Press release –
Canadian alt-folk artist Kaeley Jade announces her sophomore album, The Great Unknown, will be arriving April 10, 2026 (Independent). The new album finds Kaeley exploring an earthier sound, where expansive percussion mingles with soaring guitars to create the electric charge of an impending storm. At its core is Kaeley’s heartfelt vocal delivery, both commanding and vulnerable.
Produced by JUNO Award-winner Hill Kourkoutis, The Great Unknown is a cinematic plunge into the dread, conflict, and uncertainty that arise when we reach a turning point. There is catharsis in letting go of that which no longer serves us, and The Great Unknown invites listeners to embrace life’s unpredictability, confront the moments that challenge us, and celebrate the beauty found within its ever-shifting tides.
Alongside the album announcement, Kaeley shares “Wisest Fool,” the follow-up single to her #1 Indigenous Music Countdown song ‘The Ceiling’. Where “The Ceiling” was born out of conversations about global unrest and feelings of powerlessness, “Wisest Fool” is a song about undying, unfiltered, unstoppable love.
“While the idea of a ‘wise fool’ seems a bit paradoxical, I believe that those of us who are willing to risk looking foolish in the name of building something meaningful are among the wisest of us all,” shares Kaeley. “I’ve always admired people who take bold leaps toward happiness, even when it means opening themselves up to being hurt. I wanted to challenge myself to write a song that celebrates romance wholeheartedly and invites us to commit fearlessly to the ones we love. At a time when living passionately can be perceived as strangely uncool, I think we can all use a little more of that courage right now!”
Rather than whispering quiet confessions, “Wisest Fool” encourages us to shout our love from the rooftops.
“Wisest Fool” and “Poltergeist” (from 2022’s Turpentine LP) have been tapped as new theme songs for CBC Radio One’s Edmonton AM.
Produced and mixed by Kourkoutis, The Great Unknown album was recorded in Toronto with members of Kaeley’s band. Tight schedules led to a layered recording process, with each part tracked separately, turning the sessions into a rotating creative exchange. “Everyone brought a special energy into the room,” Kaeley recalls. “It felt a bit like working with a revolving door of friends.”
Kaeley wrapped up 2025 with a 30+ date run of summer and fall tour dates across BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. She participated in the SOCAN Song House at BreakOut West in Winnipeg and was selected for the TD Incubator for Creative Entrepreneurship and the national Women in Music Canada Entrepreneur Accelerator program.
Kaeley designed all of the single artworks for this album herself, using the medium of block printing. For this process, she first sketched out the concept, then carved the design into a rubber-like block, rolled the block with ink, and then hand-printed the image. Then she scanned the print and composed the artwork digitally.
(pronounced KAY-lee Jayde)
Alternative-folk singer/songwriter Kaeley Jade crafts full-hearted songs that dig deep. Growing up on the outskirts of North America’s most northern metropolis, the Edmonton-based Métis artist has been sculpted by icy winter winds, warm summer breezes, and sweeping prairie skies. Whether through gently textured acoustic ballads or rip-roaring full-band cuts, Kaeley’s powerful voice and vivid imagery capture the depths of life’s most challenging moments with sincerity and precision.
Kaeley Jade’s vibrant debut album, Turpentine, introduced her to the Canadian music scene as an artist to watch. Earning a Canadian Folk Music Award, a Henry Armstrong Award, and a Western Canadian Music Award nomination, Turpentine received international press, charted across Canadian radio (including a #1 on the Indigenous Music Countdown), and was featured in film and television productions like Hockey Night in Canada (Sportsnet), Warrior Up! (APTN) and Teen Mom: The Next Chapter (MTV).
A Renaissance woman at heart, Kaeley Jade’s creative practice extends far beyond her musical prowess. After attaining her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Alberta in 2020, she has continued to dance between the worlds of music, theatre, film, and visual arts. Her work on Two-Headed/Half-Hearted—a prairie-gothic folk musical that premiered at Northern Light Theatre in 2022—showcased her talents as a composer, sound designer, and actor, and earned her a Music in the Arts award at the Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards. With over 150 performances across Canada since 2023, Kaeley’s deep love of storytelling and dynamic stage presence shine through whether she performs solo, duo, or with her five-piece band.
Written by: Kaeley Jade Wiebe
Produced & Mixed by: Hill Kourkoutis
Mastered by: Kristian Montano
Musicians: Kaeley Jade (lead vocals, background vocals), Hill Kourkoutis (electric guitar, keys, bass synth, tambourine, background vocals), Gabriel Gagnon (electric guitar, background vocals), Kelsey Wood (bass, background vocals), Katie Wood (keys, background vocals), Jordan Poirier (drums, background vocals)
