Instagram story viewer> @msjustinegiles> Posts

Justine Giles

@msjustinegiles

5K

followers

5951

following

Singer-Songwriter & Teaching Artist
2026 YYCMA + WCMA + Calgary Awards Nominee
FOTR Artist-in-Residence ’25-26
2024 YYCMA Solo Artist 🏆

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

“Past Life” is OUT NOW 🎶🖤 This is one of the most raw songs I’ve ever written, recorded, and birthed into the world. It stems from a really deep place where I’m questioning past life connections & soul ties verses trauma bonds that keep us stuck in pattern loops. The familiar is not always good or healthy or conscious. I wrote this song to try and make sense of it all. It marks a new chapter for me, leading me to my next works where I share parts of myself and my story that have yet to be told. The root of all of this is truth, storytelling, connection, healing, empowerment and evolution. It’s a messy journey but I’m so grateful to be supported in making something beautiful out of hardship and grief. Huge thank you to my creative team @evergreensound @sarah.houston.music @captainreimer and to @calgaryartsdev for supporting this project.
.
.
.
#calgaryartsdevelopment #calgaryarts #soloartist #soloartistoftheyear #justinegilesmusic #justinegiles #abmusic #albertamusic #pastlife #madidiaz #lizzymcalpine #marensgirls by @msjustinegiles

3

14

a year ago

Grateful to have served as a JUNO judge this year. Yet another cool way to use my voice and support other Canadian artists. Congrats to all of the nominees, our country is filled with SO much talent. Let’s keep making spaces - safe spaces - for people who have not had the privilege to share their art, stories, or voices. May we practice deep listening, and learn how to better support and fund indie artists, female artists, lgbtqia2s+ artists, indigenous artists, black artists, artists with disabilities (just to name a few). We still have a long way to go, and it’s ongoing learning and unlearning. taken in Calgary, Alberta by @msjustinegiles

3

22

4 months ago

We did it! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me, especially over the last 5 years. It’s hard to believe I made the solo cross-country move here 5 years ago (almost to the day). I came here with a lot of big ambitions; to return to songwriting, performing, and recording after a brief hiatus in Toronto. I was quite honestly at such a low point personally, and had a lot of healing to do. As much as this has been a solo journey of healing and I had to believe in myself & take countless risks.. face plenty of wounds.. this has also been so much about rebuilding my heart and career in COMMUNITY. It’s said that healing doesn’t happen in isolation, and I have found that to be true. It has meant the world to me to find myself at home here in Calgary, with amazing people by my side. Thank you to those who have inspired me along the way and who’ve helped me get my strength, power, and voice back stronger than ever.
📸: @michellespicephotography
🏆: @yycmusicawards
.
.
#YYCMA2024 #YYCMA #soloartistoftheyear #yycmusicawards #yycmusic #justinegilesmusic #justinegiles #singersongwriter #calgary #soloartist taken in Grey Eagle Event Centre by @msjustinegiles

3

82

2 years ago

As I head into my birthday weekend I can’t help but reflect on previous birthdays and my general struggle with holidays. I’ve been getting curious about why they hurt so much, why they always feel disappointing, draining and infused with heartache. There’s always been a loud sense of loneliness and negative self-talk that creeps in on these days. In this photo I must’ve been 12 or 13 years old (I know it was around that age because of the braces). But interestingly, what people didn’t see was how much I was bracing for dear life. Some of my closest friends knew I was struggling with my body image and the onset of an eating disorder. But I also got really good at hiding it, and all of the suffering going on. I don’t know if anyone knew my brother almost just died in front of my very eyes. No one connected the two, and frankly, neither did I until recent years. I was not okay. But nobody knew. Because I masked and pretended I was fine. I was in survival mode & was aware of the fact that more important things were happening and the reality was: I wasn’t sure if he’d be coming home from the ICU. I still got perfect grades, I kept to myself, and I suffered in silence for years. Nobody saw me, the real me. It’s been just over 20 years now, and I’m finally learning how to sit with her and listen to her feelings. She’s survived a lot on her own. She’s outwardly strong and successful. But she’s also sensitive and struggles more than people know. It’s my job to comfort her now and help her feel safe to express the hard feelings. Allow her to show up, to not dismiss her pain or sorrow anymore. Ignoring her for so long caused her so much additional pain and it’s her time now, it’s long over due. So, when I spend thanksgivings or birthdays or christmases alone and she comes up to say “this hurts” I’m going to try to listen and validate that. Because it does hurt, it did hurt, and we made it through and survived a lot of shit.. and that’s also worth celebrating. by @msjustinegiles

3

6

2 days ago

I wrote Parts of Me and was able to acknowledge my various parts way before I even heard of Internal Family Systems therapy also known as “parts work”. It just makes so much sense to me and really resonates. I’m currently taking a workshop series to learn more about IFS this fall, along with doing more reading and research. It interests me because nobody really teaches you how to cope with a hurt or traumatized inner child in addition to protective parts, bullies, inner critics.. it gets loud in there sometimes 😆. I’m learning how to listen to various parts of me who have been abandoned for a long time; this is learned behaviour, sometimes we learn to stay quiet or prioritize others all while we feel abandoned by others too. This doesn’t just happen in one context or family unit either; when we consider how systems in society are designed, it makes a lot of sense that we’d struggle to freely express our feelings or know how to cope with compiling traumas in our minds, bodies, and psyches. A lot of systems are broken. A lot of systems silence people and cause additional harm when they do that. It can be frustrating to see that, but we can at least try to do what we can individually, and that can look like extending extra care, compassion, and deep listening towards others and ourselves. There is a lot of healing that happens when we speak our truth and share our stories and lived experiences. There’s also healing that happens when we listen and create a safe enough space to speak and hear hard truths. It’s a journey, it’s messy. But I’m committed to it. 🖤🎶 taken in Calgary, Alberta by @msjustinegiles

3

3

3 days ago

Reflecting on facilitating and what it really means to foster safer spaces & what is accessible and inclusive? So many places & organizations miss the mark on this; things like equity, inclusion, reconciliation become boxes they check off rather than intentional efforts to learn and unlearn. What does it mean to be a true ally? I think we should be reflecting on this regularly. And it’s okay to not do it perfectly, to make mistakes, for it to be a messy learning curve. Intentions behind the work we do & how we show up in the world really does matter, perhaps above all. Some of the most impactful moments I’ve experienced happen in small rooms; they often go unseen and it’s not a showboat moment to say “hey I was a part of a good thing, I deserve an award”. It’s more like “I am so deeply moved by this genuine connection and the power that it holds for all parties”. Music and the arts are powerful tools for connection, a deeper sense of belonging, self expression in a way that otherwise wouldn’t feel safe. It gives us a place to drop our guards and defences and to just be present in the moment alongside other humans - and this is just in our nature.. it’s so human to sit in a circle and just be with one another and bond over music. I want more of this in our increasingly challenging world filled with distractions, and technological advances that pull us away from this type of connection. At the end of the day humans are still biologically wired to connect with eachother, the way we always have. It’s so important for our wellbeing on every level and it can truly impact lives like no other thing can. 🎶 taken in Calgary, Alberta by @msjustinegiles

3

3

9 days ago

The path of a cycle breaker is not an easy path to walk. A big part of my life is learning and unlearning around my own traumas, the traumas within my bloodline and lineage, and also what’s happening on the world stage and the various injustices that still take place to this day. It can be a lot to digest and try to make sense of, when we live in a world that has built systems that deeply harm us, perpetually. I’m a believer that the small moments matter, how we show up for ourselves and others daily matters. Taking as much responsibility and accountability as we can matters. Learning to be a safer ally matters. Identifying patterns and blind spots matters. As infuriating as it can be some days to realize that so much is stacked up against us, leaning into our truths and into the arts can really be life saving, and can help us process deep, complicated emotions and things that really don’t make sense at all. Feeling is healing & putting a voice to it all has always saved me. taken in The King Eddy by @msjustinegiles

3

5

11 days ago

See you soon Strathmore! Thanks for filling my heart with hope & joy over the past few weeks and continuing into October. It’s been a pleasure returning this fall. You can also listen-in to CJSW FM on Nov 1st at 2pm for a live interview & performance - I have so many stories to tell from my time in Yellowknife, to new initiatives I’ve been a part of in the Calgary area. P.S. My books are now open for November shows & for the holiday season. **I will be off for a week or so at the very end of Nov for a quick surgery, but otherwise I’m ready to rock n’ roll again.** Thankfully my iron levels are up after many months of pills & near-fainting at a few shows this summer 🥴💪🏻. Message me if you’d like to collaborate this Nov/Dec 🍂🧡 by @msjustinegiles

3

0

12 days ago

Whether I win an award or not, I wanted to share what’s on my heart and what really counts as a “win” in my books. First off, I’m always grateful for a nomination. So much impactful work goes unseen, and to be recognized in any regard always means a lot. But I’ve been in deep reflection lately on why paying it forward matters to me; I’m very intentional in how I lead, facilitate, mentor and also how I show up as an artist and human being in general. I’m not perfect, but my heart is pure along with my intentions to give back in meaningful ways. Over the course of this year, that has looked like developing and delivering new songwriting programs and group workshops, along with mentoring emerging artists (groups and individuals). It hasn’t been through just one organization anymore - I’ve branched outside of my comfort zone, even outside of my city and province and it’s been a wild journey! Thank you for inviting me into your spaces and trusting me with your hearts and voices. It’s my duty to protect up and coming artists, to share my lived experiences and hardships I’ve had to overcome, but also to listen and cultivate safe spaces for others to share their lived experiences with me. My job is to hold that space with deep care, empathy, and respect.. and support people in putting their truth into songs. It’s an honour. by @msjustinegiles

3

2

14 days ago

The Cornell story has been incredibly triggering for me this week, as it has been for most women. Or should I say, ALL women. I’ve felt everything from rage, to sadness, to grief, to numbness - for myself and for the collective. This is heavy shit. I’m proud of everyone who has spoken up. We have failed so many people. The patriarchal systems have failed us time and time again for generations and we are sick of it.

In 2022 I released a song called Save Myself, it was my first song “back”. People know that I moved to Calgary in late 2019, and it was a solo cross-country move. I left Toronto with a broken heart and shattered dreams - but it was so much more than that.

Some people also know, that my first producer in T.O was a narcissist, abusive and manipulative. What I haven’t shared is that it was mental, emotional, and sexual abuse. He was also a suicidal addict that I was “trying to save”. It took me many years to wrap my head around all that happened, as drugs and alcohol were a factor (as they often are). He was my “welcome” into the music industry. It was dark. I was 24, he was in his 50s. This week marked the 9 year anniversary of the night this all started and it’s come with a lot of flashbacks and feelings in my body.

The unfair and unjust part of this is that the abusers walk free with zero consequences. We need to keep calling this out. But also, we need to protect eachother and the next generation. We need to be the cycle breakers. I’m committed to that in my own lineage and I will continue to fight like hell and use my voice for good. I’m committed to creating safer spaces for survivors to tell their stories. We need to stop silencing people - and listen. by @msjustinegiles

3

28

16 days ago

Save the date - please join us for the Fall Gala at Hope Bridges Society in Strathmore! I’m honoured to be the emcee this year, and I’m guest-facilitating over the next few weeks in the Music Discovery program (alongside their amazing music therapists and other facilitators). Performance preparations are full-steam ahead & you’re in for such a treat at this show on Oct 25th. Tickets support this incredible non-profit and the work that they do. Stay for delicious dinner and good vibes 🤗 Ticket Link In Bio 🎟️ taken in Strathmore, Alberta by @msjustinegiles

3

0

20 days ago

It’s like we transcended timelines 🎹🎶 by @msjustinegiles

3

1

21 days ago