Shaye

In the opening years of the millennium, Canadians Damhnait Doyle, Tara MacLean, and Kim Stockwood joined forces as the earthy alt-rock trio Shaye. Each participant had already secured a firm footing in the domestic music industry. Stockwood had released her alt-rock album 12 Years Old in 1999. MacLean had obtained a recording contract with Capitol and performed at SXSW, while Doyle had earned multiple Juno nominations with her debut Shadows Wake Me.

The project originated when the three singers collaborated on a single track, “Beauty.” Pleased with the outcome, they chose to commit to a full-length recording. After enlisting producer Jay Joyce, they issued their debut album The Bridge in 2003. Its opening single, “Happy Baby,” received a SOCAN Award, a Canadian Radio Music Award, and a Juno nomination; the follow-up, “Beauty,” advanced to the Top 20 on the A/C charts.

After three years of touring and songwriting, the members reconvened in the studio during 2006 to complete their second album, Lake of Fire. Its title track reached number 13 on the Canadian charts shortly before the set appeared in early 2007.