“An emotional trip.”
—THE TORONTO STAR
Music
Music took over my heart, soul, and definition of self from the time I can remember…
It’s taken me from singing into my hairbrush in my childhood bedroom to the writing rooms of some of the most prolific songwriters of our time, to the living rooms of some of the greatest artists on earth, to the green rooms and dressing rooms of some of the most legendary venues in the world from Massey Hall in Toronto to Teatr Muzyczny in Gdynia Poland - and to some of the most magical recording studios in North America.
I’ve sung, written, collaborated, and performed my way to a Juno Award nomination, 2 Canadian Radio Music Award nominations, a Cayle Chernin Award nomination, and a Broadway World nomination. Listen…
"Smart, sophisticated…intimate.”
—The Montreal Gazette
Wendy Lands' Angels & Ordinary Men album cover.
Wendy Lands Sings the Music of the Pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman.
Wendy Lands' Mumble album cover.
Wendy Lands' Altitude album cover.
Music Bio
Singer/songwriter, Wendy Lands…
“Makes you want two things — A good cry and great sex.” – Writer/Director Shari Hollett
“Wendy Lands’ songs are worthy of inclusion in The Great Canadian Songbook.” – Heather Bambrick, Jazz FM
Inspired by a diverse list of legends - from Cohen to Sondheim to Waits to Bacharach—Lands and life-long collaborator/husband—Jim Gillard, create songs that tell stories, with deeply thought-through lyrics and haunting, hooky melodies.
Lands says, “I don’t just want to sing songs, I want to create songs I can climb inside and live in as an actor lives in a role.” The poetry of her lyrics is unique to her own speak, the soaring melodies, unique to her own cadence, and the combo of both, is uniquely Wendy Lands.
On stage, joined by the finest musicians Canada has to offer, Ms. Lands combines a cool, sexy, jazziness with an intimate, theatricality—and she never fails to make her audience feel as though they’re not just sitting back and watching but participating in something very special.
Lands began her career at a cattle-call for the original cast of Les Miserables that lead to call-back after call-back, and finally to a role in the original Canadian company of Les Miserables. After that life-changing experience, Lands found success in the pop world with her first solo album, Angels & Ordinary Men (EMI) garnering a Juno nomination & 2 Canadian Radio Award nominations, as well a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell in L.A. – where she collaborated with Melissa Manchester and Paul Williams, among others.
While living in L.A. Lands made the transition into jazz-kissed territory recording the companion release to the Oscar-winning film The Pianist, called, Wendy Lands Sings The Music Of the Pianist (Hippo/Universal Music Group). Lands next two albums Mumble (Fontana North) and Altitude (Tambre) also found acclaim and recognition in the jazz world.
Wendy Lands’ music can be heard on JAZZ.FM91, CBC radio and jazz podcasts, and radio stations worldwide. She has played jazz festivals, jazz venues, and theatres in Canada, the USA, and Europe – and in 2017, she headlined the prestigious Ladies Jazz Festival in Gdynia, Poland, a country that embraced her by sending her to the top of the charts, where she happily hovered just beneath Norah Jones and Lady Gaga for weeks. In June of 2019, Lands had a ‘bucket list moment’, when she shared the stage and sang with the legendary Manhattan Transfer at Toronto’s Winter Garden Theatre.
Wendy Lands currently lives in Toronto with her husband Jim - who is her favorite duet partner, drummer, and musical director, and their daughter Chloe, who is also a budding creator.
Music Press
“Sparkling…with her earnest voice and the skill of her musical storytelling.
— The Toronto Star
“Floored by her performance…totally mesmerizing and captivating.”
— Billboard Magazine
“Entertaining…romantic and hopeful.”
— Variety
“Her songs are smooth, elegant, striking, and memorable. The kind that can send chills up your spine… what more could you ask.”
— The Record
“Amazingly cool.”
— The Hollywood Reporter
“Smart, sophisticated…intimate.”
— The Montreal Gazette
“An emotional trip.”
— The Toronto Star
“At the height of her powers.”
— New Canadian Music
“I marveled at how she had the audience eating out of her hand. The energy, playfulness, and sheer talent that she exudes was a wonder to behold.”
— Colin Mochrie
“She is a brilliant singer and interpreter of music. The band rocked with her sexy, funny, warm vibe. Would see it again in a heartbeat!”
— Deb McGrath
“One of the most impressive Canadian recordings in year.”
— Billboard Magazine
“Lands clearly brings to mind Norah Jones, at other moments reminds us of Sade… bewitching… Wendy Lands may well become your next favourite singer.”
— Voici Quebec
“Our audience was thoroughly enchanted with Wendy Lands. Her talent and charismatic energy filled the theatre.”
— Eli Lukawitz Marketing and Sponsorship Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts
In the studio
Heart meets soul, meets like-minds…and together we make something out of nothing.
On Stage…
Anything can happen. It’s the nights that I stay in the moment listening to every note that’s played by my brilliant collaborators and respond without thinking - just feeling my way from phrase to phrase, emotion to emotion, note to note. Those are the nights that live on forever in my memory.
“Honest, sexy, painful, funny, and glamorous. She pinned us to the moment.”
-Kate Ashby, Kate Ashby Academy
Video Gallery
You can stream most of my music on Spotify and other streaming services, or you can go old school and order an autographed CD.
Wendy Lands Sings At The Ladies Jazz Fest in Gdynia, Poland.
I Like To Time Travel…
What The World Needs Now With Wendy Lands.
Join Juno-nominated singer/actor Wendy Lands and husband, Jim Gillard, for a Theatrical concert of vintage pop songs from the swingin’ ’60s into the sweet and soulful ’70s.
It's a time trip that's part historical, part autobiographical, and part prime time ’60's tv special starring Wendy Lands, backed by her killer five-piece band.
Lands has employed all her talents as a writer, director, and performer to intimately tell the story of her earliest memories of the era, creating a personal yet universal narrative, through storytelling, and weaving monologues in between vintage songs made famous by Dusty, Dionne, Petula, and more!
Plan to come prepared to play - there's plenty of audience participation.
“The stories and songs are so movingly woven together. There are beautiful moments of intimacy and touching, revealing stories that invite the audience in to find their own memories of that music and that time. I highly recommend this show!”
-Margaret Evans Associate Producer
CROW’S THEATRE Toronto