Stef Lang
Encyclopedia
Stef Lang is a Canadian singer, songwriter
, producer
and performer who resides in Vancouver, BC
. Originally from the small town of Ladysmith, BC
found on Vancouver Island
, Lang moved to Vancouver at 17 to pursue her musical career. Lang played every pub, bar, club and café she could, meanwhile honing her songwriting craft. Known for her engaging performances and edgy lyrics, Lang released her first full-length album The Underdog (available on iTunes
worldwide) in May 2010, distributed by Hipjoint Music/Universal Music Canada
. Her hit single, 'Mr. Immature', achieved mainstream success when it peaked at #5 on The Billboard Chart for Canadian Emerging Artists
. Lang’s follow up single, 'Slave2Love' was dubbed the #1 most added song in Canadian Radio.
to her father Conrad (German) and her mother Manuelita (Filipino), creating a mixed heritage. She is the youngest of three children. After her parent’s divorce when she was 5, she followed her sister (Carla) and brother (Mark) who chose to live with their father. Lang was constantly on the move as a result of her father’s career as a land developer and home builder. She spent time in several locations across Vancouver Island and eventually settled in Ladysmith in 1998.
Lang started singing, dancing and playing piano at the age of 5. Celine Dion
and Mariah Carey
were her early influences.
Shaw Star Discovery Talent Competition. In 2002, she landed her first role in a commercial for Radio Disney
. That summer, she landed a second commercial singing and dancing alongside Jamie Lynn Spears
(Britney Spears’
younger sister) for Hasbro’s
E-Kara karaoke system.
At 14, Lang took an interest in the guitar. She took lessons for one summer, but quit shortly after and became self-taught. Lang began developing her interest in songwriting and found inspiration from artists like Tegan and Sara
, Ani DiFranco
and Joni Mitchell
. She recorded her first independent album at a small studio in Cobble Hill, BC
, a self-titled CD which featured all original music.
She was cast as the main character's younger self. The following year (2005) she recorded her second independent album in Victoria, entitled Music in Me, which featured a combination of originals and covers. For her CD release, she organized a benefit concert for her town’s Christmas Food Bank.
. She won a four-song recording deal with Hipjoint Productions where she worked with producers Mike James (Kelly Rowland
) and Troy Samson (Moka Only
, Kreesha Turner
, Snoop Dogg
).
After graduation, Lang packed her things and moved to Vancouver where Hipjoint Productions offered her an internship in the studio and office to learn more about the music industry. She spent this time honing her songwriting skills and learning how to run the studio.
Lang worked part time at a local grocery store as a check out clerk while gigging at clubs like The Roxy, The Railway Club, The Media Club, The Bourbon, The Main and The Rusty Gull. She also worked odd jobs as a cashier, retail sales clerk, server, hostess and as an extra on film sets.
Within 4 years, Lang had written over 250 songs and had recorded them as ‘Volumes’ at Hipjoint Productions. 2 EP’s were released, titled ‘Birth’ and ‘Blood and Bravery’. To date there are sixteen volumes of original music acoustically recorded by Stef Lang and head engineer Phil Lehmann.
In the spring of 2009, Lang penned a publishing deal with Nettwerk One/H-Songs
, who launched the careers of Sarah McLachlan
and Coldplay
. Nettwerk is home to world renowned artists Sarah McLachlan, Shania Twain
, Avril Lavigne
, Chantal Kreviazuk
, k-os
, Shawn Desman
, Raine Maida
, Barenaked Ladies
, and Sum 41
.
, a popular Canadian television series.
Other placements include:
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and performer who resides in Vancouver, BC
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Originally from the small town of Ladysmith, BC
Ladysmith, British Columbia
Ladysmith is a town located on the 49th parallel on the east coast of Vancouver Island British Columbia, Canada. The local economy is based on forestry, tourism and agriculture. A hillside location adjacent to a sheltered harbour form the natural characteristics of the community., the population...
found on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, Lang moved to Vancouver at 17 to pursue her musical career. Lang played every pub, bar, club and café she could, meanwhile honing her songwriting craft. Known for her engaging performances and edgy lyrics, Lang released her first full-length album The Underdog (available on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
worldwide) in May 2010, distributed by Hipjoint Music/Universal Music Canada
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
. Her hit single, 'Mr. Immature', achieved mainstream success when it peaked at #5 on The Billboard Chart for Canadian Emerging Artists
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
. Lang’s follow up single, 'Slave2Love' was dubbed the #1 most added song in Canadian Radio.
Childhood
Lang was born on December 30, 1988 in Nanaimo, BCNanaimo, British Columbia
Nanaimo is a city on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It has been dubbed the "Bathtub Racing Capital of the World" and "Harbour City". Nanaimo is also sometimes referred to as the "Hub City" because of its central location on Vancouver Island and due to the layout of the downtown...
to her father Conrad (German) and her mother Manuelita (Filipino), creating a mixed heritage. She is the youngest of three children. After her parent’s divorce when she was 5, she followed her sister (Carla) and brother (Mark) who chose to live with their father. Lang was constantly on the move as a result of her father’s career as a land developer and home builder. She spent time in several locations across Vancouver Island and eventually settled in Ladysmith in 1998.
Lang started singing, dancing and playing piano at the age of 5. Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
and Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
were her early influences.
Teen years
As a teen, Lang began performing in music festivals and high-school plays. At the age of 13, Lang competed in the PNE'sPacific National Exhibition
The Pacific National Exhibition is a non profit organization which hosts an annual 17-day summer fair, seasonal amusement park, and arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It usually begins in mid-to-late August, and ends in early September, usually Labour Day.-History:The exhibition has been...
Shaw Star Discovery Talent Competition. In 2002, she landed her first role in a commercial for Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
. That summer, she landed a second commercial singing and dancing alongside Jamie Lynn Spears
Jamie Lynn Spears
Jamie Lynn Marie Spears is an American actress and singer. The younger sister of pop star Britney Spears, she rose to prominence for her appearances on Nickelodeon shows All That and for playing Zoey Brooks on Zoey 101....
(Britney Spears’
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
younger sister) for Hasbro’s
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
E-Kara karaoke system.
At 14, Lang took an interest in the guitar. She took lessons for one summer, but quit shortly after and became self-taught. Lang began developing her interest in songwriting and found inspiration from artists like Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie band composed of identical twin sisters Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin . Both Tegan and Sara play guitar and keyboard and write songs.-History:...
, Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, guitarist, poet, and songwriter. She has released more than 20 albums, and is widely considered a feminist icon.-Biography:...
and Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
. She recorded her first independent album at a small studio in Cobble Hill, BC
Cobble Hill, British Columbia
Cobble Hill is a small community on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It is located approximately north of Victoria in the Cowichan Valley Regional District, and is known for its agricultural surroundings, and for Cobble Hill itself, which gave the village its name...
, a self-titled CD which featured all original music.
She was cast as the main character's younger self. The following year (2005) she recorded her second independent album in Victoria, entitled Music in Me, which featured a combination of originals and covers. For her CD release, she organized a benefit concert for her town’s Christmas Food Bank.
Career beginnings
In the spring of 2006, Lang won The Beat Music Awards, a talent competition hosted by Vancouver’s #1 Hit Music Station The Beat 94.5CFBT-FM
CFBT-FM is a Canadian contemporary hit radio radio station in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia...
. She won a four-song recording deal with Hipjoint Productions where she worked with producers Mike James (Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
) and Troy Samson (Moka Only
Moka Only
Daniel Denton , known professionally as Moka Only, is a Canadian hip hop artist. Originally from Langford, British Columbia, near Victoria, he is now based in Vancouver. He was previously part of the hip hop group Swollen Members, and briefly a part of Len. His albums are released by Legendary...
, Kreesha Turner
Kreesha Turner
Kreesha Turner , is a Canadian R&B/pPop recording artist. She cites as her inspirations R&B acts such as Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and D'Angelo, hip-hop acts including A Tribe Called Quest, Andre 3000 and Common and rock acts like the Foo Fighters and Our Lady Peace.-Early life:The oldest of three...
, Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
).
After graduation, Lang packed her things and moved to Vancouver where Hipjoint Productions offered her an internship in the studio and office to learn more about the music industry. She spent this time honing her songwriting skills and learning how to run the studio.
Lang worked part time at a local grocery store as a check out clerk while gigging at clubs like The Roxy, The Railway Club, The Media Club, The Bourbon, The Main and The Rusty Gull. She also worked odd jobs as a cashier, retail sales clerk, server, hostess and as an extra on film sets.
Within 4 years, Lang had written over 250 songs and had recorded them as ‘Volumes’ at Hipjoint Productions. 2 EP’s were released, titled ‘Birth’ and ‘Blood and Bravery’. To date there are sixteen volumes of original music acoustically recorded by Stef Lang and head engineer Phil Lehmann.
In the spring of 2009, Lang penned a publishing deal with Nettwerk One/H-Songs
Nettwerk
The Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
, who launched the careers of Sarah McLachlan
Sarah McLachlan
Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
and Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
. Nettwerk is home to world renowned artists Sarah McLachlan, Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
, Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
, Chantal Kreviazuk
Chantal Kreviazuk
Chantal Jennifer Kreviazuk is a Canadian singer-songwriter of the adult contemporary music genre. She is also a classically trained pianist, and can play the guitar.-Albums:...
, k-os
K-os
Kevin Brereton , better known by his stage name k-os , is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer...
, Shawn Desman
Shawn Desman
Shawn Bosco Fernandes better known by his stage name Shawn Desman, is a Canadian pop/R&B singer of Portuguese descent. He is signed to Universal Music Canada.-Career:...
, Raine Maida
Raine Maida
Raine Maida , is a Canadian musician best known as being the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the alternative rock band Our Lady Peace. He has come to be known for his unique countertenor nasal falsetto singing voice, as well as his cryptic and poetry-influenced song lyrics...
, Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
, and Sum 41
Sum 41
Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of members Deryck Whibley , Tom Thacker , Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz .In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records...
.
Song placements
Two of Lang's songs from her debut album The Underdog appeared in Degrassi: The Next GenerationDegrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
, a popular Canadian television series.
- Straitjacket - Season 9, Episode 18 - In Your Eyes
- Diamonds - Season 10, Episode 28 - Love Lockdown
Other placements include:
- Give A Little Bit - Used by CTV BCCTV television networkCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
as a promo song for their "Making a Difference" campaign about giving back to the community. - The Beat Of My Radio - Placed in The CW'sThe CW Television NetworkThe CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
High Society - A reality TV show about the life of New York socialite/fashion designer Tinsley Mortimer. - Vulnerable - Placed in ABC'sAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Rookie Blue, a Canadian police TV series starring Missy Peregrym and Gregory Smith.
Showcases
- 2009 - Canadian Music Cafe during TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival)Toronto International Film FestivalThe Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
, sharing the same stage as Hawksley Workman, USSUbiquitous Synergy SeekerUbiquitous Synergy Seeker is a musical duo that began working out of Parkdale, a neighbourhood situated in the west end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
, ArkellsArkellsArkells are a Canadian rock band, formed in Hamilton, Ontario. In 2006, they signed with Dine Alone Records, the label for other Canadian acts such as City and Colour, Attack In Black, Alexisonfire, and Tokyo Police Club.-Band history:...
, Terri ClarkTerri ClarkTerri Lynn Sauson , known professionally as Terri Clark, is a Canadian country music artist who has had success in both Canada and the United States. Signed to Mercury Records in 1995, she released her self-titled debut that year...
, K'naanK'naanK'naan , born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.-Biography:Born in Somalia, K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most...
, and City and Colour (Toronto). During the Festival, Lang also took part in four writing sessions with top industry writers Ron Lopata, Karen Kosowski, Greg Johnston, Rob Wells, and Hawksley Workman. - 2010 - NXNE (North by Northeast)North by NortheastNorth by Northeast is an annual five-day live music and film festival and music conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, held each June....
(Toronto). - 2010 - L.A. Reid (three-time Grammy Award-winning American record executive, songwriter, and record producer) at Island Def Jam RecordsThe Island Def Jam Music GroupThe Island Def Jam Motown Music Group, formerly The Island Def Jam Music Group, is an umbrella label formed in 1999 when Universal Music Group merged two of its daughter companies, Island Records and Def Jam Recordings, to create a label group. In 2011, Motown Records was split from the Universal...
(New York). - 2010 - CMJ (College Music Journal)College Music JournalCollege Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...
(New York).
Tour
- Winter 2007 - LA TourLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
- Spring 2010 - Western Canada TourWestern CanadaWestern Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
- Fall 2010 - Cross Canada TourCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Self-released
- Stephanie Lang: Independent debut full-length CD (2004)
- Music In Me: Full-length CD (2005)
Commercially released
- Birth: Commercial debut EP (2008)
- Blood & Bravery: EP (2009)
- The Underdog: Commercial debut full-length CD (2010)
Singles
- Straitjacket (The Underdog)
- Mr. Immature (The Underdog)
- Slave2Love (The Underdog)
Co-writes
- Dust in Gravity - Co-writing credit for Delerium'sDeleriumDelerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly...
'Dust In Gravity', featuring Kreesha Turner. The single hit #1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Chart. - The Underdog - Co-written with Rob WellsRob WellsRob Wells is a multi-platinum, award-winning producer/songwriter based in Toronto & Los Angeles.Wells has worked with Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Adam Lambert, Nick Lachey, Miranda Cosgrove, Mika, Backstreet Boys, Paloma Faith, Cyndi Lauper, Olivia Newton John, Daisy Dares You, Boyzone, Matt Dusk,...
(Backstreet BoysBackstreet BoysThe Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group, formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993. The band originally consisted of A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson. They rose to fame with their debut international album, Backstreet Boys...
, Nick LacheyNick LacheyNicholas Scott "Nick" Lachey is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and television personality. Lachey rose to fame as a member of the boy band 98 Degrees. He later starred in the reality television series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica with his then-wife, Jessica Simpson. He has released...
, Cyndi LauperCyndi LauperCynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
). - Closet Freak - Co-written with Hawksley WorkmanHawksley WorkmanRyan Corrigan , better known by the stage name Hawksley Workman, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter who has garnered critical acclaim for his blend of cabaret pop and glam rock. Workman has released eleven full length albums throughout his career...
and Greg Johnston. - Lupe FiascoLupe FiascoWasalu Muhammad Jaco , better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco , is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur, Lupe is the CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food...
- Lang invited by major label Atlantic Records to write a chorus for American rapper Lupe Fiasco's upcoming single.
Radio success
- Mr. Immature - Hit #5 on The Billboard Chart for Canadian Emerging Artist.
- Slave2Love - Recently entered the American Music Chart - CANADA: HOT AC at #45 and is now at #43 and climbing. The single is also #12 on Mainstream Radio.
Nominations
- Lang's hit single Mr. Immature has been nominated for two Canadian Radio Music AwardsCanadian Radio Music AwardsThe Canadian Radio Music Awards are an annual series of awards presented by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters that are part of Canadian Music Week....
- Contemporary Hit Radio & Hot Adult Contemporary.