Welcome
Welcome to the Elizabeth Sheppard Music Website. I am a proud Mi'kmaw Folk/Pop Musician from Newfoundland, Canada. A Therapist by profession, I am a storyteller, passionate about wrapping stirring melodies with meaningful and empowering lyrics. I write songs about the complexity of relationships because life is messy but healing doesn't have to be. I'd love for you to learn more about who I am and the music I create. Oh yes, and I was THRILLED to be nominated for Indigenous Artist of the Year with Music NL 2025 and 2026!
As a songwriter it’s very validating when you get the acknowledgment that the song you lovingly created was special special to someone else too. I was excited to learn that my song So Long Gone was a semifinalist in the International Songwriting Competition 😊
Cool performances in 2026 included:
May 2026 performance at the Songs and Stories Stage at the Breton Craft House during the East Coast Music Awards in Sydney, Nova Scotia. It was an absolute blast! Thanks to everyone who came out to support me and I hope to be back next year for another showcase.
In July 2022 I played at the Codroy Valley Folk Festival on the beautiful west coast of Newfoundland. The people are incredible and it was so much fun!
Finally in August I opened up Showcase on da Rock in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland. It’s my third year playing this awesome festival because it’s just such a great experience…and being the first artist to play was very cool. Thanks to Dean and the gang for having me. Stay tuned for performance videos 😊
All About Me
Have you had a dream your entire life? I did. Like most little girls in the 1970s, I grew up singing into my hairbrush, watching myself in the mirror as I danced around the room to ABBA music. I was the Dancing Queen, too terrified to sing alone in front of others, but I dreamed of recording. I sang with my family and with choirs over the years, writing music that no one ever heard. Then one day, I had the opportunity to make my dream come true.
At the age of 52, in February 2022, I released my very first single Wooden House and my second Elmastukwek came 4 months later in June. I refer to Elmastukwek as a love letter to my childhood, growing up in Corner Brook- a community within my ancestral territory called The Bay of Islands. Elmastukwek (pronounced Ell-Moz-Tuh-Gweg) is the Mi'kmaw word for the Bay of Islands.
By 2024, things had changed in my life, and my musical voice was getting stronger. My experience as a therapist of 30+ years began to influence my lyrics, and my songs became empowering anthems for mental health and self-care. So Long Gone, Poor Little Boy, Mama and Here I Fall Again came to life under the brilliance of Robert John Kelly in his St John's studio, and three music videos with Centre City Media were also recorded, making me feel like a rock star!
In January 2026 I released I Wouldn't Know, a cool tune that tackles the age-old question...what would you do if the person who broke your heart wanted to try again? This tune has some great country guitar and fiddle licks too. May 17, 2026 I released my most important single, Wishes. A month earlier I lost my dearest friend to glioblastoma after a courageous 11 month battle at the age of 57 years. This song came from the deepest fear and anguish knowing there was nothing I could do to save him. I am so grateful that he was able to listen to it before he passed, and we played it at his celebration of life. If you've ever felt powerless to save someone you loved, this song is for you. Big thanks to my amazing producer Stephen Green for making it my best single yet! All my singles are available on Bandcamp, Spotify, Youtube, Apple Music and all other streaming platforms,
My message to everyone is to hold onto your dreams because is never too late. I hope to become an inspiration to my children and to all the dreamers out there. I invite you to follow me on my journey as I complete my first album❤️
