At the age of 17, just one year after she began performing her original songs in front of audiences, Amanda Rheaume got her first taste of the big time. She sang, at the invitation of Sarah McLachlan, with the Indigo Girls, Sheryl Crow and the Dixie Chicks in front of an audience of sixteen thousand people at Lilith Fair 1999 in Toronto at the Molson Amphitheater. It was this unforgettable experience combined with a life-affirming trip to Thailand and Cambodia in 2002, that propelled the blossoming singer-songwriter to hone her craft both on and off stage leading ultimately to the June, 2003 release of her first CD, Unravelling. Rheaume was born and raised in Ottawa where she has rapidly become a force on the local scene, captivating many hearts and minds of a broad spectrum of music fans. Although traces of childhood influences Ani DiFranco (percussive guitar style), Natalie Merchant (intriguing vocal phrasing) and Alanis Morissette (powerful delivery) can be heard in her songs, Rheaume emerges as a positive, authentic and original voice. In concert, Amanda has a confident presence, building on the strength of pioneering female indie artists without bitterness or confrontational angst. At 21, her career has barely just begun, wherever her considerable abilities in music and art take her professionally, she uses them to focus her energy and keep a strong sense of motivation and inspiration in her life.