After a decade or so of existing in the purgatory state of meme fodder, it seems as if early-’00s commercial pop-punk artists like Avril Lavigne are having a bit of a resurgence while the bold fashion statements they once made find new life among Gen Z. Which makes now the perfect time to get reacquainted with songwriters like Fefe Dobson who may never have reached Avril’s level of ubiquity (here in the States, at least), but who helped carry the radio power-pop torch throughout the decade until her final LP in 2010.
Yet Dobson’s new comeback record EMOTION SICKNESS sounds less like a nostalgia trip and more like the product of a musician who’s kept up to date on the quickly evolving conventions of pop-punk, the record’s nine tracks incorporating vibrant electronic sounds and ambitious emotional climaxes in equal measure. Without sacrificing the rebellious attitude and melodic flare heard on her self-titled debut album of two decades ago, the record feels like a proper reinvention of a MySpace-era artist for the TikTok era.
Now based in Nashville, Dobson’s been celebrating the record’s September release with a string of dates in her native Canada, which wrap up at the end of the week. Before then, she took the time to share a dozen of the local Canadian musicians who’ve inspired her over the years, from 2000s heavyweights like Lavigne and Nelly Furtado to more current names such as EKKSTACY and current tourmates The Jins. Check out her playlist and writeups for each song below, and find her remaining tour dates here.
Nelly Furtado, “Try”
Nelly is such an incredible, genuine human being. I love her dearly. She’s an amazing writer and she has truly inspired me for years. “Try” is such a beautiful ballad. The melody in the chorus always chokes me up. I feel her truth and her heart pouring out in this song.
Alanis Morrisette, “Ironic”
The first time I saw this music video it blew my mind. Watching her sing her feelings at the top of her lungs made me wanna do the same—unapologetically.
Avril Lavigne, “Girlfriend”
Whenever this song comes on I find myself instantly jumping around. It’s playful and so much fun. Super tongue-in-cheek, which I love. She’s the motherfuckin’ princess!
Bryan Adams, “Heaven”
I was torn with what Bryan Adams song I would put on this list. I’d say “Heaven” is undeniable. It gets me all in my feelings. The melodies are perfection. He’s such an unbelievable writer.
EKKSTACY, “i just want to hide my face”
I absolutely love this song. It’s so raw and emotional. The whole album is killer and feels super honest! I got to see this band live in Nashville back in the summer and I was completely taken by them. Really impressed with their live show!
Savannah Ré, “Solid”
I love Savannah so much, and her voice in this song is so romantic. She delivers with such honesty. A glass of wine and this track is like a perfect moment for me.
Celine Dion, “That’s the Way It Is”
Again, hard to choose which Celine song. This track just makes me feel all hopeful and super nostalgic. I always have to sing it at full volume. I saw her in concert in Nashville and started bawling my eyes out before she even hit the stage. I’ve always been and always will be a Celine Dion fan.
Shania Twain, “Any Man of Mine”
I mean, these lyrics basically outline everything I need in a man [laughs]. Sometimes you just gotta spell out what you need—or in this case, sing it out. Actually, this should probably be my next karaoke song! I had the pleasure of meeting Shania last summer and seeing this song performed live was a goosebump moment. Avril and I were side-stage belting it out.
Lee Aaron, “Whatcha Do to My Body”
I had the honor of performing this song with Lee Aaron for the Canadian Rock of Fame recently and I just adore her. She’s such a badass! This song makes me want to flip my hair in all sorts of ways.
K-OS, “Man I Used to Be”
He’s my bro! I have been jamming to this song a bunch recently. There’s something about this song that makes me really reflect on life...there’s so much soul. I find myself getting emotional listening to it. I’m always discovering new things with it, too, like little production moments that are super rad. And the lyrics are just so good. This song is definitely a classic.
Tyler Shaw, “Out of Sight”
Tyler is a big name in Canada and is starting to spread his wings internationally. He’s been a friend of mine for many years, and I just think he’s a really promising songwriter and this song is just so amazing. Back in 2020, Tyler and I joined forces to pull together an incredible line up of Canadian talent who all contributed to a charity single cover of “Lean on Me” by the late Bill Withers.
The Jins, “She Said”
My tourmates on The Shut Up and Kiss Me Tour. Love these guys! They have that indie rock band vibe. It’s very Nirvana-esque.
