Nadia and the Tchotchkes

Raised in Montreal, Quebec, Nadia Bashalani is the lead singer and songwriter for NADIA & THE TCHOTCHKES, a blues & jazz inspired folk rock group she formed in 2007. Nadia has been a member of several Montreal-based bands such as Shoot the Moon (aka Percy Farm), Montreal Funk Orchestra, Slow Moses and Bloodorange.

Nadia's musical repertoire is as impressive as her soulful voice. At just 18, she was dubbed one of "Montreal's most promising artists" by The Gazette, sharing the page with other artists such as actress Elisha Cuthbert. As the lead singer of Bloodorange, she shared bills with Ray Manzarek (from the Doors) & Michael McClure (part of the beat generation), Martha Wainwright and Priya Thomas. In 1998, she worked with Andrew Sweeny in Slow Moses, a folk trio that graced Café Sarajevo's floor for one year. In 2000, she sang in the MFO, a funk collective made up of members, such as Liam O'Neil, who have moved on to work in bands like The Stills. In her ever-growing commitment to improving as a singer, she also took on projects that focused on the performance aspect of shows in Montreal with Heavy Traffic, and in Casablanca with Quiet Roar alongside Wayne Tennant (former singer of Toronto's God Made Me Funky!). In 2005, she collaborated on the music and lyrics of Shoot the Moon's independently released EP, "Where Strangers Live" that was partially produced by Patrick Watson. At the present time, Nadia has found her own sound, with the aid of her fellow local musicians and friends. NADIA & THE TCHOTCHKES exist with the help and talent of J-F Morin on lead guitar, Steven Ludvik on bass, Jocelyn Duval on piano & vocals, and Maxime Gosselin on drums. At such an early stage in their formation, NADIA & THE TCHOTCHKES have gained some exposure opening for talented acts, such as The Fray, and playing live shows around Montreal and Toronto.

With the help of DNA Productions, NADIA & THE TCHOTCHKES have completed the recording of their debut album, set to be independently released in spring 2009. The band is currently preparing to launch a Canadian tour that will hopefully be bringing soul to a town near you. For the moment however, you can catch the band's warm and tender performances at various spots in and around Montreal, like IL MOTORE, Sala Rossa, Divan Orange, and Club Lambi.

NADIA & THE TCHOTCHKES' single, "Swinging", is sure to put a smile on your face and a sway in your step. The new album is a culmination of diverse influences, resulting in a sound that can only be described as blissful melancholy.