By Leroy Graham

It’s been seven years since Canadian artist Fefe Dobson’s last studio album, but she hopes that fans will once again fall in love with her unique sound on the release of Joy, her most recent musical effort.

For Dobson, the last seven years have been filled with ups and downs, as she was dropped and then resigned to her label, and experienced many failed personal relationships. Yet, through it all, she’s used her obstacles as steps to joy and maturity. “It’s really weird, because this ‘joy’ refers to the love of the human anatomy. It’s the joy you get from someone’s body,” Dobson recently told interviewers. “I thought that it would be cool to name the album Joy because of the emotion. I’m also very joyful in general. As I was recording this album, I was feeling great. I am really excited about the future.”

The album is a rich tapestry of sounds and emotions, showcasing Dobson’s strong songwriting and musical talents. Her music still has elements of the rebellious teenager that fans may remember, but they are also soaked in the optimistic soul of their author and her enduring artistic spirit.

After all of her trials, Dobson seems to have found a safe space in her music. “Music is my life,” she says. “I would never give up. I don’t know what somebody would have to do to make me give up on my dreams. The minute I understood things as a baby, I knew I wanted to sing. If I’m going to give up on myself, nobody’s going to believe in me either. I’m never going to give up on myself.”

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