Sitting in the back of a darkened theatre during the 2024 CMAOntario Awards, you could feel the shift in the room when Elyse Saunders took the stage. It wasn't just the sequins or the stage lights. It was the undeniable gravity of an artist who has finally stopped asking for permission to be loud. She’s a firecracker in a genre that sometimes prioritizes politeness over personality, and her latest single "Dirt" is the smoking gun.
The track is a gritty, infectious piece of work that manages to feel both irreverent and deeply calculated. Saunders is currently digging into the fertile soil of the Canadian country scene, unearthing a sound that balances '90s nostalgia with a modern, unapologetic swagger. She has her boots planted firmly in the loam, and frankly, she isn't afraid to sling a little mud to get her point across.
But the polish on "Dirt" hides a sharper edge. When we talked about the genesis of the track, Saunders was candid about the friction that sparked the fire. She says, "I was going through something and wanted to turn the experience into something a little more light-hearted. We had a lot of fun playing around with the idea of dirt, like the dirt we walk on, and the dirt that we're working through in our personal lives. We had some good laughs coming up with some pretty fun stories that we thought would capture the comical side of what rumors can turn into. At the core of the message, it feels empowering to know that we're all working through our own problems and shouldn't worry too much about what other people might think, as they're all going through it too!"
It’s a clever pivot. Instead of a standard "haters gonna hate" anthem, she turns the microscope on the absurdity of the grapevine. The song works because it doesn’t take itself too seriously, even if the industry machinery behind it is dead serious.
Saunders’ sonic palette is a specific brew. It’s rooted in the golden era of '90s country—think big choruses and steel guitar—but it’s spliced with a contemporary pop sensibility that keeps it from feeling like a museum piece.
She explains her DNA plainly: "I was definitely influenced by '90s country and would also listen to a lot of other genres growing up. So now, whatever chapter I'm in, I love to bring a little bit of that outside influence to each of my songs, while holding onto the '90s country roots and values. Some of the icons I looked up to who were really good at that as well were Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, Maren Morris and Miranda Lambert."
The influence of Shania is particularly visible in her visual brand. There’s a certain theatricality to what Saunders does. But where some artists get lost in the costuming, she uses the lyrics of "Dirt" to ground the fantasy in something relatable. Gossip is a universal tax, and she pays it with a grin.
Saunders elaborates on the philosophy of the track, saying, "I wanted to paint the picture of how funny rumors can really be and believe that we're all dealing with our own fair share of life's dirt. It's important to embrace it and not worry about what others think as we're all going through it. At the end of the day, the only one that can judge your dirt is yourself, and God!"
The industry is already biting. The song was recently tapped as a top 10 Country finalist for the Nashville NSAI competition. That’s a heavy-hitter room to be in, and it validates her as a writer first and a performer second.
When the news hit, Saunders was visibly moved. She beams, "It's awesome to know that my music is making an impact. To know that people are relating to my music and it makes them feel something, is the biggest compliment to an artist and songwriter. My mission is to try and make this place a bit better by sharing music that not only means something to me, but I believe can help people in some way."
This isn't a one-off fluke, either. "Dirt" is riding the momentum of her early 2024 release "Never Have I Ever." That track didn't just rattle the cages of Canadian radio; it climbed to #6 on the Australian national radio airplay charts.
The Australian connection is an interesting play. There’s a shared rural DNA between the two countries that Saunders tapped into perfectly. She shares, "It was an amazing experience to see that happen. It was my first time releasing music to Australian radio and to know that they loved the song so much meant a lot. I knew that it was a special song the day that we wrote it and I had a feeling that it would do great things, but you never truly know what that looks like until it happens!"
And then there was the June 2024 win. Taking home Female Artist of the Year at the CMAOntario Awards is the kind of hardware that changes the conversation. It moves an artist from "rising star" to "incumbent power."
To know that people are relating to my music and it makes them feel something, is the biggest compliment to an artist and songwriter. My mission is to try and make this place a bit better by sharing music that not only means something to me, but I believe can help people in some way.
Reflecting on the trophy, she says, "It was an incredible night and a full circle moment for me. Female Artist of the Year is truly one of the highest honors and to know that my industry and music peers voted for me, really means a lot to me. As an independent artist, it's been a pile of work to get to this point in my journey and it gives me a boost to keep going and climbing towards more of the goals I want to reach."
The "independent" label is something she wears like a badge of honour. In an era where major labels are often hesitant to take risks on anything that doesn't already have 10 million TikTok followers, Saunders built her own house brick by brick.
She’s been on a tear lately, winning a CMAOntario Award last year along with three Mississauga Music Awards. She hasn't forgotten the hometown crowd that kept the lights on early in her career. She notes, "Video of the Year was my very first CMAOntario award, and to have the support of the Mississauga Music Awards these past several years means a lot to me. I grew up in the Mississauga music scene and have had a village of people rooting for me along the way, so to have them bring highlight to my work before the rest of the industry did was pretty special."
But the indie road eventually leads to partnerships if you want to scale. Her recent signing with Arts & Crafts Music Publishing is a major tactical move. Arts & Crafts is a label and publisher known for its indie-rock pedigree, and bringing a country powerhouse like Saunders into that fold suggests a desire to cross-pollinate.
She’s clearly ready for the next level of the game. She enthuses, "I was so excited to partner with this group as they are really passionate about the artists that they get behind! It should help me to continue collaborating with other artists and writers that I haven't had the opportunity to work with before, as well as put my music forward to sync in the TV and film world. Not only am I an artist but I'm also a songwriter, so this team will help to bring more attention to my catalog as a writer first as well as a recording artist."
The catalog is deeper than most people realize. Saunders has been grinding for a decade. It’s easy to look at the awards and the shiny videos and assume it was an overnight ascent, but the reality is much more industrial.
When things got lean, she leaned into her convictions. She reflects, "Faith, the love for what I do and refusal to take no for an answer. It's been incredibly challenging at times but I always knew that if I worked hard enough, the perseverance would pay off and I'm now getting the chance to experience the fruit. What I've come to know about this career path is that it not only shapes your work as a creator but as a person and I wouldn't be the same person I am today without music."
That personal evolution is visible in her music videos. They aren't just promotional clips; they are high-production short films that have found a home on CMT Australia and CMT Nashville. It’s a full-circle moment for a kid who used to play-act in her living room.
She says, "So cool! One of my favorite things was to watch music videos growing up and one of my favorite channels to do that was CMT. Music videos are a fun way to bring a song to life and there's so many ways you can do it. I loved it so much that I would create my own home-made music videos as a kid! Now getting to make professional music videos with other collaborators, I truly have a blast and I'm totally in my element!"
The next big test is the festival circuit. Saunders is slated to open the Front Porch Stage at Boots & Hearts on Saturday, Aug. 10. The festival, which runs from Aug. 8-11, is the ultimate proving ground for Canadian country talent.
Sharing a bill with heavyweights like Thomas Rhett and Matchbox Twenty is a daunting task, but Saunders seems more energized than intimidated. She shares, "Oh my gosh! I'm so excited for it. This year has been full of bucket list moments and this is another one of those. Just to be there playing their stage is super exciting to me and then to know that I'm helping to warm up the stage for Thomas Rhett and Matchbox Twenty is a pretty cool moment. The band and I have a fun show in the works and I'm looking forward to being there, seeing the Boots & Hearts fam, and taking in other shows."
The numbers back up the hype. With over four million streams, she has the data to prove she isn't just a regional curiosity. There is a genuine connection happening between her and the listeners.
She muses on that connection, saying, "I hope that people like the messages and sounds of my music. I try to keep it fresh and write about all kinds of things that I've experienced and I'm sure the biggest reason why they resonate with it is because it connects to who they are and their story in some way."
If there is a critique to be made, it’s that the production on "Dirt" occasionally leans so far into the pop-country shine that it threatens to obscure the very grit she’s singing about. It’s a minor quibble, but in the search for authenticity, sometimes less is more. However, in a live setting, that tension usually resolves itself through raw energy.
Saunders’ live reputation is built on that energy. She explains, "They can expect to hear a mixture of my hits, new songs that I'm sharing for the first time, as well as some cover songs that we like to put a spin on. I also love to create moments that include the audience and to make them feel like they're part of the show and just give people a good time. It's important to me that I give my audience that experience and that they get to know who I am a bit better too."
Her versatility extends beyond her own microphone. She has notched 16 outside cuts by other artists across various genres. It’s a side hustle that keeps her pen sharp and her ego in check.
She reveals her process for writing for others: "A big part of writing for others is when I get to know the artist. I usually like to look over their socials to get an overall sense of who they are and what makes them special and then I like to take some time at the beginning of the session to know what their life is like and what they are currently up to. Once I know that then I try to write from a place that I think resonates with them and their unique presence and story."
Living between Nashville and Canada gives her a unique vantage point. She sees the machinery of Music City but keeps her Canadian sensibilities intact. It’s a balancing act that many try and few master.
She observes, "I've been going back and forth to Nashville and Canada since the beginning of my career and it's definitely had an influence on my craft and set the bar for what I wanted to strive to be. As Nashville is the country music hub, I think it's important to be immersed in the scene and understand the culture. Because it's a city that never sleeps and breathes country music, I believe that there's a different quality of creativity and collaboration that exists and you can't help but be influenced by its electric energy."
For the independent musicians watching her ascent, Saunders is a case study in stubbornness. She doesn't sugarcoat the difficulty of the path, but she doesn't shy away from the rewards either.
Her advice is pragmatic: "I think it's so important to continue to develop your craft as a creator and embrace the business side of your work as they don't work without each other. Your why and purpose will be the reason that no's will never stop you and persistence does pay off. Just keep believing in you, keep learning and keep going! You'll get there!"
If "Dirt" is any indication, the future for Elyse Saunders involves a lot more digging, a lot more noise and a lot more hardware on the mantle. She isn't just playing the game; she’s rewriting the rules for what an independent country artist can achieve in the modern era. And she's doing it with a little bit of mud on her boots.
