Geneviève Racette Golden (Deluxe)

Tracks: From Friends To Strangers; X2; Things You Can't Say; Golden; My Thoughts Of You; Same Old Me; Instagram; I Hope It Hurts; In Circles; Home Movies; Feel Things; The Reasons (I'll Be Alright); Come As You Are - 2025; Common Denominator; My Thoughts Of You - Acoustic; Golden - A Capella

Label: Steeplejack Music

With Golden (Deluxe), Geneviève Racette unveils a work of extraordinary beauty and emotional precision. The album feels expansive yet intimate, crafted by a songwriter who instinctively knows when to whisper and when to let a melody bloom. Every note carries intention; every pause feels purposeful.

Rather than simply revisiting a previous release, this expanded edition reshapes it. The additional recordings and pared-down arrangements illuminate corners of the songs that may have once lingered in shadow. There is a quiet confidence in these reinterpretations — a sense of an artist returning not to revise, but to rediscover.

Her interpretation of Come As You Are by Nirvana is particularly arresting. Stripped of its original grunge weight, the track becomes reflective and almost ethereal under Racette’s touch. It feels less like a cover and more like a conversation across decades, filtered through her own lived experience.

The unaccompanied version of the title track is striking in its purity, placing her voice front and centre with nothing to soften its edges. Likewise, the acoustic rendering of My Thoughts of You highlights her remarkable control and sensitivity as a vocalist. There is an understated elegance throughout—a refusal to overproduce or oversell—that makes the emotional impact even harder.

Racette’s artistic ascent has been steady and well-earned. From No Water, No Flowers, which earned her recognition as Emerging Artist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, to the textured landscapes of Satellite, she has continually refined her sound while remaining rooted in sincerity. The original Golden release charted prominently with Folk Alliance International and brought wider exposure through placements on Heartland, yet commercial milestones feel secondary to the deeper narrative of growth that defines her catalogue.

What resonates most is her unwavering commitment to authenticity. There is no rush in this music, no chasing of fleeting trends. Instead, Racette creates space — for reflection, for nuance, for collaboration — fostering an environment where creativity feels both personal and communal.

Ultimately, Golden (Deluxe) stands as a luminous statement from an artist fully in command of her voice and vision. It is immersive without being overwhelming, tender without fragility. In a crowded musical landscape, Racette offers something rare: work that lingers long after the final chord fades.