Jessy Brunette

All it took were a few drinks to get Jessy Brunette onto the stage at an open mic night at the Townehouse Tavern.

"Apparently I was super nervous and shaking," said Brunette, "but everyone thought I did well and it just went off from there."

Up until that point, the only occasion she belted out a tune was in the shower.

But with enough encouragement from friends and fellow musicians, Brunette, plunged into the process of recording an

EP.

Two years later Brunette, now 22, has collaborated with some of Sudbury's finest musicians and she'll be joined by some of them at her CD release party Friday night at the Townehouse.

Brunette comes from a musical family, both her father and stepgrandfather were musicians. But it wasn't until her sister got a guitar that she picked up the instrument.

Well, her sister's instrument.

"You just have to practise every day, different types of songs," Brunette said about her transformation since her spontaneous performance.

"I listened to some stuff on YouTube, like scales and the fa-la- la-la-las. I didn't want to spend money on singing lessons. I wanted to do it all on my own."

And she's still amazed that people like her stuff.

Brunette talks like a cheerful schoolgirl, but sings like a few men stomped on her heart.

Mystery Muses is comprised of five songs, four of which Brunette wrote. Her producer, Brian Dunn, collaborated with her on one tune, while Brunette covered song from local band Ox.

"The album is pretty romantically sad," said Brunette.

"It's almost like a story. I write about things that happened in my life, mostly about men. Because that's what they do, they destroy you and you write about it."

Mystery Muses is about two men whom Brunette loved.

Although the relationship ended in tears, Brunette doesn't believe their intent was malicious. Her way to heal was to write these songs. The nameless men are her "muses" and Brunette is thankful they were part of her life.

As a college student, Brunette spent some time writing for The Sudbury Star but obviously, she admits, writing from the heart is quite different.

"When I was in high school, I wrote poetry, and when I was in college, I started writing songs," said Brunette. "But I wouldn't sing them. The first song I ever wrote, we're going to put it on the new album."

Brunette is working on her second album and only last week, recorded three songs.

"It's definitely the same theme," she said.

"Brian (Dunn) told me that I'm a sad person; to stop being sad. But then I wouldn't have anything to write about."

Brunette hopes to play at music festivals and plans on auditioning for the Northern Lights Festival Boreal.

The EP, Mystery Muses will be available at the Friday show and from Brunette.

editorial@thesudburystar.com

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CD release party

Jessy Brunette, with Brian Dunn, Paul Loewenberg, Matt Foy, Ryan Levesque and Pepper.

Friday at Townehouse Tavern. - Sudbury Star