Sandy Duperval

From the day she was born, there was simply something quite unique about Sandy. Her young mother was only 16 when she welcomed her baby girl in the world. Her mother wanted to pursue her academic studies, as such, Sandy’s grandmother graciously decided to care for her granddaughter.

At 9 months, Sandy was walking; at a year old, she was talking; and at age three, she was singing on television. This was the beginning of Sandy’s love story - she knew at that point that her passion for music was grand. Sandy believed that her voice could bring about change. When it would rain, she would sing believing that she could actually make the rain stop. In actual fact, Sandy did not stop singing until the water drops stopped falling.

When her grandmother recognized Sandy’s genuine dedication and determination, she decided to pay for both singing and piano lessons. Sandy’s grandmother knew wholeheartedly that this groundwork would help her granddaughter remain focused. At the same time, it would allow Sandy the opportunity to realize her dream – to make a difference with her music.

Sandy’s religious background motivated her to be a member of the local gospel choir. In doing so, she was eventually given the break to embark on her first Montreal tour as a gospel singer. She later traveled around North America as a soloist, and in different cities, she sang in a number of choirs and musical groups. She felt she had sincerely blessed thousands with her powerful vocals.

She won her first singing contest at the age of 11 and a trip to Disneyland with her family. It was becoming evident that her voice was her true gift. It was young Sandy’s tool to express herself and to achieve all endeavors. Even though she was raised in a ghetto neighborhood, this determined little girl dared to dream and aimed only for success. Unsurprisingly, at 13 the teenager released her first Gospel album and sold approximately 15 000 copies.

Constantly supported by her devoted grandmother, Sandy continued to redefine diligence and perseverance. Despite her deep love for her grandmother, Sandy often missed her parents’ presence. To ease her pain, young Duperval found comfort in writing – hundreds of songs. Her voice and her heart have always been in synchronization. They have kept her strong through the good and bad times.

Sandy has had 12 years of vocal lessons, including one year with Whitney Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston. She has played two musical instruments, both the drums and piano. By the time she graduated from high school, it had become very clear to Sandy that she would aspire to be a professional musician.

When she enrolled in college, she began to DJ part-time at Maysen Pub in Sherbrooke. She was fortunate enough to get guidance and help from one of Quebec’s most respected DJ, DJ Huggies. And then, she discovered another reason to fall deeper in love with music. In her second year of college, she entered Quebec’s biggest TV showcase, Star Académie - Quebec’s version of Canadian Idol. For eight weeks, she gave viewers incredible performances and managed to finish among the top four finalists. This exposure further opened windows of opportunities; it led her to be a part of a show called “A Tribute to Soul Legends” in Munich, Germany. She also started working with one of France’s most respected DJ and producer, Stan Courtois. Sandy had always been keen on making her own music. She went from recording on cassettes to finally learning how to produce. Stan helped her through the process for a year until she built her own studio in Montreal. Together they toured around France with DJ Bacho from the legendary Studio 54 era. Like a sponge, she absorbed a large amount of knowledge and sharpened her skills. She gained a great deal of maturity and independence as she toured around Canada, the United States, Lebanon, Moracco, Spain and alongside big names such as Lionel Richie, Martha Walsh, Marco Da Silva, Isaac Escalante, Angel Moraes, t