“Voice is one of the most powerful tools we have for connection, healing and self-expression,” says Yukoner Lianne Cranfield, who is a singer, songwriter and voice coach.
Lianne Cranfield says she has been performing since she was a child.
“It was my work, as an educator and counsellor, that I truly saw how transformative the voice can be, far beyond singing.”
Cranfield says that when she moved to the Yukon, back in 2013, she wanted to see programs that would support people of all ages in expressing themselves with confidence, clarity and authenticity. So, she created the program Find Your Voice and calls it “A home for all of that work, a place where music, communication, presence and personal growth intersect.”
Another program Cranfield created is Music in Motion, which is an ongoing workshop that she offers in partnership with the Yukon Arts Centre (along with other community partners). It’s designed for babies and young children, to explore music and sound, she says. The program started this past October.
Lianne explains that it’s much more than just having fun together. “It is also a space where early motor skills, musical awareness and cognitive development are nurtured through hands-on exploration with instruments and singing.”
Singing from an early age
Crafield showed talent as a musician, from an early age. Originally from Ontario, her singer-songwriter journey began when she was just three years old. She began performing onstage when she was nine. Later, she performed in Australia and New Zealand, where she was nominated by the cultural scene as Arts and Entertainment Ambassador.
During her studies, she focused on the benefits of introducing music in early childhood and found the research incredibly inspiring.
“Music stimulates every area of the developing brain, supporting intelligence, coordination, emotional expression, creativity and social skills. I see this every week! Babies light up with curiosity, and parents find joy in connecting both with their children and with one another,” she says about her work, adding, “Music in Motion is as much about building a supportive community as it is about learning, and that is what truly makes it meaningful.”
Finding inspiration
Her move to the Yukon has greatly influenced her music, Cranfield says, thanks to the Yukon’s environmental extremes like winter darkness, brilliant northern lights, intense cold and vast areas of quiet space. The contrast of light and darkness inspired her to move more inward, she says. Toward reflection and resilience.
“Winter became a season of active awaiting,” she says—a time to nurture the inner flame rather than force creativity. Cranfield adds that in the stillness she learned to let go of external expectations and trust the slow, authentic unfolding of whatever was stirring inside.
“The land itself became a teacher,” she says, adding that the river gave her strength and movement; and that the sky, the trees and the animals (like bears, wolves and foxes) offered their own kind of wisdom.
Debut album coming in 2026
Cranfield says she feels excited to be working on her debut album titled Dedicated to Jupiter, with Yukon producer Jordy Walker, and she expects to release the first few singles in 2026.
“My daughter’s name is Jupiter. And while I love the name, I wasn’t aware of the connection to my own name,” Cranfield says.
Eight years ago, she was teaching a class called Integrated Arts and asked students to look up the meaning of their names. When she learned that the meaning of Lianne was “Dedicated to Jupiter,” she was blown away.
“My daughter laughs at how often I tell that story,” Cranfield says, pointing out she is very proud of her daughter and that she dedicated her first released songs to her. When she is onstage, she finds the exchange of emotion and connection that happens, in real time, most rewarding. “Audiences often tell me they can truly hear what I’m saying and that the emotional honesty in my performance resonates with them. That kind of response creates a boomerang effect … When I feel people listening and tuning in, it inspires me to open up even more and share my soul, my passion for life, love, and everything beyond.”
Her grandmother, who was an organist, used to say that music exists for the glory of the Creator, and Cranfield believes this very strongly, she says. “Our voices tap into something deep and timeless in our existence.
“I trust that path, and one of the greatest rewards is helping others feel that they can trust it too.”
