Tanya Davis



Tanya Davis is a Canadian poet and singer-songwriter. Her style is marked primarily by spoken word poetry set to music.

Life
Born in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, she moved to Ottawa for a time after high school to attend university, and then hitchhiked to British Columbia, where she worked in community development

She moved to Halifax, where she is now based, in 2005.

Musical career
Shortly after moving to Halifax, Davis began performing spoken word poetry at various cafés in the city. She soon recorded an album, Make a List, which was nominated for Female Recording of the Year, Alternative Recording of the Year and Album of the Year at the Nova Scotia Music Awards, along with a nomination for Davis herself as New Artist of the Year, as well as four nominations for the MusicPEI Awards. She was named poet of the year in The Coast's annual year-end reader's poll for 2007.

She followed up with Gorgeous Morning in 2008.

She has toured across Canada and internationally as a poet and musician, both as a solo artist and with Jenn Grant.

Davis attracted international press attention in 2010 when a performance video of her poem "How to Be Alone" became popular on YouTube. She subsequently released her third album, Clocks and Hearts Keep Going, in November 2010. The album was produced by Jim Bryson.

Personal
Davis has stated in the press that she identifies as queer: My sexuality is as fluid as my creativity. I don't sit firmly in the category of lesbian, but I don't sit firmly in poet or songwriter either. I love people for people. I think the way I love is queer.

Recognition
In 2011 she was named the Mayor's Poet Laureate for Halifax Regional Municipality.

Publications
Davis authored a book of poetry titled At First, Lonely in spring 2011, published by Canadian publisher The Acorn Press.

Discography

 * Make a List (2006)
 * Gorgeous Morning (2008)
 * Clocks and Hearts Keep Going (2010)

Musical career
Shortly after moving to Halifax, Davis began performing spoken word poetry at various cafés in the city. She soon recorded an album, Make a List, which was nominated for Female Recording of the Year, Alternative Recording of the Year and Album of the Year at the Nova Scotia Music Awards, along with a nomination for Davis herself as New Artist of the Year, as well as four nominations for the MusicPEI Awards. She was named poet of the year in The Coast's annual year-end reader's poll for 2007.

She followed up with Gorgeous Morning in 2008.

She has toured across Canada and internationally as a poet and musician, both as a solo artist and with Jenn Grant.

Davis attracted international press attention in 2010 when a performance video of her poem "How to Be Alone" became popular on YouTube. She subsequently released her third album, Clocks and Hearts Keep Going, in November 2010. The album was produced by Jim Bryson.

Personal
Davis has stated in the press that she identifies as queer: My sexuality is as fluid as my creativity. I don't sit firmly in the category of lesbian, but I don't sit firmly in poet or songwriter either. I love people for people. I think the way I love is queer.

Publishing
Davis authored a book of poetry titled At First, Lonely in spring 2011, published by Canadian publisher The Acorn Press.

Discography

 * Make a List (2006)
 * Gorgeous Morning (2008)
 * Clocks and Hearts Keep Going (2010)