “Pathways reflects the way I was feeling while I was writing it and making it... I’m trying to work through a lot of the pain I’ve caused myself and others.”

Known for his emotionally powerful live shows, Taylor is currently touring across the U.K., Canada, and the U.S. He recently caught the attention of BBC2’s Jeremy Vine, who described him as “an incredible, profound, thoughtful, musical genius.”