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Jann Arden’s singing hasn’t lost any of its power since her commercial peak in the ‘90s, but in 2025 that’s only one of the ways she uses her voice.
Over her multi-decade career, the Canadian artist has branched out in many directions: written memoir, fiction, TV, podcasting and animal rights activism. Though she made her reputation on her soft-rock balladry and soulful vocals, she’s become nearly as widely known for her personality. She’s engaging and personable, funny and occasionally profane.
Both sides were on display on Jan. 17 when Arden played the ICONS Series, a new set of shows in Elora, Ontario put on by local boutique hotelier and jewelry designer Kat Florence that pairs intimate performances from Canadian legends with multi-course meals from also renowned chefs. In the historic Granary building, an outpost of the Elora Mill, Arden followed a decadent meal by Chef Ron McKinlay of Toronto fine dining restaurant Canoe.
It was an intimate and fancy setting with a cocktail hour, a sit-down dinner and tables set up throughout the room where nine or ten people sat together and ate together before the show. In full rock star chef mode, McKinlay said he was eschewing the tweezers for more approachable fare, but the meal still had its share of flair: an onion soup served inside n actual hollowed out onion, smoked oysters served on a plate with dry ice, surf and turf with a skewer made from a local Elora tree branch.
Chef Ron McKinlay at ICONS Series in Elora, Ontario.George Pimentel
It was miles away from a dive bar concert, often feeling more like a formal wedding – an event the building often hosts. That’s becoming more of a common experience, as venues and festivals introduce tiers of VIP food, drink and seating experiences for those who can afford the upgrade. While those new tiers build in luxury touches to the common live music experience, ICONS felt like a fully curated one-off.
Taking the stage after dessert was served, Arden joked that she had a similar experience privately in the downstairs part of the venue. “They’ve been treating me like Beyoncé down there,” she said.
The setting of the ICONS Series at Elora's Granary building.George Pimentel
It was already a long night before she took the stage (which she acknowledged, quipping that she was about to play a 6-hour set), but despite her white shirt and tie look, Arden’s casual charm kept the seated crowd engaged, even as table service slowed. She treated it like we were seated in her living room, telling tales between each song of how they were made and what inspired them. It often felt like as much of a storytelling show as a concert.
She told a story of working on a salmon trawler in Vancouver but not being able to prove it until Michael Bublé’s father somehow produced a photo. She talked about earning her record contract because the head of a label had just been through a breakup and was devastated by her cassette still in his tape deck.
And, as she launched into the immortal 1994 hit “Insensitive,” she gave an extended explanation of how it was written – unlike her other songs, not actually by her. Instead, she picked up the song from a peer named Anne Lorree, not knowing it would become her biggest hit. It’s ironic that the song she’s best known for is the only one (other than covers) that she didn’t write, but it has kept money in the pocket of both her and Lorree, she said.
Jann Arden at ICONS Series in Elora, Ontario.George Pimentel
Arden’s newest release is a cover album called MIXTAPE, out today (January 31). In it, she covers songs mostly from the ‘90s – a decade in which her career skyrocketed and an interesting time for music in general, she explained, after Sinead O’Connor turned the tide for women in music at the end of the ‘80s. She finished this concert with a cover of Des'ree's 1994 R&B song "You Gotta Be," which she told the audience they would know as soon as they heard it. She was right, and her soft-rock voice added nice dimension to the familiar hit.
The next edition of ICONS is Feb. 21 featuring Broken Social Scene and a meal by Chef Patrick Kriss of acclaimed Toronto restaurant ALO. The series will finish on March 14 with a yet-to-be-announced final artist and chef.
Find more info at theicons.ca
