Born and raised in Calgary, Bella White is the daughter of a native Virginia banjoist who instilled in his child a love of Appalachian folk, country, and bluegrass. She learned how to play music at an early age, writing her first song when she was seven. As a child she regularly attended folk festivals and music camps, branching outside traditional bluegrass as she became a teenager. As her adolescence progressed, so did her songwriting skills.
Just Like Leaving, her 2020 debut album, sounds as if it came from the Appalachian hills, not Canada. A close listen reveals that White wasn't a revivalist -- she bent old ways to suit herself, adapting Americana styles to fit her introspective and impassioned songwriting. White worked with producer Patrick M'Gonigle, a fiddle player in the Lonely Heartstring Band, to record her debut. Released on Rounder, the album helped establish her in Americana circles.
She decided to expand her musical purview for her second album, Among Other Things, working with Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty and Angel Olsen). Deemed a Best Folk and Americana Album of 2023 by Spotify, this record embodies an enchanting sound that matches the immense depth of White's inner world--an element brought to life by her lived-in exploration of complex themes. Recorded at Fivestar Studios in Topanga Canyon, the album featured several indie musicians, including Buck Meek of Big Thief and Drew Erikson (Lana Del Rey and Weyes Blood).
Following the success of Among Other Things, White released a covers EP, Five For Silver, in 2024 recorded in conjunction with her previous record. The five tracks that make up White's EP feature songs from contemporary writers who have had a huge influence on her including Neil Young, Ted Lucas, Lucinda Williams, Tweedy, and Emmylou Harris.
Her remarkable rise has seen her playing on some of the biggest stages, recently making her Grand Ole Opry debut, performing at SXSW, Stagecoach and Newport Folk Festival. White recently supported Tyler Childers, Dierks Bentley, Band of Horses, John Craigie, The Paper Kites, Ashley McBryde, The Teskey Brothers, and The Red Clay Strays.
