has never sought to make music that exists in one lane. Formerly a member of Canadian duo Heartstreets, her move into a more pop/R&B angled arena has been marked by creative vitality and musical eclecticism.

New EP ‘Mirrors’ is out now, and it’s a radiant project, one marked by passion and a desire towards communication. A riveting vocalist, the lucid production creates softly beguiling sound palettes.

Real name Gab Godon, the Canadian artist is a real all-rounder, working as singer, songwriter, and producer during the sessions for ‘Mirrors’. Pulling from club spaces while still offering mediative down-tempo pop, the EP conjures an entire realm across its slim span.

CLASH spoke to Laroie about the albums that truly inspire her for our ongoing Foundations series.

Janet Jackson – ‘The Velvet Rope’ + ‘All For You’ 

When I think of the albums that have inspired me, I find myself thinking more about the artists than the records themselves. And when it comes to Janet Jackson, I can’t deny how much time I’ve spent listening to her music over the years. I can still picture the album cover propped up beside my little radio player.

I grew up listening to songs like ‘Together Again’ from ‘The Velvet Rope’, and I would play ‘Come On Get Up’, ‘All for You’, and ‘Doesn’t Really Matter’ from ‘All for You’ on repeat. Let’s just say a lot of choreographies were created, practiced, and performed over and over again.

Her sound has always felt rich and soulful to me, layered with a kind of warmth that makes me feel at home. Listening to her music feels less like nostalgia and more like returning to something familiar—something that has quietly shaped the way I hear and feel music to this day.

Kylie Minogue is such a dope and inspiring artist who really shaped the sonic palette of my musical world. I feel like it’s so obvious when I hear a track of hers like ‘In Your Eyes’ or ‘Come Into My World’. I can really notice, in the instrumentals and beats, the sounds, textures, and effects that are reflected in my own productions. That dance element that immediately draws you to the dancefloor is something I’ve always connected with. It’s that early 2000s sound that just embodies who I am!

I think part of me also looks up to Kylie Minogue because she’s one of those artists who had to push through an industry that didn’t always fully believe in her, support her, or trust her artistic vision. I love how bold and unapologetic she has remained throughout her career, almost like a new generation following in Madonna’s footsteps while creating a world completely her own. I find all of that very inspiring, and it really resonates with my own path as a singer-songwriter, especially in the way I like to play with different sonorities, textures, and influences and bring them together to create something that feels like my own.

Now, Cleo Sol is absolutely incredible, and her voice and powerful songwriting have really helped me move through grief and deep healing. She has this beautiful ability to incorporate her spirituality into her music in a way that feels liberating, soulful, and almost even sexy! Healing and connectivity become attractive through her work. They become something you can’t escape from, and there is something so powerful about that surrender.

Her album ‘Gold’ really accompanied me through moments when I didn’t have much clarity and needed to find myself again from within. There is something about the warmth and honesty of that record that helped me reconnect with myself and trust the process of moving through difficult emotions instead of running away from them.

I consider myself to be very spiritual, and I love to practice gratitude and openness, while continuously doing the work to heal, grow, move forward, and beyond. Cleo Sol has that precise, beautiful, almost magical energy and artistry that truly embodies all of that for me. Her music reminds me that vulnerability, spirituality, healing, and strength can all exist together, and that there is so much beauty and power in surrendering to the process.

Tems – ‘For Broken Ears’

Tems has probably been in my top three favorite artists for the last few years. There isn’t a song she puts out that I don’t automatically love and play on repeat. Her voice, her melodies, and the Afrobeats that shape her musical world really fall into the genres and sounds I naturally gravitate toward.

Being from Montreal, I experience really cold winters, and one thing I love to do when it’s cold af is listen to dancehall and Afrobeats because they instantly bring me warmth. It’s honestly hard for me not to want to wine and move my hips while walking down the street when I do! It brings me a little bit of sunshine and heat in the middle of winter. Tems is that and so much more! I love singing along with her and dancing to her rhythmic tracks.

I was finally able to see her perform live last year, and it was one of the best shows of my life! She hadn’t performed in Montreal before, so finally being in a venue surrounded by a community that, like me, had waited so long to see her felt like a transcending experience. We sang every single song—none were left behind. It felt intimate, powerful, and authentic, just like her music.

Qendresa – ‘Midnight Request Line’

I will never forget the day Qendresa came up on shuffle and her song ‘Don’t Stop’ started playing in my ears. I literally listened to it over and over again before sending it to a few of my close friends, who to this day still thank me for putting them on the Qendresa train.

Now, I really do love creating sexy music, and Qendresa is simply a natural at it. It’s like she can’t do otherwise, and I love that about her. I’ve been going to London every year for the past few years to develop my music project and continue building my journey, and I’m constantly drawn to all the talented and inspiring work coming out of the UK. Qendresa is one of those artists who made me feel even more connected to that part of the world, and I really relate to her journey.

We’re close in age, I think, and seeing her evolve and grow as an artist gives me the confidence to keep going and keep shining my light! I had the chance to see her live in London last February, and we met briefly afterward. I could tell right away that she was a proper “chiller,” as we like to say in Montreal—someone I’d definitely hang out with and smoke a J with.

‘Mirrors’ EP is out now.