Julie Arsenault + Bradley Lauretti at the Velvet Room

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Velvet Room, Carrer de l'Aviació, 5, Barcelona

For years, Julie Arsenault has been Canada's best kept secret. In 2014, the Toronto-based singer- songwriter released The Creature That I Call Myself, an album filled with harrowing tales of loss and heartbreak hidden beneath the catchiest of pop tunes. The record was released only on Bandcamp without any fancy marketing campaigns but soon became a cult hit. Six years later, the Barcelona based label Son Canciones reissued the masterpiece worldwide, adding four powerful songs to the original album. Nothing Sweeter is her second studio album and was recorded in a couple of chilly Canadian winter days. The album is a desperate cry from a place of deep silence, treating topics like depression, social awkwardness and sexism with heart-wrenching rawness and tender honesty. Musically, Julie Arsenault has been compared to Haley Heynderickx and Phoebe Bridgers while she herself admits to being inspired by the nostalgic beats of the '50s and '60s.