Calling JJ Shiplett a force of nature might be considered hyperbole to those who haven’t heard him perform live, but for anyone who has, it fits just right. Few Artists can capture a person’s attention by way of song as effortlessly and honestly as Shiplett does. The Canadian roots singer-songwriter and producer’s raspy voice and unflinching honesty have turned barrooms and theatres into choirs across North America.
Since his CCMA-nominated debut Something To Believe In (2017), Shiplett has amassed almost 12 million streams, earned multiple awards, and launched his own imprint, Red Buffalo Records - an artist-centred label championing high-fidelity, intentional releases from Canadian talent.
His sophomore album, Fingers Crossed (2020), brought another CCMA nomination and further showcased his gift for contemplative songwriting and emotive performance, with standouts like “Wanting On The Rain” and “Closer.”
April 2024, Shiplett released A Way Through Time, a seven-song record that marked a bold new creative chapter. The album leaned into restraint, depth, and nuance, earning widespread praise and another Canadian Country Music Award nomination for Alt-Country Album of the Year.
Now, looking ahead to 2026, Shiplett prepares to release his most ambitious work yet: All My Money on Red. The eleven-song album will arrive alongside a feature-length documentary exploring the cost, sacrifice, and conviction required to make an album in the modern age. Early responses have already called it his strongest and most fully realized work to date - an artist pushing forward with clarity, purpose, and nothing held back.
One part enigma, one part lover, one part relentless creative—JJ Shiplett is many things. But as a artist, he is always greater than the sum of his parts, leaving a lasting impression long after the final note fades.
CONTACT
Red Buffalo Records Corp
Rebekah Gotzke
BOOKING
Paquin Artists Agency
Julien Paquin
Eastern Canada
julien@paquinartistsagency.com
Todd Jordan
Western Canada
"JJ Shiplett is one of my favourite storytellers in music right now. The combination of the uniqueness of his voice and the depth of feeling that I get from it when I hear him sing is special."
- The Reviews Are In
"There is something so magical about Shiplett's raspy, powerful voice that we (along with thousands of others) can't get enough of."
- Eat North
FINGERS CROSSED
ALBUM RELEASE: MARCH 20, 2020
The winds of change have arrived along with award-winning performer,
JJ Shiplett’s CCMA-nominated sophomore album, Fingers Crossed. Returning are Shiplett’s signature raspy sound and haunting melodies,
but what’s new is a sense of freedom and independence heard both
in JJ’s lyrics and composition.
Rather than simply “evolving” as an artist since gaining national recognition and plenty of accolades with his first album, Shiplett has consciously and passionately forged his own path musically with Fingers Crossed.
Spending a year pouring over every detail of this record, writing and arranging, playing many of the instruments, as well as a large portion
of the engineering/producing in his home studio, the singer is more immersed in his craft than ever before. Fingers Crossed features
co-writes with Dustin Bentall and Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, and the incredible sounds of fiddler Kendel Carson.
Bucking both the typical Nashville-style songwriting and production approaches, the musician delved deep and traveled wide to find inspiration to pen the seven track album that helps establish him as one of the country’s premier roots artists.
From the contemplative first single, 'Waiting on the Rain' and enticing
initial kick drum pulses of the love-torn song, 'Closer,' to the beautifully painful bridge in the song 'Freeman' (written by Daniel Huscroft), there
are many intoxicating reasons for his listeners -- both old and new -- to hit play and play again.
Hearing the piano chords and Shiplett’s vocals echo into silence to close out the album’s final track, Every Road, it’s hard not to wish for just one more song.
CROSSED FINGERS
ALBUM RELEASE: AUGUST 21, 2020
Crossed Fingers is the raw, stripped-down mirror version of Shiplett’s CCMA-nominated sophomore album, Fingers Crossed, which was released on March 20/20 at the beginning and height of chaos surrounding the Covid pandemic.
With the ground shifting around him, Shiplett felt the weight of the pandemic on his livelihood, but he remained hopeful because of fans’ response to his voice and to the songs.
That eventually led Shiplett to create this beautiful edition, to allow the songs to shine again in a different light. Including the bonus track, 'Bluejay Highway, ' the album is a recreation of each song from the original album, but with the full production taken away. The collection is brought to life by Shiplett’s moving vocals and the listener is left with the magic that is Shiplett’s signature raspy sound and songwriting sensibilities.
“It’s always been about the songs - I have to make sure people hear these. So take away the drums, the solos and leave it to my voice. Like how I fell in love with music - simple and honest.
No hiding. Just the song.”
– JJ
AT A GLANCE
9,000+ FB Followers | 8,200+ Instagram Followers | 35,000+ Spotify Monthly Listeners
11+ overall streams WW
Sold out headline show at the National Music Centre (Calgary) in January 2022
Nominated for 2020 CCMA Roots Album of the Year for Fingers Crossed
Announced as a long list artist for the 2020/2021 Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class
New music video for "All Comes Back To You" premiered on EARMILK on October 1, 2020 (then released WW on October 2, 2020)
Stripped-down album, Crossed Fingers, was released on August 21, 2020 & debuted at No.1 on the iTunes Singer-Songwriter chart
Sophomore album, Fingers Crossed, was released on March 20, 2020 & debuted at No.2 on the iTunes country album chart
Fingers Crossed has accumulated over 1,200,000 streams to date
"Waiting On The Rain," the first single off of Fingers Crossed, was released on February 21, 2020
"Waiting On The Rain" music video was released on March 6, 2020
"Closer," the 2nd single off of Fingers Crossed, was released to CAD radio on June 17, 2020
Shiplett launched his own record label, Red Buffalo Records, in March 2020
2019 'Come As You Are Tour' - co-bill with Michael Bernard Fitzgerald
Toured & played with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Dwight Yoakam, Jim Cuddy, Ben Harper, Road Hammers
CCMA-nominated debut album, Something To Believe In, was released on January 27, 2017
Toured with Johnny Reid on 'What Love is All About' in 2016
DEBUT ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS
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Something To Believe In was released on January 27, 2017
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Debuted No.1 on iTunes Singer-Songwriter & No.4 on iTunes General Charts
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Over 5,000,000 Spotify streams
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Over 1,200,000 Spotify listeners
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+500,000 YouTube views
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Featured on over 15 Apple Music playlists & over 25 Spotify playlists
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In 2016, was featured on "CMT Presents JJ Shiplett Live at Studio Bell”
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Won 2017 Male Artist Of The Year - Calgary Music Awards
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Won 2017 Roots/Folk Recording Of The Year - Calgary Music Awards
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Won 2017 Single Of The Year - Calgary Music Awards
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Won 2017 Country Recording Of The Year - Calgary Music Awards
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Nominated for 2017 CCMA Roots Artist Of The Year
