About Janice

Multi-arts queer folk artist

Janice Jo Lee (she/they) is a contemporary folk-fusion musician, composer, sound designer, spoken word poet, actor-clown, director, facilitator and educator born and based in Toronto. Her artwork explores climate grief, antiracism, loneliness, workers rights, queer joy, and her Korean heritage. She is a dynamic and engaging performer, and performs with a guitar, trumpet, vocal looping and jjangu drum.  As a professional educator, she has facilitated arts and anti-oppression workshops for 15 years. Janice Jo Lee has toured across Canada with her music and poetry. Currently she is composing the first draft of a musical adaptation of Minh Ly's Ga Ting (Finding Family) and working on songs from her next album Lullabyes for End Times.   

Contact Janice for in-person or virtual performance/workshop inquiries. She loves to collaborate and design projects together. Member of: ACTRA, League of Canadian Poets, Associated Designers of Canada

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“A poet, theatre maker and anti-oppression facilitator, Lee brings much diversity and sincerity to her art that surrounds community, empowerment and societal change. She cites Ancestor Song as her best work yet, and it’s hard to argue with that.” - Tom Haugen

— Take Effect

Artist Statement

What I aim to do in the world

I am a folk artist. An artist of the people! A storyteller. It is my responsibility as a folk artist to affirm our contemporary stories, emotions and ideas through art and carry these stories onward. Art is my tool to build just and joyful communities that are as free as possible from systemic oppression. My art comforts the struggling and challenges political complacency. As a writer and performing artist, I combine my literature, music and theatre background with my political activism to create art that engages through its truth, comedy, lyricism and power. Genres and artistic disciplines do not limit me when creating songs, poems, scenes and stories. On stage, it is important for me to demonstrate power in embodied performances, unrelenting honesty, rhythm and humility. I aim to create an energy with an audience that is electric and connected, leaving us aglow.

Artistic excellence to me is rich poetics, rooted presence, irresistible rhythm that engages our bodies, and melodies and stories that move a person through its truth and feeling.

I am constantly learning and thinking critically about my position and cultural context within systems of oppression. I aim to decolonize myself and my art practice from oppressive ideas and practices. My art is subject to criticism and conversation. I do my best, allow room for error, and try to be kind to myself. As an artist and role model, I listen to and strive to be accountable to my community.

I seek communities and audiences where my best self, vitality, spirit and art are life-affirming. I want what I offer as a person to act as a spark or opening to emotional truth, social truth, untapped or forgotten joy, and self power. I seek to create an open space which reminds us that human connection is full of beauty, wonder, and a life worth living

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“Janice is a confident performer who wears her politics on her sleeve, often coupled with humour. We could really use more overt politics in folk music these days given the times we live in, so Janice is a breath of fresh air.” - Heather Kitching

— Roots Music Canada