Bria Salmena
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Bria Salmena is a Canadian musician from Toronto who, for the better part of the last decade, has explored various genres with remarkable versatility. She initially became known as the frontwoman for critically acclaimed Canadian experimental post-punk group FRIGS, which she co-founded with longtime collaborator Duncan Hay Jennings. After establishing herself in the experimental rock scene, she joined Orville Peck's band where she toured the world for the past half-decade, bringing her distinctive vocals and stage presence to international audiences.
Salmena's first solo release was a set of Country music covers released in September 2021, followed by a second set of covers in February 2023. These covers EPs gave classic and modern Americana songs a gothy dream pop spin, with the cheekily named "Cuntry Covers Vol. 1 & 2" released under the mononym Bria on Sub Pop. The provocative title and genre-bending approach demonstrated her willingness to challenge conventions and blend seemingly disparate musical worlds.
In 2024, Salmena released her first solo original song titled "Bending Over Backwards," and the following year released her debut solo studio album "Big Dog." The album chronicles a story of transformation—a deeply personal exploration of resilience and a declaration of artistic independence forged through collaboration. In her solo music, Salmena pairs various eras of brooding rock music—from austere goth and cottony shoegaze to hypnotic krautrock and gleaming coldwave—with an introspective singer-songwriter approach, her rich, distinctive vocals a perfect match for evocatively personal lyrics.