A Seat at God’s Table with Elenee

From her early faith to the seasons that shaped her most, Elenee, our Artist of the Month for February, has had a journey that reflects honesty and trust in God’s gentle leading. In this interview, Elenee shares about music as a lifeline, the beauty of representing Indigenous voices in Canadian Christian music, and learning to trust what's already been planted instead of forcing what's next. There’s a quiet reverence in the way she speaks, mirroring the kind of worship that doesn’t rush, but remains attentive to God’s presence.

Music has been a part of your life since such a young age. When did you first realize it wasn’t just a passion, but a calling from God? 

Elenee: There’s something profound about carrying a passion you can’t imagine life without. From a very young age, I always sensed that music would intersect with my life in some way. Growing up in church with my grandparents, there were moments even early on where I could feel God gently directing my steps, planting seeds long before I fully understood what they would become.

If I could sit across from my nine-year-old self and tell her all that God has done through music so far, I don’t think she’d believe it. And the fact that, after all these years, I’m still clinging to my faith, still trusting, still saying yes, honestly feels just as miraculous.

You’ve shared that songwriting became a way to process and heal. How has God met you in those vulnerable moments of creation? 

Elenee: I’ve never been someone who can write just for the sake of writing, which is probably a terrible trait to have when you’re pursuing songwriting as a profession (ha!). I’ve always been most alive creatively when I’m writing from a place of inspiration, or processing something real in my studio.

Looking back, I don’t think that’s a coincidence. I truly believe God designed me this way because I would need creativity as a lifeline, a sacred space to process trauma, grief, and the harder seasons of life, including my own battles with mental health. In those vulnerable moments of creation, God meets me gently, often saying very little, but offering presence, clarity, and healing through the act of making something honest.

As a proud Métis citizen with Greek heritage, how has your cultural identity shaped your perspective as an artist and have there been any particular challenges or rewarding moments along the way?

Elenee: I wouldn’t say there’s a direct or obvious correlation between my cultural identity and my music in the way people might expect. I don’t sing traditional songs tied specifically to my Métis or Greek heritage. What I do carry deeply, though, are the generational lessons that come with that identity.

Growing up in the home of an addict, a reality rooted in generational trauma for many, shaped the way I see the world, faith, and healing. By God’s grace, that cycle ended with me. My music has become a place where that healing is processed and reflected back into the world. That “something to be said” is being written into songs, sung in churches, and played on radio stations across the globe, a testimony of redemption, resilience, and hope.

What does it mean to you to represent Canada, especially Indigenous voices, within the Christian music space?

Elenee: First and foremost, it’s an honour. Representing Canada, and Indigenous voices in particular, carries a deep sense of responsibility and gratitude for me. I want to be the best version of myself as I stand on behalf of the generations who came before me, and that means doing the work of healing so I can live and lead with integrity. Ultimately, my hope is that my life and music would point the next generation toward Jesus, not just through what I say, but through how I live.

When you’re producing your own music, what part of the process energizes you the most and what part pushes you to grow?

Elenee: The most energizing part of producing music for me is the moment when the song’s sonic fingerprint starts to come together. When the sound and the message finally lock in, that marriage between what you’re hearing and what you’re feeling, there’s truly nothing like it.

The area that’s pushed me to grow the most has been vocal production. I’m a natural soprano and came up learning harmonies in a church and worship-leading context, but the studio demands a completely different level of precision and intention. I’ve been incredibly grateful to learn in real time from some of the best vocal producers I know: Chris Hardy, Kaégan, and Landry Cantrell, whose mentorship has stretched me in the best ways.

Your self-titled album earned major recognition, including a JUNO nomination. Looking back, how did that moment shape or stretch you as an independent Christian artist?

Elenee: Interestingly, some of those incredible moments shaped me into someone I didn’t really like. Success has a way of subtly cultivating entitlement, pride, and a version of yourself that doesn’t reflect Christ very well.

If I’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that I don’t want to be known for accolades, accomplishments, or the hardware on my shelf. I want to be known as someone who radiates Christ; someone who is deeply content, faithful in the small things, and marked by the fruit of the Spirit. My prayer is that others would encounter Jesus not through my achievements, but through a life that invites them to “taste and see” what He’s like.

You’ve been pouring into other Christian artists through the Canadian Christian Artist Accelerator. What moments have encouraged you the most?

Elenee: I’m deeply encouraged when I get to walk alongside other artists and share in their journeys. Seeing what God is doing in this generation, especially the sincere hunger for something real and rooted, has been incredibly life-giving for me.

Getting to offer practical steps, honest advice, and open doors without gatekeeping is what brings me the most joy. Watching artists grow in confidence, clarity, and calling reminds me that we’re better when we build together.

What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you earlier in your career?

Elenee: Don’t try to force a seat at tables God never intended for you to sit at. His plans for you are far greater than anything you could gain from proximity, validation, or opportunity that isn’t meant for you.

Do any of the songs in your covers project hold a personal memory or season of faith for you?

Elenee: Every. Single. One. We were very intentional about every song that made it to the final album list and I’m eager to see how listeners respond!

“Draw Me Close” is such a well-loved worship song. How did you approach making it your own while still honouring the heart of the original?

Elenee: The process for this one was actually pretty hilariously unremarkable. Within about fifteen minutes, I had a simple piano track, a vocal, and an ambient pad. There was nothing fancy about it at all, and I had no idea it would resonate, let alone go viral!

I think what connected with people was the honesty and vulnerability in the vocal. That’s always how I approach my stylistic choices: I want the song to feel less performative and more prayerful. My goal was to honour the heart of the original by creating space for stillness, intimacy, and genuine connection with God, and I think listeners really felt that.

Would you describe your worship style as intimate and contemplative or, energetic and expressive?

Elenee: Definitely intimate and contemplative.

What’s one lyric that’s been stuck in your heart lately?

Elenee: It’s a verse from an old Hillsong worship song that we sang lots in my childhood church:

“Father I see that You are drawing a line in the sand

I wanna be standing on your side, holding your hand

So let Your kingdom come, let it live in me

This is my prayer, this is my plea.”

As you prepare to release brand-new music, how do you feel God is inviting you to grow or step deeper in faith this season?

Elenee: I’ve become weary of striving… Of trying to make things happen in my own strength and on my own timeline. This season, especially through the worship covers project, God has been intentionally slowing me down and inviting me to plant my roots deeper in Him.

While some of these songs are more modern, many of them are woven into my childhood. Returning to them has felt like an open invitation to remember and relearn those “song prayers” that have carried so many of us through different seasons of faith. At this moment, God is teaching me to trust the depth of what’s already been planted, rather than rushing toward what’s next.

If she could sit across from her nine-year-old self now, Elenee isn’t sure she’d believe the story God has written. One of healing, the breaking of generational cycles, and a life that continues to point back to Jesus. Her music reflects that same faith, not just in what is sung, but in how it’s lived. Her story invites us to slow down and trust what God is already growing. 

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