Emily Haines Canadian indie rock artist Country: Canada

Biography of Emily Haines

Emily Haines was born in 1974 in New Delhi, India. She lived in India for a couple of years with her sister, but her father, realizing the limited opportunities for them in the country, relocated the family to Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Emily showed an early interest in music and had an exceptional musical ear. Her father quickly amassed a vast collection of cassettes and records from iconic bands of the last 50 years and also acquired several vintage musical instruments.

After completing high school, Emily's sister pursued a journalism career, while Emily, wanting to fulfill her father's dreams, enrolled in the School of Arts in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. There, she quickly adapted and established a close bond with her teachers and classmates. She formed a strong friendship with Amy Millan, a Canadian indie singer, and briefly dated her future stage partner Kevin Drew.

In 1990, Emily and Amy formed their own rock band, which started actively performing after both girls completed their arts education and entered the University of British Columbia. They initially studied in Vancouver, then moved to Toronto in 1995, and eventually settled in Montreal in 1996. However, their paths diverged, and the band did not gain popularity. Nevertheless, Emily recorded her first solo album, 'Cut in Half and Also Double', some of which were later re-recorded by Emily with the band 'Metric'.

'Metric' was formed in Toronto in 1998, with James Shaw, a new acquaintance of Emily's, joining the group along with some of his friends. The band's songs came naturally, and they soon had enough material to start performing. They actively toured across Canada and even gave concerts in the United States. By 2000, they relocated to New York City, where they continued their performances.

After signing with Warner Bros. Records, the band began working on their debut album. 'Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?' was released in 2003 and quickly became successful. Six songs from the album were released as singles and became instant hits on the iTunes Store. On December 12, 2005, the album achieved gold status in Canada. Throughout their career, the band released four albums, with their latest, 'Fantasies', hitting the shelves in April 2009.

In addition to her work with 'Metric', Emily released two solo albums, 'Knives Don't Have Your Back' and 'What is Free to a Good Home?'. These albums were warmly received and quickly sold out in music stores. In 2004, Emily also acted in the drama film 'Clean' and contributed the song 'Dead Disco' to its soundtrack. Her song 'Black Sheep' was selected as the main theme for the film 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World', in which her compatriot and close friend Michael Cera played the lead role.

Emily Haines has also collaborated with other artists, lending her voice to albums by bands such as 'The Stills', 'Stars', 'The Crystal Method', and many others.