From the first notes of “Up” by Shania Twain, Justine Sletten was hooked and made her decision to launch her career in the music industry. Justine’s music ranges from the upbeat, new country style of Kelsea Ballerini and classic Taylor Swift to the country pop sound made famous by Shania Twain, all women that have influenced the progression of her sound.
Recently Justine has been working closely with highly acclaimed producer Bart McKay to create her newest single, Longer Road and That’s How Goodbye Goes. Ecstatic to share her new music with the world, Justine believes these songs are a demonstration of her growth as a vocalist. That’s How Goodbye Goes is a refreshing twist on a heartbreak story written by Ben Stoll, Joshua Singleton, and Erin Kinsey. That’s How Goodbye Goes is very contrasting to Justine’s last two singles. Longer Road written by Clare Dunn, Brett Tyler and Mark Holman, Longer Road tells the love story of a young couple, who wish that the road home would never end. Longer Road caught Justine’s eye with its unique way of telling this love story.
Justine is excited to share her new music in the hopes that it will help take her career to the next level. Although she will always love her Saskatchewan home she is hopeful that her hard work and determination will one day help her to share her music around the world!
This summer for the first time in two years, I had the pleasure of performing live after a long two year hiatus! As I was planning my tour I decided that I wanted to do something to give back. I was thinking about some current pressing issues but I also wanted to pick something close to my heart.
I was hearing frequently about the mental health crisis in our society, created by the pandemic. I started to think about the fact that many times those struggling with mental illness or depleted mental health can look completely fine to those around them. I decided that I wanted to shed some light on this issue as it’s not something that everyone is comfortable talking about openly.
People often find it very hard to believe that someone who would WILLINGLY get on stage in front of a crowd of people to sing, would also describe herself as an anxious person. I actually don’t consider myself to be a naturally outgoing person, but I have always loved to sing and perform. Throughout the pandemic, of course, that option wasn’t available and that created a lot of anxiety about what to do with this big part of my life. My point in telling you this is that I want to demonstrate that it’s okay to discuss these self-defeating emotions that sometimes happen in our lives. The important part is to identify these feelings, to get help when it’s needed and to find a way towards wellness.
This summer I had nearly 20 shows across the province and I decided to donate 10% of my tour earnings to the Canadian Mental Health Association. At each show I also collected donations from the audience to enhance the amount that I am able to donate. The Canadian Mental Health Association has a crucial mission, advocating and providing resources for people in Canada who struggle with mental illness, and mental health. Although mental illness strikes 1 in 5 people in Canada, ALL people at various points in their life will struggle with changes to their mental health. I want to thank every single person who donated to this cause at one of my shows this summer and I truly hope that I was able to help shine a light on this really important topic.