Capital Music Awards — Dossier de candidature

Chantal Hackett

Éducateur·trice musical·e de l’année

Aperçu du (de la) candidat·e (biographie, présentation, etc.)

Chantal Hackett didn't set out to build a business. She set out to build a home for Ottawa's voices. Born into a proud Francophone family, her roots are deeply embedded in this city's bilingual identity — an instinct that has grown into Sing House Studios (SHS). What began as a personal mission has evolved into a powerhouse bilingual music community that actively serves hundreds of students, having shaped and inspired thousands of voices across the capital over the last two decades. From young children finding their first notes to working professionals refining their lifelong craft, SHS provides an ongoing, generational home for music. This massive community impact is driven by a robust, multi-tiered professional infrastructure. SHS is anchored by a dedicated team of 12 certified permanent coaches who provide consistent, long-term artistic mentorship. To foster the next generation, Chantal employs 10 to 20 specialized youth workers who run immersive music camps, dynamic youth programming, and vital community outreach projects. Furthermore, SHS maintains an active roster of 25 elite on-call coaches, bringing in top-tier industry experts for masterclasses, specialized vocal training, and intensive artist development workshops. Over the years, this ecosystem has proudly also hired hundreds of independent artists to host specialized workshops, creating a combined force that makes SHS a major independent employer and a critical pillar in the local arts economy. Chantal is its heartbeat.

Présentation du programme ou de l’approche pédagogique

What makes SHS different isn't a rigid, transactional curriculum. It's a philosophy of deep mentorship, real-world preparation, and pure, infectious joy. Chantal has never believed in a cold or intimidating approach to music education. Mirroring the bright, vibrant colors of the Sing House logo, the studio's environment is intentionally built to be fun, positive, and deeply social. Students are completely immersed in a community where they are making lifelong friends and having so much fun that they don't even realize the depth of the technical skills they are mastering. Yet, beneath this joyful atmosphere is a framework of real substance. Chantal doesn't believe in the "magic pill" version of music education that promises overnight results or treats students like passing statistics. Instead, through high-energy engagement, she teaches the slow, deeply satisfying work of building something real. Her students don't just learn music; they build friendships, find their confidence, and learn the character required to sustain a beautiful life in the arts. That means performing. A lot. For over two decades, Chantal and her students have taken the stage three to four times every single month. These are intentional, high-stakes community events with an immense social impact. Through relentless volunteer hours, dedicated staffing, and sponsored live entertainment assets, Chantal and her students have supported major charity events across the capital, helping local non-profits collectively raise millions of dollars over the course of 20 years. SHS has proudly lent its voice and production support to critical initiatives, providing entertainment for vital locations like the Ronald McDonald House, CHEO Children's Hospital, and countless grassroots fundraisers. By partnering directly with local music shops for instruments and sheet music, Chantal creates a seamless bridge from the classroom straight to public performance spaces, giving rising artists their very first opportunities to shine. Chantal leads from the front, living the exact reality she teaches. Famously, in December 2025 — while 37 weeks pregnant — she performed with her own band at the Ottawa Christmas Market Tree Lighting at Lansdowne in front of 8,000 people. Her daughter is now a thriving part of a musical household, surrounded by a mother who simply doesn't know how to quit.

Lien vers site web (vidéo, plateforme, etc.) (optionnel)

www.singhousestudios.ca, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZAY8vQyQcY

Extraits de matériel (guides, pamphlets, aides pédagogiques, etc.)

Résumé de l’impact des activités pédagogiques

While actively employing dozens of staff, SHS routinely pours resources back into the Ottawa creative economy by hiring local photographers, videographers, and studio rehearsal spaces. The studio's cultural impact reaches the absolute highest levels of the nation. SHS powerhouse student Julianna Labelle perfectly embodies the studio's core mission: to sing for the mere purpose of spreading joy in the world, knowing that industry success follows hard work, timing, and heart. This July 1st, Julianna will achieve the ultimate civic honor, performing the National Anthem for the Prime Minister at Canada's official Canada Day celebrations. This monumental achievement stands alongside an incredible wave of immediate local success. Current Capital Music Awards nominee Elizabeth Royall started her journey at Sing House Studios, where we spent many years shaping her foundational talent. In a beautiful testament to the studio's multi-generational legacy, Elizabeth's development was later continued by fellow SHS graduate, The Launch winner, and Sony artist Michelle Treacy. Furthermore, prior nominee and SHS graduate Nayana is set to open for global superstars Sheryl Crow and Ella Langley at RBC Bluesfest this very summer. These historic breakouts are the direct product of a stable mentorship pipeline that has seen SHS alumni appear on RBC Bluesfest stages for ten consecutive years, alongside La Voix winner Sophie Grenier, Nickelodeon's Jayd Deroché, and rising national forces like Erica Brighthill and Talia Aoude. Yet, Chantal is just as fiercely proud of the transformative wellness benefits that happen quietly within the studio walls. At SHS, music is a tool for life; Chantal routinely celebrates profound success stories where vocal training has radically enhanced students' public speaking skills, shattered crippling stage fright, built lifelong confidence, or provided the emotional sanctuary an adult needed to get through a difficult year. Her strict "No-Niche" policy ensures that SHS remains a safe haven where everyone belongs — from shower singers to national recording artists. When the pandemic threatened local arts, Chantal didn't hit pause — she expanded. Virtual coaching reached clients worldwide, proving that the music community she built wasn't just tied to a physical building; it was tied to the people. This enduring impact earned SHS a spot among only 70 businesses nationwide selected for a Google Business Summit in Toronto this past February, alongside a Forty Under 40 Award, the RGA Micro-Enterprise Award, and a place on Canada's 150 Leading Women list. First and foremost, Chantal is a working, gigging Ottawa artist who teaches exactly what she lives. But over twenty years in, she is just getting started. Looking to the future, Chantal's ultimate goal is to scale and franchise the Sing House Studios model nationally, bringing a sanctuary to every community. Her vision is to build a country-wide network of inclusive, accessible spaces where working artists are securely employed, and where students of ALL genres, ALL levels, and ALL ages can fearlessly discover their true voice and musical ability — whether mastering an instrument or refining their vocals, while building lifelong memories and friendships along the way.