Vocalist, composer, and improviser, Laura Swankey (she/her) is known for her artistry, versatility, vocal aptitude, creative spirit, and compassionate approach to collaboration and education. As a settler, she gratefully lives and works in Toronto, Tkaronto, lands covered by Treaty 13 and Williams Treaties, on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinabeg, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat peoples.

Laura has worked with artists such as Juno award-winner Mike Murley, Poet Laureate Dennis Lee, Christine Duncan, Mark Feldman, and Ralph Alessi, and has premiered works by Juliet Palmer, Germaine Liu, Lieke van der Voort, Tova Kardonne, Elio Villafranca, and Mike McCormick. Along with her solo project for voice and electronics, Laura has extensively collaborated and toured throughout Canada, Scandinavia and the United States with Parade, Elisa Thorn’s HUE, Plastic Babies, Mike McCormick’s Proxemics, Jazz Bras Dot Com, Dr. Purgatory, and Star Triptych. In 2018, Laura joined the University of Toronto and Humber College as an instructor in their respective music departments. 

In the fall of 2022, Laura was featured on Noam Lemish’s beautiful record, Twelve. Stefan Hegerat’s Parade (Stefan Hegerat on drums, Chris Pruden on piano and synths, and Laura Swankey on vocals and electronics) will be releasing their first album this summer, celebrating with cross-Canada dates throughout the spring and summer. In mid-2023, Laura will be releasing an album of improvised music with long-time collaborator and friend, guitarist Patrick O’Reilly (W/DRWN Records). This music was captured by engineer, Mike Romaniak over two days in the winter of 2019 in a snowy cottage outside Meaford, ON. Finally, Plastic Babies - longtime trio made up of vocalist Christine Duncan and guitarist Patrick O’Reilly alongside Swankey - is working towards their inaugural album, produced by Jean Martin of Barnyard Records, to be released in late 2023 or early 2024. 

As an active member of the Canadian music community, Laura continues to focus on exploring her voice; to exploit its full capacity in both live and studio settings, as a solo singer and collaborator. In addition to her teaching and creative work, Laura is currently completing a MA in counselling psychology.