Breagh Isabel
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Breagh Isabel
| image =
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| instrument = Vocals, guitar
| genre =
| occupation = Songwriter, performer, recording artist
| years_active = 2009–present
| label =
| associated_acts = Classified, Port Cities, Gordie Sampson, David Myles, Dave Sampson
| website = http://www.breaghisabel.com/
}}
Breagh MacKinnon (born 1991), known professionally as Breagh Isabel, is a Canadian recording artist, songwriter, and producer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She has written for a variety of Canadian artists, including Banners, Donovan Woods, Classified, and Ria Mae.
Life and career
Born into a musical family on Cape Breton Island, Isabel began writing songs in high school.{{cite web |url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/community/cape-breton/1221790-sydney-musician-and-student-receives-fred-sherratt-award-for-outstandi |title=Sydney musician and student receives Fred Sherratt award for outstanding achievement |work=thechronicleherald.ca |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |date=2 July 2014 |access-date=27 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228042215/http://thechronicleherald.ca/community/cape-breton/1221790-sydney-musician-and-student-receives-fred-sherratt-award-for-outstandi |archive-date=28 December 2016 |url-status=dead }} In college, she majored in jazz piano performance, while writing and recording music of her own.{{cite web |url=http://www.newsong-music.com/2013/10/qa-with-newsong-contest-finalist-breagh-mackinnon/ |title=Q&A with NewSong Contest Finalist Breagh Mackinnon |work=newsong-music.com |date=10 October 2013 |publisher=NewSong, LLC |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |accessdate=7 December 2016}} In 2015, Isabel, still performing as Breagh MacKinnon, teamed up with fellow singer-songwriters Dylan Guthro and Carleton Stone to form the band Port Cities.{{cite web |url=http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2015/01/14/halifax-musicians-put-solo-careers-aside-join-forces-for-new-band-port-cities.html |last=Thompson |first=Aly |title=Halifax musicians put solo careers aside, join forces for new band Port Cities |work=metronews.ca |publisher=Metro Halifax |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |date=14 January 2015 |access-date=27 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029101744/http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2015/01/14/halifax-musicians-put-solo-careers-aside-join-forces-for-new-band-port-cities.html |archive-date=29 October 2015 |url-status=dead }} In 2016, the band was signed to Turtlemusik and Warner Music.
Port Cities' debut album, produced by Gordie Sampson, was released on February 10, 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/port-cities-mackinnon-stone-guthro-music-1.3723874 |title=Port Cities features 3 friends with great vocal blend |website=CBC.ca |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |location=Ottawa, Ontario |date=16 August 2016}} That same year, the band took home five Nova Scotia Music Awards, winning Entertainer of the Year, Digital Artist of the Year, Group Recording of the Year, Pop Recording of the Year, and recording of the Year.{{cite web |url=https://www.thecoast.ca/TheScene/archives/2017/11/06/your-2017-music-nova-scotia-award-winners |last=Thorne |first=Tara |title=Your 2017 Music Nova Scotia award winners |work=thecoast.ca |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |date=6 November 2017}}
Isabel parted ways with the band in 2019, following the release of their single "Sorry," which was co-produced by Grammy-winning Canadian songwriter and producer Greg Wells.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sorry-mw0003333600/credits |title=Port Cities - "Sorry" - Credits |website=Allmusic |access-date=April 16, 2020}}
Isabel made her production debut in 2020, co-producing the single "Missing Me" by Jocelyn Alice and Mathew V, released in 604 Records. In the spring of 2020, under the name Breagh Isabel, she featured as a recording artist and co-writer on the single "Good News," by the award-winning Canadian rapper and producer Classified.{{cite web |url=https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/lifestyles/local-lifestyles/classified-to-share-good-news-with-new-music-and-social-media-campaign-437365/ |last=Cooke |first=Stephen|title=Classified to share Good News with new music and social media campaign |website=The Chronicle Herald |location=Halifax, Nova Scotia |publisher=SaltWire Network |date=April 14, 2020}} Within one year of its release, "Good News" became a certified Gold single (40.000 units sold), peaked at #23 on the Canadian Billboard Charts, and has since generated more than 10 million digital streams.{{cite web |url=https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=Classified&_gp_certification=gold-single |title=Gold & Platinum |website=Music Canada}}
Isabel is an out member of the LGBTQ community.{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8099558/donovan-woods-burn-that-bridge-video-pemiere-lgbtq/ |last=Daw |first=Stephen |title=Donovan Woods Features Gay Couple in Music Video & Talks LGBTQ Inclusivity in Country Music: "It's Really Frustrating" |work=billboard.com |location=New York, New York |date=February 14, 2018}} In June 2021, she released her debut solo single, "Girlfriends" and its accompanying music video. "Girlfriends" tells a story of two young girls' friendship-turned-romance.{{Cite web|last=Gregory|first=Allie|date=2021-06-04|title=Breagh Isabel Wants to Be "Girlfriends" on Debut Single {{!}} Exclaim!|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/breagh_isabel_debut_single_girlfriends_halifax|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-04|website=Exclaim!|language=en-ca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604145110/https://exclaim.ca/music/article/breagh_isabel_debut_single_girlfriends_halifax |archive-date=4 June 2021 }}
In 2020, Isabel joined the roster of Concord Music Publishing in Nashville, which has to led to her music being placed in major network promos (CBS, NBC, FOX), TV series (Grey's Anatomy, Virgin River, Sullivan's Crossing), and international marketing campaigns (Kia Motors, NSLC, Destination Cape Breton).{{cite web |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-ca/2021/04/10412323/greys-anatomy-season-17-music-hunnah-see-the-sun |last=Singh |first=Katherine |title=Meet The Canadian Musician Whose Song Closed Out An Epic Grey’s Anatomy Episode |website=www.refinery29.com |date=April 9, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.socanmagazine.ca/features/breagh-isabel-enjoys-that-sync-ing-feeling/ |last=Krewen |first=Nick |title=Breagh Isabel Enjoys That Sync-ing Feeling |website=www.socanmagazine.ca |date=October 23, 2024}} Her work as a songwriter and producer has earned accolades, including SOCAN Songwriter of the Year - Music Nova Scotia (2021), East Coast Music Award for Song of the Year (2022), and a Canadian Screen Award nomination for her work on the soundtrack of ''Dawn, Her Dad & the Tractor (2023).{{cite web |url=https://www.academy.ca/2023/rose-cousins/ |title=2023 Canadian Screen Awards: Nominee - Achievement in Music - Original Song |website=www.academy.ca |access-date=April 1, 2025}}
In 2023, Isabel began releasing music that has been featured in film or television under two side projects, Izzy Harlow and Sea Saint.
In September 2024, she released the single "Imposter," which reached number 6 on the CBC Top 20 chart and was featured in the LGBTQ film Lakeview, which premiered at the Halifax Film Festival in 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.socanmagazine.ca/features/breagh-isabel-enjoys-that-sync-ing-feeling/ |last=Krewen |first=Nick |title=Breagh Isabel Enjoys That Sync-ing Feeling |website=www.socanmagazine.ca |date=October 23, 2024}}
Selected discography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" style="width:160px;" | Title ! scope="col" | Artist(s) ! scope="col" style="width:180px;" | Album ! scope="col" | Credits |
|---|
| rowspan="3" |2016
|"Between Cities" |Hard Settle, Not Troubled |Writer |
| "I Don't Wanna Know"
|Ria Mae |Writer |
| "Learning to Love"
|Here and Now |Writer, Artist |
| 2017
|"Astronaut" |Port Cities |Writer, Artist |
| rowspan="5" |2018
|"Shots Fired" |Jodi Guthro |Single |Writer |
| "Burn That Bridge"
|Both Sides |Writer |
| "Red Light"
|My Love EP |Writer, Artist |
| "Montreal"
|Port Cities |Writer, Artist |
| "Idea of You"
|Port Cities |Writer, Artist |
| 2019
|"Sorry" |Port Cities |Writer, Artist |
| rowspan="4" |2020
|"Good News" |Classified, Breagh Isabel |Time EP |Writer, Featured Artist |
| "Missing Me"
|Jocelyn Alice, Mathew V |Single |Writer, Co-Producer |
| "King of Spades 2"
|T Thomason, Rose Cousins |Single |Writer, Co-Producer |
| "SOS"
|Margot Todd |Single |Writer, producer |
| rowspan="5" |2021
|"Girlfriends" |Breagh Isabel |Single |Writer, Artist |
| "The Bells Are Ringing"
|Single |Writer, Artist |
| "Some of Everything"
|Mint Simon |Single |Writer |
| "See the Sun"
|RAI, Hunnuh |Single |Writer, producer |
| "Winter Wonderland"
|Breagh Isabel |Single |Artist |
| rowspan="8" |2022
|"South Shore" |Moira and Claire |I'm Usually Not This Forward But |Producer |
| "The Old Me"
|Therapy |Writer |
| "Please Don't Go"
|Therapy |Writer / Co-Producer |
| "Lose You to Love Me" (cover)
|Ria Mae, Rose Cousins, Breagh Isabel |Single |Artist / Co-Producer |
| "If I Lost You"
|David Myles, Breagh Isabel |Single |Artist |
| "Keeps Me Going"
|Banners |I Wish I Was Flawless, I'm Not |Writer |
| "All About You"
|Classified, Brett Matthews, Breagh Isabel |Single |Artist |
| "When the Day Is Done"
|Marshall |Single |Producer |
| rowspan="3" |2023
|"Coming For You" |Adona, Sea Saint |Single |Artist/Writer/Producer |
| "Only an Island"
|The Big Bottle of Joy |Writer |
| "Ruinous Love"
|T Thomason |Single |Co-Producer |
| rowspan="3" |2024
|"Owner of a Lonely Heart" (cover) |Em Sherman, AG, Sea Saint |Single |Co-Producer, Artist |
| "Imposter"
|Breagh Isabel |Single |Artist/Writer |
| "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"
|Breagh Isabel |Single |Artist/Co-Producer |
| 2025
|"The Way" (cover) |Sea Saint, Rose Cousins |Single |Artist/Producer |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.breaghisabel.com/}}
- [https://open.spotify.com/artist/5nm8xNDJvPX3ncbw3TSaXs Breagh Isabel on Spotify]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Isabel, Breagh}}
Category:Canadian women singer-songwriters
Category:21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters