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Holly McNarland

b. 1975

Canadian musician, singer and songwriter (born 1975)

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About Holly McNarland

Born 1975. Holly McNarland is a Canadian singer, singer-songwriter and musician.

Holly McNarland (born 23 October 1975) is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter, prominent in the 1990s.

Career Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, McNarland's background is Métis. She moved to Vancouver, British Columbia in the early 1990s.

She released her debut EP Sour Pie independently in 1995,

Stuff, her full-length debut album, was released in 1997. The album's most successful single was "Numb", which reached the Canadian top 10.

At the 1998 Juno Awards, she won the Best New Solo Artist category, and was nominated for Best Alternative Album for Stuff and Best Video for "Elmo".

She collaborated with Matthew Good on the song "Flight Recorder From Viking 7" from the album Loser Anthems.

Following Stuff, McNarland ended up taking an unplanned five-year hiatus from music after marrying videographer Jay Mirus and giving birth to her first child. She returned in with the album Home Is Where My Feet Are, released on June 11, 2002. The album was supported by a tour, with Emm Gryner performing as the opening act, and received several Western Canadian Music Award nominations in 2003 including Outstanding Pop Recording, Outstanding Producer (Malcolm Burn) and Outstanding Songwriter.

She then provided backing vocals on the track "Wishing You Would Stay" on The Tea Party's 2004 album Seven Circles, and again collaborated with Good on "Pony Boy", one of the new songs on his 2005 greatest hits package In a Coma. In 2004, she was also one of the performers at that year's National Aboriginal Achievement Awards.

She followed up in 2007 with the album Chin-Up Buttercup, and in 2012 with Run Body Run.

She collaborated with Matt Good once again on his cover of Kate Bush's song Cloudbusting on his 2015 album Chaotic Neutral.

Discography

Studio albums Stuff (1997) Home Is Where My Feet Are (2002) Chin-Up Buttercup (2007) Run Body Run (2012)

Live and compilation albums Live at the Great Hall (DVD) (2003) The Komrade Sessions (iTunes release in 2006, digital release only)

EPs Sour Pie (1995, re-released in 1996) Live Stuff (1999) The Komrade Sessions (2006)

Singles "Mr. 5 Minutes" (1995) "Numb" (1997) – No. 9 CAN "Elmo" (1997) "Coward" (1998) "Beautiful Blue" (2002) - No. 25 CAN "Do You Get High?" (2002) "Losing My Face" (2002) "Watching Over You" (2003) "So Cold" (2003) "Every Single Time" (2007)

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Important facts

People in Holly McNarland's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Holly McNarland's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Holly McNarland?

Canadian musician, singer and songwriter (born 1975)

When was Holly McNarland born?

Holly McNarland was born on 23 October 1975 in The Pas.

What is Holly McNarland's occupation?

Holly McNarland is a singer, singer-songwriter and musician.

What nationality is Holly McNarland?

Holly McNarland is Canadian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Holly McNarland

· Wikidata: Q5882179

· DBpedia: Holly McNarland

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Holly McNarland. https://biography.guide/holly-mcnarland/

MLA: "Holly McNarland." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/holly-mcnarland/.

Chicago: "Holly McNarland." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/holly-mcnarland/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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