Alyssa ‘Monique’ Dupuis grew up in West Montrose, Ontario, a rural farm community just west of Toronto. Monique was raised in a home by a father whose omnivorous love of music filtered down to her at an early age. At only 12 years old she was playing bass and singing in the familial band. This would lead into what would become years of self-directed music study, digging into country and classic rock before heading full steam toward polished pop firebrands such as Michael Jackson, Shania Twain, Britney Spears & Prince. As a bassist she explored the rhythms and groovy fretwork of jazz and funk musicians. By high school, inspired by the melodic vocal stylings of bands like ABBA and the piercingly personal lyrics of artists like Taylor Swift, Monique began considering her own voice as a singer songwriter.
Eventually this consideration would bring her to the Jazz Vocal program at Mohawk College in Hamilton. It was here she embarked upon an odyssey of self-discovery, engaging with concepts of spirituality, faith and interconnectedness. During this period Monique attended a Prince concert that would forever alter her artistic values and perspective. The experience galvanized a deep desire within her to connect to the world through music and performance. Monique has been steadfast in this pursuit, building relationships with audiences all over Canada. Her diverse talents facilitate a multitude of opportunities, both as a freelance instrumentalist and vocalist in support of some of Toronto’s top acts and as the leader of a number of her own musical projects.
In 2024 Monique is charting a path forward with more intention and a focus on self-expression with her debut album, Don’t Waste Away a Dream coming out October 16, 2024 – an anthology of semi-autobiographical songs with one track paying tribute to her comedian partner & his relentless quest to make her smile. The collection also conveys a sense of nostalgia for her roots in alternative pop with the participatory, audience-first ethos being the thrust of Monique’s songwriting philosophy. Her aim is to distill her many influences into a gorgeous meeting of music and message with the singular objective of drawing an audience into her heart as well as onto her dance floor.