Born on the prairies and raised in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, singer-guitarist Rebecca Fairless writes songs that encompass both the warmth and the austerity of a bright Alberta sun in a wide winter sky. Inspired by songwriters like Gillian Welch and Adrian Lenker, Rebecca weaves themes of sadness and longing into tuneful tapestries of intricate fingerstyle guitar. Her succinct lyrics explore the interplay of light and darkness, finding solace in the shadows. 

After a restless youth that included stints living in the Rocky Mountains and South Korea, Rebecca moved to the Maritimes to go to music school. She found herself in Nova Scotia, where she works as a church organist and music therapist; her songwriting is influenced by Gregorian chant and the unusual intervals of shapenote hymns, as well as sad old country songs and high lonesome bluegrass harmonies.

In 2022 Rebecca formed the folk duo The Dusty Halos. Following their debut at a folk festival in a barn outside Antigonish, they have performed on stages in Nova Scotia, Toronto, and Montreal. The Halos have garnered attention and airplay on CBC radio for their songcraft and intimate vocal chemistry.  The Dusty Halos released their debut EP in 2023, followed by their 2025 sophomore EP Keep Us This Night, featuring the haunting single “With You.” 

During her residency in Souris, Rebecca plans to work on a longer-form song inspired by recent delvings into monastic spirituality, the physiological/psychological experiences of the "change of life", and a profound encounter with a whale in Newfoundland. She will also come equipped with a recorder to do field recording along the shore, produce song demos, and gather the seeds for a new album.

Rebecca will be hosting a community event in Souris called Bops wIth Tots! This will be a fun/raucous/interactive sing-along music jam and dance party for babies, toddlers, and their carers. Prepare to sing silly songs, move your body, and let loose to the rhythms of childhood.

An opening set will be provided by Chepstow singer-songwriter Daniel Bushey.