JESSIE RIVEST
Location:
Kelowna, BC, Canada
ARTIST BIO
Jessie Rivest is a vocalist, composer, and sound artist whose work spans contemporary, experimental, and interdisciplinary forms. Drawing on a lifetime of singing and a Bachelor of Music from York University, she creates immersive vocal landscapes through looping, improvisation, and extended techniques—often responding to place, architecture, and collective atmosphere.
Jessie has performed as a choral singer with standout artists and productions including Tanya Tagaq, Game of Thrones: Music is Coming, the Canadian premiere of Ēriks Ešenvalds’ Nordic Light Symphony, and the Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Tour. Her ensemble experience has earned international accolades, including medals at the World Choir Games and the Barbershop World Mixed Competition in Germany.
Her compositions have been performed by Pro Coro Canada, The Choral Arts Initiative, Khorikos, and NEO Voice Festival. In 2025, her show 22 ROOMS in collaboration with dancer Hailey McCloskey premiered at Living Things International Arts Festival, and, her public sound art exhibition PSOUNDS, commissioned by the City of Kelowna, emphasized listening as a vital skill for navigating change.
Based in Kelowna, BC, Jessie is the founder of Yin for the Win, a coaching and facilitation practice centered on archetypes, integration, and leadership for the future. Through her multi-professional practice, she fosters connection, attention, and creative experimentation—inviting audiences and clients to connect with sound & symbols.
ARTIST STATEMENT
***in a world full of noise, to listen inward is radical***
I used to feel paralyzed every time I went to sing—like opening a closet and not knowing whether to go with business casual, rave wear, or sweats. But through deep work exploring the link between sound and symbols, I’ve come to embrace these too many options as multitudes. Singing in intuitive or contemporary spaces gives me the freedom to choose more than one voice, offering many pathways and many “hats” for collaboration across genres. Above all, I stand for truth, joy, and freedom of expression. For me, the most important part of singing, making art, and being human is the ability to listen.
