Grunge is usually a boy's club. Yet, something about the music's rugged imperfection and dark subject matter always captivated Smaise. And with a widely varying taste in music she is also strongly rooted in early jazz, and folk, metal and rock and roll from the 60’s, 70’s and 90's. Weaving soulful melodies and driven guitar tones amidst moody grooves, Smaise delivers to you her own brand of Grunge.
SMAISE is an accomplished singer, songwriter, music collaborator and music teacher. Along side her solo project, she is also 1/3rd of 70’s throw back, Stoner Folk band Sound of the Sun.
With her bandmates in S.O.T.S., she sang background vocals on former TOTO frontman Jean Michel-Byron’s new album (TBA). As well as background vocals and keys for Vancouver Prog Rock band Trailight’s second album ‘The Primitive Mountain’, featuring Dave Padden on vocals (formerly of Annihilator) and Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums (Devon Townsend Project.)
A highlight of her career was performing the internationally acclaimed Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival with Sound of the Sun just outside of her hometown of Nelson, BC. A festival she imagined herself performing at as a little girl dancing in the water by the floating stage!
SMAISE grew up performing. Whether singing, acting or dancing she was always putting on a show. Starting her training early, she took up piano lessons at the age of 8. Though she wasn’t too keen to stick to any kind of formal structure. Smaise would pick a song she wanted to learn and learn it. It didn’t matter if it was “out of her skill set” or not. At age 12 she began singing lessons, and at age 14 she began to learn the guitar.
While attending a performing arts high school, Smaise had the opportunity to refine her performance skills, and star in many musical theatre productions. During that time she was also a soloist in the internationally acclaimed Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble - the oldest and largest Israeli folk dance ensemble in North America. With a love for singing, Smaise chose to further her musical education in the B.C. Mountains at Selkirk College. She earned two diplomas in Contemporary and Jazz Vocal Performance and Directed Studies.
Smaise and her two best friends Karli Rose Macintosh and Jenna Earle formed Sound of the Sun after relocating to Vancouver, BC in 2009. She also began singing background vocals for many local Vancouver bands, including Peak Performance Top 20 artist Tea Petrovic, Kathy Frank and Mudfunk to name a few.
SMAISE is currently working on her first solo EP. She is also working on a full length album with her band Sound of the Sun.